The jet should be landing any minute now, and I find myself on tenterhooks. I'd listened in on Jason and Roxana's conversation when they were back at the house. Not because I'm a nosy f*ck, but because my wife asked me to save this girl in a roundabout way, and I feel a sense of responsibility to her. I've listened in on others' conversations before, of course, the house is built and fitted out for that, all of the safe houses are.There are eyes and ears everywhere in each of them since we usually deal with rescuing children. It's just another layer of protection that was put in place by the organization to ensure that everyone working with or for us was on the up and up. I don't plan on listening in on those two in the future since it was blatantly obvious that the boy had already staked his claim.That's not what's worrying me now, though. I don't think he picked up on it, but she seemed to give in way too easily at the mention of my wife's name. Not her married name, but her ma

"Hey, Pothead, a minute of your time." I caught him bright and early the next morning when he, Cyrus, and Drake were on their way to the beach for a run. Everyone else is in work mode, but these three are on some kind of holiday. Don't get me started on Elena and her sh*t .I refused to look at him since he'd foregone a shirt and was wearing shorts more suited to a man half his age. But since I wasn't here to rip him a new one for being an embarrassment, something I've had to live with my whole f*cking life, I let that sh*t slide."Hey, Colt, what's up, son?" He did some stretches and a little jogging in place action, and I barely refrained from rolling my eyes."Why didn't you or mom tell me that you're cousins?" He stopped moving and stared at me, open-mouthed."Who told you about that?""What if one of my kids came out with a third eye or some sh*t ?"He had the nerve to laugh like he thought I was being funny. "First of all, your mom and I are distant cousins, perfectly

She pulled me down a long hallway that had most of the doors closed to what I was sure were all bedrooms. The place was huge, which I'd seen from the outside when we landed in the dark. All I knew for sure is that we were near the ocean because I could smell it, could feel that certain breeze that comes only with clean, fresh sea air. Something I hadn't felt since before my dad died.We used to travel a lot when he wasn't deployed and then of course after....after I was taken, there was no traveling any further than the other houses in the neighborhood where the kids that were held there were suffering the same fate as I. It felt almost sacrilegious to have those thoughts while holding hands with the kid who had yet to let me go. We came to a door that was slightly open, and she eased it open further and walked in. "Lily!" She hiss whispered at the lump on the bed. Another little girl rolled over and rubbed at her eyes before they popped open. "Did Nia call already?" She sat up wh

I met my wife at the door when she came back from the beach with her friends. I took the baby from her arms and gave my sweet little girl a kiss on both cheeks as I walked towards the lower office, with my wife on my heels. "Did you two have fun?""Yes, we did, our girl was the perfect little angel, weren't you honey. In fact, all of the kids were. I never knew mommy yoga could be so much fun.""I'm glad you enjoyed it. Shawna is an expert at such things." She's also a kickass marksman, but the women don't need to know that, no more than they need to know that each time they step outside the door, they have a shadow. My people are trained well enough not to be seen or heard, which is something the other men gathered here on the island are grateful for, I'm sure.Of course, Lyon had to test them, since as he said, he had more skin in the game with nine kids, his parents, in-laws, Cy, and of course, his wife. I'm pretty sure had it only been Kat and him, he'd have done the same. Hi

"Do you mind? I have to get cleaned up, and I heard someone say something about breakfast." He'd heard it too since the staff member had announced it just a few seconds ago. He eased back and away from me, barely giving me enough room to pass. "I'll wait here for you.""You don't have to; I'm sure I'll find it. Didn't she say we were eating outside?"When he didn't answer, I looked back at him, ready to get annoyed. "What? You don't trust me to be on my own in this big old fancy house?" There was a look that crossed his face very fleetingly, but not fast enough for me to miss it. He looked almost…pained. What the hell is wrong with him?"It's not that. I don't want you facing all of them alone…look, it doesn't matter, just go get dressed and I'll be right here to walk up with you." I wanted to say something snippy back to him like I didn't need him, but that look gave me pause. He seemed genuinely worried about me facing a roomful of strangers on my own.I, on the other hand, c