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A steady clicking noise fills my headset, and I know the sound to be gunfire through the silencers on Team A’s rifles.
It’s over almost as quickly as it started as the sound of crying women, and this time babies, filter in.
Hound gives the all clear and we start to move inside. Unsurprising, the women are skittish and cower even as we explain that we’re here to help them. They’ve no doubt been promised safety more than once, and have quickly learned not to trust anyone.
Rivet and Slick have a better time with them, and I grow physically sick to my stomach as I watch woman after woman, some pregnant, some holding babies, get shuffled toward the front door in order to seek the assistance we have to offer.
I walk through the aftermath of the raid, keeping count of the number of bodies Team A dropped in order to take over the compound.
“It’s little consolation that the rooms for the babies are in pristine condition,” Grinch mutters as he makes his way down the stairs leading to the second floor.
“The babies are the hot commodity. The women can easily be replaced,” I mutter.
“Can you start on inventory?” he asks as we draw closer to each other.
“Sure,” I tell him.
“Legend is in the first room on the right. He’ll show you how it’s done.”
I head in that direction, wanting to get it over with so I can get back to my girls… not my girls, my little girl. Fuck, being here is really messing with my head.
“Count is nine women and four babies,” Slick says, her voice coming through my headset. “That’s including the one that came out first.”
“Body count is five,” I say into my mic.
“Makes me want to rush home and snuggle my kids,” Hound grunts.
“And wrap my arms around my wife,” Apollo agrees just as I step into the room.
I cringe, making Legend frown when I step into the room.
“Fuck,” Apollo hisses. “Man, I’m so fucking sorry.”
“It would be easier if you guys stopped filtering your responses,” I mutter, knowing everyone in Cerberus can hear me say it. “I can’t wait to get home and hold my little girl, as well.” With that declaration, I pull off my helmet and silence my mic. I’m in the room with Legend so if anyone needs me specifically, he’ll let me know. “If you keep looking at me with sympathy, I’m going to sit in the corner and just watch you work.”
Legend gives me a weak grin at my threat before handing over the tablet he’s been writing in. “I’ll read out the information, you jot it down.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I tell him.
“The cribs are nondescript, bought at any mass-market dealer. The breast pumps are industrial and usually only distributed from hospitals, so we have to be able to get somewhere on those.”
I nod, taking down the serial numbers when he reads them off.
We work in silence until we’re done, and the next time I see Apollo, I get a simple slap on the back in apology. I’m grateful he doesn’t expect a long drawn-out conversation.
As much as I was looking forward to being back at work, I’m already ready to be back home.
Chapter 19
Alyssa
“You haven’t been around,” Grace complains when I walk into the kitchen with Aria.
It’s Monday. Harley left with Cerberus on Friday, and it’s my first day back at work after being at Harley’s house for a week and a half straight.
I must be changing some because I was ecstatic to get out of the house when Shadow picked me up this morning instead of feeling anxious like I have in the past.
“The baby has been sick,” I explain, placing her in one of the high chairs and pulling her bottle from the diaper bag slung over my shoulder.
“The sick baby keeps you home and from working?” She tilts her head a little to the side when I look at her.
I’d get upset if it wasn’t for the light smile teasing her lips.
“It’s been exhausting.” That’s no lie. Between worrying about Aria and worrying about interactions with Harley, I’m mentally exhausted.
“Staying alone with a gorgeous man can be exhausting,” she teases.
I shake my head. I’ll never speak of the kiss that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
“Aria is very demanding on a good day, and sick, she was ten times that.”
This isn’t exactly true. All babies are demanding, and although Aria has been clingy the last week or so, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed having something to do. I’ve managed napping when she naps, and that has helped a lot, but sleeping at night has become fitful since Harley left.
I nearly caved that first night and called someone to come pick me up and bring me back to the clubhouse. I wasn’t so much scared as suffering this insane sense of loneliness.
