by Kaylea Cross
Sarah dropped to her knees beside them, reaching for their daughter as Reid wrapped his arm around her and dragged her close. Locking the three of them together again, united in this joyous moment when their daughter was returned to them.
“Oh, baby,” Sarah whispered, still crying, squeezing Autumn and peppering her head and face with kisses. “Oh, baby, I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too, Mom.”
Reid didn’t know how long they stayed like that. Minutes. Hours. But even after his tears dried and all three of them had calmed, he still couldn’t let go. He couldn’t bear that he was the reason Autumn had been taken. Couldn’t stand that he’d posed this kind of risk to his family—a broken one, but still a family.
Finally, he was able to relax his hold on both of them and cup Autumn’s precious little face in his hands. He’d ached to see it so badly, and the sight of her now with her puffy, bloodshot eyes would forever be burned into his heart and mind. “You okay, baby girl?”
She nodded. “I’m not hurt. The bad man who took me tied me up and gave me to another man, and he brought me to a big house. He put me in a closet downstairs and left me there. I don’t know why.”
Reid’s entire body stiffened at his daughter’s words. He knew exactly why. Javier, the bastard who had kidnapped her, was one of Ruiz’s most ruthless sicarios. News of her abduction had rapidly spread through the Veneno grapevine, all the way up to El Escorpion.
Maybe because of her young age, maybe because he was rumored to have children, the head of the cartel had intervened on Autumn’s behalf, and sent another enforcer to step in. That enforcer had taken Autumn to what had turned out to be a kind of safe house, where she’d been placed for the impending rescue before the details had been passed on to the DEA.
In the meantime, El Escorpion had reached out to the legendary sicario Miguel “El Santo” Bautista through some back channel to set up a hit on Ruiz. Because of his ties to DeLuca and Colebrook through the women in their lives, Bautista had contacted them about the situation, and offered to be part of the op.
That was still something else Reid was trying to process. Why had Bautista volunteered for the stunt on the private jet? Maybe it was some kind of cartel justice or payback. Reid didn’t know what kind of compensation DeLuca had offered the man, but Reid would have given the man everything he owned in return for getting Autumn back safely.
And for the satisfaction of knowing that Ruiz, now in federal custody, was going to rot inside the deepest, darkest hole they could put him in. After they grilled him day and night until he spilled every last dirty secret about the cartel, its operations, and its shadowy head.
“The bad men who did this won’t ever scare or hurt anyone again,” he told Autumn, because it was important she know that. As for Javier, Reid suspected that piece of shit’s dismembered body would turn up over the next few days in a swamp somewhere down south. He hoped that before Javier died the bastard suffered the kind of torture Bautista had once been famous for.
All in all, he was just pathetically grateful that El Escorpion had stepped in and prevented his daughter from suffering the same kind of fate that Victoria Gomez had endured. Or worse.
Releasing a shuddering breath, Reid kissed the top of his daughter’s head, breathing in her soapy, clean scent. Someone had cleaned her up and given her new pajamas. “Just glad you’re okay, baby girl.”
“I was really scared because I was alone in the dark. And they’d tied my hands and feet together behind my back so I couldn’t move, and put tape over my mouth so no one could hear me screaming.”
Oh, fuck, he was gonna have nightmares about that for months. Years. “You were so brave.”
“Then some more men came in and found me. Agents, kind of like you when you’re in your uniform. I was scared at first, because I thought they were more bad men, but then Tess was there.”
Tess.
Reid’s head came up, searching for her. God, he’d been so focused on Autumn, he’d forgotten she was there. He was such a shithead.
He spotted her halfway up the sidewalk leading away from the main entrance. He released Sarah and Autumn and shot to his feet. “Tess!”
She stopped, seemed to hesitate a moment before turning around. Why did she hesitate?
“Wait!” He broke into a jog, his chest filling with emotion as he took in the sight of her there, her face blotchy as though she’d been crying, her right arm secured to her body in a sling, and she was wearing his shirt.
