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He kissed me, agreeing with that.

“In case you don’t know, I’m really happy you stalked me all those months ago.”

“Me too.” He pressed his lips to my brow.

He was the source of all this happiness I had been wishing for, waiting for. And I’d never take him or any of what he gave me for granted.

“Speaking of stalking,” he said.

I laughed lightly. “Now that’s a way to start a conversation.”

“Alexei is going to take it easy for a while,” he reminded me.

I frowned, hating how he and Lev had been captured and tortured by a Cartel that was affiliated with Gregori’s network. We—and that included me as a member of the IT task force—spent so much of our time focusing on the Konstantin Family. Their hitman, Vladimir, was still at large, and I was getting impatient in my hunt to pinpoint a real image of Gregori at one of his properties and hideouts.

Alexei, Lev, and Viktor had gone out to take out one of Gregori’s body doubles, and the Cartel defectors in the area had taken the cousins in. Mila had been so worried, but Viktor remained close by. Alexei and Lev could have escaped, but they endured the torture to get as much intel as they could.

Unfortunately, Alexei had been injured when they escaped, and he was still recovering.

Hence, Nikolai stepped up more.

“Based on what you and Wren have found, it seems like it’d be in our best interests to have someone at least do a stakeout where Vladimir has been staying lately,” he said.

I nodded and lowered my gaze. I’d never like it when my husband had to go on dangerous assignments, but I knew that he wasn’t bluffing when he promised to be careful.

I believed him. He had too much to live for with me, Brady, and our daughter on the way.

“When do you have to go?” I asked.

“Tonight.”

I sighed. “Be careful.” I kissed him, letting him know that he could count on me to be here when he returned, ready to help him with his wounds. “And come home to me safe and sound.”

He lifted me up and smiled as he came in to kiss me. “I always will, sweetheart. Always.”