“I just can’t believe it.”
“Carlyle.”
She stared at him. “I’m sorry, babe. What did you say?”
“I’d like to bring Stone Investigations under the ThunderStrike umbrella. You’d operate as a separate entity, but your office would be here. It’s secure and you’d never be alone.”
She loved that he was vigilant about keeping her safe. “Wouldn’t you have to reconfigure the offices to accommodate my clients?”
“We’d share an entrance and reception, but separate the companies by a locked door. You’d have access to ThunderStrike, but your clients wouldn’t.”
She leaned over and kissed him. “I love it.”
The front door to ThunderStrike opened and the employees rushed outside.
Gunner was grinning. “We heard the news!”
“And the phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” Penelope added. “You gotta help us manage these bookings. It’s fantastic!”
Before following them inside, Carly called Erin Murphy. If Internado didn’t kill her biological mother, Erin needed to be warned. A shiver skirted through her and she glanced through the chain-link fence, dread returning like an ominous storm cloud.
The killer’s still out there.
3 0
T H E H . O . T . T . F O U ND A T I O N
C arly and Maverick reviewed the email invitation.
Subject: WE GOT MARRIED!!!
Please join us in celebrating our recent nuptials at the home of Warren Hott on Saturday, October 26. The party
starts at 1:00 PM and ends when the last guest leaves. Dress is casual.
In lieu of gifts, a donation to our charity—The H.O.T.T. Foundation—would be greatly appreciated. The H.O.T.T. FOUNDATION—Helping Others To Thrive—has been created in honor of Ashton’s SEAL teammate,
Enrique Rijado. All monies donated will go toward helping veterans with PTSD receive the care they need in order
to live long and healthy lives.
We can’t wait to see you!
Ashton and Carly Hott
Carly beamed at him. “I’m Carly Hott.”
“And hot you are, wife of mine. Gimme some more of those smokin’ hot kisses.”
The last forty-eight hours had been a blur of lovemaking, some food, and not nearly enough sleep. Despite being deliriously happy, Carly kept her Glock close by. Though concerned, Maverick would support her through the healing process, no matter how long it took.
When the smooching ended, he asked, “How many are we inviting?”
“Around ninety. That includes your family and the Rijados, all our friends, and everyone at ThunderStrike.” She hit the send key.
“Will you be—what did Sinclair say—loaded for bear and packing heat at our party?”
“Yes, and you should be, too.”
