Hanna’s forehead pinches in confusion. “But. I thought you were in Boston until tomorrow. And Nora and Jack aren’t supposed to be back until then.”
Nora turns to Hanna. “We decided to come home early. And when we got here, we could tell something was wrong. The generator was off, and the gate was unlocked. So we snuck in through the passage from the garage.”
“We decided to come home early, too,” Leo adds. “With the snow, and—” His voice goes rough. “We missed you. And we just wanted to come home.”
Georgia takes his hand. “I missed you, too. And I’m so glad you’re home.” She sniffs, then wipes her cheeks with her sleeve. “I want to see Lily.”
Charlie and I are already on our way. As soon as we reach the hallway, Charlie breaks into a jog, and I speed up to catch her. Her hand is clutched tightly around mine. “I hope he’s okay,” she says. “He must be so scared?—”
The instant we reach the closet, Sam starts wriggling in Maya’s arms. “Ma! Da!”
Maya sets him on the floor, and he toddles over to us as fast as he can. He doesn’t look scared. Or hurt. He just looks happy to see us.
“He was really good,” Maya says. “He slept for most of it. And Clara told him stories once he woke up. I told him we were having a slumber party.”
“Sam.” Charlie’s voice cracks. She’s trying not to cry. “Oh, Sammy.”
She kneels on the floor, and Sam launches himself at her. “Ma! We did party!”
Above his head, Charlie meets my gaze. Tears swim in her eyes. “Did you have fun, Sam?”
He nods. “Yes. Fun.” Then he gives me a wide-eyed, pleading look. “Da! I want story.”
A lump swells in my throat.
My nose prickles.
Kneeling beside my wife and son, I gather them both in my arms. As I hold them, I say a silent prayer to whatever power kept them safe.
“Da!” Sam tugs on my arm. “Story!”
I press my lips to his silky hair and breathe in his clean, baby scent. “Okay, Sam. As soon as we get home, I’ll tell you a story.”
His gray eyes meet mine, so much like his mother’s. “And Ma.”
I close my eyes against the tears burning behind them. “Absolutely, buddy. As soon as we get home, we will.”
CHAPTER 6
ZANE
It’s amazing the difference a week can make.
This time last week, Cole, Leo, Finn and I were still in Boston, wrapping up security for a fundraising event. Nora and Jackson were still at his parents’ house just outside Albany, celebrating the holiday early with them. Elle was just getting home from class and heading up to Maya’s apartment to help her wrap gifts.
Everything was normal. Uneventful.Safe.
This time last week, the idea of someone breaking into headquarters never crossed my mind.
How could they, after all? With all the security we have here—the motion detectors and cameras and biometric keypads and fences that could withstand pretty much anything short of an actual tank—I assumed everyone here was safe. When I left for Boston two days prior, I knew I’d miss Elle and Noel, but I wasn’t worried about them.
Okay, I was a little worried. I always am, even when Elle heads to the grocery store less than two miles away. But that’s just me. “Overprotective to the ‘nth degree,” Elle likes to tease me. “My hero, always ready to spring into action.”
If I am? I’ll make no apologies for wanting to keep the people I love safe. My wife. My son. My Blade and Arrow family.
Besides that, Elle likes it when I get all protective. Though she hates to admit it, she still gets scared sometimes, like when a stranger stares at her too long or we’re walking across a parking lot at night. Then she snuggles close to me, allowing me to pull her into the safety of my arms. She asks me which moves I’d use if someone tried to attack us, reassured when I reel off a string of wicked punches and kicks.
Then, once we’re back home, she asks if I’ll demonstrate some of them.Shirtless, she always clarifies. And I’m glad to oblige, because there aren’t many things I like more than my beautiful wife running her hands across my bare skin, tracing the lines of my abs before venturing lower. And then I turn the tables on her, peeling her clothes off and carrying her off to bed, ravishing her body and kissing each adorable freckle.
