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There’s no breakfast laid out. I feel the coffee machine. Cold. I wander over to the laundry room. Empty too. And the washing machine is silent.
This is . . . odd.
I wait for the coffee machine to warm up, pondering my day, and watch as it spits out my caffeine, then answer a call from Otto. “Where are you?” I ask.
“In the kitchen.”
I look around for him. No Otto. “I’m in the kitchen.”
“Oh.”
“So where are you?”
A beat. A sigh. “I’m in bed with your?—”
“Okay,” I blurt. “Why the fuck are you calling me when you’re in bed with—” I can’t say it. “What do you want?”
“Bean’s back.”
“Got a ring to it, hasn’t it?” I take a sip of my coffee. “Anything else?”
“The Escalade that pulled the drive-by on Brad was seen back in Lake Harbor last night.”
Great. “Now get out of that fucking bed. We’ve got shit to do.” I hang up and shudder, pouting to myself, wondering if Otto’s bottled it. Changed his mind. Or did Mum say no and he doesn’t want to admit it? I send a quick message to James to meet me outside with the others.
“Morning, stud.”
I look up and find Rose in the doorway, Maggie half concealed under her tank. Give me strength, my daughter feeding from my wife should not turn me on. “Come here,” I order, resting back against the counter, taking more coffee. Bean’s not only getting a visit from The Brit today, he’s getting a visit from The Brit high on caffeine.
Rose comes straight to me and leans up, giving me her lips. I drop a kiss on them. Damn it, I am not looking forward to reining in her freedom. She can have today. After that, I have to brave telling her she’s going back to St. Lucia.
“You look beautiful.”
“I just woke up.” She nuzzles my nose and kisses my scar.
“You look beautiful.” I repeat. Her hair’s piled in a messy bun, strands falling down here and there. “Really beautiful.”
“What are you doing today?” she asks, moving back, checking on Maggie. She knows shit’s about to hit the fan. She’s asks me every morning what I’m doing today.
“This and that.”
“Telling Brad about Nolan?” Her eyebrows rise as I down the rest of my coffee.
“Not until I’ve sorted a few things out.”
“Like . . .”
I drop a kiss on Maggie’s forehead, her eyes rooted on me as she suckles. Fuck, she’s a beauty. We created this. Two fucked-up humans made something pure and untarnished. It defies reason. And it blows my mind every minute of every hour of every blessed day. “See you later.” Another kiss for my wife before I leave.
“Aren’t you going to ask what we’re doing?” she calls.
“I know what you’re doing. You’re going to the spa.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Not really, but I know my limits, Rose.” I reach up to my nearly fully recovered nose, and her lips straighten. “I’ve put a gun in your purse and there’s a baby carrier in the trunk of Tank’s car. Use it.”
She inhales deeply, but she doesn’t argue.