She didn’t move as he ran, looking uncertain. Uncertain about what?
Reid ran straight up to her and wrapped his arms around her, carefully drawing her into his body so he didn’t hurt her arm. “Thank you,” he whispered fiercely, his mouth against her ear.
TESS SLID HER left arm around his waist and squeezed, resting her cheek against his shoulder.
“Don’t thank me,” she said, thrilled to be in his arms but hating to intrude on such a private, family moment. Her eyes were swollen and gritty from crying. She’d managed to hold it together during the emotional reunion until he’d buried his face in Autumn’s hair and lost it, and the sounds of those sobs ripping from him had just destroyed her. “I’m just glad she’s okay and back where she belongs.”
“No, I mean it. Having you there made all the difference. She said once she saw you, she wasn’t scared anymore.”
“I’m glad.”
Reid lifted his head and brushed a lock of hair away from her wet cheek, searching her eyes. “You were just going to walk away?” The hurt in his voice was reflected in his eyes.
“I thought you guys could use some privacy.”
“Not from you. That’s the last thing I want.” He hugged her tight to him, kissed the top of her head.
Oh, damn. She’d thought she was all cried out, but maybe not.
“Tess?”
At the quiet, feminine voice behind Reid, Tess pushed away from him and looked past him as Autumn’s mother approached, holding her daughter’s hand. Sarah Prentiss had light brown hair and a slender build, and her daughter had inherited her delicate features. “Hi.”
Sarah’s brown gaze flicked between her and Reid before focusing on Tess. “I’m Sarah.”
Tess cleared her throat. “Yes, hi.” She stuck out her left hand in an offer to shake, feeling awkward.
Sarah smiled at her, and it transformed her from pretty to beautiful, even with her red, puffy eyes. Instead of shaking Tess’s hand, she grasped it and pulled her into a hug, careful of her bandaged shoulder. “Thank you for what you did for Autumn. She told us all about it.”
“It was nothing,” Tess murmured, uncomfortable with all the thank yous.
Sarah pulled back to meet Tess’s gaze, her expression somber. “It wasn’t nothing to her.”
Well. “I was glad to be there.” She smiled at Autumn. “Wasn’t I?”
The smile she got in return squeezed her heart so hard it hurt. “Yes. I kept praying that my dad would come, but when I saw you I knew he’d sent you instead.”
God, this kid just slayed her with her words. “Yeah, he did.”
Reid moved in close and closed his arm around Tess’s shoulders. She stiffened, her gaze automatically darting to Sarah, but Reid’s ex was smiling softly at them.
“You better be good to her, or else,” she said to Reid, startling Tess before she turned to her daughter. “What do you say, time to get you to the hotel? We can order room service.”
Autumn frowned. “We’re not going home?”
Sarah and Reid exchanged a brief look. “Not tonight. But yes, we can have room service.”
“Cheeseburgers and root beer floats?”
“Anything you want.”
“Two root beer floats?”
“Have three. Or four. I don’t care, whatever you want.”
Autumn grinned then it faded and she looked at Reid, uncertainty in her eyes. “Are you coming with us?”
“Absolutely I am.”
Autumn relaxed visibly at that and Tess inwardly let out a relieved breath. He and Sarah must have come to some kind of an agreement before meeting here at the hospital, because there was no sign of any animosity between them. And not letting Autumn go to either parent’s house was probably for the best right now, at least until the agency could figure out how extensive the information breach for the team was.
“Can Tess come too?”
All three adults looked at Autumn. A slightly awkward pause followed, but Tess was the first to speak, rushing to smooth it over. “I’m sorry, honey, but I can’t tonight. Your parents need some time alone with you, and I need to go take my medicine for my arm and get some sleep.”
“Are you going back to Texas soon?’ Autumn asked, worry clouding her eyes.
“Not for a few more days at least.”
“I’ll make sure you see her again before that,” Reid said.
