Page 104 of Cash

Fucking Zane.

“Hey, no one was hurt and it’s not your fault.”

I heard Penny’s hiccupped sob. “How is she? Cara. Is she…”

“Cara’s fine.”

Stella stiffened as soon as I said Cara’s name even though I was pretty sure she could hear my sister through the phone.

“She could’ve⁠—”

“We’re fine, Penny. How are you? Zane said you weren’t injured.”

“I’m fine.”

Her snapped assertion came too fast.

“Penny.”

“I’m fine, Cash. Just pissed at myself for being sloppy and stupid. I’m pissed that there are probably more spies working at the NSA. And I’m super, extra pissed that I was tied to a chair while some turncoat asshole questioned me about what I knew about a top-secret location like he wasn’t the one who was leaking information. And I feel like the world’s worst big sister that because of me, Stella and Cara were in danger. And I’m mildly pissed that I won’t get to meet Cara before I’m carted off to some secret hideaway. Zane says you’re a total girl dad and I’m gonna miss seeing it.”

I blew out a breath and fully relaxed.

“You’ll meet Cara when you get back. We’ll have dinner at our place, Stella will cook.”

The woman I’d offered up to cook smacked me on the arm.

“Will she let me into the house so I can meet her girl?”

I turned to look at Stella, and I knew she heard when she nodded. I wasn’t going to ever point out that while she was putting up a good fight, it was all for show.

She was already mine.

We were already a family.

And one way or another I’d figure out how to welcome my sister into our trio.

“Yeah.”

“Is she there?”

“Yep. Sitting right next to me.”

There were a few seconds of silence, during which I could hear Penny doing the breathing exercise she did when Zane was being a cantankerous ass and she needed to find the patience to deal with him.

“I’d like to talk to her.”

Stella scooted away from me and stood.

Chicken.

I would’ve started clucking if the sound effect wouldn’t have earned me a punch to the face. Not that she’d actually land the strike, but her punishment for trying would have her making a different kind of animalic sound that would undoubtedly wake up Cara.

Instead, I simply reached for her hand and tugged her back down to the couch.

“Sure, but first I need to explain why I didn’t go with my team⁠—”

“No you don’t.”