Alex wanted to head out, so I agreed to let Evie watch over the situation with Eden and Martin after she woke from her nap. Evie stepped outside to see him off, and I gently lifted Eden’s head so I could slip onto the couch and lay it back down on my lap. I brushed some of her dark hair away from her face and stared down at my Sunshine. She was so fucking beautiful and at the moment, she looked so fragile. I wanted to find the son of a bitch who was putting her life in danger and snuff the life out of him with my bare hands.
Evie came back in laden with a couple of plastic bags, clearly holding our food. She set it all on a table as worn as the rest of the furniture in the apartment. “Do you want to make a plate for her and set it aside so she can sleep?” she asked softly.
I glanced at my watch to see it was almost midnight. Fuck. I hated to do it, but I knew she hadn’t eaten since lunch. “I’d better wake her,” I groaned. I ran my fingers through her hair a few more times, then drew a line down her cheek with the tip of one. “Sunshine, I need you to wake up,” I urged softly. She didn’t stir, so I tapped her nose lightly and called to her again. This time, her eyes fluttered and then opened to stare up at me. They were cloudy with exhaustion, the blue turning almost gray.
She smiled sleepily and reached up to caress the side of my face with one hand. I instinctively turned into it and nuzzled her palm. “I need you to eat, Sunshine. You and the baby need your strength.”
Her gaze darted past me and the corners of her mouth turned down. As the remnants of her nap wore off, it dawned on her that she’d fallen asleep and her frown deepened. “You let me fall asleep,” she accused, her tone thick with irritation.
Rolling my eyes, I helped her sit up, not bothering to acknowledge her allegation. I pushed to my feet and took her hands, guiding her up beside me. The smell of Chinese food was wafting over and I laughed when Eden licked her lips, as though she was salivating over it. After getting her settled at the table with a paper plate overflowing with food, I sat beside her and demolished my own meal.
We ate almost everything, so clean up was easy, simply tossing it all into the trash. Eden disappeared into the single bedroom to use the bathroom and Evie pulled out a small black cell, subtly shaking it in the air. Her gesture and raised brow were a silent request for my permission to move forward with things. As much as I wanted to argue and force Eden to go to bed, I knew the chances of getting my way were slim to none. Reluctantly, I lifted my chin in affirmation and pulled a second chair over to the desk, so I could sit beside my wife while she worked.
Eden padded out of the back room and when she saw where I was, she eagerly made her way over. She plopped down into the chair and booted up the computer, which happened to be the only new and shiny object in the apartment. Evie joined us and leaned over Eden’s shoulder to tap a few keys, bringing up a screen with the large, round logo of the Central Intelligence Agency with a small box in the center requesting a password. Evie typed in a long, complicated string of letters, symbols, and numbers, then the screen went dark for a moment. When it came back up, not only we were looking at the CIA’s system, but there was a small frame in the bottom, right corner with a man staring back at us.
He had short brown hair, though it needed a cut and stuck up all over the place. Black-framed glasses surrounded piercing, blue eyes, and I couldn’t help laughing when I saw his wrinkled T-shirt that said, What part of 01000010 0101001 01101110 don’t you understand? This was the infamous Martin.
He whistled softly as his eyes swept over Eden and my amusement fled, leaving a burning anger that caused a growl of warning to rumble in my chest. Martin glanced at me, then looked at Evie. “Seriously, Scarlett? Another caveman? Like having to deal with Justice on a regular basis doesn’t stretch the boundaries of my patience?” Scarlet? When Evie scowled at him, it occurred to me that maybe this was her code name.
Eden snorted as she tried to hold in laughter, drawing Martin’s attention once again. This time, he smiled widely. “Beautiful, I hear you’re a fucking genius, and you have a sense of humor?” He winked at Eden. “Lucky man.”
“If you want to keep breathing, I suggest you stop admiring my wife and get to work,” I barked.