“If that’s okay,” Tess added quickly, looking at Sarah, who smiled and nodded her consent. Tess smiled back and shifted her attention back to Autumn. “That sound good?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, baby girl, say goodnight to Tess,” Reid said.
Autumn stepped forward and wound her arms around Tess’s waist, her little cheek resting against Tess’s stomach. “Thanks, Tess, for saving me. Hope your arm gets better.”
Aw, hell, there went that lump in her throat again. “Thanks, sweetie. You have a good night with your parents, and have a good sleep.” Because you’re safe now. And no one will ever hurt you again. Your daddy will make sure of it.
Reid stayed where he was with his arm tight around Tess’s shoulders as Sarah and Autumn walked back to the SUV. The driver’s door opened and Kai stepped out. A huge grin lit his face as he bent down and opened his arms. Tess heard Autumn’s delighted “Uncle Kai!” as she ran for him, and couldn’t help but smile when those huge arms gathered her up in a bear hug that lifted her four feet off the ground.
“Just when I thought I was all cried out,” Tess said on a shaky laugh, wiping at her wet cheeks.
Reid gently turned her around and took her face in his hands, doing the wiping for her. His eyes were intent on hers, burning with too many emotions for her to decipher. She gazed up at him, heart hammering, a tiny bit afraid of what he would say next.
But he didn’t say anything at all, just bent his head and kissed her softly. Slowly. A tender claiming in front of his daughter, ex and teammate, and whoever cared to watch. “I have to go with them now, but I need to see you tonight. Call you later, once everything’s settled down?”
She nodded, needing him desperately too. “Okay.”
“Good. Then I’ll see you soon.” With one last kiss so full of promise it made her ache, he shot her a loaded smile and jogged away to rejoin his family.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Breaking news out of Virginia this evening.”
Abby McKinley looked up from her plate as the breaking news banner appeared on her TV screen. “The amber alert issued for nine-year-old Autumn Prentiss is now over.”
She stopped chewing her mouthful of lasagna. Oh, God… She’d been following the story since it broke days ago. The entire state was out looking for the little girl, but there’d been no sightings since she’d been abducted from the strip mall parking lot.
“The nine-year-old girl is now home safe with her family after a brazen daytime raid conducted by the FBI this afternoon at a private residence on Chesapeake Bay.”
Fantastic. Abby raised her glass of wine to the screen in salute. “Here’s to you, little one.” And fuck whoever had taken her in the first place. Abby considered herself to be fairly liberal when it came to politics, except in cases of terrorism, and crimes involving kids or animals. Then she was as right wing as they came.
She finished off her dinner and sipped at her wine while the newscast wound down. It had been a long week of business meetings for the pharmaceutical company she worked for as a rep. Normally she met up with some girlfriends on Friday night, but since most of them were now in relationships, it wasn’t the same hanging out with them. She was an uncomfortable fifth wheel clunking along.
She eyed the pan of homemade lasagna sitting on the kitchen counter, tempted to eat another piece. Or three. Then she berated herself.
Turning to food for comfort had been her M.O. since she was a teenager. It never loved her back, and the weight she’d put on had plunged her self-esteem to an all-time low. Since breaking up with Garret last year she’d worked her ass off—literally—to dump most of the weight.
Thank God, she had the equivalent of a human garbage disposal living across the hall who seemed to adore her cooking. She could always count on Kai to eat up whatever she needed to get rid of, and he was a nice guy, so it was no hardship to visit with him.
Yeah, and his amazing body and smile have absolutely nothing to do with it, right?
“Shut up, conscience,” she muttered under her breath, and carried her dishes to the kitchen.
After packing him up a few containers of leftovers to pop into his freezer, she headed across the hall to his place. He’d been gone longer than expected this time and had texted her that he might not get home tonight, so she’d drop the food off and feed Goliath for him.
His freezer was in sad shape, almost empty, so she put all but one helping of the lasagna in it and set the last one in the fridge along with some salad and garlic bread, and jotted down a quick note for him. She fed Goliath, bending down to meet his fishy stare, his little gills flapping in and out.
