Things were starting to slot together, but I still couldn’t fully figure it out. It was as if I was wearing sunglasses at night, and I needed to take them off to see clearly.
“I’ll look into it,” I told Brody, determined to put all the pieces together. It was all there, I just had to make it all fit.
“Good.” He nodded. “All the files are in storage. Comb through them all and find out what the hell is going on. I don’t care how long it takes.”
I held the paper up. “Can I keep this?”
“Yeah.” Brody went to sit back down but paused. “And don’t think I’ve forgotten about Belle moving in with you.” His eyes narrowed. “I should give you the talk about protecting her and treating her right.”
“You don’t need to,” I told him, puffing my chest out. “I’d never hurt her. Ever.”
“I know you wouldn’t because if you did, I’d kill you.” It wasn’t just a threat, but a promise too. One he’d never have to uphold because I had no intention to hurt Belle.
“Noted,” I said with a clip of my head. “I’ll go get those files now.”
“Keep me updated,” he gritted out as I spun around and exited the office. He was right. We were missing something, and I was determined to find out what exactly it was. Christmas was three days away, so I knew I wouldn’t get the files until after then, but I’d put a request in, and as soon as I was back in the office, I wouldn’t stop until I knew what the hell was going on.
BELLE
I stood in my doorway to my bedroom and stared at the mostly empty space. The bare essentials were there—a bed, a set of drawers, a blind on the window—but what had made this my bedroom for the last twenty-one years of my life was missing. A lump built in my throat at the sight of it, and even though I knew I was moving on to better things with my life, I couldn’t deny I was sad.
So much had changed in such a small space of time, and although a part of me wanted it all to slow down, the other part was excited for the ride ahead. I’d created my own little family. And even though the road hadn’t been easy, it was worth it. It would always be worth it to be with Ford.
“I remember the first time you wanted to paint this bedroom,” Dad’s voice said from behind me, and I turned around. His face was carefully masked, not an emotion in sight, and then his gaze met mine. His dark-brown eyes were the same shade as Asher’s, and there was so much swirling inside of them, I wondered how he managed to keep it all inside and not let it all out.
“You were eight.”
I grinned at his words because I remembered the conversation like it happened just yesterday. “I wanted to paint it black.”
Dad chuckled. “And your mom refused. She said it wasn’t appropriate for a young girl to have a black bedroom.”
I stared at the lone black wall I’d managed to talk her into a year later. “We compromised.”
“You sure did.” He stepped closer to me and placed his arm around my shoulders. “You knew your own mind even back then.” I wasn’t sure what to say to that. “Don’t ever doubt yourself, baby girl. You know what you want, and you’re not afraid to go after it. I’m proud of you for that.”
“You are?”
“Yep.” He pulled me closer to him, and I went willingly. There was nothing that compared to when your dad hugged you. “I admire you for what you’ve done, and the shit you’ve come through. It takes strength, and you should never be ashamed of that strength.” His chest heaved as he took a breath. “And I know you’ll pass that strength on to Leo too. He’s lucky to have a mom like you.”
The lump that had been forming in my throat grew to impossible sizes, and then the tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t stop them, but I didn’t want to stop them. His words meant more than he realized because I’d been doubting myself at every opportunity.
“Belle? Brody?” Mom’s voice called, and we both turned to see her halt at the top of the stairs. “There you are. Ford has just left with the last of Leo’s things, and—Belle? Are you crying?”
“No.” I swiped my arm over my face, trying to get rid of the evidence. “I have allergies.”
“In December? Two days before Christmas?”
I shrugged, acting like I had no idea what she was insinuating. “Yeah?”
She shook her head and reached for me, peeling me out of Dad’s embrace. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
“I’ll only be a couple of streets away.”
“I know.” She smoothed my hair down and pulled back, placing her hands on my shoulders. “But it won’t be the same.” She flicked her gaze up to Dad and then back to me. “I think we should create a plan.”
