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“Be safe,” I say as he hangs up. I know he’s been worried about her running. Callie has a dangerous man after her, the same guy who’s after Carter. If I didn’t have my own family to take care of, I’d help him. That’s what team members do for each other. We got each other’s back for life.
“What happened?” I didn’t even hear Sydney come into the room. I turn to see her in my T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. My ring on her finger. Her hair messed from sleep.
“Where is Mari?” I ask as I move toward her.
“I put her in her crib. She snuggled up to Ele and was out again.” That elephant of hers has been through everything with her, but last night I was the only one who could calm her down, and it made me feel really good.
“Kant is dead.” I don’t mince my words.
“What does that mean for Syd?” Sharon asks. I watch as she moves into the kitchen, my father hands her a coffee mug.
“According to Carter’s company, she and Lydia are on a do not harm list. I guess us sending out that threat about releasing the footage did its job.”
After everything yesterday, Sydney wanted to post the footage, but Carter had his hacker reach out to the Brigade and tell them we had it. This must be why they are safe now.
“There is a price on Colton’s head too.”
“We need to call Lydia,” Sydney says as she moves closer to me. I pull her into me, not wanting her far for a long time. It’s going to be hard to let her go back to work without having eyes on her, but I know she needs to get back to normal sooner rather than later.
* * *
We spend the day together just being a family. I take my girls to show them the progress on the house. Sydney takes a few pictures with an old camera of hers her mom had in storage. I’m upset she lost all those photos that were in her home when it burned, but I’m glad she and Mari are safe. Mari is in her push car playing as I watch them. My dad walks up behind me and slaps me on the back.
“Build me a small cottage over there so I can be close to help you keep an eye on your family.”
“You got it.”
EPILOGUE
SYDNEY
Ten Years Later
Ilook across the lawn to see Mari playing with her younger siblings. My son, Trey, is eight years old and adores his older sister. Mari is eleven now, and she has started asking questions about her biological father but has never doubted that Tucker loves her. He adopted her the same day he married me. Less than a month after he proposed to me. My youngest toddles through the grass, trying to follow her older siblings. Keeya is only three but already tests my nerves. I caught her the other day trying to climb a ladder to get to her daddy. He was cleaning out the drains to get ready for winter.
I still work at the zoo and have become the curator for the African exhibit. It’s a dream job for me because I get to help with the conservation and management of animals. Tucker still works for Mayson Construction, and at just over forty, I still feel like I have to beat off women whenever there are parties at the clubhouse. Until Tucker I had no clue what forever would feel like or what I wanted for my future.
I hear the loud pipes of Tucker’s motorcycle and turn to see him pull down the long driveway toward us. I clench my legs together as desire flows through me. I can’t wait until the kids go to bed and I can get my man to myself. He stops his bike and watches me for a moment. His thick, powerful legs swing him off his seat and my breathing increases as he moves to where I’m sitting watching him. He doesn’t stop until he’s standing in front of me. He leans down and picks me up.
“I’m too heavy,” I protest, but he lifts me until my legs are wrapped around his waist and we are looking each other in the eye.
“Don’t lie like that, spitfire.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “Hey, Dad, you got the kids,” Tucker says as he moves us toward the house. He moves up the steps of our large wraparound porch and through the door heading for our room at the back corner on the main floor. He slams the door closed and hits the lock. “I’ve been thinking about you all day. If Keeya hadn’t woken so early, I would have gotten my breakfast this morning.”
He drops me on the bed as I chuckle about his breakfast. He swears he needs me every morning on his tongue or he can’t focus. I moan as he flips up my dress and buries his face between my legs.
“I wish I could get you pregnant one more time, spitfire,” he growls against my core. Tucker wants us to have another baby, but I’m worried I’m too old at thirty-nine. I keep telling him we can adopt.
“No, honey. There are plenty of kids that need homes. I’ve been looking at a place in Botswana.”
“Okay.” He gives in finally and proceeds to take me to heaven, just like he’s done every chance he could get for the last ten years.
* * *
Tucker
Ten Years Later
“I’m twenty-one, Dad. I’m an adult. It’s time I go find out more about my people. Where I came from.” Marinda’s hand lands on her hip as she cocks it to the side. Her beautiful tawny skin glows and naturally curly hair flows down her back. As she’s gotten older, we’ve been completely honest with her about her heritage, and I’ve been scared because so many people treat her differently. She’s got a giving heart and soul. She’s going to college to study social work and says she wants to go to Africa to help there. But the thought of her away from me still makes my blood curdle in my veins.
