“Of course,” she said, nodding fast. “Mr. Falk. I’m to let you know we aren’t leaving until we can guarantee your safety. This team is the best of the best, discreet and experienced. There are three others with me to guard the house, and I have a few others scattered around town. You won’t even know they’re around.”
“I’ll need to meet everyone you’ve brought in.”
“Naturally.”
Trace was already grabbing their bags from the car, and she swung hers over her shoulder as he took his, clicked the car alarm on, then slipped her hand in to join his. Together, they headed inside, and he hooked his hand on his backpack, giving Janessa a subtle wave as they headed inside.
The front door squealed its familiar squeak, and he dropped Trace’s hand before Jeremy and Ellen saw the gesture. He waited until Trace was safely inside, then did one last check before heading in.
The moment he turned around, Jeremy and Ellen were already on the move, rushing toward them. Ellen threw her arms around Trace and reached across, yanking him in and hugging them both together. A hugger like his wife and daughter, Jeremy joined the mass and breathed a heavy sigh.
“I’m so glad you made it home okay,” Jeremy said, finally backing away and looking at them both. Terrible at keeping secrets, he seemed to be searching for signs of a relationship as much as he was checking that they were both unharmed. Shit. Cole hadn’t wanted to spring it on them after the fact, so he’d had a long talk with Jeremy in between calls with work. Awkward as hell, but he’d felt supported.
“Come on,” Ellen said, nodding to the kitchen table. “Fill us in.”
Too restless to sit, Cole moved to brew a fresh pot of coffee. A plate of fresh-baked cookies sat waiting on the counter, but not even his favorite treat could pique his appetite right now.
Trace sat with her parents, a reassuring presence for them when he couldn’t calm enough to sit.
While he dumped out the used grounds, still hot from the morning’s pot, he said, “As I said on the phone, a guy from my last job tracked me down, which shouldn’t have been possible. Now, we wait for his organization to make a move.”
“I don’t love the idea of waiting for someone to attack you again,” Ellen said, showering him with pitying looks as she came close, examining every nick and bruise.
“I want to get you out of the equation, but here, you’ve got some of the best security on the planet,” he said, patiently undergoing her sweet inspection.
Ellen lifted his hand and grimaced at the sight of his knuckles, cooing like someone else had caused it. As if it hadn’t been the other guy’s face to leave his knuckles looking like hell.
“I’m fine,” he said, gently drawing his hands away.
Ellen patted him on the cheek before returning to her seat.
One step at a time, he measured out fresh grounds and water, leaning against the counter as it brewed painfully slowly. “I, uh, didn’t mention on the phone, and I should have said before. I wasn’t just a bodyguard.”
He should have known better than to keep secrets from them. Slowly, without drama or emotion, he described what he’d been doing the last decade. The shiny heroic parts, and the parts that chiseled into his being and glared back at him in the mirror.
The silence had reigned loud enough, the story of his deeds taken long enough, that the coffee pot had long since sputtered its last breath. Hands in his pockets, he was afraid to even reach for mugs, knowing his hand would shake and give away how terrified he was right now.
While Ellen and Jeremy sat silently, watching him with curiosity and confusion, Trace stood and poured fresh cups. “Have some coffee,” she gently urged Cole, brushing her hand over his as he took the cup, holding his gaze in hers like a roaring fire on a snowy day.
“Thanks,” he murmured, watching her as he lifted his cup, steadier with her near.
“You are home,” she said firmly, softly. “And we’ll get through this.”
Jeremy seemed to realize how badly he needed to hear that and cleared his throat. “Exactly. We’ve weathered some bad storms together. We’ll fix this. Together.”
His stomach dropped, infinitely falling, heavier, faster as he took in the moment that shouldn’t be happening. “I tried to hide who I was, because I am ashamed.”
“Tell me three regrets, then six things you’re proud of,” Jeremy said, leaning back in his chair, pride unmistakable behind his stern expression.
Cole relented to a laugh and shook his head. “I knew I should have kept my mouth shut.”
Trace framed his jaw in her hand, quickly brushing her thumb over his bottom lip before pulling away and nodding for him to come to the table.
The next hour was rough as he did as he was told, his foster parents not letting him off the hook with simple answers. Like a damn therapy session, but at least it wasn’t some stranger judging him. Hell, the things he was proud of were almost harder to say out loud, but Ellen grinned at him as he did, encouraging his words with her warmth and attention.
Finally done, he gulped his coffee that had long since gone cold. The table had been silent through most of it. Their cheeks were stained red and streaky, sharing in his tears.
Ellen saw him scowl at his cold coffee and popped up to pour refills.
