by Margaret Kay
“You didn’t misplace your trust. Please, believe me.”
For some reason, Sienna did believe her, unlike she’d ever believed anything in her life. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m not sure what you know, but I had a normal life before and didn’t do anything to get into trouble.”
“Trouble found you,” Angel said softly. “I know. My nightmare began because a man with a gun bumped into me. It was something so random. I thank God every day that Jackson and the team were there to take care of me when I needed help.” A smile spread over her face as her eyes glanced at the baby on her breast. “I would not have met Jackson and fell in love if it wasn’t for that horrible day and I wouldn’t have my son. I believe everything in life happens for a reason and exactly as it’s supposed to.” Her eyes flickered back to Sienna’s. “Do you have that kind of faith?”
“I’ve never thought about it before. I don’t know, but I’d like to believe it the way you do.”
“You know what they say, fake it until you make it. I’d say the same applies to this. Tell yourself you believe it until you do.”
Sienna chuckled while fighting tears that filled her eyes. She really like this woman. They were members of the same sisterhood, shared a similar past. She didn’t need to know Angel’s story. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that this woman had been in a similar situation and understood how she felt. “Yes, that just might be the way to convince myself of it.”
“Anthony is a great guy. Hold onto him, that’ll help too.”
“Oh, we’re not,” she said with embarrassment. Angel flashed her a mocking smile. “Okay, we may be. The truth is, I don’t know what we are,” Sienna confessed.
“You are, trust me,” Angel said. She held the baby against her shoulder and burped him. Then she switched him to the other breast concealed behind the blanket that draped over her. “None of these guys do anything halfway. If he’s with you, he’s with you.”
Sienna wouldn’t debate it with Angel. She was sure this woman had no clue about how she ended up with Anthony or why they ended up sleeping together. Sienna knew better than to confuse sex with love.
Angel watched Sienna yawn deeply. “You should go lie down. You’re safe here. Take advantage of this time to rest. I’m going to do the same in a few minutes when Sammy is done eating and is ready for his nap. I’m sure their meeting will be done soon, so Anthony will be able to join you before you even go to sleep.”
Sienna nodded. That was a good idea. And she didn’t want to sit alone in this room after Angel left. All the others were in the meeting. She wondered if Angel felt like an outsider, like she did, like she was.
The galley was empty when Garcia slipped out of the control room. He headed to his quarters, hoping Sienna managed to fall asleep. He was beat. He couldn’t wait to pass out. He hoped he would sleep like the dead. The thought of holding her body tightly to his, closing his eyes, and completely clearing his mind brought a sense of peace to him.
He cracked his door open slowly. A shaft of light from the half-closed bathroom door within, stretched across the floor and over the bed. It illuminated her still form, under the bedcovers like the beam of a spotlight.
He quietly disrobed down to his shorts and then he gently slid in bed beside her. She rolled into him and wrapped her arms around him. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, which she returned just as tenderly.
“I’m sorry if I woke you,” he whispered.
“It’s okay. I’m glad you’re here. I haven’t felt safe enough to really sleep since,” she paused not wanting to say it. “But I feel safe here, in your arms.”
He pressed a kiss against her cheek and then he tucked her relaxed form under his arm and snuggled in close. He cleared his mind and just enjoyed the sensation of warmth and contentment. He heard her breaths even out. He knew she had fallen back to sleep. That was the last thought he had before he too, drifted into a deep sleep.
Garcia came awake. He felt rested, for the first time in six months. His hands gently caressed over the woman who snuggled against him, held onto him with trust, even in her sleep. His lips found their way to her face and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. Even though he knew he should let her sleep, he couldn’t stop himself from rolling her to her back and entwining his legs with hers as his lips brushed over hers.
She moaned in pleasure as she came awake and returned his gentle kisses. Her hands felt over him where she held him, over his steel-like corded muscle. He quickly relieved them both of the few clothing items they wore, and he settled himself between her legs, determined to make love to her in a way that she would know it wasn’t just sex.
He leisurely kissed her.
“Open your eyes,” he whispered, his head hovering so closely over hers they shared the same air. Then he pressed into her slowly, gasping his pleasure as his eyes gazed so deeply into hers that he could see right into her very soul. “I want to look into your eyes the entire time I make love to you.”
It was connecting. It was powerful. It was amazing. They made love and it was clear it was making love. It wasn’t having sex, it wasn’t fucking in a bathroom. There were emotions in the act that were deep, were strong, were real. After, they lay still joined for a long time.
“Did you sleep well?” He asked her quietly, his lips still near her ear as they shared the same pillow.
“Yes. I feel rested for the first time in,” she paused considering it. “In I don’t know how long.”
Garcia realized that she hadn’t cried out in her sleep. “No nightmare while you slept?”
