Chaos (Phoenix Undercover #2) - C.A. Harms

Chaos Phoenix Undercover #2 By C.A. Harms

CHAOS Copyright © 2015 by C.A. Harms. All rights reserved. First Print Edition: March 2016

Limitless Publishing, LLC Kailua, HI 96734 www.limitlesspublishing.com Formatting: Limitless Publishing ISBN-13: 978-1-68058-524-7

ISBN-10: 1-68058-524-X No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely

coincidental.

Dedication #BADASS Nancy Gennes Metsch, my Charmed Girl. You are without a doubt a true gem. Thank you so much for being such an amazing fan. This one is for you, love. I bring you more of your #SexyFBIAgent, Joshua Phoenix. You will forever be my hashtag queen.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12

Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28

Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Epilogue

Prologue Gabriella Leaning back against my chair, I closed my eyes. I was in desperate need of just a few moments to collect my

thoughts. Josh’s smile filled my mind, and I knew I would spend my whole life missing it. I only hoped our child would be lucky enough to inherit his or her daddy’s smile. The intercom interrupted my thoughts, and I sat up straight and tapped the Answer button. “Yes, Valerie?” “Your ten o’clock is here,” she replied, and a surge of nervous energy filled my stomach. “Great, please send him in,” I said before standing from my desk and walking around the side after taking a few seconds to smooth my skirt. The door opened, and I looked up at Valerie. Just over her shoulder was a tall man with dark hair.

I stepped forward and held out my hand in greeting. “Hello, my name is Gabriella Shannon.” He smirked, and it sent chills along my neck and shoulders. He had the most piercing green eyes I had ever seen. He entered the room and took my hand, then lifted it toward his lips. As he kissed it softly, his eyes remained locked on mine. “Very pleased to meet you, Gabriella.” His voice was rich and so smooth. “My name is Roman, but you can call me R.J. It is what my friends call me, and I have a feeling you and I will be great friends.” “Well, R.J., it is always nice to make new friends. It should make this process easier.” I offered a forced smile,

instantly regretting my choice to return. Maybe I wasn’t ready to be back. Being in the presence of an arrogant man generally gave me the urge to be just as arrogant. Except I’d lost my confidence. I think a part of me died the day Josh’s friends and partners in the FBI, Greyson and a man named Trevor, showed up at my apartment. I could instantly see the sadness in their eyes when they told me Josh had died. I could also see the dread in their eyes when they shared the news. They too had lost a man they loved. I wanted proof, because I didn’t believe he was gone—it was too hard to imagine. I wanted to see for myself that he was no longer here, breathing and vibrant.

Cremated. It still pissed me off that those were Josh’s wishes. I looked up to see R.J. eyeing me curiously, and I felt embarrassed for getting lost once again in my grief. “Sorry, please forgive me. Today is my first day back after being gone for over two weeks.” I turned away quickly and attempted to gather my wits. “Yes,” he said in that soothing voice of his. Something about it made me a little uneasy. “Margo did mention you lost someone close to you recently.” I closed my eyes tightly and took a second to breathe in, then nodded as I turned and allowed my eyes to meet his. “Yes, I did. Someone that meant more than words could ever describe.”

“I’m deeply sorry for your loss. Times like these are never easy. If you need more time, I understand. We could meet again in a week or longer if needed,” he offered with a smile. “No,” I said more abruptly than I had intended. “I’m sorry, it’s just that I need this. I need the push to get back to life. It’s not going to be any easier if I do this today, or if I wait until next week. I’ll still miss him then.” I paused, attempting to calm my emotions. “I know I’ll always miss him.” I rested my hand over my lower stomach as my lip quivered. I was sure the desk hid my movements, but when his gaze shifted downward and his eyes widened slightly, I realized he had seen my gesture.

With a light nod, he offered me a smile as he got more comfortable in his chair. “Okay, then, let’s find my new home.” I was thankful he didn’t ask questions or attempt to keep me talking about the loss I was still hurting from. I needed a distraction, and apparently he noticed that too.

Chapter 1 Josh I was climbing the fucking walls. It had only been seventeen days from the time they found me in the warehouse

strapped to a fucking chair, and I still had no idea how long this shit was going to last. They had me held up in some small, rundown apartment on the east side of New York City. I couldn’t leave or, fuck, even stand at the window for fear of being seen. Every week Frank supplied me with food and what they called entertainment, but I was going out of my mind. I wanted to see my family, and I wanted to hear Gabby’s voice. But I knew attempting to do either would be entirely too dangerous, for them and myself. The phone on the coffee table was taunting me. It was as if it was begging me to pick it up. My cell was being held by Frank at the Bureau, but

the emergency replacement he had given me held only a few numbers that were all for people I had no desire to talk to. A light knock on the door filled the silence. My eyes immediately shifted around nervously before I quietly stood from the couch and made my way toward the door. “It’s me,” Greyson said from the other side. Every morning the asshole was beating on my door, using my companionship to get through his days. Mike chose to sleep his time away, so we rarely saw him. They too had been planted in tiny-ass apartments and were being forced to live in solitude. The days ticked away slowly as our lives went on without us.

Greyson and Mike had told their families they were going on a mission and would be out of reach. They didn’t have to fake their own fucking deaths and crush their loved ones like I had. Not knowing how my father and sister were—or, hell, how my little nephew Jonah was—killed me. And shit, the thought of Gabriella crying at my funeral just broke me. The rest of the guys were working overtime to find Leo and to narrow in on Roman. But it was hard to find Roman when none of us truly knew the face that went with the name. This entire thing fucking sucked. And I didn’t see an end to it anytime soon. I flipped the lock on the door and

turned back to the couch. As I flopped down on the worn-out cushion, Grey took a seat on the other end. When he didn’t say anything, I turned to find him staring at me with his eyebrow arched. “What the fuck are you looking at?” I asked grumpily. “You look like Grizzly Adams, or a homeless man,” he said with a chuckle, and I flipped him off. “Seriously, man, when was the last time you shaved?” “What’s the point?” I asked with little enthusiasm as I stared ahead at the blank television in front of me. Hell, I rarely took the time to even turn the thing on anymore. “Josh, I know this is hard…” He started to do his “you got to keep your

head up” speech. I had reached the point of no longer wanting to fucking hear his shit, or anyone else’s, for that matter. “Save it, because whatever the fuck you got to say doesn’t change a thing. Everyone in my life thinks I’m dead, Grey. I’m the one that can’t pick up the phone and call my father. I can’t call the woman I’m in love with and tell her I’m here. Tell her I’ll be coming back to her, but I just need time.” I stood from the couch, fisting my hair in aggravation. “You have that luxury, man. I don’t. My life is moving on without me, and I can’t fucking stop it. Do you have any idea how hard that shit is?” I didn’t wait for his answer before I stalked off toward the bedroom and

slammed the door behind me. I was barely hanging on. I tried to tune out everything and remember the last time I saw each member of my family. I tried to remember the sound of Jonah’s laughter and my sister lecturing me about getting a life outside of my job. She was almost as bad as my dad. Thinking of my father always made me feel nauseous. He had spent years telling me that my job was consuming my life. That I had to realize it was the people I had in my life that meant something, not the possessions in my home. And each time I brushed off his words as if they meant nothing. But he was just trying to be a good parent.

How I wished now that I would have truly listened to everything he had to say. Just like they always did, my thoughts drifted then to Gabby and those sweet, crystal-blue eyes that haunted my dreams. Her smile and the sound of her voice sent chills through me every time. I missed her so damn much it fucking hurt; so deep I felt it in my bones. I was going nuts being trapped here in this hellhole when all I wanted to do was hold her. I wanted to tell her I loved her and needed her more than anything else in the world.

Chapter 2 Gabriella “Good morning, Valerie,” I said as I walked past her desk on the way to my office. She lifted her head from the

paperwork she was focusing on and offered me a smile. “Did those emails come in from Mitchell?” She quickly spun around and pulled something off the printer behind her desk. “Yep, and I printed them out for you. I figured that would be easier. And your nine o’clock cancelled,” she added as she held out the stack of papers. “But your ten o’clock wanted to know if you had an earlier time, so it worked out perfectly.” I nodded as I thumbed through the listings for my showings today. Her words finally clicked. “Mr. Wynn cancelled?” “Yep, he said his mother became ill, and he and Mrs. Wynn had to fly out to

Seattle unexpectedly.” She once again rerouted her focus back to the files on her desk. This meant my time with R.J. was now moved forward by an hour. I still wasn’t sure how I felt about him. He was incredibly intimidating, and the way he watched me made me nervous. It was like he wanted to commit my every move to memory. But the commission I would make on this sale would be more than enough to secure a start to a future for my child. For Josh’s child. So I would deal with the weird creepiness of Roman, or R.J. as he insisted. I dove head-first into the stack of listings Mitchell, Margo’s assistant, had compiled for me. He had worked with

R.J. in the past and had some insight into R.J.’s likes and requirements, so recruiting him to gather some prospective locations seemed like the best option. I was so engrossed in the extravagant, gorgeous properties that I lost complete track of time. When the intercom announced R.J.’s arrival, I jumped. “Okay, um…” I took in a calming breath, because my heart was still racing from the interruption. “Give me just a couple minutes to get my desk cleaned up, then send him in.” My desk was fine; it was me who needed a few minutes to prepare for the awkwardness I knew would set in the moment I was alone with him.

I had been working with R.J. for over two weeks now, and his odd behavior had only seemed to intensify. I would find him staring at me instead of the listing I was attempting to show him. Or when we were on the phone, it was like he was distracted and not truly listening to me. I would have to repeat myself constantly. A light tap on the door made my stomach drop, and I stood from my chair, looking down to make sure I was fully presentable. Quickly, I buttoned up the top button of my shirt. I didn’t care if it was a little over-the-top; the last thing I wanted was for him to get more skin than necessary. “Good morning,” I said, painting on a

professional smile as R.J. entered. “I think today is the day we find your new home,” I insisted. He sauntered across the room, staring directly at me with a smirk. “Well, Ms. Shannon, if that is true, I would have to find other ways to acquire your company. I have grown quite fond of your smile.” It was shit like that that made me want to pick up my coffee mug and crack him over the head with it. He was fucking creepy. *** After a long day of looking at over ten different locations, R.J. was still

unimpressed. Or maybe he meant what he’d said earlier and was just stalling so I’d spend more time with him. I entered my apartment and found Brook asleep on the couch. She had started taking night classes, and I would often find her crashed out somewhere in the apartment. I don’t know if it was because of what she had watched me go through when losing Josh, because she never left my side throughout the entire time, but she was nothing like the Brooklyn from six months ago. Yes, she was still fiery and mouthy, but she was no longer going out night after night or sleeping with random men. She said life was too short to waste. She had truly become my rock over the last month, and

I’m not sure how I would have gotten through each night without her. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes as I dropped my heels to the floor. “Hey, Momma, how was work?” I shrugged and moved across the living room to drop into the empty space on the couch next to her. “I spent the entire day going through penthouses and condos only to come up emptyhanded,” I said as I gently massaged my aching feet. “I am beginning to believe this man is unpleasable.” “Well, from the stories you’ve told me, he seems like a freak.” I snorted because she hit the nail right on the head. “Have you eaten?” she asked, and I

just shook my head as my eyes focused on the framed picture that still sat on the bookshelf. It was one I had snapped of Josh when he fell asleep watching a movie one night. He had no idea I had taken it, and after the funeral I found myself searching through my phone for every picture I had ever taken of him. I would not allow myself or our unborn child the chance to forget him. “Gabby?” I turned to look over at Brooklyn, who looked back at me with a concerned expression. “What?” I asked. “Have you heard anything I said?” she asked, scanning my face slowly. “Sorry,” I offered. “I guess I’m just tired.”

“I asked if you wanted to go grab dinner or order in.” “I think I’d rather stay in.” She already knew what I would say. It was the same thing I said every other time she asked me. I rarely went out. Being around people meant I had to socialize, and it was hard enough to be social during the day at work. “I’m going to go take a shower. Why don’t you just surprise me?” I said as I pushed up off the couch and made my way toward my bedroom. The moment I stepped inside my shower and the warm water began to cascade over my body, I gave in to the temptation to cry. I had been holding it back all day, but now that I was finally

alone, I felt safe to just let go and feel the ache I had been fighting.