“A plan?”
She nodded, her face a serious mask. This wasn’t her mom face, but her teacher face. And her teacher face meant business. “Yeah. I think we should have our grandbaby one night a week.”
My breath whooshed out of me. “Mom—”
“And Lottie too,” Dad interjected from beside us. “The only time she gets bacon is when she’s here.”
I turned to face Dad and narrowed my eyes at him. It was true what they said, grandparents spoiled their grandkids, although, was Lottie even classed as that? Either way, he gave her treats when he shouldn’t. “You know she shouldn’t eat bacon.” Dad raised his brows and stared over my head, acting as if he hadn’t just heard me. I didn’t know why I kept repeating it because he never listened.
“So?” Mom asked. “What do you think?”
I opened my mouth, about to concede, but I realized it wasn’t just my decision to make. For the first time in my life, I had someone to make choices with, and it brought a smile to my face. “I’ll have to talk to Ford about it.”
Mom nodded and looked at Dad. “That’s a yes, then.”
“No.” I pulled back and started to walk down the hallway, leaving my childhood bedroom behind. “That’s an ‘I need to talk to Ford first.’”
“So a yes,” Dad replied.
“No—”
“Yes—”
“Dad!”
“What?”
I stomped my feet on the stairs as I ran down them. They were treating me like I was a kid, but I was well aware I was acting like one with arguing back to them. It didn’t matter that I was arguing over my own child and dog. “Ford might say no.”
Mom snorted. “He wouldn’t dare. I’ve got skills, and he knows I do. He’ll say yes.”
I tilted my head back, realizing I wasn’t going to get through to either of them. “Can we just go now?”
“We’re waiting for you,” Mom said and threw her keys in the air, catching them again. “Ford already left with Leo. He said he’s gonna show him the new toys he brought him.”
“He does realize he’s four weeks old, right? He has no idea what the toys are.”
Mom hooked her arm through mine and led me to her car. “Men are complicated creatures, sweetie. You learn to let them think their ideas are great even when they’re not. Just nod and make a noise in the back of your throat. It’s all they need.”
“Do you think that could work on women too?" I asked, pulling the car door open.
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Mom raised her brow at me. “Why?”
I shrugged. “Because then I could have used it on you.” I tried to hide my grin, but it was impossible as Mom blinked at me several times, then narrowed her eyes on me.
“She got you there, darlin’,” I heard Dad say from near his Mustang, but I didn’t see what Mom did back to him because I slid into the car, and she got in a second later.
“Mean,” she whispered, but I knew from the curve of her lips that she was joking. Mom pulled out of her drive and took a left to go to the end of the street, shaking her head. “I don’t know how I’m going to put up with him now that you’re gone.”
“You do realize I was gone for three years at college, right?” When she didn’t answer, I continued, “And Asher is still living at home.”
“Yeah, but it’s not t
he same. And he’ll be off to college next year.”
I leaned back in my seat as she took the turn for Ford’s street. Talk of college had my own head spinning. I only had a year left until I graduated, and I still hadn’t decided what I wanted to do once I had my degree. I knew I wanted to help people. I just wasn’t sure exactly how. Or maybe it was animals I wanted to help? It would come to me eventually. The right career was there, waiting for me. “Has he decided where he wants to go yet?”
“Not yet. He’s looking at art schools, but we haven’t told your dad yet.” She glanced at me as she pulled up outside Ford’s house. “He doesn’t know he wants to pursue art.”
“How can he not know?” I asked, undoing my belt. I was so different from my brother. He had a plan for everything and anything. He was the kind of kid who saved his allowance each week. Whereas, I was the one who spent it on candy as soon as I got it. “If Asher isn’t training, then he’s drawing.”