He sighed and shook his head, muttering, “No fun at all.” Out of nowhere, a hand whipped onto the screen and whacked him on the shoulder. He grinned at whoever it was and a female voice quipped, “What if he said that to me?” Martin scowled and threw me a dark look before his gaze fixed on something just above our little window, likely the rest of his computer screen, and I could hear his fingers tapping away.
For the next several hours, I sat silently at Eden’s side and poured over case law and evidence, working on a pattern of questions for Natalie to use when calling certain witnesses. I also watched over Eden as she and Martin delved into files, code, and many other things that I wouldn’t have had the first clue how to understand.
When I noticed her eyes drooping, I called a halt. “Eden needs to rest. You can pick this up after she’s slept.”
Martin peered at Eden through the computer and a sheepish expression leached onto his face. “I get lost in the work sometimes,” he admitted. “I didn’t notice how worn out she was.” I appreciated that he wasn’t the type of asshole to push her into continuing and it lessened my annoyance at him from earlier.
“WAIT!” Eden yelled, causing all of us to jump. “I found it! I fucking found it!”
Chapter 11
Eden
“Holy shit, you did!” Martin chimed in. “Damn, you’re good. Almost as good as me, in fact. We could use someone with your set of skills on the team.”
“Over my dead body,” Isaac growled. “And yours, too, for even suggesting it.”
“Sorry,” Martin mumbled. “My bad. I almost forgot about the caveman.”
“Yes, Martin. We have much better luck recruiting talented women before they find themselves married and knocked up by their very own caveman,” Evie drawled, making me giggle.
“What did you find?” Isaac asked, shifting his focus back to me.
“The owner of the Cayman bank account is none other than”—I paused for a moment when Martin tapped his fingers on his desk to make a drumroll sound—“Walter Morris, the CEO of SO&G.”
“Which explains why there are some serious discrepancies between the results the scientists noted in their files from the environmental studies and the published report. Several of the tests they ran found some scary shit, but the report gave SO&G a squeaky clean record,” Martin added.
“Because the first payment Whitney circled on the accounting sheets she brought home was a bribe,” I continued. “They must have decided he was too much of a liability and killed him to keep it from ever getting out.”
“When Whitney stumbled across the conspiracy, Morris must have put a hit out on her too,” Isaac deduced.
“There were only a few days between the second payment to the assassin’s account and her death. So the timeline definitely adds up,” I confirmed.
“That’s not all,” Martin added. “Turns out, the four other people on the research team have all ‘mysteriously’ died over the last six months. Each one coincides with another payment to the contract killer.”
Isaac scrubbed his hand over his face and shook his head. “Morris had multiple people killed to protect SO&G’s secrets. The last thing he cares about is sending an innocent man to prison. Framing my client was the easiest way to keep the company out of the investigation.” Isaac lifted me out of the chair and onto his lap, pulling me tightly into his arms. “And if he had his way, the body count would have been higher because you would have died in the explosion.”
“Actually, I think that might not have been Morris,” Martin interjected. “I think the assassin he hired went after her on his own because there’s no payment from Morris to him after Whitney’s death.”
“It’s entirely possible that his client told him about the intrusion on his account, and he decided to eliminate the threat for
his own benefit,” Evie concluded. “It’s unusual to take on a hit without pay, but no assassin with his kind of reputation would be comfortable knowing there is a loose end which could lead the authorities straight back to him.”
Listening to Evie speak so matter-of-factly about the decisions an assassin would make was kind of surreal, considering the family lore that she’d been one herself. I wasn’t exactly sure how to process it since I was pretty sure she’d just confirmed that the gossip was true. Isaac didn’t seem to care either way, though, because he was focused on how what she’d said impacted my safety.
“Are you telling me that there’s an assassin out there who is so focused on killing my pregnant wife that he’s doing it for free?”
“And on that note, I’m going to sign off before the caveman loses his shit,” Martin muttered. “Evie, let me know if you need anything else.”
“Will do,” she answered, waving at the monitor before turning back to Isaac and me. “As dangerous as this guy is, he’s not going to find you here. And if he did, it would spook the shit out of him because he’d know Alex and I were involved.”