Chapter 3 Josh “Can’t you get me something, anything? Fuck, Frank, I’m losing it over here. I just want to know how she is.” I

sat on the couch, my head resting against one hand while I held the phone to the ear with my other. “It’s getting harder each day. I don’t think I can keep this up.” “We’re getting closer, Josh,” he assured me, and I gripped the phone tighter in irritation. “I’ve heard that shit every damn day for the last month. I’ve been here for four weeks, holding out for some break. But I get nothing. Don’t fucking lie to me. You’re no closer now than you were then. Meanwhile, my life is moving on without me.” I was trying to hold back my anger, but I was so sick of people telling me to hold on. I would give anything to shift places with these

assholes and see how they held it together when they were fucking isolated and forced to fake their own death. “We found Roman’s son.” I froze at Frank’s words. What the hell? Roman had a son? “He’s nineteen years old, and he has been living with his mother in New York City.” I sat silently while Frank continued to give me the smallest sliver of hope this may soon be over. “He doesn’t really have a whole lot to do with his father. I guess his mother was one of the women Roman had used. When she became pregnant, he placed them in a penthouse and left her to raise Xavier. But when he turned sixteen, Roman grew more interested in his son’s

life. He tried to get him to join the business.” I knew what he meant by “business,” and the thought made me sick. “Xavier said he had no interest in being a part of his father’s lifestyle, but he does think he can help us find him.” “And why would he do that, Frank? What does he have to gain?” “He wants assurance his mother will be safe. He wants us to guarantee we’ll place her in a secure area and keep her out of Roman’s clutches. She’s still being sold by him.” “Sick son of a bitch,” I grumbled as my stomach turned. “He told Xavier when he chooses to join the business, he’ll leave his mother

alone. But if he continues to fight his future, his mother will pay the price,” Frank said in disgust. “I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. I just want you to know I have every man on this. I’m doing all I can to get you back to your family, Josh. But Roman and Leo are both dangerous, and I can’t risk your life, or Mike’s and Greyson’s.” I knew Frank was being honest. He had been like a second father to me and the guys, and was one of the best men I had ever known. I knew I had to trust him. “Just give me something to hold on to, Frank, that’s all I ask,” I begged as I leaned back against the couch. “Let me see what I can do.”

I let out a calming breath and prayed like hell he was being honest. I was in desperate need of something to give me hope. *** I had grown obsessed with Roman’s life after my phone call with Frank. If I was going to be forced to remain hidden away, I decided to use my time more wisely. We had Trevor deliver computers that gave us clearance into the database at work. Between Mike, Greyson, and myself, we set up our own headquarters and continued to analyze every piece of footage we had ever gotten, any footage

we could find, not only on Leo but on each of his men. We spent hours looking for any small sign we may have missed the first time we combed through the videos. I had been at it for hours and was almost to the point where I was seeing double from staring at the figures on the screens too closely. My eyes burned, my head pounded, and Grey had long ago gone back to his own shit excuse of an apartment. Mike was passed out in the recliner in my living room, snoring, which sounded as if a fucking freight train was barreling through the apartment. I was just about to shut everything down for the night when my email

dinged. The only people that used this particular address were the guys from the bureau, so when I saw Trevor’s name, I clicked Open. He knew I was absorbed in the footage, so he was most likely sending me something new to comb through. The subject line read: You can thank me later, thought you could use this.

There was an attachment, and when I clicked on the little paperclip off the left, a video began to download. A sense of urgency ran through me as I waited for it to load, and when it began to play, my heart literally ached. There on the screen were Gabby and

Brooklyn. They were in Gabby’s favorite café, sitting near the window. We used to go there together often just to get her that sweet caramel latte she craved. Gabby wore an oversized sweater that hung off one shoulder and a pair of tight leggings beneath it. Her hair was piled on the top of her head with ringlets of brown hanging loosely around her face, giving it that wild look. She was staring down at her hands as she held a bottle of water. I found that odd, considering she was in a coffee shop, but quickly forgot the thought when her gaze shifted toward the camera. Brooklyn must have said something, because Gabby looked away quickly and offered her sister a smile I could

immediately tell was forced. Her sadness only made my heart ache even more. I couldn’t hear Gabby, but seeing her was enough. Hell, I felt as if it had been forever since I had seen her gorgeous face. The video ended, and I lunged forward, wiggling the mouse over it to start it once more. I spent the evening watching it over and over just so I could feel close to her once again.

Chapter 4 Gabriella I had four missed calls from R.J. when I finally emerged from the bathroom. I had spent the last forty-five

minutes with my head hovering over the toilet. This was the second time I had woken nauseated. My head was pounding, and the last thing I wanted to deal with right now was that indecisive egomaniac. He would have to wait until after my doctor’s appointment. When I walked out into the kitchen and found both of my sisters and my mother waiting for me, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. They provided the moral support I needed since Josh was unable to be there. My mother walked toward me and wrapped me in her arms, giving me a much-needed hug. “Are you ready to go see this sweet little miracle?” I nodded as my eyes filled with tears. “Me too,”

she added before placing a kiss against my cheek. The ride to my doctor was filled with the three of them telling stories of when my sisters and I were younger. They talked about the possibility of me having a little girl that they could all spoil and shop for. My mom said my father had hoped it would be a boy because he was already outnumbered. I was hoping for a boy too. A little boy that would look just like his daddy and who would grow up to be the kind of man his father was— confident, strong, and the bravest person I had ever known. By the time we arrived at the doctor, my stomach was in knots from all the visions rolling around in my head of

Josh holding our child, snuggling them and loving them. I had done everything I could to hold it together, but the closer we got, the harder it had become. I was robotically going through the motions. Walking toward the front entrance. Stopping at the counter to sign in. Sitting in the waiting area, flipping through magazines as if something within them was actually interesting to me. I would nod or smile when one of my sisters or even my mother asked me a question or said something in an attempt to get a reaction out of me. But everything was forced. Nothing felt right. “Ms. Gabriella Shannon,” a nurse said from across the waiting area, and I

looked up to meet her genuine smile. I pushed up from the chair and walked toward the doorway as Audrey, Brook, and my mother followed closely behind. The nurse directed me to a chair just to the left. There was a small area that held a scale and a few smaller machines. After I took a seat, she checked my blood pressure, followed by my weight. When she tapped at the digital screen in front of me, the numbers began to bounce around before settling on what I knew was well below my weight six weeks ago. I knew I had lost weight, and I felt guilty every day for it. As I stepped down from the scale and turned, she pointed toward the hall the led to the examination rooms where the

doctor would see me. I ignored Brooklyn’s disapproving stare. She knew my current weight, and she also knew the weight the doctor had written in my chart at my last visit was a number I hadn’t seen since I was in college. “Will you all be staying in the room during the exam?” The nurse looked around at the women of my family as she laid the paper gown on the table in front of me. Before I could respond, Audrey beat me to it. “Yes, we will. This little angel is our miracle, and we all intend to be a part of every single moment.” My eyes clouded with unshed tears, and I looked down to hide my emotion. “Well, okay then,” the nurse added

with sincerity. “The doctor will be in shortly if you just want to undress from the waist down.” I nodded as she exited the room. I quickly undressed and didn’t care that in the process of crawling onto the table, I flashed Brooklyn my bare ass. She laughed and I flipped her off, which only made my mother chastise us both and Audrey snicker at the entire scene. In the end, my mother smiled, and the atmosphere in the room felt just a little lighter than it had five minutes prior to my butt scene. When Dr. Bali entered, he smiled politely as he shook everyone’s hand and then took a seat at my side. “How are you feeling, Gabby? Have you had much

morning sickness?” he asked as he looked over my chart. “No, only a few times, nothing too alarming,” I assured him. “Great.” He looked up at me over the rim of his glasses. “Says here your last cycle was June 16. Does that sound about right?” I nodded, and he looked back down at the file in his hands. “That would put you at a due date of March 22.” He paused for a few seconds. “Which means that as of today, you are about nine to ten weeks along.” I closed my eyes, thinking back to the times Josh and I had been together and wondering which of those times we created a life together.

“We should be able to get a decent view of the baby today,” he stated as he turned and began to move a few things around on the countertop behind him. The reality of what I was about to see hit me then. My eyes filled with tears, and my lip began to tremble. I let my head fall to the side, and a tear ran along my cheek before falling to the bed at my side. My mother looked back at me with tears in her eyes as well and a small, reassuring smile. I thought it would be Brook that immediately rushed to my side, but I was wrong. It was Audrey who stood and came to me. It was she who took my hand in hers and squeezed it before leaning over to place her head against

me. For a moment we just stayed in this position, my body now shaking as I fought like hell to hold in my sobs. Then Audrey softly whispered against my ear, “We are all here for you. We always will be.” I nodded because I had to stop these waterworks. It was just so hard knowing he couldn’t be here to experience this with me. I hated he was taken from us all and he would never know he was going to be a father. I was so angry and sad at the same time. When I finally turned to face Dr. Bali, he was smiling at both of us. “Are we ready to take your baby’s first picture?” he asked as he held up a

bottle in one hand and the wand in the other. “Yes,” I said, and it came out in a whisper. The moment the soft swooshing sounds filled the room, we each became mesmerized by the image on the screen next to the doctor. He began pointing to it, explaining what exactly we were seeing. It looked like a little blob, and nothing like a baby, but it was the most precious blob. It was part of Josh, part of me, and in that moment I fell in love. *** “Do you think it’s time you told his family?” I looked up from the picture in

my hand to meet Audrey’s stare. The doctor had printed out a few different images, and I had been engrossed in them since we arrived back at my apartment. I knew I needed to tell them. I was just so afraid of what it would do to them. Josh had meant so much to his family, and I worried I’d only be adding to their grief, but Audrey was right. “Yeah, I just don’t know how to reach them. I’ve been to their house, but I don’t know the way exactly. When Josh took me there, I was too nervous to pay full attention.” I know he thought I was all self-assured and confident that day, but on the inside I was terrified. I was so worried they wouldn’t like me and also

found myself wondering if it was too soon. But they welcomed me as if I were part of the family, and after five minutes in their presence, I felt like I was at home. “We could call Greyson, get his sister’s number,” Audrey said. “I’m sure he would be willing to help you get in touch with Josh’s family.” I nodded, remembering that Greyson had called her once regarding Josh’s whereabouts, so it made sense she would have his number. As she pulled out her phone from her back pocket and began scrolling through her contacts, I felt my nerves kick into high gear. I still had no idea what I would say to Libby.

Chapter 5 Josh “Look at this right here.” I pointed to the computer screen. “This man enters the building a few minutes after Leo,

every fucking time. He’s always wearing a coat or a hoodie, even when it’s hot as fuck and everyone else is dressing to keep cool. He always keeps his hands in his pockets and moves as fast as possible through the crowds.” Greyson leaned over my shoulder, and the chomping in my ear was fucking annoying. “Could you fucking chew with your mouth shut?” I groaned, and he purposely smacked his lips in an attempt to be even louder. I looked back at him over my shoulder, and he chuckled as I swung my arm out in his direction. He dodged out of the way just in time, and Mike’s laughter broke out from my right. “Can you be fucking serious for a minute?” I grumbled as I turned back to

the screen. “He never shows his face. It’s like he knows where all the surveillance cameras are located.” I narrowed my eyes and tried for what felt like the hundredth time to focus on his jawline. It was the only thing visible beneath the hood of a sweatshirt. “He just looks like some hood rat. There is nothing that screams, ‘Mafia godfather.’” Greyson appeared at my side once more. This time he was actually focused and trying to see what I had enlarged on the screen. “That’s what I thought too, which is why I always scrolled right past his image. That was until last night. When I saw this,” I said as I tapped the computer screen.

The screech of Mike’s chair filled the room as he attempted to move closer. “Is that…?” He leaned in a little farther. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?” “No,” I replied without looking away from the screen. I had looked at the images over and over, hoping I didn’t see what I thought I had. I spent hours analyzing footage of all Leo’s hideouts, hoping to pinpoint who Roman truly was. We set up surveillance cameras months ago, but since most of the locations were busy places open to the public, it took time and a whole lot of attention to watch the footage. Nothing ever appeared suspicious. Yeah, we had no fucking clue

what the man looked like, but we did know from the information we were fed by the DEA and from some of our own guys who were still undercover that Roman and Leo had met before in the locations we were watching. “So you’re telling me one of our own may be responsible for this fucking mess?” Mike said with disbelief. “I’m saying that from what I’m seeing, we got someone within our bureau that has some fucking secrets.” I leaned in a little closer and enlarged the image. The sweatshirt the man was wearing had ridden up, and the entire lower half of his badge was now like a fucking beacon going off before us. We all stood staring at the image,

knowing we now couldn’t trust the men we had spent years forming bonds with, trusting with our lives. The men we considered brothers. Only a few knew our location, and they knew we were unable to get in the way. If we were hiding out here, our rat knew we were out of the way, at least for now. I felt sick to my stomach knowing it could be anyone within our tight group. “We keep this under the radar for now,” I added, my voice coming out hoarse. “We trust no one, we keep digging, and we find the man behind this fucked-up operation.” Mike and Greyson nodded in agreement.

