Page 46 of Jonas

“Just because Kevin didn’t listen—and they never fucking do—and now his swimmers have fertilized your egg and you’re growing a whole-ass human in your womb, doesn’t mean you get to take your hormone fluctuations out on MiniMe.”

Derrika’s wide-eyed gaze swung to me.

“Ignore him,” I told her under my breath, then added, “Kira’s his favorite. But only because she’s as sarcastic as he is.”

Kira leaned forward and smiled at Derrika. “He’s not wrong.”

“Zane’s got his cabin.” Layla started to pass out sleeping arrangements. “Jonas and Derrika are in the one by the red barn. Kevin and I will take the one in the front of the property. Kira, Cooper, Easton, and Nebraska are in the big cabin. Theo, Smith, Cash y’all get the house. Myles and Gabe are headed to the safehouse by Dulles.

“Linc and Owen are babysitting John and Liam. They’ll be picked up tomorrow,” Zane informed us.

“Who’s picking them up?” I interjected.

Layla glanced at Zane. I didn’t understand why she was seeking his permission until he answered, “Badger.”

Black Team was coming down from Wyoming.

“What’s the status with Bishop and Wentworth?” Nebraska asked.

A while back, Bishop had been unleashed to track down Austin Wentworth and get us intel on Maddon’s blueprint. So far, Zane had been tight-lipped on what Bishop was up to.

“Black’s handling it,” Zane told Nebraska.

Which was the same answer he’d given me when I’d asked.

“Why are you being⁠—”

“Black. Is. Handling. Wentworth.” Zane slowly enunciated each word.

The measured articulation wasn’t his style. Sarcasm was his go-to. When he was pissed, he was known for his expletive-laden monologues. But I’d never heard him use a slow, low tone that brokered no further questions.

I didn’t understand but I couldn’t ask without pushing Zane to talk about Black Team. And with Derrika in the room, I was surprised they’d been brought up at all.

“There’s no need to be a dick about it,” Nebraska complained. “You could’ve just told me to shut the hell up and stay in my lane.”

Derrika’s eyebrows flew up, leaving her forehead wrinkled. The urge to reach up and smooth the lines was near impossible to ignore. I wanted this woman in the worst way, which was going to make sharing a cabin with her, even for the night, pure agony.

“He’s getting grumpy in his old age,” Kira tossed out as she pushed back from the table.

“Call me an old man again, MiniMe, and you’ll be demoted.”

Kira snorted like that wasn’t a possibility, and truth be told, it was. “Whatever you say, dimples.”

“I could just fire you.”

“You could, but your life would be sad and boring and you’d have no one to help you make fun of the team if I wasn’t around,” Kira told Zane, suddenly sounding tired. “Jonas, drop us off on your way, yeah?”

The cabin she and Coop were staying in wasn’t even a quarter-mile away. But after the day we’d all had, I didn’t blame her for not wanting to hoof it.

After a round of quick ‘see you in the mornings’ and ‘goodbyes’ to Myles and Gabe, I grabbed my pack and Derrika’s bags and hightailed it out the door before we could be waylaid further.

The short drive to drop off Kira and Coop as well as the second leg to the cabin Derrika and I would be sharing was mostly silent. The only conversation we exchanged was a ‘thanks for the ride’ from Coop and a ‘no problem’ from me.

“Long day,” Derrika mumbled when I stopped in front of the small one-story cabin.

“It’s not much,” I explained. “But the bed’s comfortable.”

The bed.