Page 51 of Cash

I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.

But, nope, that was definitely a much younger Lore.

My gaze skidded back to her smile in the photograph. Open and carefree. It was so un-Lore-like I wanted to laugh.

“Well, that solves that mystery.” Zane casually tossed out.

“You know the world we live in is entirely fucked⁠—”

“Yup,” I cut Easton off. “Language.”

His eyes dropped to Cara’s face. “She’s sleeping.”

“So?”

“Dude, she can’t hear me,” he pushed. “And if babies could learn how to curse through osmosis, Eric’s first words would’ve been⁠—”

“My son’s first word was shit,” Zane supplied. “My wife nearly killed me. Lucky for me, I have ways to subdue her murdery moods.”

Normally I’d encourage Zane to continue down the rabbit hole and enjoy the mayhem. Maybe even mention the new cat his wife had recently purchased behind his back and sit back and listen to him spiral into a tirade.

Zane worked up was hilarious.

But I was more interested in Lore and putting together actionable intel.

“Minus the cursing, what were you gonna say?” I prompted Easton.

“All these files are ops she ran for a CIA officer named Michael. No last name.”

“Ops? She was CIA?” I asked.

“Nope. She was his asset. And her first assignment was taking down her father.”

That didn’t track.

The one thing I was positive about was Lore’s loyalty. That knowledge had been reinforced after I’d spouted off at the mouth and called her shitty names. Once I’d had a few days to digest what happened with Penny back at the farm I understood. Lore wasn’t keeping something from me, she was trying to protect me. Her anger toward my sister was in my defense. She knew the pain it would cause if Penny told me who she was. Lore’s loyalty had been to me. She’d even tried to get me to go outside with her before Penny dropped her bomb. Not to lie or cover up her knowledge but to soften the blow.

I couldn’t see Lore turning on her family unless there was some serious…

Shit.

“What did her father do to her?” I asked. All eyes swung to me. “Lore would never burn her family unless⁠—”

“Sorry it took me so long to get here. Traffic was a bitch,” Nebraska muttered as she barged into the room, making a beeline for her husband. But she skidded to a stop when she caught the image on the big screen. “Holy shit.”

“Baby, Cash has made a new rule.” Nebraska’s gaze went to Easton then he went on. “No cursing in front of Cara.”

Nebraska startled, as she would. I loved a four-letter word as much as the next guy.

“No cursing in front of Cara…” she trailed off when her gaze came to me—or more accurately to Cara in my arms.

With a smile and wide eyes, she retraced her steps and stopped next to my chair, her eyes still locked on the sleeping child.

“She’s beautiful,” she whispered. “Do you want me to take her and⁠—”

“No.”

Nebraska nodded and thankfully, without any further questions, found her seat next to her husband. “What’d I miss?”