“Beats me. But it’s a secret for now. So…” She made a zipping motion at her lips, and I clipped my head in a nod. Asher’s secret was safe with me. I’d wondered if he was going to pursue his MMA fighting after he’d won the match last week. I’d never seen someone move so quickly and hit with such power, but as we’d left the gym with only a couple of bruises and a small cut to his eye, he’d told me he didn’t think he’d be doing it much longer.
A knock sounded on the passenger door window, and I swung my head around to see Asher’s face pushed up against the glass. “Ew.” I opened the door, and he stumbled back. “A bird could have shit on that window, and you’re rubbing your mouth up against it.” I pointed at him and slammed the door closed. “You have cooties.”
Asher gagged and wiped his mouth on the arm of his sweater. “You’re disgusting.”
“No.” I shook my head and skipped past him. “You’re disgusting.”
“Kids,” Mom warned.
“What?” we both asked in unison, putting on our innocent voices. But I shouldn’t have turned my attention away from Asher, because as soon as I did, he pushed my arm and I stumbled to the side. “Poo brain,” I muttered.
“Fart bag,” he responded.
“I definitely won’t miss that,” Mom chimed in, and I gasped at her response, ready to give a comeback, but Ford’s front door opening and his face appearing had me keeping my mouth closed. I was meant to be an adult, but when I was around Asher, I reverted right back to the little girl who would trade insults and tattle on him.
“Ah, Ford, just the person I needed to talk to,” Mom singsinged, glancing at me and then rushing up the driveway. We’d stayed here for a few nights over the last week, but today made it official, and as his gaze met mine, I knew this would be our home. As long as he was in it, it always would be. “Can we have Leo and Lottie every Saturday night? Grandparents’ rights and all that.”
Ford shrugged. “Don’t see why not.”
Mom turned her head slowly, her lips spreading into a grin. “Told ya.”
“Ford!” I threw my hands up in the air. “I told her we needed to discuss it.”
His eyes widened. “Oh fuck.” Leo fussed in his arms, and he jerked back. “I mean fudge. Oh fudge.”
“You know he can’t understand you, right?” Asher commented, moving past Ford and inside the house.
“I…” Ford’s head swung back and forth, his gaze meeting all of ours in turn. “I…” He puffed out a breath. “I can’t deal with three Eastons at once.”
“Hey!” Mom shouted, but her shoulders sagged, and a chuckle escaped her. “I take that back. They’re nightmares.”
“You are the nightmare, Mother,” I responded, pushing past her and into the house. I plucked Leo from Ford’s arms and narrowed my eyes on her. “For that, you have to buy us all pizza.”
“Pizza? I could eat pizza right now,” Ford said, rubbing his hand over his stomach.
“Already ahead of you, dear daughter.” Mom stepped inside, and Ford shut the door behind her. “Your dad is picking it up.” She winked at me and took Leo out of my arms. “Now let me have some time with my favorite boy before you hog him for days at a time.”
I shook my head and huffed out a breath, but Ford’s arms wrapping around me had all my thoughts disappearing.
“Hey,” he murmured.
“Hey.”
“I got you a present.” He moved his hand and attached something around my wrist. I moved it closer to my face. The thin gold chain hugged my wrist, not too tight and not too loose, but it was the little L hanging off it that had tears welling up in my eyes. “Are you ready?”
“Ready for what?” I asked.
He bent down so his face was level with mine, his hazel eyes shining. “To start the rest of your life with me.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
BELLE
Christmas had come and gone with presents and food galore. We’d woken up at our new home, opened presents, and then headed over to Mom and Dad’s house. Everybody came over, and there were at least a dozen of us, but it didn’t faze Mom cooking for that many people. She loved the holidays—Christmas in particular.
But now we were in that space between Christmas and New Year, something which felt like no man’s land. Ford had gone back to work two days after Christmas, and the New Year was only a day away. Leo was already six weeks old, and the time seemed to be flying by at a pace I couldn’t keep up with.
