“Jay stays protected at all costs.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning he’s the only one who can stop Dominion, so no more daredevil rescue missions. Also, my sister is mine to deal with how I see fit.” She let go of his hand and pushed her empty bowl toward him. “And I’d like some more soup to go with my sandwich, please.”
“That’s three conditions, Rebecca.” He grinned and grabbed her bowl. “Anyone ever mention your negotiation skills suck?”
“Nope.” She grinned back at him. “You’re not the only one who can read a room, Adam, and I don’t want you, or Jay, or the JTT to take matters with Maya into your own hands. She’s my sister, and my problem. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” He nodded. Sharply. Once. And she knew with a hundred percent certainty, he’d hold up his end of their bargain. “So long as she doesn’t pose a direct threat to anyone here, we’ll leave Maya to you. But if you ever change your?—”
“Hey, Adam! Did you know we have a cat?” Entering with a sock slide that nearly sent him crashing into the table, a tall, lanky teenager came through the same door she had earlier, Miss Kitty in his arms, and Jeff stuck to his leg like the two of them had been Velcroed together.
“Davis,” Adam said to the young man whose cheeks had turned redder than the soup at the sight of her. “Meet Rebecca.”
“It’s Becca,” she replied, once again surprised by the appearance of an unexpected stranger. “And that…” She pointed toward the ball of fur Davis carried. “Is the Grand Duchess, Miss Kitty of Catia.”
“Cool name,” he said, coming closer as he eyeballed her sandwich like he hadn’t eaten in days.
“Hungry?” Adam asked.
“I already ate,” Davis replied, putting Miss Kitty down and pulling out the stool beside hers. He sat, and both animals curled into balls at his feet, playtime done for the time being.
“That wasn’t the question.” Taking out a second bowl, Adam filled both to the brim. “Go ahead and share the grilled cheese. I’ll make another.” After finishing with the garnishes, he set the dishes down in front of them as if he’d been working in a diner for years, and despite the guns still holstered under his arms, Becca began to relax in his presence.
Sure, she had questions. Lots of questions. But content to be sitting in a homey kitchen with an animal-loving, soup-inhaling teenager, she decided any enquiries she had for Adam and the JTT could wait until after she showered, slept, and got her shit together.
She picked up her half of the sandwich, dunked it in her bowl, and took a full bite.
And Jesus Christ…
The cheesy goodness made her defenses crumble, and for one delusional second, she wondered what it would be like to be a real part of such an unconventional family.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Jay woke to the quiet solitude of the night’s darkest hours and didn’t need to open his eyes to know he’d been left alone in Jamie’s medical office. Despite the diffused light seeping through his lids, there were no telltale signs of another human present.
No gentle rustlings. No life-sustaining breath sounds. No disturbances shifting the air.
Five minutes.
He’d love to give himself five full minutes just to be alive. Alone in his skin. His brain on pause. He breathed deep. Felt the expansion of his chest. And knew everything had changed. Becca was here. Somewhere in the house. Safe and under the care and protection of his brothers.
He didn’t need to rush to his computer to find her. Didn’t need to spend hours searching for signs of her online. Didn’t need to spend days scanning reams of code, hoping for a glimpse of something he might recognize as belonging to her.
For the moment, he had nothing to do but dream about what a life with her might look like without the threat of Dominion hanging over their heads. Okay, fuck that, brain fully awake and body on autopilot, his eyes popped open.
He couldn’t wait two minutes to see Becca again, never mind five, and what good were dreams if he didn’t do everything in his power to make them reality? Steeling himself for the coming challenge, he sat up, shoved the blankets away from his lower half, and swung his legs off the hospital bed.
Not so easy to do with his shoulder immobilized and his arm in a sling, and yep, shit hurt. He stood and sucked in a breath. Fucking hell. The next few days were going to be an exercise in pain management. But so what? Rescuing Rebecca and having her here—with him—gave him hope. Life. Purpose beyond the mission.
The floor chilled the soles of his bare feet as he shuffled his way to the closest door, and hand on the lever, he paused to collect the rush of emotions swamping his chest. He took a full breath and then another before he twisted the handle and pushed through.
The dim light of the recovery room greeted him along with Eve’s welcoming smile. She rose from the chair she’d been occupying in the far corner, and coming over to where he stood, she put her arms around his neck, embracing him in a gentle hug.
“How’re you feeling?” she asked, her voice soft and low. “Need me to get you anything?”
He squeezed her lightly before letting go. “No. I’m good.” He shook his head, his vision blurring at the sight of Grant’s face. Eye socket swollen, forehead stitched, and skin scraped, he looked a hell of a lot worse off than Jay. “How long has he been sleeping in the chair?”