The ringing of a phone broke the intensity of the current situation, and Greyson quickly scrambled toward his phone on the coffee table. “Remember, act normal,” I said as he lifted it and turned it over to look at the screen. When his eyes met mine, my stomach dropped. I immediately knew that whoever was on the other end was somehow tied to me. On more than one occasion, I had to hear my sister cry on the other end of the line as she told Grey how much they all missed me. “Hey,” he said, and his voice cracked with the word. He cleared his throat and tried again. “How you doing?” I assumed it was another call from

Libby. I scrubbed at my face with my hand, feeling the beard that had now pretty much taken over. Closing my eyes, I focused on his words, hoping that somehow he would be able to give her the strength to get through the day. “Yeah, I got her number.” I opened my eyes, wrinkling my face in confusion. Who the hell could Libby want to call? And then it hit me. She must be talking about Gabby. When he began rambling off the digits, I only grew more confused. He was giving the caller Libby’s phone number. I stood from the chair and moved in his direction, but he held up his hand, making me stop. My fucking heart was beating a mile a minute.

His eyes locked on mine, giving me a pleading look as he said his next words, and they were like a kick to the gut. “I know Libby would love to hear from you, Gabby. She talks about you every time she calls. She’s wanted to reach out but was worried about upsetting you.” Gabby. Just a few feet away from me, the woman I was so fucking in love with it hurt was on the phone with my best friend. The idea that I could take the phone and hear her voice on the other end ripped me up inside. It was absolute torture. “Are you sure you’re all right? I know I haven’t talked to you since the funeral, but you do know that if you need anything, all you have to do is call.” I

met Greyson’s stare once more, and I could tell this wasn’t easy for him. He looked at me as if he was feeling the same ache I was. I focused on his eyes, trying to determine his emotions. I wanted a sense of what he was feeling as Gabby continued to talk to him. I watched as he closed his eyes so fucking tight, his entire face shrunk up in a pinched expression. I took another step toward him, and he must have heard the shuffle of my feet because his eyes shot open and turned to me once more. It took everything inside me not to yank the phone from his hands and find out for myself what Gabby was saying. Greyson shook his head, as if he

knew exactly what I was thinking. “That’s, um,” he said before pausing to take in a deep breath. When he spoke again, I saw joy in his eyes and a smile cover his mouth that was so big it made my heart race. But when his eyes connected with mine, I noticed a sudden change in his expression. It was a look of sorrow, and rarely did I ever see such emotion from Greyson. “Gabby, that’s amazing.” His voice shook, and I felt like I was going crazy from not knowing what she was saying. “How far?” Was she moving? What the hell did he mean “how far”? Just the idea of her leaving made me panic. “March,” he whispered. “Carl, Josh’s dad, his birthday is March 11, so who

knows, right?” What the fuck? This conversation was so back and forth, I couldn’t keep up. What the hell did my father’s birthday have to do with Gabby moving? “I’d love a copy.” His voice held that raspy tone that tends to appear when someone is doing all they can to hold back tears. “Thanks for telling me. It means a lot that you thought I should know too. After all, I’m gonna be an uncle.” Chills covered my entire body, and I swear my legs wobbled with the blow of his words. The room felt as if it had tilted, and my vision grew hazed. Grey kept talking, but I could only focus on the words I had just heard. My breathing

picked up as I rushed for him just as he said good-bye and ended the call. Mike grabbed me from behind, but it didn’t stop me from gripping Greyson’s shirt and slamming his body against the wall behind us. “Call her back.” My nostrils flared as I got up in his face. “I can’t, man, you know this.” “Pick up your fucking phone and call her.” “Her number’s blocked. It didn’t register. And you know that talking to her could compromise everything,” Grey said slowly, trying to make his words register through my anger. “Grey.” I knew his name came out as a plea, but I didn’t fucking care how weak I appeared. Too many emotions

were hitting me in the biggest fucking rush I had ever felt in my life. “Is she pregnant?” I already knew the answer, but I wanted him to confirm it, and when he did my knees gave out and I crumbled to the floor at his feet. I let my head fall to my hands, and for the first time for as long as I could remember, I sobbed. I was happy and angry all at once. I don’t know how long I sat there on the floor bawling into my hands, but when Greyson’s hand rested on my shoulder, I lifted my head. He too appeared as if he had shed a few tears. “She’s due March 22,” he said, and I took in a shuddering breath. “She wants to call your sister. She said your family deserves to know she’s carrying a part

of them.” I closed my eyes tight once more and took in another deep breath. “You’re gonna be a father, man, which is why we have to catch this bastard who is fucking with our lives. We gotta get you home to your girl,” Grey stated with certainty, “and to your child.” My child.

Chapter 6 Gabriella To say I was nervous was an understatement. I sat in the driveway of what I now

knew was Libby and her husband William’s home. Two days ago when I finally called her, she insisted I come over for dinner. She had also invited Josh’s father Carl, and the idea that they were all waiting inside with no knowledge of the bomb I was about to drop on them made me feel a little nauseous. On the drive to the suburb of Scarsdale, New York, I had practiced several ways of telling them, and each one only made me more nervous. I jumped in surprise at the light tapping sound on the window beside me. There just on the other side was Libby, and her smile made me feel as if someone had gripped my stomach in their fist. Her smile matched Josh’s, and

it made me miss him even more than I already did. I hadn’t thought that was even possible until that very moment. I reached for the door handle and opened it, and she placed her hand on the top and pulled it farther open. The moment I stepped out, she wrapped her arms around me and held me close. “I’m so happy you came,” she said in a hoarse whisper, and tears welled up in my eyes. I batted them away as I returned her hug. “We are all so happy you called,” she added as she took my hand and led me toward her beautiful house. I scanned the surrounding area, noticing the swing sets in the yards and the homes surrounded by colorful flowers. I sat there in the driveway, thinking how amazing it must

be to live in such a neighborhood, to raise a family outside the city. The second we entered the house, Jonah’s loud squeals of laughter filled my ears, and I closed my eyes for just a moment as I smiled. The sweet sound of his happiness was contagious. A very tall man with blond hair and a thick build walked through the entryway, carrying Jonah upside down over his shoulder. He offered a loving smile to Libby before focusing on me. “You must be Gabby,” he said as he held his hand out in greeting. “I’m Will.” “It’s nice to meet you,” I told him as I placed my hand in his. Jonah began wiggling in his dad’s arms, attempting to break free. When

Will lowered him to the floor and tickled his side, Jonah offered his best “don’t mess with me” growl before looking over at me. His reaction immediately gave me a flashback to the first time we met. He stared at me blankly, and his smile grew even wider. “Did you bring Uncle Josh?” His question knocked the wind from my lungs, and I looked up at Libby with a pleading stare. I had no idea what to say. “Now, buddy, we’ve explained to you about Uncle Josh.” Carl knelt before his grandson and took his hands. “He’s in Heaven now, watching over all of us, with Grams and Uncle Brett by his

side.” The reality of just how much this family had lost made my chest constrict. Just how much loss can one family endure before they break? Jonah looked back at his grandpa with sadness before turning away and moving off toward the living room Carl had just emerged from. “Sorry about that,” Libby offered with a forced smile. “He still has a hard time with the fact his uncle’s not returning.” I just nodded as if to tell her I understood too well. My throat felt so raw, I was afraid to talk. Carl stepped forward and took me in his arms, much like he had the first time

we met. I accepted his embrace because frankly, ever since the day we lost Josh, I haven’t felt whole or safe. Carl was tall like Josh and had a similar build. He wasn’t quite as broad and full as his son, but when he hugged me, I still felt tiny in his arms. “He loved you,” he whispered into my hair, and I held my breath, hoping to hold back the tears filling my eyes. “Just because we lost him doesn’t mean we don’t still accept you as part of our family now.” That was all it took. The stayingstrong pep talk I had given myself was shot like a bottle rocket right out the damn window the moment the words left his father’s lips.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, and sobs racked me. “I wish more than anything that he was here by my side. I truly hate that the news I have to tell all of you isn’t something he was here to tell you himself.” Carl released his hold on me and held me out at arm’s length. “News?” I looked around, taking in the questioning expressions written on their faces. “I’m pregnant.” I was immediately engulfed in Carl’s arms once more as Libby stepped forward to join us. “We still have a part of him here, with us,” she whispered, her voice shaky with tears, and I nodded into the crease of Carl’s neck. I hadn’t planned on telling them like

this, standing in the doorway, but having Josh’s father hold me as he told me his son loved me made it impossible for me to hold back. And the joy in their eyes as I showed them the sonogram picture just confirmed their happiness. It felt like I was giving them all back just a small piece of the man we had all lost. The smallest amount of light reappeared in his father’s sullen eyes and joy in his sister’s voice then as they told me about Josh when he was young and wondered if his child would be anything like him. I think it all gave us back a part of ourselves. I wasn’t the only one who felt empty from his absence. I vowed then that his family would never miss out on anything when it came

to the life of Josh’s child. They would forever be a huge part of my child’s life, and I wanted them to shower him or her with every bit of information they could offer about Josh. *** I lay in bed, lightly rubbing circles over my flat stomach. Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine my hand was his, as if he was right next to me. I tried to picture joy in his eyes as he looked down toward my belly. It was barely 9:00 p.m., but I was drained from my night with Josh’s family. Brook was at her night class when I arrived home, so I took a shower

and crawled into bed. I had a number of calls to return and unread emails to respond to, but I felt I deserved tonight off to allow myself to just dream.

Chapter 7 Josh It was three days from the time I received the news about becoming a father, three more days of my life gone. I

had a child I wanted to celebrate, a woman I wanted to love, and I was still stuck in the hell of solitude. I did make a deal with Greyson that no matter what, I would from this point on be able to hear his conversations with Gabby and my family. If I was being forced to keep up this façade of being dead, he would at least allow me that. Some might think this would only torture my already hurting soul further, but it was my way of being involved even though they had no idea I was there. People wonder what it would be like if they were gone. How would people act? What would people say about you? Would they forget you or make sure you lived on in their memories?

I was living out that scenario. Some days were worse than others, like today for example. I was sitting on the couch, a fucking bucket of emotions as I listened to my sister explain to Greyson about the dinner they had with Gabby. “You should have seen it, Grey,” Libby said, sounding overjoyed. “Dad beamed when he heard about Josh’s child. I know it’s crazy, but it feels like he’s still here with us, like we have a tiny piece of him still.” My vision clouded as I looked up at locked eyes with Greyson. “I know what you mean, Lib,” he said as he offered me a smile. “I can just imagine the look on Josh’s face knowing that he was going to be a father. That

proud smile he got when he knew he did something great.” I closed my eyes as my best friend and sister carried on about my life. A life I would give anything to get back to. *** “Any news?” I asked as I relaxed against the couch cushions. “We haven’t been able to make contact with the kid,” Frank replied with a loud, exhausted sigh. “We showed up at the address he had given us only to find the place empty. It looked like they may have left in a rush.” “Do you think they left willingly? Or does it look like it was a forceful

eviction?” My head pounded as I closed my eyes tightly. “We didn’t see any signs of a struggle,” Frank answered. “They get spooked?” “Possibly,” Frank said. I felt defeated. Like that chance of getting my life back was just ripped from me once again. I considered telling Frank what Grey, Mike, and I had found, but I decided against it. We had agreed to keep it quiet until we had more to go on. “I’m not giving up, Josh,” Frank told me with a little more authority than he’d spoken with earlier. “I will get you your life back.” There was one problem, though. I just

couldn’t force myself to believe this would one day be over. I had been disappointed one too many times over the last six weeks. I was tired of hitting the fucking proverbial brick wall. “Just hold it together, Josh,” he added in one last attempt to reassure me. He knew I was barely hanging on. “She’s pregnant.” I hadn’t intended to disclose that to anyone but Grey and Mike, but I had to give Frank an idea of just how hard this was all getting. “She called Grey a few days ago. Knowing she’s carrying my child is killing me, Frank. I want to be there. I can’t miss out on that. There has to be a way to get me to her. Fuck, move me to her place and I’ll stay hidden there.”

