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And we’re here to stay.
We save our conversation for when we’re securely tucked away in the basement together. It’s our fortress, sealed away behind lock and key. Upstairs is where Michelle and Lucas live with their daughter Odette with occasional visits from Michelle’s father, Neil. But down here? Down here, we can be ourselves —two of the world’s finest thieves-turned-consultants.
“You want to tell them no, don’t you?” she asks me once we’re downstairs. The basement’s completely soundproof. There’s no chance of anyone overhearing us down here.
“I didn’t say that.”
“I could see it written all over your face. All Interpol wants is for us to lend our expertise, not actually do the heavy lifting.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek, mulling it all over. There’s certainly a lot less risk involved this way. “I’m just thinking about you and the baby,” I say gently.
“You’re always thinking about me and the baby.”
“Because I love you.”
Raquel grins, dipping in to kiss me tenderly on the lips. “I love you, too,papa ours.”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Papa bear? Where’d you learn that bit of French?”
“From Odette’s bedtime stories. She’s been reading to me.”
“Ah, that explains it.” My hands slide down to her rounding belly. My heart never fails to skip a beat when I think of our child. “Are you sure this is what you want, mon amour?”
“It is,” she insists. “I still want to help people, Gabriel. That’ll never change. I don’t think I want to be in the thick of it ever again, but we can still help Klaus and Anders make a difference. Plus, it’ll keep me from going stir crazy at home with nothing to do.”
“I’m something to do,” I tease her.
Her laugh is contagious, sweeter than candy and worth more than gold. “You know what I mean, silly. Please, Gabriel? I really want to do this.”
I nod, taking her face in my hands. I already knew what my answer was going to be. As long as my little bird isn’t in harm’s way, who am I to clip her wings?
“Where should we start?” I ask her.
Epilogue
Raquel
FOUR MONTHS LATER
BOOM!
The ceiling shatters and the walls crumble, burying me beneath thick dust, chunks of concrete and splinters of glass. I groan, gesturing toward the screen in frustration.
“I’m so bad at this game,” I lament, watching my video game character once again meet her untimely demise while under my shaky and indecisive control. “I swear to God, this level is impossible.”
“Lemme try!” Odette says, taking the PS5 controller from me. She settles on the couch, a look of determination and concentration on her cute little face. What took me thirty minutes to fail, she beats in under five. “See? It’s easy.”
I comb my fingers through her hair, adoring how much her smile looks exactly like Gabriel’s. “What can I say? You’re so much more talented than me.”
“Can I try the next level?”
“Sure, sweetie, but then afterward you have to promise to go wash up for dinner.”
“Okay, Mom.”
Mom. My heart sings at the word.
I check my wristwatch. Gabriel was supposed to be home almost an hour ago from his meeting with Klaus and Anders. Hopefully he’ll be back sooner rather than later, though I understand that duty calls.