“Pun intended?” I giggled inappropriately. I couldn’t help it, not since spies were called spooks and I was exhausted. It was either laugh or cry, and I just didn’t have the energy for a sob fest at the moment.
“Not really, but now that you pointed it out—” Evie chuckled, earning both of us a glare from Isaac which wiped the smiles off our faces. “Alex and I aren’t going to let this guy get to Eden. We’re going to find him. Not only because he needs to be caught, but because we both love her like she’s family.”
“But—”
She didn’t let Isaac finish, putting a hand up and leveling him with a glare of her own. “Nobody fucks with our family because anyone who’s stupid enough to try it realizes the error pretty damn fast, and in a way that’s extremely permanent. Do you understand what I’m saying to you, Isaac?”
“Yeah, I hear what you’re telling me,” Isaac sighed, making me sag in relief.
Evie hadn’t come right out and said it, but I felt like she’d basically just told us not to worry because the bad guy was going to be dead soon. As much as Isaac was worried about me, I didn’t want him to push her on this. What I did want was for us to hole up in this apartment until the threat was over. For Isaac to have time to recover from his concussion. And for the tiny life growing inside me to be safe from any kind of harm. If it took a hit man dying for all that to happen, then I was okay with that. Maybe it was wrong of me to feel that way, but I didn’t care if it made me a horrible person. Karma was a bitch, and then hit men die and all that.
“If Eden is anything like me when I was pregnant, then she’s probably asleep on her feet. You two head to bed, but keep in mind that Isaac needs to wake up every three or four hours to make sure there hasn’t been any change in his symptoms.” She pulled a burner phone out of a drawer and handed it to me. “You can use this to set an alarm. I’ve got the number so I’ll be able to reach you while I’m out.”
“Where are you going?” Isaac asked, sounding panicked.
“You’re leaving us alone?” I wanted to know. I wasn’t exactly calm about the idea either.
“I won’t be gone long, and I’m leaving several agents behind,” she answered my question, but ignored Isaac’s.
I tugged on my husband’s arm, leading him towards the bedroom, figuring we were probably better off not knowing all the gritty details. “Be safe,” I told Evie softly.
“Always,” she replied.
Isaac and I were quiet as we got ready for bed. We showered together, helping each other wash, but without the usual sensual touches which would accompany the act. That’s how I knew the extent of Isaac’s pain since he never missed an opportunity to make me come when I was naked—and quite often when I was fully clothed. It didn’t stop him from making sure I was settled comfortably in bed, dressed in the scrubs top he’d been wearing earlier, before he climbed in next to me wearing the matching bottoms.
Leaning back against the pillows, he pulled me into his arms. Raising up on one elbow, I cupped the back of his neck and dipped my head lower. I softly brushed my lips against his, running my tongue across his bottom lip before nipping at it lightly. When his lips parted, my tongue dipped inside and tangled with his. It was a gentle kiss, and full of so much love it almost brought tears to my eyes when I eased away.
His eyes were glazed, the lids lowered halfway and his pupils dilated. With his cock tenting the scrub pants he was wearing, I knew he was turned on. But the dazed look in his eyes could also be from the concussion, so I settled myself against his chest, twining our legs together as I trailed my fingers up and down his arm until I heard his breathing even out.
“Please let this end soon,” I whispered into the dark as I tried to find sleep for myself.
It took me a couple hours, and the beeping of the alarm on the phone was a rude awakening only two hours later. Luckily, I drifted back to sleep right after Isaac was able to answer my questions when I shook him awake. I reset the alarm, planning to repeat the process in four more hours, but the phone chimed again in only three. It took me a moment to realize it was because I was getting a call.
“Hello?” I mumbled tiredly, trying to be quiet so I didn’t disturb Isaac’s sleep. It didn’t do me any good, though, because I felt his heat behind me before his arm reached over my shoulder to punch the speaker button on the phone.