“We can’t do that. I got to keep you boys hidden. But we’re getting closer here, Josh. We’re moving in on Leo’s men. The DEA is inside his facilities, and either Roman or Leo are bound to turn up soon. They won’t let that kind of money slip through their fingers.” I knew Frank had taken over the case in my absence, but this shit felt like it wasn’t moving at all. I had tried to make contact with Trevor, but Frank had him buried in videos just as he did us. Frank was old school, and as much as I respected him, I felt like maybe he wasn’t the best man to lead this case. But how the hell do you tell your boss he may want to consider accepting that he no longer had the street skills to conquer

this case? Instead I chose to dive back in, scanning every video for signs of our rat. I just needed one video, one slipup that gave us something to go on. *** “We’re missing something,” I said angrily as I fisted my shaggy hair. My facial hair wasn’t the only thing I’d let grow wild. I just didn’t see the purpose of giving a shit about my appearance anymore, not when Grey and Mike were the only assholes I got to see. “Josh, we have gone over these videos so many times, I see them in my fucking sleep. We have analyzed every minute of every one. There is nothing to

see besides that one mistake. He’s careful, man. You’ve seen it. He knows where we have our shit, and he avoids those areas.” Greyson leaned back in the chair next to me, looking as defeated as I felt. “He’s playing us, Josh,” he said as he looked over at me. “He’s playing us all, sending us on a fucking goose chase while he runs this shit right under our noses. We’ve been used to take focus away from what everyone should be focusing on. It’s been his game all along.” “So what do we do?” Mike asked the question I think we were all thinking. None of us spoke for a while. We each just stared at the screens we had

been looking at for days, weeks even. I couldn’t let go of the idea that the clue we needed was hidden in all this damn data. “We keep looking, we keep analyzing, and we make sure Trevor continues to supply us with footage as he gets it.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “I refuse to allow this fuck to steal any more of my life. I don’t know about you two, but I’m ready to fuck his world up the way he has mine.” They both agreed as we dove back in to examining and cross-examining. We stayed up throughout the night, refusing to let another clue slip past us. It was time this bastard paid for the lives he’d

taken. Time to make him suffer for all the wrongs he’d done. One of our own had us running in circles for months while he sat back and played us all like pawns in a chess game. It was time to reverse the roles and play his game, but play it better.

Chapter 8 Gabriella “The view is breathtaking. And the master bedroom, I think, is exactly what you’ve been looking for. The appliances

are immaculate.” I walked around the penthouse, offering the description of everything that matched R.J.’s specifications, even though I knew it would only result in yet another wasted day. He spent more time watching me than he did looking at the property. I hated the way he looked at me. “Let me ask you something, Gabriella.” The way he said my name disgusted me and made my stomach hurt. “If you could come home to a place like this every day, would you?” “It’s a little much for my taste. I’m more of a simple-living girl,” I said with a forced smile. “Once you get a taste of the finer things in life, I think you may change

your mind.” He licked his lower lip, and I turned away as my stomach churned even more. I chose not to respond, hoping that ignoring his innuendo would make him move on, but I had no such luck. “Why don’t you have dinner with me?” he whispered, and my body tensed. He had stepped up behind me, and I could sense his closeness. “No expectations, just two people enjoying a nice meal. My treat.” “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said without turning around to face him. His fingers skimmed over my shoulder as he pushed my hair away from my face. “And why’s that? Because I honestly believe it’s the best idea I’ve

had in a very long time.” “Listen, Roman,” I said as I turned. “R.J.,” he insisted. I swallowed past the lump that had formed in my throat. “Though I appreciate the offer, dating a client is something I could never do.” “Then you’re fired,” he said with a smirk. “I’m not ready to date. The man I lost will always hold my heart whether he is here or not.” I hoped R.J. could understand and just let this go. “I have no intentions of dating anytime soon. There are just too many things going on in my life, too many unsettled emotions.” He stared at me for a little too long, and my heart rate picked up in anxiety.

Then with a nod, he stepped back and gave me a smile. “The man you have lost was a lucky one.” “Thank you,” I said. Please, God, just let this be over. I felt like the room was closing in on me. I hated the way he continued to scan my body with his gaze. I jumped when my phone rang, and R.J. chuckled. “Excuse me,” I said in a rush as I reached inside my purse for it. A quick swipe of my finger and I lifted it to my ear. “Hello.” “Gabby?” It was Audrey. “Yeah, hey, hi.” I closed my eyes tight and took in a deep breath. “Hi,” I said once again, trying to calm my nerves. “Are you okay?” I could sense the concern in her voice. “You sound funny.”

“I’m good, Audrey, I’m just showing a property to a client.” I looked back over my shoulder to find that R.J. was still watching me closely. “What are you up to?” I suddenly no longer wanted this conversation to end. I felt the need to keep her talking, keep her as a lifeline. “Well, tonight I was hoping you and Brook were free. I was gonna come camp out.” Audrey had sold her flat in Boston and moved back in with my parents. I wasn’t sure what her reasons were, I just knew she also had no intentions of going back to that city. “What’s wrong? The endless homecooked dinners and clean sheets too much to handle?” I smiled when she groaned.

“I am entirely too old to live at home, which is why I want you to help me find my own place. But in the meantime,” she went on, sounding a little less annoyed, “I’m staying at your place a few nights, because I am dying at Mom and Dad’s.” “Okay,” I replied. I love my parents more than words can say, but my father was a control freak and my mother was a hoverer. I hadn’t expected Audrey to last this long. “I’ll be at your place by five,” she added. “I’ll be done here soon.” Looking over at R.J. once more, I saw that he still watched me closely. “I’m showing a penthouse at the Ritz-Carlton, in Battery Park.” I made it a point to give my sister

my exact location. “We shouldn’t be more than fifteen minutes before I head back to the city.” “Sounds great. I’ll bring the drinks since you can’t have the good stuff,” she added with a laugh as she ended the call. I had every intention of being downstairs and climbing back inside my car within the next ten minutes, actually. R.J. had just made an awkward situation even more uncomfortable. *** “He sounds like a freak,” Audrey slurred drunkenly, yet her eyes were wide and alert. She was being overly dramatic, and I couldn’t help but find the

current state of both of my sisters comical. Brook’s eyes appeared unfocused as she looked between Audrey and me. “Honestly, Gab, you need to pass him off to that walking boner Conrad. Let them sit around and swap dick-jerking stories.” Brook snorted in laughter. “The commission is good, yeah, but is it worth feeling as if he’s undressing you with his eyes every time you’re alone?” Audrey grew suddenly serious. “It’s just that men like that, men that get off on making women feel uncomfortable, they’re dangerous, Gab.” Deep in thought, she looked down at her hands as she gripped her glass tighter. Audrey never talked about the time

she was undercover with the DEA pretending to be the lover of a drugsmuggling asshole. The only thing we know is that it was a horrific experience that she’s in counseling for to this day. She pretends she’s tough and unaffected, but at times like this I know she’s struggling with the way that man treated her. “Okay, okay.” Brook waved her hand in front of her as she tried to sit up. She was so smashed that she slouched back in the recliner, hanging half off it. Audrey and I looked over at her as she struggled to figure out how to get the footrest back down so she could climb out of the La-Z-Boy without dumping her oversized glass of vodka and pineapple

juice. I bit my lip to hide my laughter as she pressed her feet down and grunted as the footrest inched downward. “What the hell is wrong with this thing?” Audrey cocked an eyebrow as she stared at our younger sister. Brooklyn stopped grunting and wiggling around like she had fire ants climbing up her ass and looked at us. “Seriously?” she asked. “Are you both just going to sit there and stare at me, or are you gonna help me get the hell out of this damn chair?” “I don’t know about Gabby, but I’m enjoying your struggle too much. I think I’m gonna grab another drink and just sit back and see how long this takes.”

Audrey stood and slowly walked toward the counter, where she refilled her cup. Brooklyn glared at her the entire time. “Bitch,” Brook mumbled. Having the two of them around so much really helped me keep my head above water and soothed the ache of losing Josh. But when everybody got back to their own lives and I was left to face the fact he was gone, those were my darkest times.

Chapter 9 Josh “How you hanging in there, man?” Trevor asked over the phone. “It’s getting harder every day. I just

want to call her, go to her, and tell her I’m here.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.” “If I show you something, you have to promise you won’t be pissed.” His words sent a surge of irritation through me. “You know when someone says that, it generally means that person fucked up, right?” “Depends on how you look at it, Josh. I mean, I may have broken a few laws, but in the end I do believe you’ll be pleased.” I could hear the cocky arrogance in his voice. Trevor was Mike’s older brother, and the guy was entirely too confident. Yeah, he was the best fucking techie I had ever

met. He could break code and tap into any surveillance or security system in the city in the time it takes to pour a cup of coffee. He knew he was good. That was where his arrogance came from. “You gonna tell me or just jerk my fucking chain?” I grumbled. My patience was growing thin these days. “First of all, man, I love you, but I ain’t jerking anything of yours.” He chuckled at his own joke, and I only grew more irritated. “Okay, fuckwad,” I said, trying to let him know I wasn’t up for his shit. “All right, damn.” He cleared his throat, and I could hear him tapping away on the keys. “Check your email, not your work one, your personal.”

Trevor was now aware of our recent discovery. He knew how important it was not to trust anyone until we figured out who was behind all this shit. So we had each created new email accounts to communicate. We also continued to say very little through email or phone calls to be safe, and we felt that was the best solution for now. After signing in and clicking the tab, I sat back, impatiently waiting. As I opened the email from Trevor titled: Every man’s wet dream. I rolled my eyes, wondering what the fuck this garbage was. It contained a link for a video feed,

and I clicked it. When a box popped up on my screen asking for a password, I think I fucking growled. “Damn, dude, breathe.” Trevor chuckled. I typed as he gave me the password, and as I hit Enter and the video loaded, my fingers froze over the keys. “What is this?” I asked. “Something I think you need, brother,” Trevor added with no humor in his voice. “The rest of us haven’t had to endure the shit you have. We didn’t have our lives ripped out from beneath us. We can all pretend we know what you’re going through, but fuck, Josh, we have no clue. So I wanted to give you something

to fight for. Give you a little motivation to keep going.” “Thank you,” I whispered hoarsely. “How did you do this?” “I have my ways, you know that. But just for your peace of mind, I sent an arrangement of flowers with a hidden cam in the vase to her apartment from all of us here at the Bureau, or at least that’s what the card said. Just enjoy, and don’t forget to check the other saved videos I sent in a second email. There are some good ones.” He chuckled before hanging up. Any other time, I would be threatening to beat his ass for tapping into the life of my woman, but today I was too lost in the idea that I was about

to see Gabby to care. She thought I was gone forever, but I needed to see her, hear her. Typing out the last of the password, G-A-B-B-Y, I closed my eyes tightly, taking in a deep breath. I knew the moment I heard her may break me. But I would welcome that pain if I got to see her beautiful face. “Stop.” My eyes shot open at the sound of the muffled word, and I leaned forward to get a close look. I couldn’t see much as the room was dark. But as I began to scan it, I realized it was Gabby’s bedroom. My stomach tightened, and that burn rose high in my chest and then into my throat. “Brooklyn Rose Shannon, I swear to

God, if you don’t stop messing with me, I’m going to beat your damn ass.” I chuckled as my eyes clouded with tears. The sound of Gabby’s irritation was welcome. I loved everything about this woman, from her sweet, kind soul to her feisty, take-no-shit personality. “Eww, scary,” Brook taunted, and I chuckled. That girl was going to knock some man on his ass one day. He wouldn’t know what hit him. She was tiny, but she had one hell of a fucking bark. “You already sound like a mother, using my whole name. Gabs, seriously? You don’t scare me.” Brook must have flipped on the light, because suddenly I could see everything.