“No, for the first time since that day I walked in and found him dead,” she said. She realized that in this place, in his arms, for the first time, she felt safe. More than that, she felt cared for and loved. Those were feelings she hadn’t experienced in a long time. “Thank you, Anthony for making me feel safe. Your friends, your team,” she choked up, unable to complete her sentence.
“Hey, why the tears?” He asked, angling his face so his eyes gazed into hers. He wiped away the tears that slipped out of her eyes. “You’re safe.”
“I know. I truly believe that you are going to keep me safe, that your entire team will. Angel is a sweetheart. She completely understands how I feel. She told me she went through something similar. She and Madison both have been so kind to me. Angel even brought me some clothes, moisturizer, and makeup, said she knew I had nothing.”
A grin spread over his face. “And that’s why your crying?”
She chuckled and wiped the residue of the tears from her cheeks. “You don’t know how much I appreciate it; how much I need this. It was scary, and I was alone.”
He kissed her again. “You’re not alone any longer. I’ve got you and I will keep you safe.” It was a solemn vow.
She didn’t doubt him for a second.
After they took a shower and redressed, Garcia led her through the empty galley and into the kitchen. It was zero-three-hundred hours. They’d been within his quarters for eleven hours, sleeping for nearly ten. They both felt rested for the first time in forever.
They worked together to make omelets and then enjoyed the solitude within the galley as they leisurely ate. It felt normal. Garcia envisioned them in the tiny kitchen at his condo, cooking and eating together just like this. Yeah, that was what he wanted. Her in his life. His life, at the Shepherd Security building and out on missions with the team, not under cover, not Razor the biker. With this realization, he knew he wouldn’t have any problems adjusting to being back.
The others started to wander in. First Jackson, with the baby in his arms. “Angel’s trying to go back to sleep.” He handed the baby to Garcia and then dispensed a cup of coffee for himself. He left Sammy in Garcia’s arms and took a seat beside him.
The baby stared at Garcia, his little hazel-green eyes locked onto the scary looking biker like he was a soft teddy bear.
“He’s a good baby. Does he always take to strangers so well?” Sienna asked.
“Hey, I’m not a stranger,” Garcia argued.
“Sammy has been shown pictures of his Godfather and listened to video text messages from him since he was born,” Jackson added and then laughed. “But he is easygoing. He kind of has had to be. He’s been passed around to everyone at the agency at one time or another.” Jackson saw the unasked questions across Sienna’s face. “Angel works at the office and Sammy gets to go to work with her. All the guys dote on him.”
Garcia laughed. He knew Shepherd adored his little namesake. Colonel Samuel Shepherd, US Army, retired on paper only, had a soft spot for both Angel and for little Samuel Anthony, the first baby born to any of the Operators who worked for Shepherd Security. Garcia knew that whatever Angel wanted, Angel got. He was sure that would hold true for little Sammy as well with Shepherd.
He was not surprised when he learned of the work arrangement Shepherd had agreed to, which included a conference room converted into a nursery near Angel’s heavily fortified, as secure as Fort Knox reception desk. And when Angel was busy with Shepherd Security work? Grandpa Shepherd or one of the many others who worked for the agency entertained or tended the little prince. It worked fine now at three months old. Garcia wasn’t sure how that would work out when he was crawling around and sleeping less.
Madison and Cooper entered next, both helping themselves to a cup of coffee. They sat at the table with the others. “It’s our turn to make breakfast,” Madison said. “We’ll get on that after I have a cup or two of coffee. You are all up earlier than I thought you’d be.”
Jackson chuckled. “Angel fed Sammy and is trying to go back to sleep.” He nodded to the dirty plates in front of Garcia and Sienna. “They took care of their own, and I can wait a while. No hurry.”
“Shit, we could have stayed in bed a little longer then,” Cooper groused. “Madison was all worried we had to get up and get breakfast started.”
His words caught Sienna’s attention. Her eyes went between Cooper and Madison, evaluating that they were a couple. She hadn’t picked up on that. She found that very interesting. Angel met Jackson while she was here, under their protection. Madison and Cooper worked together and were involved. No wonder no one thought twice about her and Anthony sleeping together. It surprised her that it was deemed acceptable. She sat back and relaxed a bit.
“It’s not like either of us could have gone back to sleep,” Madison replied.
“Who said anything about sleep?” Cooper said with a suggestive wink at Madison.
Garcia and Jackson both laughed. Sienna was a bit surprised by the forwardness of Cooper’s comment in front of everyone.
“Now that I’m back, are you going to make an honest woman of her and marry her? She did propose to you over six months ago,” Garcia pointed out.
Sienna smiled wide, her eyes on Madison. “You proposed to him?”
“Well, yes. It wasn’t like he was going to. Besides, I only wanted to marry him. I didn’t want to even file the license or tell anyone. I meant it to be just between the two of us and God.”
Garcia laughed again. “Then you shouldn’t have let Lambchop find out. You should have known that our resident reverend would not let something like that go without ceremony and a public spectacle.”
