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“Soon,” Alex replied, his words veiled with a promise. “Very, very soon.”
With a hearty slap on Xander’s back, Paco chimed in. “That’s code for diaper duty.”
Xander’s face twisted in playful disgust. “Gross.”
Nurse Lee appeared in the doorway, breaking the light-hearted banter with a smile. “She’s ready for visitors,” she announced.
They all headed to Madison’s room, where she and now Grandma Joy were absorbed in sewing each baby a quilt.
Bursting bouquets of pink and yellow roses claimed every available surface, each one, with heartfelt wishes from family and friends.
From Mark and Jess, a hearty picnic basket made its way into the room — an assortment of hearty casseroles, fresh baked cookies, and an odd box of something calledTucks Pads. Alex quirked a brow in question.
Madison shook her head. “Don’t ask.”
Cheerful balloons bunched up against the ceiling, playing peek-a-boo with the afternoon sun as their glossy surfaces reflected the warm, vibrant light. In the center of it all Madison—breathtaking and radiant. His heart swelled, and in that fleeting moment, he swore he caught a glimpse of her trademark halo.
To his relief, Stone’s edict had been strictly adhered to. His gaze roamed the room, amused. Not a single teddy bear in sight.
Alex eased himself closer to Madison, brushing away a stray lock from her forehead, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. “Our son’s already revving up his dream car while baby Jordan is scouring the internet for the trendiest shoes.”
A smirk bloomed on Madison’s face. “Please tell me you put a cap on her shopping spree?”
With a playful shake of his head, Alex replied, “Nope. Just handed her grown-up Jordan’s credit card. Can you believe she has a one-million-dollar limit?”
Paco butted in, “That’s strictly for business expenses.”
Jordan countered, laughing, “Since when does maintaining a wardrobe not constitute a business expense?”
Paco rolled his eyes, feigning annoyance. “Fine.” He pointed a stern finger of warning at Jordan. “Just remember, if you’re considering Baby Louboutins for little Jordan, baby Jack gets a pair too.”
Jordan grinned. “You got it, boss.”
CHAPTER38
PACO
“Let’s see what we’ve got,” Paco said, clicking the remote and activating the screen.
The man’s voice was muffled from behind the duct tape as he struggled with the restraints.
Paco clickedPlayas he spoke. “You can always count on weddings and funerals to bring out the best in people. See, Damian, we were counting on you to pop by and check out AJ’s funeral for yourself. With limited entry points and a good spike strip, we could pop the tires on your car and neutralize you in a New York second.”
More angry muffles.
“What’s that?” Paco asked, a hand to his ear. “Oh, no. Alex insisted he do it himself. After he saw this footage.”
Together, they watched the footage captured from Mark’s onboard surveillance system in the helicopter. The moment when Damian backhanded Xander across the face. He froze it there. “Ouch,” Paco said. “Such a strong smack. You’re what? Twice his weight?” Paco leaned closer. “You know, I thought the kid was tough, but watching this,fuck, he’s a total badass.”
Again, muffled cries.
“Huh?” Paco strolled over and ripped the duct tape from his mouth. Aside from a few spots of blood, Damian still looked in tip-top shape. As requested.
“You have no idea who you’re fucking with,” Damian growled low.
“Uhh,” Paco whined, stomping his feet. “That was my line.” He tossed the tape to the floor and grabbed a flash drive. “See, we had to be sure you, and the rest of the world, saw Xander die. So, we monitored your emails, scoured the dark web, and even snooped through your trash. Lucky for us, you bought it.”
An uncomfortable look settled on Damian’s face. “He did die.”