Brook jumped onto the bed and began smacking Gabby with a pillow. Laughter filled the air, and Gabby reversed the roles and flipped Brooklyn over, pinning her sister beneath her. The moment Gabby came completely into view, something inside me lit up again. The hope I’d lost filled me, and for the first time in months, I smiled. I’m not talking a grin or smirk; I’m saying a full-blown smile that makes your cheeks ache. The girls were laughing, and Brook was yelling out “Uncle!” I chuckled as Gabby slapped her with the pillow until she stopped struggling. “Damn, dude, that shit right there is fucking hot. What site are you on?”

Greyson asked as he sat next to me. I hadn’t even heard him enter my apartment, I was so engrossed in the view of my girl. “It’s not some porn site, you dick, it’s Gabby.” I looked over just as his face morphed in confusion. “Trevor set it up and sent me the video this morning. I should be pissed that he put a fucking camera in my girl’s room.” I turned back to face the screen just as both girls collapsed onto their backs against the mattress. “But I can’t be mad right now, because seeing her and hearing her voice…I fucking needed it, Grey. I needed it more than I needed air.” I don’t know how long I sat there and watched, but I made Grey leave. I

needed some time. The last thing I wanted was for the fuck to see Gabby naked. Brook left the room and Gabby crawled back into bed, gathering the sheet around her body. She opened her nightstand drawer and pulled something from it. I leaned closer, trying to figure out what she held in her hand. After a few minutes, she rolled onto her back and placed her hand over her stomach. The image brought yet another round of tears to my eyes. I was turning into a fucking pussy being trapped here in this hellhole. “I promise our baby will know you,” Gabby whispered hoarsely. I watched closely as one of the hardest things I had

ever witnessed unfolded before me. “God, I miss you, every day. They say it gets easier, but it doesn’t.” Gabby’s voice shook with each word she spoke, and it gutted me. “Every day without you only breaks me a little more. I want you here with me, seeing our baby grow. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do this without you. I’m so sorry I pushed you away, Josh. I should have listened.” “God, baby, you are strong enough,” I whispered as if she could hear me. “I’ll always love you. Forever,” she whispered as she lowered whatever it was she was holding to her chest and secured it there. I realized it was a photo; I assumed of me.

*** “I can’t fucking do this.” I was pacing my living room as Greyson and Mike sat on the couch watching me. I had my phone gripped tightly in my hand as I tried not to lose my shit. “I need to get out of here. I can’t live like this, Frank, I’m not an animal. There are people that need me, fuck, I need them. You can’t expect me to fucking live like this.” “Josh, I need you to calm down,” Frank instructed me, and it only infuriated me more. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one stuck here. You’re out there living your fucking life, going home to your wife.” I was barely holding it

together. I wanted to fucking punch something. “One fucking week, Frank,” I stated. “That’s all you have to figure out how to get me the fuck out of here and back to my life.” I hung up and turned to face Greyson and Mike. “Let’s find this motherfucker. I’m done with this. It’s time to take back the life these assholes stole from us.”

Chapter 10 Gabriella Today was a hard one. One I wasn’t sure how to get through without losing it. Libby called and asked me to meet

her at Josh’s apartment. She had to start going through his things, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to do it alone. I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell her I wasn’t strong enough. I wanted to make up an excuse to change my plans, but I couldn’t. I knew his family was suffering, and I had developed a bond with them over the baby, so I felt I owed it to them to help them grieve too. I stood outside Josh’s apartment door, and after taking in a deep breath, I knocked. I could hear a commotion behind the door, so I pressed my ear against the cold steel. The smashing of glass, or something breakable, filled the silence, and panic shot through me. I twisted the knob, and to my surprise

it was unlocked. When I burst inside, I never expected to find Libby standing in the center of what appeared to be a ransacked apartment. Tears streaked her face as she bent down and picked up the television controller and heaved it across the room. “Libby?” She turned to face me and crumbled to the floor. “I can’t believe he left.” She looked up at me, and my heart broke for her. Here before me was a girl that had lost her mother at a young age and had now lost a man that was not only her brother, but one of her best friends. She had been devastated twice and had been forced to hold it together for the sake of her father and her son, who also adored

Josh. Now it was her time to fall apart, when she was alone with no one around her to stay strong for. I stepped over the heaping amount of couch cushions and other items that now littered the floor and knelt before her. “Hey,” I whispered, and her gaze met mine. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and for the first time I saw just how exhausted she looked. “I know it hurts. The day he was taken from us the world lost one very amazing man.” My own tears threatened to fall, but I chose to fight them. Libby needed to feel as if it was okay to fall. She deserved this time to feel weak, and I was going to give it to her. “I miss him so much,” she confessed.

“I miss being able to complain about Will’s irritating habits and Jonah’s grumpy days. I miss the way he and I used to gang up on Dad when he tried to get all serious with us. He was my go-to person. The one I called when everything became too much. He always made things better.” Her gaze shifted around the room, and she sobbed heavily. “Look what I did.” Panic set in, and the sorrow in her eyes was hard to witness. “It’s okay,” I assured her, and I moved in a little closer and placed my arm around her shoulders. “I know it’s not the same, but you can always call me to talk.” She smiled, and I could sense it was forced. “As long as you don’t mind

hearing crazy stories about my sisters, because right now they’re both living with me, and I swear I am hanging on by a thread. I’m even considering paying rent on another apartment just to free myself of their craziness.” That got a lighthearted laugh out of her. “I understand now just how my brother fell in love with you.” My earlier idea of holding it together only grew harder with each word she spoke. “He called me the night you ended things with him. He was so lost. I know things happened between the two of you that he chose to keep to himself, but I can tell you that he assured me he would win you back. He was never the type of guy to show too much emotion, but on that

night, for the first time in a very long time, I could hear the despair in his voice. He truly adored you.” And I broke. *** “Twelve weeks,” Dr. Bali said as he entered the room. “And how have you been feeling?” Of course Brook, better known as Miss Mouth, spoke up before I could. “Well, I’m sure hoping now that she’s entering the second trimester, her morning puke fests will come to an end. It seriously sounds like she’s throwing up a damn lung. I have never in my life heard someone heave the way she does.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, and she shrugged. “What, Godzilla? You gonna growl at me now too?” “Next time I’m leaving you at home,” I whispered—well, it wasn’t exactly a whisper, considering everyone in the room heard me. She laughed and wrinkled her nose at me. “Yeah right, you love me,” she countered, and I chose not to argue. She was right. Without her cocky retorts and daily distractions, I would be a depressed pregnant girl hiding in the darkness of my apartment. She forced me to get up daily and continue on, even though everything inside me told me to just give up. With each week that passed, it

became harder to face that I would be raising my child without their father—a father I know for a fact would have loved his child dearly. Not to mention I still blamed myself for the fact Josh was kidnapped that night. Had I not pushed him and Audrey out, had I listened to them explain what had gone on between them at the hands of Leo, he may still be here with us all. “Besides the morning sickness, do you have any concerns or questions?” Dr. Bali asked. I could tell he was fighting back a smile. He had to think my sisters and I were certifiably insane. “No, I’ve been good. And the morning sickness is not as bad as she makes it sound,” I told him and chose to

ignore Brook as she mumbled just a few feet away. Audrey had been so distracted today; I barely noticed she was there. She spent more time on her phone texting than paying any attention to Brook or me. I found myself a little worried that she may be working another case, and the idea of her placing herself in danger made my stomach hurt. I had already lost the man I loved and the father of my child to the cruel world of undercover work. I refused to lose my sister too. “Well, your weight looks good now, right on track. Your blood pressure is great.” The doctor thumbed through the file as I stared at Audrey, wondering what the hell could be so important on

her phone right now. When she looked up finally and her eyes locked on mine, my stomach tensed. The look on her face told me whatever it was, I wouldn’t like it. After my appointment was complete and I set up my next one in a month, we left the doctor’s office. I hadn’t even made it to the car when I started in on Audrey. “What is going on? And please don’t tell me ‘nothing,’ because I know better. You’ve been too focused on your phone for it to be nothing, and something tells me it has to do with work.” Audrey hung her head for just a moment before she looked up at me, and I knew immediately that I was right. “I received an assignment. Sheppard

has been supplying me with details.” Her words made my heart sink. “We have to catch him, Gabby. He can’t remain on the streets. As long as they are out there, no one is safe. I’m not safe.” “But—” “Listen, it is not as bad as you think. I’ll be with Greyson and Mike, mainly analyzing and stakeouts. I won’t be in as deep as before, I promise you.” She took my hand in hers. “I’ll be able to call and still see you.” “I hate this,” I whispered as I pulled her closer. “I can’t lose you too.” I heard her take in a deep breath as she wrapped her arms around me. “You won’t. I’m safe, I swear. This is mild compared to before. I wouldn’t put you

all through that again.” I didn’t have any other choice but to believe she was telling me the truth. But in no way did it make me feel any better.

Chapter 11 Josh “What the fuck do you mean you called Audrey? How the hell could you pull her in on this shit again?” My anger

was boiling at this point. How the fuck could Grey be so fucking careless? “We need her. She knows things that could help us.” Greyson was trying to reason with me, but my mind was racing. “She thinks I’m dead. Her sister has been mourning me, letting go of the father of her unborn child. Now she’s gonna show up here and be forced to keep yet another damn secret from Gabby. This isn’t fair, Grey, and you fucking know it. I can’t do that to her, to either of them.” Greyson stood from the couch and gripped his waist with his hands. He stared at me with determination. “Well, Mike and I have decided, and unfortunately you don’t have a say-so

here.” I took a step toward him, and he held his hand up to stop me. “You can hit me, yell at me, or whatever the hell you want. But it doesn’t change the fact that Audrey is joining us. Fuck, man, I’m trying to get you back to your girl.” He hung his head, and I allowed the silence to continue. “Josh, I can see this shit tearing you down.” He looked up once more, and I could tell he was fighting back emotions he rarely showed. “Every day I watch you die a little more inside as you see Gabby show more and more. I know you need to be with her, but I also know it isn’t safe for either of you. We have to find Roman, Josh. There aren’t many

people we can trust, but I know for a fact Audrey is someone we can. We have to build a team of those who want to bring him down just as much as us. What better person than Audrey? She lived in Leo’s fucking world for months, man, and she knows the places he went. Somewhere there’s a clue we’re missing, and she may be the one person that can help us figure out what it is.” Grey took in a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. “I can’t stand who you’re becoming, Josh. I hate seeing your life move on without you while we’re being forced to hide out here. It doesn’t seem right. Something about this whole mess isn’t fucking right, and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to

figure out what the hell that something is.” He was right, I knew he was, but I still didn’t have to like it. I felt like with the history Audrey and I already shared, adding anything more may only drive Gabby and I further apart. I hoped I was wrong and in the end Gabby could understand why we had to do this. Her sister could hold the information we needed without even knowing it was something we needed. *** My chest felt tight as I paced, and I swore my heart may just beat right out of it. Mike and Greyson sat on the couch

staring at me as if I may lose it at any moment. Fuck, I felt like I was going to lose it. The moment the light knock on the door filled the room, we all turned our heads toward the sound. Without even looking we knew who it was. But no one moved to answer it. We all remained frozen in place. Yeah, we had played out how we planned to break the news to Audrey, but now that she was here, I felt like I was going to pass out. I hated that this was about to be another secret she would be forced to keep from Gabby. At the creaking of the couch springs, I spun around just in time to see Greyson get up. “You need to step into the

bedroom, man, just for a few minutes. We can’t spring it on her. Let’s break it slowly.” All I could offer was a nod as I turned and walked down the small hallway toward my bedroom. I didn’t take the time to close the door but instead leaned against the wall just inside the room and tried to concentrate on calming my racing heart. I could hear everything, and the entire thing felt surreal. “Nice setup you all have going on here. Looks like this building should be condemned.” Audrey’s attitude reminded me of Gabby, and that thought made me smile. “Why don’t you have a seat?” Mike said.

“Is it safe?” she replied, only making my smile grow wider. “I’m a little scared of what I may catch.” “Audrey, I think it would be better if you were sitting down when we tell you why you’re here.” Greyson’s tone had no trace of humor. “Come on, Greyson, I may not know you that well, but I do know you’re a little on the wild side. Come on, loosen up a bit.” But the couch springs creaked, and I assumed she had followed his direction. “I’m still on leave, so I know this has nothing to do with orders from Sheppard, which tells me you are working on something behind the scenes. I’m all about helping out, but I’m not gonna get my ass hung by my boss for

this, am I? Plus, I promised Gabs I would stay safe.” At the mention of Gabby, my stomach tightened. I knew why Audrey had made that promise. “She can’t take any more loss, so if this is something undercover, I’m gonna have to pass,” she added, and I had fucking had enough. Standing here waiting for the right moment to appear was bullshit. There was no right time for something like this. I pushed off the wall and stepped out into the hallway. After taking in one last calming breath, I began walking toward the living room. I could hear Greyson talking, yet with my blood rushing through me, I couldn’t for the life of me hear exactly what he said.