We’d settled into a nice routine over the last week. Ford’s work schedule wasn’t so bad—he’d leave at six in the morning and be home around six that evening. There were many times I wanted to ask him about the case he was working on, but I knew he couldn’t tell me anything, not legally anyway. And if I were honest, I didn’t really want to know. I’d been through hell and back over the last year, and now was the time to relax and enjoy my daily life, not stress about the danger Ford could be in. He’d told me he was putting in a request to stop any deep undercover work, and I was glad because it meant he wouldn’t be away for months at a time.
I cooed at Leo as I pushed his arm into his onesie coat to keep him warm from the cold. The winter wasn’t letting up, and I couldn’t wait for the early dark nights to be over.
“Got any plans today?” I jumped at Ford’s voice, my hand flying to my chest.
“Jeez, you scared me.” I picked Leo up and turned around, my eyes lighting up at the sight of Ford. His belt was around his waist with his gun attached to that, but it was the way his dark-blue T-shirt and black jeans gripped to the contour of his body that had me biting down on my bottom lip. He was a picture, a picture I’d never get tired of staring at.
“Belle?”
“Huh?” I shook my head and moved my attention to his face. “What did you say?”
“I asked what your plans are for the day.” His lips quirked knowingly as he leaned against the doorframe to Leo’s bedroom. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he enjoyed every second of it.
I rolled my eyes and moved toward him. “I need to head to the store.”
“Your mom taking you?” he asked, following me out of Leo’s bedroom and toward ours.
“No.” I handed him Leo and pulled out some clothes from our new shared closet. “She and Dad are meeting up with Jan and Sal.”
“How you getting there, then?” Ford asked, and I glanced at him, seeing his grin as he stared down at Leo.
I pulled my nightshirt off, then yanked on a T-shirt and some jeans, adding a sweater to boot. The cold was no joke, and I was sure I was allergic to it. “With my feet.”
Ford’s head whipped up, his brows lowering on his head. “You’re gonna walk to the store?”
“Yep.” I sat on the edge of the bed and put some socks on, and then I pushed my feet into my ankle boots.
“No.” Ford stood, cradling Leo in his arms. “You can take my car.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Won’t you need it?”
“I’m working on a case that keeps me in the office all day.” I stood, and
he placed a kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll drive us to my work, and then we can switch, and you take the car.”
“But what if you need it at some point?” I shook my head. “I can’t keep your car all day, Ford.”
“Bring it back to me at lunch, and I’ll drive you home.” I bit down on my bottom lip, realizing that my lack of transportation was starting to be an issue. I’d never needed a car before because I’d always relied on rides, but now I had Leo and errands to run, and I was starting to see the need for my own.
“Okay, then.” I heaved a breath. “But I’ll have it back to you by twelve. No later.”
“Sounds good to me.” He stepped closer, his body inches from mine, Leo the only thing separating us. I lifted up on my tiptoes, and he met me halfway with his lips. “You ready to leave, then?”
I nodded and walked out of the bedroom, then down the stairs. I grabbed my purse on the way and opened my mouth to call Lottie, but she was already beside me. “You taking her? Or should I?”
“I’ll take her, and then she can come home with you when I bring you back,” Ford said as he opened the front door. Lottie and I followed him out, and he locked up behind us. I was glad when he opened the back door to strap Leo in because the car seat was a nightmare and took me what felt like forever to figure out each time I had to use it.
The engine roared to life when Ford turned on the ignition, and then we were away, heading toward the DEA offices. The closer to the offices we got, the more nerves rolled through my body. I’d never driven Ford’s car before, and I was afraid I’d damage it by scraping against a fence or something. He loved his car, and it was always in pristine condition.
He rolled to a stop in front of the security gate and spoke to the man in the booth, explaining that I’d need to be let out and back in after I’d been to the grocery store in a couple of hours. He asked for my ID, so I fished it out of my wallet and handed it over.
Bonded Duet: Ford & Belle: Torn Bond & Tied Bond (Easton Family Duet Boxsets Book 3) Page 39