AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He’s just a big baby.”
Gasping, Mary Elise reached to clap her hand over Trey’s mouth. Just what they needed. An all-out battle on their hands.
Austin’s head popped up from Mary Elise’s neck. “Am not a baby.”
“Are so.”
“Am not.”
“Then why are you hanging on her like one?”
Realization clicked. The kid was maneuvering his brother with tactics reminiscent of his big brother scamming an extra helping of ice cream out of a neighbor. She stifled the urge to give Trey a tight hug and blow the whole gig.
Trey flipped the off switch on his game. “Danny and Mary Elise need some time by themselves, you big bozo. Like Mom and Dad did.”
“So they don’t get a di-borce.”
Divorce? Franklin Baker had been heading to divorce court again? She’d known they were having trouble, but apparently not how much.
Trey nodded. “Yeah, dweeb. Come on, I want that new Zelda: Ruler of the Universe game really bad.” He rolled his eyes. “But it would probably scare you, anyway.”
Mary Elise held her breath. Had Trey overplayed his hand with that one?
Austin squirmed, working his way down and out of Mary Elise’s arms.
Apparently sibling rivalry was a mighty strong motivator. She mouthed over Austin’s head to Trey, “Thank you.”
A grin creased his face.
Well, what do ya’ know? He did look a little like his big brother after all.
Austin tugged her shirttail until she leaned forward.
“Love you. Have fun with Danny.” He planted a wet kiss on her cheek along with a final hug.
Footsteps sounded down the hall just before Darcy poked her head into the room, looking rested from her power nap after her night flight. “Hey, kids, let’s go raid your brother’s junk-food cabinet and find some snacks for the road.”
“Treats? Oo-rah!” Austin launched into Darcy’s arms.
Mary Elise forced her feet to stay still while Darcy led the boys away. Austin was settled and she would only make it worse by following Darcy and pointing out what Austin and Trey preferred.
Relief and jealousy duked it out inside her. Thank God Austin would be okay for now. But she wanted to stop making lists and start living life. She wanted to be the one packing snacks for those two boys who’d first tugged her heart because of Daniel and then stolen her heart by being themselves.
No way would she let Trey and Austin lose their big brother. Captain Commando would have to learn to accept her help whether he wanted it or not.
CHAPTERTWELVE
In the home stretch.
Tucked in a corner of the living room, Daniel memorized security codes from Max, for the fishing cabin, for joint computer access. Only a few more minutes and he could hit the road, hide Mary Elise safely away, then forge ahead with his plans to neutralize Kent McRae. Ensuring that ex of hers stayed locked up for life offered the only guarantee of safety.
With a little luck, he and Spike could dig deep enough into intelligence files for some kind of connection between Kent and a too-cold trail for a hired gun. And pray the police landed a lead, as well. If the dusting for prints turned up anything.
According to the cops, Daniel’s positive ID of Kent McRae outside the condo wasn’t enough to place him inside. Meanwhile a restraining order was in the works. Apparently, it was the third Mary Elise had taken out on the monster.
For all the good the others had done her.
Max clapped a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Anything else you need?” Answers? “Nah, we’re set. I can’t thank you enough for this. I already owed you for helping me get the boys out of Rubistan, and now this, too.”