The moment I came into view, Audrey’s eyes shifted in my direction, and she froze. All the color drained from her face, and she just stared at me as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. My legs shook, and I stared back at her, waiting for it all to register. “Oh my God,” she gasped as she covered her mouth with her hand. Greyson stepped to the side and shook his head. I knew this was not how he wanted to break it to her, but fuck him. This was my life, my mess. I didn’t need him trying to take control. I’d dealt with enough of that lately from everyone. “How?” Her eyes filled with tears as she stood up from the couch and walked

to me. She stepped up in front of me, and her eyes scanned over me from head to toe. Her gaze settled on the scar above my left eye. “But they said—” She placed her hand against my arm. “I don’t understand,” she said in a pained whisper. My own emotions were taking over as my heart raced. “It was Sheppard’s idea,” I told her, and she opened her mouth to say something only to close it once more. “Leo found out we were Feds. He kidnapped me after you and I left Gabby’s apartment, and they held me in some warehouse, where he planned to kill me.” “How didn’t he? I mean, it’s not like

Leo to hesitate. We all know he doesn’t give second chances.” Audrey of all people knew what it was like to face Leo’s wrath. “We weren’t the only ones inside. One of Sheppard’s men was in a little deeper than any of us, and he still is.” Her eyes narrowed in question, but I didn’t think it was the time to go into that little detail. We would have time for that later. “Let’s just say that without word from that agent and the fact Trevor decided to bug Greyson, Mike, and myself, I would be dead. They tracked my location and found me just in time.” Remembering just how close I was to never being able to see any of my loved ones again gave

me chills. “But I don’t understand. Then why does everyone think you’re dead? And more importantly, why in the hell have I had to watch my sister fall apart daily because she lost you?” Audrey’s gaze began to move back and forth between Grey, Mike, and me. My heart sank. I hated hearing what this was doing to Gabby. The last thing I want was for her to hurt. “It was this or risk the safety of my family and Gabby. You know as well as I do that if Leo found out about them, they would be a target too. Hell, anything to hurt me, he would do it. But if I was dead, if he thought he killed me, then he’d feel like he got his revenge.” I

knew she understood. She’d lived with the monster, and she knew just what he was capable of. “Grey and Mike, what about them? They were undercover too. He had to have known that.” I nodded in agreement. “So that’s why you’re all holed up in this hellhole?” “Yeah,” Greyson said. “But our families think we’re on a mission. If we’re hidden, we’re safe.” Audrey reached up and placed her hand on the back of her neck as she closed her eyes. She took in a deep breath, and we all remained quiet, allowing her the time she needed to accept everything we were telling her. “So why am I here? Why do I get to

be the one to know your death is a lie?” She opened her eyes, and they were filled with unshed tears. Not the reaction I was expecting. “Why is that a fucking secret I have to keep now?” She was starting to get angry. “We need your help.” It was the only explanation I had to offer. I had witnessed how the Shannon girls get when they’re angry, and right now Audrey was livid. We had placed her in a difficult situation and there was no turning back. “We have to find Roman, and then we bring down Leo.” “Leo’s gone. He’s been gone,” she stated, shaking her head slightly with a confused expression. “And Roman’s a mystery. You all know this. Hell, we’ve

spent years trying to find him. It is hard to find a man that no one has ever seen. Even the inside guys have never seen him. He has too many people willing to protect him.” “There’s more to all this. There has to be.” I turned toward the computer and tapped the screen. “Look at this and tell me what you see.” Grey, Mike, and I stood behind her as she took a seat in the chair, and we allowed Audrey time to look over the screen. She knew what to do and began clicking the mouse and enhancing the still image before her. I waited for her to pick up on what each one of us has already seen as she enlarged the picture enough to see the

FBI badge. “You’re fucking kidding me.” It came out in a whisper but her shock was clear. She turned and looked back over her shoulder. “It’s someone on the inside.” “Yeah,” I answered. “There aren’t many we can trust right now. That’s why we need you. You lived with Leo. You saw firsthand where he frequently visited. Something has to lead to Roman. We’re just missing it, and being forced to stay here doesn’t feel right.” I knelt in front of her and placed my hand on her knee. “If I want out of here, I have to find Roman. I know Leo will be a threat until we have him too, and not knowing who the man behind the name Roman is, I never know who I can trust. This is the

hardest fucking thing I have ever had to do in my life, but I have to be sure Gabby stays safe.” I paused as I watched the realization of the seriousness of this situation wash over Audrey’s features. “I have to make sure our child is safe.” Her gaze met mine and she smiled. “You know?” “Yeah.” I couldn’t help but smile back at her. “I have a family to get back to and a woman and child who need me. Will you help me get my life back?” She nodded without hesitation as a tear ran down her cheek. “Yes.”

Chapter 12 Gabriella Nothing makes a person more nervous than feeling as if they’re being watched, followed. I woke up late

because actually falling asleep last night was just too hard. Knowing Audrey was out there somewhere, working in a possibly dangerous situation made me nauseous. Yes, she swore it was a simple mission, but I didn’t buy it. Nothing about her job was simple. When I rushed out of my apartment and hurried toward my office, I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being followed. It didn’t stop when I reached the parking deck or when I stepped into the elevator. I rode up the entire eight floors to my office with my heart beating rapidly. I took a few minutes to calm myself in the restroom before I stepped out and walked toward reception. As I rounded the corner and saw Valerie standing in

front of my closed office door with her ear pressed against it, I became confused. “What are you doing?” I asked. She let out a little squeal and turned to face me. With her hand pressed over her heart, she took in a deep breath. “Oh my God,” she whispered before taking in another breath. “He’s in there.” She pointed toward my office door. “Who?” I asked, wrinkling my eyebrows at her in confusion. This was so unlike Valerie. She was always so calm and collected, but she was seriously rattled at the moment. “Mr. Kovalsky,” she added in a whisper. I rarely called him that since he

insisted on R.J. But the fact he was waiting in my office first thing in the morning before I even arrived gave me that sick feeling of being followed all over again. “Um, how long has he been here?” “Seconds, literally. I just closed your door. He sort of gives me the creeps.” She shivered as she stepped away from my door. “Yeah,” I said as I reached for the doorknob. “Me too,” I confessed as I turned it and entered. “Good morning.” His deep, raspy tone did nothing for my nerves. “You look quite lovely this morning,” he added. I forced a smile as I rounded my desk

and placed my briefcase on top of it. I looked down at my clothing and hid my exasperation, or at least I hoped I did. “I’m sorry, R.J., but did we have an appointment this morning I’ve forgotten about?” I chose to dive right in. There was really no reason for small talk. The guy was becoming more of an issue than a client. I had spent hours upon hours showing him every property I could find, yet he always acted as if it wasn’t quite what he was hoping for. I had a feeling he would never find the right place, which made me think there was more to this man than Margo had told me. “Not at all,” he said as he lounged back in the chair on the other side of my

desk and crossed his ankle over his left knee. He stared back at me with that look that made me want to run away. Valerie’s earlier comment came to mind. Mr. R.J. Kovalsky was definitely a very strange man. “I was in the area,” he said, and I shifted my gaze back to his. “I was hoping maybe I could change your mind about dinner. Possibly convince you to give a man a shot.” “A shot at what, exactly?” I knew I shouldn’t say anything, but I was honestly growing quite irritated with his advances. Especially after I had told him I wasn’t interested. I had a job to do, that was it. I wanted nothing from this man, and that commission check I was looking

forward to cashing after selling him the biggest property I could find no longer meant as much. “You are a very beautiful woman, Gabriella.” He smirked, and that nauseous feeling formed a lump at the base of my throat. “I just think you’re missing an opportunity at something that may possibly be great for the both of us.” I stared back at him, trying to maintain my composure. I was pretty sure if I picked up my desk phone and heaved it at his head, I would be facing battery charges, but it sure sounded great. The idea of it bouncing off his arrogant ass only made me smile in amusement. But of course the dickhead

took my smile for something it wasn’t. “See, you like the idea of it too,” he added with a cocky grin. “No, actually, I was enjoying the vision of you writhing in pain after my phone collided with your forehead.” He tilted his head to the side, and the smile fell from his lips. Oh fuck, I actually did say that out loud. He stood from the chair, and his quick movements caught me off guard. I too stood up, pushing my own chair back in the process. “Well, I never took you for the aggressive type, but a little pain keeps things interesting.” He ran his tongue over his bottom lip. “I’ll admit the idea

of your cries do make my heart race a bit.” Forget about my early state of nausea. It had now turned to bile that was rising in my throat. My entire chest burned from it. I suddenly felt trapped as my hands began to shake. I fisted them, trying to hide my obvious panic, but it was too late. His smile grew wider, like scaring me excited him. Just as I was scanning the room for my best options of escape, he chuckled. “Oh, Gabby, you really are a feisty one. I understand the appeal now. Before I didn’t see how it could be so hard to let go, but I see it now.” I had no idea to what he was referring, but in all honestly I didn’t give

a shit. I just wanted him to leave. I hit the Intercom button on my phone. “Valerie, I need you in my office now, please.” I never took my eyes from his as they grew darker, almost sadistic. When my office door opened and Valerie entered followed by Brook, relief washed over me. She was coming in to meet me for brunch, and as usual she was early. “We’ll be in touch,” Roman said as he turned on his heel and walked out the door. It didn’t escape me how his eyes gleamed when he looked at Brook from head to toe. Just as he disappeared from the doorway, I lunged forward and grabbed

the garbage can at the side of my desk. Holding it in front of me, I lost the bagel I had eaten that morning. “What the hell, Gabby?” Brook asked in concern as she rushed to my side, holding my hair back. “What happened? What did he do?” Instead of answering her, I pushed her aside, reached out for my phone, and dialed Margo’s number. When her voice mail picked up, I took in a quick breath and let everything out in a rush. “I refuse to work with him. He is a freak, Margo. There’s something seriously wrong with him, and if you can’t accept that, then fire me. I don’t give a shit. And if he steps foot in my office or in this agency again, I will have him escorted out by

security. He is a very disturbed man, and I will not risk my safety for any amount of money.” I hung up and slouched back in my chair. I felt like I had just been hit by a bus, and my mind was a whirlwind of chaos. *** After the shit-storm my morning had turned into, I had Valerie cancel all of my appointments. The last thing I wanted to do was spend a day pretending to be focused and determined. I was so far from that it wasn’t even funny. I needed a drink, but that couldn’t happen, so I forced Brook to drink and entertain me. I sat back on the couch,

lounging in my pajamas while she told me stories about the weird guys in her classes. I knew she was doing everything she could do to take my mind off my day, but my happiness was forced. Each time she mentioned how some guy in her class stared at her more than the teacher, my stomach flipped, reminding me of that feeling I had experienced earlier with R.J. Even when she began drunk-dialing Audrey, I could only smile. That was until she went on about my morning with the weirdo “Rico Suave,” or so she called him. “You should have seen him, Audrey. He was such a tool, you could see the freak rolling off him in waves. He

thought he was some kinda gift, strutting around.” She paused, and I took the opportunity to yank the phone from her hand. In her drunken state, she wasn’t fast enough to stop me and let out a whine in protest as she practically fell sideways on the couch. “Who the hell is he? She’s not working with him anymore,” Audrey shouted as I held the phone to my ear. “Okay, Dad,” I said, and she immediately stopped talking. “Where are you?” “I’m still working, but you need to tell me what happened today with that asshole client of yours,” she insisted, and I immediately regretted allowing Brook to get shitfaced. She had a big

enough mouth without the alcohol, and it only became enhanced to the power of four the moment you added booze to the mix. “Honestly, it was nothing,” I told her. I didn’t need her running around making things worse. I was a big girl. I could handle my own problems. “Gabby.” I jumped as a deep voice filled my ear. For a moment my world tilted as I imagined it being Josh’s smooth voice. I knew that was only a moment of insanity, though, because he was gone, and I would never again hear the raspy voice I loved so much. “What’s going on?” I snapped back to reality, realizing it was Greyson.

