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“Mr. Cooper and Mr. Knight, might we have a word with you in private?” I ask.
They don’t have to answer my question because the entire team gets up and heads for the door to give us the privacy we asked for. Before the door closes, Alex slips back in and runs straight to me.
“Mommy! The donuts here have jelly in them! How cool is that?” he shouts.
I take a napkin out of my bag and wipe the corner of his lips. “I can see that. I can also tell you enjoyed a cream-filled one, too!” I tease. He takes the tissue from me to finish cleaning up, looking a little chagrined at getting caught eating two donuts.
Amelia smiles and looks a little embarrassed. “I should have asked, but he was so excited about the treats that I couldn’t help myself. If it makes you feel better, I cut them both in half and shared them with Alex, so he technically only had one.” She walks over to stand by her husband, “Our son, Xander, is only one year old, but his grandparents already spoil him rotten. I know the day will come when we pick him up from their house, and he’s on a sugar high. If I overstepped, please forgive me.”
I wave off her apology. “Life is too short to worry about an occasional overindulgence. I might even have to sneak one of the donuts before I leave,” I tell her.
Ben, the more serious of the two men, asks, “What is it that you would like to speak to us about?”
I look over at Amelia before responding. Ben understands my concern and addresses it before I even have to ask the question. “You can trust Amelia implicitly. She runs her own business and has to keep client confidentiality as part of that. Not to mention, she’s our profiler and has an uncanny ability to read people and situations. I promise that whatever you say here, stays here.”
If they trust her, then I suppose I should, too. “Who are you planning on assigning to protect me?” I ask, point blank, “I might have reservations about whom you choose.”
“We will be assigning Patrick Kent as your primary protection specialist. However, we rarely ever assign a team member to do solo work when it’s a case such as this. Savannah, Jessie, and Jerry will be assigned as backup.”
I’m usually pretty good at schooling my features, but I fail miserably at it this time. Amelia looks at me with a softened expression. “Based on my earlier observations, I assume you and Patrick have a history,” she says, throwing me completely off guard and looking toward Alex.
My cheeks begin to redden, and Kiernan barks out a laugh. “That’s putting it mildly,” he says. “He’s the reason why Ariella and I never tied the knot. She never stopped loving him enough to love me,” he teases. “I mean, what’s not to love?” he asks, then turns around as if he’s on display.
“Stow it,” I tell him. Before I can get another word out, Alex pipes up.
“Mommy said that she couldn’t marry Kiernan because she’s still in love with my Daddy! She told me that my dad is Superman!” He starts running around the room with his arms out, pretending to fly. After a lap around the room, he stops when he’s beside me and tells them, “I’m supposed to pretend that Kiernan is my father even though Mommy told me yesterday that Patrick’s my real dad! Only my grandpa knows!” Well, his grandpa and now the owners of Shining Knight. Alex has grown up knowing his father lived here in the States, but it wasn’t until after they met that I told him who Patrick was to him.
Ethan’s eyes widen while Ben’s narrow at the news. Amelia simply smiles and bobs her head, having already put two and two together. Ben’s voice is tinged with anger when he asks, “Did Patrick leave you when he found out? I expect better of our agents.”
“No. Patrick has no idea that Alex is his son. I’m the bad guy in this situation, but I assure you, there is a reason for the secrecy. It was as much for his safety as for the safety of our son, Alex. But that’s for Patrick and me to discuss when the time is right. Patrick has never done anything that’s less than honorable,” I tell him. Ben visibly relaxes but still doesn’t look pleased.
Amelia leans over, whispers something into Ethan’s ear, and then politely excuses herself. He kisses her cheek before she leaves and smiles adoringly at her until she’s gone. Turning back to me, he says with a hint of mischief, “Our decision to assign Patrick to protect you and Alex, stands. I know you have reservations, but I feel he’s the best one for the job.”
I begin to object, but Kiernan places a hand on my shoulder and says softly, “This will be good. Despite the circumstances, this will give you the opportunity to explain everything to him.” The circumstances Kiernan is referring to is Patrick’s marriage to Savannah.
I look at Ben and Ethan, my shoulders slumping in resignation. “Okay. I agree to your terms.”
Ben grunts and I’m beginning to think that’s his form of acknowledgment, but Ethan smiles as if he’s amused at the situation. His smile fades a tiny bit as he asks, “How is it the world believes the two of you are married?”
“That was my idea!” Kiernan exclaims. “We supposedly eloped nine years ago, so no one was the wiser. Ariella’s mother was mad that she didn’t get to put on a big wedding, but overall, happy that Ariella had fulfilled her wishes. Only, we didn’t elope. Our chambers are a three-bedroom suite, and we always make Ariella’s bed before the cleaning staff come in. No one knows we have never shared a bed, and everyone thinks I have a wandering eye. It’s scandalous!” he teases.
I look down at Alex, “Remember that we still need to keep this a secret for now. If you can do that, I will let you be the one to tell Patrick he’s your Daddy. Deal?”
Alex puts out his pinky finger, and I hook mine in his. “Deal. But please make it soon. I don’t know how much longer I can wait. I’ve been waiting my whole life already!”
“I know, Sweetheart. It won’t be much longer. I just have to find a way to tell him and his wife, Savannah.”
Ethan chuckles, but Ben raises his hands and says, “This is the type of thing my wife Claire would go nuts over. It’s too much like a soap opera for my taste. Ethan, please finish with the contract, and I’ll send in Patrick, Savannah, Jessie, and Jerry. Carter plans on proposing to Leanna next week and will be going on vacation, and Roger will be returning from his.” He leaves the room, shaking his head.
“Roger Cavanaugh?” I ask. Ethan raises an eyebrow, surprised by my familiarity with Roger, but he nods.
“How do you know Roger?”
“He was on the same protection detail when I met Patrick. He was guarding my father while Patrick was protecting me. It was during a trade summit ten years ago this summer,” I explain.
“Ah. That was just prior to the establishment of our undercover team. Team Alpha has been together for almost nine years, a little over six of them with the FBI before Ben and I started Shining Knight. The whole team crossed over except for Roger, who joined us a few months ago. He had two years left before earning his FBI pension,” Ethan tells us.
“He’s a good man. You’re lucky to have him.”