“Your dad’s coming home tonight, buddy,” she told him. They had an understanding, her and Goliath. She fed him and cleaned his tank while Kai was away, and Goliath wasn’t allowed to go belly up on her watch.
A key scraped in the lock.
She turned toward the door with a welcoming smile, expecting to see Kai, but it died on her lips when Shelley walked in.
The dark-haired woman froze and stared at Abby for a moment, the hostility clear in her eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“Just feeding Goliath.”
“Why, where’s Kai?”
Abby didn’t see why it was any of Shelley’s business if Kai hadn’t told her. “He’s away on business.”
Shelley snorted. “Of course he is.” Her gaze landed on the note Abby had stuck to the fridge. Those hard blue eyes flashed back to her. “You brought him food again?”
Abby shrugged. “Yeah.”
Shelley crossed her arms, her mouth pursing. “What else do you do for him?”
Okay, she really didn’t like that tone. “Sorry?”
“Are you fucking him?”
Abby’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Because he’s mine,” the other woman snarled, stabbing a perfectly manicured pink fingernail into her chest for emphasis. “Mine, you understand?”
Abby generally had a long fuse, but she was sick and tired of this woman’s bullshit, and they’d only met a handful of times. And if Shelley was any kind of freaking girlfriend, she should be the one coming to grab Kai’s mail and feed Goliath for him instead of her.
She opened her mouth to tell Shelley to take her unsolicited opinion and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine, but stopped when the door swung open again.
Kai’s huge frame filled the doorway, his expression freezing when he saw Shelley standing there. His surprise and unhappy reaction told Abby he hadn’t been expecting the woman, and for some reason that made her feel better.
Then his gaze slid to Abby and a tired smile broke over his face. “Hey.”
“Hey,” she said, wanting the hell out of here. Shelley’s eyes were shooting daggers at her and Kai, her insecure, suspicious brain conjuring up God only knew what about them. She took a step toward the door, but stopped because Kai hadn’t budged, his stare fixed on Shelley.
“What are you doing here?” he asked her.
“I came to surprise you,” Shelley fired back, her expression all kinds of pissed off.
“But instead I found out I’m interrupting.” She threw a lethal glare at Abby.
Kai dropped his duffel on the hardwood floor and put his hands on his hips. He was a freaking big man, and his posture made him damn intimidating. “I told you, we’re done. You were supposed to leave the key while I was gone. Or hell, throw it away, I don’t care which.”
Abby wanted to be anywhere but there. Oh, shit, not in front of me, guys…
Shelley’s eyes widened in outrage, then hurt flooded her expression and the tears started. “Oh, but… Kai, I thought—”
“No,” he snapped, his frustration evident in every line of his face and body. Everything Abby knew about Kai told her that he would never be doing this with an audience if he hadn’t reached his limit. Or been shoved past it. “Done. Leave the damn key and go.”
Abby didn’t like Shelley much, but she couldn’t help but wince inside at witnessing the other woman’s humiliation. Ouch.
For a moment it looked like Shelley would burst into tears, but instead she drew herself up and nailed Abby with a nuclear glare. “You know what? You can fucking have him.” And with that she dug in her purse for the key, flung it into the living room and stormed out.
Abby pressed her lips together as the door slammed hard enough to rattle the pictures hanging on the walls. Kai let out a frustrated groan and dragged a hand over his short, dark hair. Then he sighed and swung his head toward her. “Sorry about that.”
“Hey, no worries. I’m sorry you walked into that.” She studied him for a moment. “You look tired.” And not just because of this recent drama. He’d been tired when he’d walked in.
“Yeah, I’m beat. Been a bitch of a week.” Then he smiled. A soft, proud smile that transformed him from good-looking to wow, and made her insides heat up. “But it ended well.”
It had? Even with the whole Shelley thing just now? “Yeah? Well I’m glad. And I’m not sure whether this will make your night or not, but I just put some lasagna and stuff in your fridge.”