I ignored his question and began asking my own. “What are you doing with my sister? Are you working together on a case? Or, wait…” I let my mind go into territory it should avoid. “Are you two having…?” I shook my head. “Never mind, I don’t want to know.” “Gabby, focus.” His tone was completely serious. “Who is this guy?” “It’s nothing, really. Brook is just making a big deal about it. I’m not working for him anymore. I called my boss and told her I was done.” “What’s his name?” he asked. I shook my head and laughed at him. “I’m not giving you his name. It’s handled.”

“You can either give me his name, or I will call your boss myself. Or your secretary. Whichever way, I’ll find it. You telling me would make things a whole lot easier, though.” I had never seen this cocky, demanding side of Greyson before. It reminded me of Josh. “You’re being an ass, I swear.” He said nothing, but I could still hear his breathing. “Listen, Grey, I know you mean well, but it’s handled, okay? I got this.” “And if it isn’t handled?” he asked, and I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. “You’ll call me first thing.” “Greyson, I’m not your responsibility.” “That’s where you’re wrong. Josh

was my best friend, and the child you’re carrying is part of him. That makes you my responsibility.” God, what the hell was with these men? “Fine, okay,” I said, because I honestly didn’t want to continue this conversation any further. “I’ll call, but I won’t have to. It is handled,” I added, just before hanging up. This day had been exhausting, and I just wanted it to end. I’d had all the crazy that one person could handle in less than a twenty-four hour period.

Chapter 13 Josh It was shit like tonight that made me feel as if I was going insane. I knew Grey and Audrey were fucking keeping

me in the dark, and that was only enhancing my lack of control. I could feel their eyes on me as they waited for me to react. I only sat on the couch with my legs parted and my elbows resting on my knees, lightly rocking back and forth. “She said it was handled.” Grey was the first to talk. “I don’t buy it for a second.” I looked up at Audrey’s words. I figured she would be the last one to say what I was feeling. “Brook’s told me about this client of hers on more than one occasion.” “And?” I pushed. “And he’s very persistent. Apparently Gabby has spent weeks showing him places all over the city and he makes her

feel very uncomfortable. He calls and texts at all hours of the day.” She turned her phone over and over in her hand and she stared down at it. “Gabby thought the commission from a sale as big as his would be great for the upcoming expense of the baby. She was planning ahead, but something is off about this guy.” “Have you ever seen him? Heard his name?” Mike asked. She shook her head. “Not a full name anyway. She has only ever referred to him as R.J. I guess Margo referred him to her because Gabby’s numbers mean she’s the best Realtor in the company. He’s a big spender, so satisfying his needs was a direct order from the higher-ups.”

“I want Margo’s number,” I said through gritted teeth. “It fucking ends. If she’s uncomfortable in any way, then those feelings come before any damn client.” “You can’t be going off half-cocked, Josh,” Grey said. I shot off the couch faster than Greyson expected and gripped his collar in my first. “We know nothing about this client of hers. Don’t go fucking lecturing me over my concern for the woman I love and my unborn child.” Adrenaline was rushing through me like a tidal wave. He held his hands up in surrender. “Come on, man, I’m not saying you shouldn’t worry.”

“We’ve been out there. We’ve seen the shit these predators are capable of. Don’t tell me not to go off half-cocked. When it comes to Gabby, even her slightest discomfort is a big fucking deal. And like I said, I want Margo’s number.” I let go of him with a shove, which caused him to stumble backward. I felt like a ticking bomb. With each day I became even more unpredictable. *** I didn’t know exactly how long I had been asleep, but it was completely dark outside. As I sat up in bed, I could hear the guys talking in the other room. After a few moments of just sitting in the dark,

listening to them discuss videos and files, I crawled out of bed and walked toward the kitchen. I could smell the freshly brewed coffee in the air and I was in need of a pick-me-up. “Josh.” I turned around holding a cup of coffee to face Audrey. She held out a card, and I took it from her. ‘Margo Trenton’ was printed in bold letters on the top of the card, followed by her office location and two different phone numbers. I looked back up to meet Audrey’s concerned eyes. “Listen, I know none of this is easy on you. And I also know how much you love my sister. I don’t trust this guy. I don’t like the vibe I’m getting.” “I’m so confused,” I confessed. “I’m

staying hidden for the safety of my family and Gabby, but I feel like it won’t matter. I mean, wouldn’t it be better if I was with her and able to protect her from shit bags like this guy?” “We’re gonna figure this out.” Audrey placed her hand on my bicep. “Can I show you something?” “Yeah,” I said as I followed her into the kitchen. She pulled out a chair next to hers, and I sat down between her and Grey. I watched as she opened up a file on the desk and laid three different photos side by side on the table. “Where did you get these?” I asked. Audrey smiled at me and winked. “I have ways. This man was always around

Leo’s condo. In fact, he practically lived there during my time of involvement. He would always say things about a home in Staten Island. He referred to it as the castle. I told Sheppard about it over and over, but they just kept focusing on the obvious locations here in the city. Two weeks after they brought you guys in, this man—” She tapped her finger on the second photo. “—showed up at Leo’s place in the middle of the night, saying the king of the castle had placed a hit on Leo.” “On Leo?” I asked. “Yeah, apparently the king suspected Leo was stealing from him and he was going to make him pay. Nicolay—” She pointed to the third photo. “—another

agent as you now know him. He reported that Leo had ordered him to find the mole.” “Leo also came to me to do the same,” I said as I looked up at Greyson and Mike. I remember it well. We had stayed for days in the warehouse with Leo and his men. He had refused to let anyone leave. “Yeah, I was in the car when they placed Pavel’s body in the trunk,” Audrey confessed as she shifted uncomfortably. “Hey.” Mike placed his arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. “We all had a job to do. Nothing about the things we were forced to do was easy.”

Audrey nodded as she continued. “So I think we need to look more into the Staten Island area. It’s one of the places Sheppard felt was a weak point. He had passed it on to Frank, but Frank didn’t take it any further than that.” “Frank’s from Staten Island,” Grey stated. “Yeah, he and his wife have lived there for years. It’s where they settled after the death of their son,” I added as I remembered Frank talking about the devastation they faced when they found their son lying on their front lawn with a bullet between his eyes. “I still feel like there’s something on Staten. I just think it needs a little more focus,” she added as she continued to

stare at the pictures in front of her. I was half tempted to call Frank, yet I knew we had to keep this quiet until we had something more solid to go on. He had always been my go-to guy. Since I had joined the Bureau five years ago, the man had become like a second father to me. Now I wasn’t sure who the hell to trust.

Chapter 14 Gabriella I had managed to avoid R.J. entirely for the last week, which made me both nervous and relieved. I spent the

majority of my time feeling skittish, and I still always felt like I was being watched. Margo returned the frantic message I had left about R.J. bright and early the next morning. She insisted that she herself would take him on, and she apologized profusely about his advances, as if him being a psycho was her fault. But what surprised me even more was the call I got from her this morning. She told me she had tried to call Roman a number of times and had never heard back from him, and then this morning a woman called and told Margo there was no Roman at that number. The number was the same one I had used to contact him, and I had always

been able to reach him. This made me feel even more uneasy. There was something very strange about that man. I was closing in on my fourteen-week mark, and I had the perfect little baby bump to show it. The idea that soon I would be able to hold Josh’s child was becoming more real every day. While I would be happy with a little girl, the idea of having a boy who would be a mirror image of his father and who I could name after Josh was a wish I made often. Today would be the first time I’d seen Libby since she broke down in Josh’s apartment. I had agreed to meet her for lunch, and Brook had tagged along. She said she was there for moral support, but

I was pretty sure she was there because of my other overbearing sister. I was getting a little tired of being treated like a child, but that was an argument for another time—and with Audrey herself. She had to stop trying to fill Josh’s shoes, or our father’s for that matter. I could take care of myself. “Why do you seem so tense?” Brook asked, reminding me that she was sitting next to me. I had been staring off into space, thinking of how my life had turned out. “You need to relax. I thought you said Libby was amazing.” “She is, honestly. It’s just hard seeing her. You’ll see why.” “Would it be because she is seriously a female version of Josh?” Brook added,

and I looked over at her to find her staring forward with a smile on her lips. I turned in the direction she was looking and saw Libby scanning the restaurant, trying to locate us. When her gaze fell upon mine, she smiled and waved, hurrying toward us. Brook and I stood to greet her, and her eyes shifted toward my belly. “You’re finally starting to show,” she cooed as her hand went straight for my stomach and rubbed it lightly. When she looked up at me and her eyes shined with unshed tears, I felt my own cloud over. I knew we were both thinking of Josh then. She stood tall once again and offered me a hug. “How have you been feeling?”

“I’ve been good,” I assured her as I pulled back and turned toward Brook. “This is my sister Brooklyn.” “I’ve heard so much about you. It’s great to finally meet you.” She held her hand out to Brook, and they shook hands. “You too,” Brook added, before we all took a seat at the table. It was easy to flow right into conversation as Libby started talking about her morning with Jonah. He was definitely a little man trapped in a tiny boy’s body. He apparently believed he was old enough to wear aftershave. “After he stood at the sink watching Will shave this morning, he insisted he had whiskers as well. So of course my husband played along. He put the

protector back on the razor without Jonah seeing and proceeded to lather my child’s face with shaving cream. Will made a big deal about Jonah shaving and followed it up with aftershave.” She smiled, followed by a gentle laugh. “I mean, yes, it was very adorable, but I hope my husband realizes he’s created a monster.” It felt good to laugh as I imagined Jonah standing in front of the mirror next to Will shaving. But when that vision changed to Josh standing next to a darkhaired little boy as he taught him how to shave, it was like a kick to the stomach. ***

A couple hours of conversation with Brook and Libby left me exhausted. I had laughed, cried, and even blushed a few times. I couldn’t believe some of the things the two of them could come up with. More than that, I didn’t know Libby was a pervert in disguise—or maybe my sister had just corrupted her. As we left the restaurant, Brook and I decided to walk down the block and pick up a few things for a night in. I was so distracted with Brook and her continued vulgar behavior that I hadn’t noticed a man step out of the coffee shop directly in front of me until I ran into him. “Oh,” I said as a strong set of arms wrapped around me to keep me from

falling backward. I gripped them and held on tightly. “Thank you, I didn’t see you.” I looked up and froze instantly. “Gabby,” he whispered. I stood there in the center of the sidewalk as groups of New Yorkers rushed past us, yet I felt like I had tunnel vision as my past hit me full force. “Lance.” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. “What are you doing in New York?” I stepped back from him to gain some much-needed space. The last time I had seen Lance was the night before he was supposed to meet me at the church—the night before he left me without any explanation. “I moved back,” he said with a shrug.

We both stood there in silence just staring at one another. I knew what I wanted to say, but I also knew I was standing on a public street, and a scene was the last thing I wanted to cause. “Hello?” Brook said from my right, reminding me I wasn’t alone. “So after all these years you just show back up.” Oh shit, I knew that tone. I looked over at my sister and knew that causing a scene was definitely something she wasn’t trying to avoid. Leave it to Brooklyn the Windbag. Once she cut loose, it was next to impossible to shut her up. Lance looked uncomfortable, and he began to shift on his feet. “Yeah, about that—”

Brooklyn snorted in laughter. “Uh, yeah, about that,” she said as she stepped closer to him. “You seriously are going to try to justify what you did to her with some lame-ass excuse? You left her the night before her wedding like some fucking coward.” Her voice rose, and a few people walking by looked our way. I grabbed for her arm and tried to gain her attention, but she completely ignored me. “That was a real dick move, Lance. If you didn’t want to go through with it, then you owed it to her to tell her that, not leave her fucking standing there waiting for you.” She had worked her way between us, and I suddenly felt a little sorry for the man that had dumped

me. “Brook, enough,” I said in a louder tone, finally gaining her attention. “This is not the time or the place to discuss my life.” I tried to convey with my eyes just how much I needed her to shut up. When she finally stepped back and I could once again see Lance, I offered him a sympathetic look. I was sure a smile was the last thing he expected from our first encounter after all these years. “I really am sorry I hurt you, Gabby. I was an idiot.” He shook his head just enough for me to notice the movement. “I got scared.” “Scared?” I was suddenly confused. “Yeah,” he replied. “Scared I wasn’t

enough. I was struggling at work, and they had said they were going to start letting people go. I knew I wouldn’t be able to provide for you like I had hoped, so I panicked, and when I realized I screwed up, it was too late. I had already made one of the biggest mistakes of my life.” I had no idea how to respond to his confession. I was expecting something different. I wanted to hate him, but honestly I was over it all long ago. “I understand that you got scared. We all get scared of things. But I deserved to hear about your worries.” He nodded as if he completely agreed, but I didn’t give him the chance to speak before I continued. “But we can’t change the

past. I’ve recently lost someone I loved, an amazing man that I miss every single day. I’ve learned that grudges shouldn’t be held. I also learned that sometimes things aren’t what they seem. So I forgive you.” “Excuse me?” Brook growled. “Did you forget what he did to you? How crushed you were?” “No,” I replied without looking away from Lance. “But he moved on, and so have I. It’s in the past. I don’t have to agree with the choices he made. But I’m not living in the past, Brook, I can’t.” And I couldn’t.

