“Are yousure, Kyle?” Arden reached for the fireplace mantel to steady herself.
“Affirmative, baby. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”
Arden dropped her chin forward. A tear fell straight down and splashed onto the bricks.
“Why didn’t he tell me?” She bit her lip almost hard enough to draw blood.
“Come with me,” Kyle said. “Meet her first, then we’ll all talk it out.” He paused. “I already called Lach. He and Gina were in Lyons.”
“Gina and Lach?” That could only mean trouble. Arden squeezed her eyes shut so tightly she saw stars. She felt Kyle’s hand on the small of her back.
“I’ve got you, baby,” he whispered. “Let’s go.”
Kyle guided her out to the SUV, Camo walking beside her. Normally, they’d make the walk down to Watchdog’s main office, but Arden’s legs wobbled so much she didn’t think they were up to the task.
Jodie said nothing to them as they walked through the lobby. She sat there looking almost as stunned as Arden felt.
But that would be impossible. No one—no one—was as shocked as she.
Jodie met Arden’s gaze and gave her a small, encouraging smile and a nod.
By the time they got to the conference room, Kyle was practically carrying Arden. She leaned on him as he turned the knob and opened the door.
Gina stood near one end of the table, both hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. As always, she was accompanied by Fleur, whose tail started wagging the moment she saw Arden. Lachlan stood beside Gina, chomping on the pen casing he used as a cigarette substitute when he was extra-stressed. His sea-colored eyes moved from Maren to Juni to Arden and back again.
Gina’s golden eyes gave Arden a look that saidI know, andI’m here, andhold onall at once.
Charlie and Shane, two of Watchdog’s bodyguards, stood side by side across the room. Both had served as SWCCs with Sean. Shane had grown up with Arden and Sean—they were best friends. Arden watched Charlie standing with her arms folded tightly across her chest, jaw set, looking like she was holding herself together through sheer force of will. Shane turned his head away slightly, eyes bright, and stared intensely at the blank wall.
Did they know about this? About Juniper? They served with Sean, and were there with him on his last mission. How could they not know?
That left the woman sitting at the conference room table. She looked terrified—no,hauntedmight be a better word. But Arden only gave her a cursory glance.
It was the young girl sitting on her lap who captured all of Arden’s attention.
Sean’s eyes.Sean’s eyes in that little face.
Then the little girl tilted her head, leaning forward as she studied Arden.
Arden’s breath caught.
I’ve seen that before.
The thought didn’t finish before the memory slammed into her—Sean as a kid crouched beside a wounded hawk, his head tilted just like that, hands steady, his voice low and calm as he figured out how to help without making it worse.
She was looking at Arden just like that, seeing everything Arden hadn’t bothered to hide—the grief, the shock, the fragile, impossible hope rising up anyway that she had been given back a piece of her brother.
The little girl leaned toward Arden, looking for all the world like she was trying to understand Arden’s pain.
While she must be just as confused and scared and hurt as me. More so. And yet she’s reaching out to make sure I’m okay.
“Why are you crying?” she asked Arden.
Arden felt her heart skip.
“You have his eyes,” Arden said, her voice rough and low. The air went out of the room. “And more.” How could she explain that this little girl already had the same caring, protective soul as Sean, when she didn’t understand it herself?
She tilted her head, still studying Arden. “I’m supposed to meet my daddy’s family today.” She looked from Arden to Kyle, then back again. “Are you my daddy’s family?”