Madison threw her hands into the air. “I didn’t think he could hear us. I didn’t plan it that way.”
“Sure, you didn’t,” Jackson goaded her.
More laughter came from all in the room. Garcia rearranged the baby in his arms because Sammy was starting to fuss. He sat him up on his knee, so he could still look into his eyes. That quieted him, that, and shoving half his fist into his own mouth.
“Now that you’re back, are you going to cut that hair and look more like your normal self?” Madison asked Garcia.
“Once I’m sure I don’t need to go back under as the biker,” Garcia said.
Sienna’s eyes met his. Her surprised and panicked expression was telling.
Garcia smiled a small, lopsided grin. “You will remain protected, no matter what. Don’t worry.”
She nodded and did her best to cover up her reaction. “Of course.” She noticed that Madison watched her closely. Sienna knew she wasn’t fooling this woman for a second. Madison knew exactly how she felt about Anthony.
“We’ll talk about that later,” Cooper said. His voice was authoritative and the mood in the room instantly changed.
“So, what happens now?” Sienna asked after a few quiet seconds.
“I get my hands on a keyboard and see what I can find out about your husband and Dearborne Energy Solutions.” His eyes flickered to Cooper. “I also want to dig into New Mountain Enterprises and see what I can learn.”
“New Mountain Enterprises?” Sienna repeated. “I know I’ve heard that name.”
All the eyes at the table went to her. Her face showed intense concentration. Her eyes slid to her left and up slightly, then down. No one spoke. They all recognized that she was trying to retrieve a thought or a memory.
“No, I didn’t hear that name. I saw it on an email in Greg’s office,” she clarified a minute or so later. “I know I did.”
“Sienna, are you sure?” Cooper asked, his eyes staring intently into hers.
“Yes, I’m positive.”
“Do you remember what the email said?” Garcia asked.
She shook her head no. “I’m sorry. I don’t. Can you send someone to my house? I put all the papers in the safe. I would give you the combination.”
Cooper nodded. A pad of paper and a pen was on a nearby table. He got it and handed it to her. “Write it down.” His eyes shifted to Garcia. “I’ll call Shepherd after zero-six-hundred and arrange it. See what you can dig up between now and then. I’d like to report something on either Dearborne Energy Solutions or New Mountain Enterprises too.”
Garcia nodded as he came to his feet. He handed Sammy back to Jackson. “I’ll get right on it.” Then his eyes went to Sienna. “I’ll be back out later this morning. If you need anything, anyone will be glad to help you, I’m sure.”
“I’ve got her,” Madison spoke up. “Go work some magic.”
Before Garcia stepped away, he pressed a kiss to Sienna’s lips. She watched him leave the room. Then her eyes met Madison’s. She could feel her cheeks heat. She lifted her near empty coffee cup and took another drink.
“We’d better get some breakfast started,” Cooper told Madison.
Madison’s eyes shifted to Sienna. “How about you give me a hand. Cooper’s a horrible cook and not really much help in the kitchen.”
Cooper scoffed at that.
Sienna smiled and nodded. She had nothing else to do. And the truth was, with Anthony gone for the next hour or so, it would give her something to do so hopefully, she wouldn’t feel so out of place. She followed Madison back into the kitchen.
“I’ve been with the team just less than a year,” Madison said from nowhere.
Sienna’s eyes went to hers. She stopped cutting up the fruit.
“Anthony is amazing when his hands get on a keyboard.”
Sienna thought he was pretty amazing in general. “What kind of team is this? Anthony won’t tell me exactly who you are.”
Madison smiled. “We’re a group with ties to the US military, law enforcement, and private security. We can get things done that other units can’t.”
“Like a Mission Impossible group?” Sienna only half joked.
“Something like that,” Madison agreed with a little laugh. “We’re the good guys. That you can trust.”
Sienna nodded. She believed her. “I slept well for the first-time last night, since the day I found Greg. I felt safe enough to.”
“You are at the safest place in the world,” Madison said. “And you’re with one of the nicest guys in the world too.”
“You and Anthony seem very close,” Sienna noted. A weird feeling of jealousy crept into her. She wasn’t sure why she felt so insecure, first thinking Angel and Sammy were Anthony’s, now feeling
this way about Madison. She’d never considered herself a jealous or an insecure person.
“He’s one of my best friends,” Madison replied. “Cooper is too, obviously, but in a different, romantic way.” She smiled a shy grin.
“I was surprised that you two are a couple,” Sienna admitted.
“We both tried very hard to ignore the feelings we had for each other. When we had to admit the relationship to Shepherd, I was sure I would be fired.”
“Shepherd?” Sienna asked.
“Our boss, the head of the agency. He’s a tough guy, a strong leader with a sharp sense of right and wrong, and a whole list of protocols that everyone follows, including no fraternization.”
“So, you knew the relationship was against the rules?”