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I make my way to the kitchen, where I set the dish I brought down on the counter. Sydney is on the other side of the island. I take her in for a moment before moving to her for a hug. She’s wasting away to nothing. She’s been so stressed since she and Tucker broke up a couple of weeks ago. She won’t tell me the real reason she ended it with him. She’s hiding so many secrets from me, but I haven’t exactly shared the ones I’m keeping from her, such as my fear that Colton is behind everything that keeps happening to her.
Maverick heads outside with the kids, and Sharon puts him to work. I find it funny because she even had him helping at the rental when he would come by. He doesn’t seem to mind. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve grown to like having him around. I told him he didn’t have to come today, but he insisted that he wanted to get to know my friends better. Last weekend there was a moment after everyone else left and the kids were in bed that I almost asked him to go upstairs and help me break in my new bed, but I’m not sure if he wants that with me yet. He keeps telling me that as soon as my divorce is final, he’s going to make his move. But I want him now. I don’t know how much longer I can wait. Every time we are together, it’s like foreplay. The way he is with my kids turns me on. He doesn’t have to spend time with them, but he does. Just like when he picked up Micah from school when he and his friend got in trouble. Since then, Maverick has made it his mission to spend time with Micah and do guy things.
The doorbell goes off.
“I’ll get it,” I offer and move from the kitchen to the door.
I open it to see Tucker standing there. I’m glad he came. I know Sydney loves him and wants to be with him, but something from her past is holding her back. I know from what little she’s told me that the group she was with on her last trip to Africa was attacked. But she hasn’t told me more or what exactly happened.
“Hello, stranger.” I smile and lean into him for a hug.
“Hello, Lydia. This is my dad, Troy. He flew in last night from Washington.” He introduces me to the older man standing next to him.
I step aside so they can enter. As soon as Mari sees Tucker, she moves toward him, calling him “Dada.” He picks her up, and the big bad tattooed SEAL turns to goo for Sydney’s daughter. Just like me when Maverick picks up Michelle and lets her cuddle into him. My ovaries explode, and for the first time in years, I want another baby, just for this moment.
* * *
Maverick
Yesterday at Mari’s birthday party, we spent another day with several of the Maysons and other friends of Sydney’s and Lydia’s. When I pulled up to pick up Lydia and the kids, I almost marched her ass back inside to change. She had on tight jeans that showed her curves and a tank top that was cut to show off more of her shoulders. The tattoos down her arms and hands were all visible. Oh, and I can’t forget the high heels that made her ass look fuckable. I made sure I kept her close and glared at any man when needed. She’s driving me crazy, and I want her. I want to taste her lips again. I want her under me.
I felt bad for Tucker because not only did he have the high of Mari calling him Dad, but he had the low of Sydney still not being honest with him. We all know she is hiding the truth from him. A truth that I think will unravel the mystery of all her attacks. She keeps giving each of us a bit or piece here. Leaving out key details. I’m tired of the fact that Lydia is in the middle of this too. I can’t protect her if I don’t know what to protect her from.
My desk phone rings, and I answer it. “Whitlock.”
“Ready for some new developments?” My lead over at Wildlife Protection skips the hello.
“Give it to me.” I huff and rub my brows. This is something else that’s frustrating me. Everyone we arrested lawyered up, and we are trying to dig through the little information they are giving us.
“According to information we got from one of the suspects, the man in chargeandresponsible for bringing the cub here is saying he’ll get it back in the next few days. Something about the zoo contacted him.”
Shit. I had forgotten Singer called them. “That was months ago.”
“Yeah, but the investor is back in the state now and ready to get that cub. Something about he’s here to tie up loose ends.”
“What does that mean?”
My second line beeps, and I ask him to hold while I answer it.
“Whitlock.”
“Colton was a part of the attacks on Sydney. Find Lydia and the kids, make sure they are safe.” Tucker fires off the information without taking a breath. My pulse spikes when he says Colton and his boss are after Sydney, and Lydia could be next.
“Fuck,” I growl and disconnect the call. I return to the other line. “Gotta go. I have a family emergency.” I hang up and rush out of the precinct, dialing Krystal as I run for my work vehicle.
“Where are the kids?”
“Day camp. Why? What’s up?”
I repeat what Tucker told me. “I can hide them. I’ll go get them from the camp.” After the incident at the school, Lydia put me down as an emergency contact because Micah asked her to.
“Are you sure you can secure them all? I can get them and take them to Chattanooga.”
“No. Lydia wouldn’t want that, and until we know more, I can secure them at my place. Colton has no clue about me or where I live.”
“Okay. I’m trusting you. I’ll call Darrell and give him a heads-up. Have Lydia leave her cell at the zoo. I’ll call you on this phone.”
“Got it.” We hang up, and I flip on my lights and get to the kids.