“Sorry to wake you guys up, but I figured you’d want to know as soon as possible,” Alex apologized. “The threat against Eden has been taken care of. You’re both safe.”
“Thank fuck,” Isaac breathed out.
“And you’ll be pleased to know that we recovered enough evidence that you should be able to convince the judge to dismiss all charges against your client as well.”
“Even better,” Isaac replied. “I don’t know how you did it, and I don’t ever want to know, but I owe you big time. If there’s anything I can ever do for you, let me know.”
“Just keep Eden as happy as you’ve done since you came into her life, and we’re even.”
There was no doubt in my mind that Isaac would do exactly that.
Epilogue
Isaac
“Did you see the news?” Jax asked as he strolled into my office and dropped down onto my couch.
I looked up from the paperwork on my desk with a scowl. I wasn’t really scowling at Jax, but I knew he was referring to Walter Morris’ trial and any reminders of that ordeal still made my gut clench. “The son of a bitch got less than he deserved, but I’m relieved to know he’ll be locked away for the rest of his life.”
“How’s Eden doing with all of it?” he asked.
This brought a smile to my face. “You know my Sunshine. Nothing keeps her down”—my smile widened into a full on grin—“except being tired from her carrying our baby.”
Jax’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “Eden is pregnant again? Shit, you were serious about keeping her knocked up.”
I understood his surprise since our kids were only eight months old. Eden had given birth to our twin boys three months before we found out I’d put another baby in her belly. As small as she was, she’d had to have a C-section, which meant a smaller amount of wait time before I could fuck her. She didn’t put up much of a fight when I refused to use condoms, and she’d moaned and groaned about having three babies under two. But, her whole body seemed to glow after we found out, and she walked around with a perpetual smile for days, one that matched my own. It was also a huge relief because our babies kept her busy and she hadn’t tried to wiggle her way into helping with any more cases.
My girl absolutely adored being a mom and when she was happy, I was happy. Besides, her pregnant body was sexy as fuck. The thought of her slightly rounded tummy, ripe tits, and sweet, sweet pussy had me shifting in my chair, my cock suddenly hard and aching. A glance at my watch confirmed that the day was only half over and I should r
eally stay. Then my eyes strayed to the photo on my desk of Eden holding Micah and Eli, her ocean blue eyes filled to the brim with love and a radiant smile on her face.
“I don’t say things I don’t mean.” I pushed back my chair and stood, grabbing my coat from the back and slipping it on. “I’m headed out.”
Jax rolled his eyes and got to his feet. “One of these days I’m going to rename this place Croix and Associates.”
“Like you’re any better, asshole,” I muttered good-naturedly. “How many times a day are you locked up in Natalie’s office? Doing things I don’t want to think about when I have to sit in there.”
Jax grinned and slapped me on the back as I walked by. “You’re just jealous of my easy access.”
He wasn’t wrong.
I hurried home and when I entered the house, I paused to soak up the sounds of baby giggles and my wife’s sweet laughter. Damn, I had it good. Now if my boys would just cut me some slack and go to bed early…
I found them in the family room, both boys lying on a blanket on the floor while Eden bent over them making funny faces. Every time they broke out into squeals of delight, she would throw her head back and laugh. I’m man enough to admit that my heart was bursting with love and contentment.
Quietly, I made my way over and knelt down behind her. “Hey, Sunshine,” I whispered, slipping my arms around her waist, then pulling her hair to the side so I could place soft kisses along her exposed neck. She went a little boneless, melting back into me.
“You’re home early,” she sighed happily.
“I missed my family.” Micah and Eli seemed to notice me at that moment and went a little wild, arms and legs flailing, and gummy smiles on their faces. Eli blinked his gray eyes owlishly, then turned over and managed a wobbly crawl over to me. Letting go of Eden, I picked up my son and cuddled him close. He put his little fist to his mouth and it stretched into a big yawn, making me smirk. Micah’s blue eyes were glazing over too, prompting me to lean my head down to Eden’s ear and purr, “I think it’s nap time for everybody.”
The Passion & Vows Series Page 20