Chapter 15 Josh I woke to the sound of someone knocking on my door. I knew it couldn’t be Grey or Mike, because they both had

a key. So as I crawled out of bed and made my way down the hall, I assumed it was Audrey, even though we hadn’t planned to meet until later today. Last night, Mike and Greyson went to check out a few locations with Audrey while I stayed hiding out in the fucking apartment. I missed real field work, and I wanted to be out there looking through the clues myself. At the front door, I took a moment to look through the peephole. When I saw Frank on the other side, I was shocked, but then excitement took over. Maybe he was showing up in person to tell me about a breakthrough in the case. “Frank, tell me you got good news,” I said as I opened the door.

The gentle smile on his face turned into a frown, and my chest tightened. “We need to talk.” He stepped inside, and I closed the door behind him and followed him into the apartment, my heart sinking with each step. Just as quickly as hope had sprung up in me, it was replaced with anger. “I gave you another week, Frank. A fucking week that has turned into three.” He took a seat on the couch and watched me as I stood before him, fuming from disappointment. “I can’t keep wasting my life hiding out. You can’t ask me to. What good am I doing anyone hiding out here like some coward?” “I know, Josh—” “No, you don’t know,” I snapped.

“You can’t possibly begin to imagine what this is like for me. The woman I love thinks I’m dead—the woman that is pregnant with my child. I can’t fucking live like this.” I began pacing as I gripped the back of my neck. “I want my life back!” I couldn’t take it anymore. I was losing my mind. The slow, smoldering fire within me had been ignited, and I was on the verge of exploding. “I’m fucking done, man.” He stood from the couch and took a step toward me. “You can’t, Josh. The lead on the whereabouts of Roman’s son may have been a dead end, but we have others.” “What do you mean it was a dead end?” I snapped. “You said he was

willing to turn his father in. That he was willing to protect his mother and end her torture. Do you think someone forced Xavier and his mother out? Or took them?” I asked, wondering if Roman had found out and removed them before we could. “It doesn’t appear as if there was a struggle. Some of the neighbors reported that they saw them leaving in the early hours of the morning. They didn’t see anyone else with them.” Frank remained seated on the couch, and I began pacing once more. “Josh, we need more time. I think we’re getting close.” “I’m done.” “Josh—” “Don’t fucking give me shit about it,

Frank. If someone ordered you to make your family believe you were dead, would you? If someone fucking told you that you couldn’t contact your wife, that you couldn’t see her, would you remain tucked away while your life went on without you?” I waited for his response, but he just stared at me as if he didn’t know what to say. “I’ll tell you what you would do. You’d tell them to fuck off, and you would go to those that love you. You wouldn’t stay away from Marie and you know it. So don’t you dare sit here and try to convince me otherwise.” I stepped toward the couch and placed my hands on my hips. “I’m done.” The look on Frank’s face told me he

understood. He would just be wasting his time and mine if he tried to stop me now. I was finished with letting these fuckers control my decisions. It was time to take back my life. *** “Josh, is this the right move? I mean just to show up there. You’re gonna give your dad heart failure, not to mention Libby is liable to beat your ass.” Grey chuckled at that idea. “On second thought, I think I’ll enjoy seeing your sister beat the hell out of you.” “Yeah, what do you suggest I do otherwise? I know they’ll all be pissed

off, hurt even, but they’ll eventually understand. I’m hoping their happiness at seeing me again outweighs their anger.” At least after the initial shock of seeing me. “Gabby’s in her office now. I honestly don’t think that would be the best place to spring this on her,” Audrey said as she tapped away at her phone, texting someone. “She said she’ll be home after five, and I promised to bring her dinner,” she added as she placed her phone into her back pocket and then looked up at me. “I’ll be there around five thirty,” I assured Audrey before I looked back over at Greyson. “You can go with me to my sister’s. After that, we’ll go to my

dad’s.” He mumbled a few fucks and holy hells as he gathered his gun and phone from the coffee table. “Whatever, man, but if Libby cuts loose, I’m just stepping back to give her room. She has a mean right hook.” He rubbed his right cheek, and I remembered the time his mouth got a little too carried away a few weeks after I met him. My sister may be little, but she made it clear to Grey that she had no intention of having anything more than a friendship with him. The vision of my sister punching him still made me smile. “Yeah, asshole, I know you remember it,” Grey said as he pushed past me. “You could have warned a guy about

how evil Lib actually is.” “As you just said not even five minutes ago, I just stepped back to give her room.” Mike chuckled this time, and Audrey looked at us all in question. As Grey and I left the apartment, Mike filled her in on my mean but adorable sister. *** For the entire ride to my sister’s house in Scarsdale, I sat staring out the window. It felt good to leave that shithole behind. The cool air on my face from the open window felt amazing. The weather was beginning to change, and fall had come to the city and its

surrounding suburbs. Generally, I don’t pay attention to things like the vibrant leaves, but after being hidden away, they seemed so much more noticeable now. When Greyson slowed to a stop in front of my sister’s place, my heart began to race. I was happy to see Will’s BMW in the driveway. Grey was the first to climb out of the car, and after a couple deep breaths I followed. Before we could even knock, the door flew open and there stood Will with my sister at his side, both of them staring back at me as if they thought they were dreaming. Will’s face was ghostly pale, and Libby held on to his arm as if it was the only thing keeping her standing.

“Hey, sis,” I said, and she leaped into my arms and wrapped her arms around my neck, almost suffocating me. “It’s really you,” she whispered as a sob ripped through her. “Yeah, it’s really me,” I assured her as I squeezed her tightly and lifted her so her feet were no longer touching the ground. I could hear Greyson and Will talking, yet I focused on my sister instead. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, and she only cried harder. “It wasn’t safe. I had to.” She struggled to break free of my hold, and I knew then that the quiet reunion was now over. I slowly let go as she stepped back and stared at me in

confusion. “What do you mean you had to? What wasn’t safe, Josh?” I looked over her shoulder to find Will attempting to calm his wife, but it was useless. I knew Grey was going to be no help when he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the doorframe. When my line of vision reconnected with Libby, I saw the anger in her eyes. “Please don’t tell me this was just all a ploy, a way to solve a case and catch another one of your bad guys.” When I didn’t answer her, she knew. “Oh my God, Josh, how could you?” She shoved my chest. I took a step back to allow her, I hoped, the space to calm down. Only she followed me, shoving me again. “We

buried you!” she screamed. “I had to watch our father break as they handed him an urn that was supposed to be filled with your ashes. How could you let this all play out and let us suffer through this for months? How could you be so fucking selfish?” She came at me then, pounding her fists against my chest. “Do you have any idea what this has done to our father? To me? To Gabby?” Her punches faltered, and she stood frozen in front of me as I placed my hands on her shoulders. When she lifted her head and looked up at me, tears were falling down her cheeks. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “Gabby. Does she know?” “Not yet,” I replied, hoping she

remained calmer than she was five seconds ago. “I plan to go to her place tonight.” I could tell Libby was struggling with what to say. I knew she and my father knew about the baby. “Has anyone—do you—?” “I know,” I said. Her eyes filled with tears once more, and she smiled. “Grey told me.” “You’re gonna be a father,” she whispered, and I nodded, smiling back at her. Without another wasted moment, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her against my chest. “The hardest part about what I was forced to do was leaving you all behind. But you have to know I wouldn’t have agreed if I didn’t think it was protecting

you all.” She nodded against my chest, and her body shook as she cried. “It still isn’t completely safe, but I couldn’t stay away any longer.” I looked up to see Will and Grey smiling back at us. My brother-in-law nodded, and I twisted my sister in my arms and led her toward the house. One reunion had been completed. Two more to go.

Chapter 16 Gabriella I had never been happier to leave the office than I was today. I had two cancellations and one very bitchy client.

It was either the hormones or the fact I had a hard time holding on to my calm anymore, and it took everything in me not to punch Mrs. Kinley in the face. She never had anything nice to say, and she was by far the most heartless person I had ever met. My tolerance for people like her was nonexistent anymore. But by some miracle, I had made it through our appointment without telling her to walk head-on into traffic and do us all a favor. It was hard, but I managed. Now as I walked out of the elevator on the eighth floor of my building, I wanted nothing more than to take a long shower and climb into my PJs. As I placed my key into the lock, a deep voice from behind me caused me to

jump. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” I turned around to find Lance approaching from the other end of the hall. “What are you doing here?” “I, uh.” He cleared his throat. “I was hoping we could talk. I followed Brook earlier and have been waiting around for you to show up. She yelled at me, threatened to kick me so hard in the nuts I’d choke on my balls, and then she slammed the door in my face. She is a whole lot scarier than I remember her being, but I wasn’t sure how else to reach you.” “What is there to talk about, Lance? You said all I needed to hear the other day.” I held my keys tightly in my hand

and hoped this situation would quickly end. “I know I was wrong, Gabby. I hurt you, and I will never forgive myself for that. I just want a chance to explain better. A chance to maybe be friends.” I struggled with how to respond. I didn’t want to come across as a bitch, but I honestly didn’t need anything more from Lance. And as for being friends, I didn’t think that would ever be a possibility. “Now is not a good time. I’ve had a really long day, and I’m starving.” I tried to let him down easily. “I could take you to dinner.” He looked back at me hopefully. My stomach growled loudly, and I

placed my hand over my belly. This action only made the small bump more noticeable, and I saw the moment Lance saw it. “Oh wow,” he said. “You’re, uh…” His eyes widened just a bit before he recovered. “You’re having a baby.” “Yes, I am,” I said. “So you’re married?” he asked, and sadness washed over me. But before I could answer, Audrey spoke from behind me. “Well, look who showed up. You do know that you’re a few years too late? The idea of a wedding is to show up when all the guests are waiting.” Lance offered a nod. “Hello, Audrey.”

“Oh, please stop with the pleasantries. I don’t plan on being nice.” I cringed because he had already suffered Brooklyn’s wrath, and Audrey’s would be just as bad. “You’re an asshole, Lance, and the last thing I’m going to do is let Gabby be sucked back into your world of fucked-up craziness.” She reached around me and unlocked the door. I saw the two bags of Chinese food in her hand, and my stomach begged for it. I think I even sniffed the air. Of course she laughed when she noticed and looked back over at Lance. “I brought dinner, and unfortunately for you, food trumps your bullshit. So I’m going to take her inside and feed my little niece or nephew, and you can leave

the way you came in.” She nudged me forward, and I offered Lance a sympathetic look. But honestly I wasn’t that sorry that Audrey had a go at him too. Once the door was closed and she placed the food on the counter, Audrey turned to face me. “What the hell was that tool doing here?” I shrugged and went straight for the bag of food. “I don’t know and I don’t care. I’m just glad you came along when you did, because I was running out of patience.” “When the hell did he get back to New York? Wasn’t he living in Miami or something?” she asked as she began to pull out the cartons and place them on

the counter before us. I shrugged and mumbled around the eggroll I was currently devouring. “Not sure,” I said, placing a hand over my mouth to keep from spitting my food out. “Brook and I ran into him yesterday, and apparently he thinks he has more to say. I personally don’t care, but I was trying to be nice.” “Hell with being nice, Gabby. He left you the night before you were supposed to be married. He doesn’t deserve a chance to explain. Lance is an asshole.” She dared me to argue, but she was right. He was an asshole, and time couldn’t change what he’d done. “Lance?” Brook said as she entered the kitchen. She too went straight for the

food. “Why are we talking about that dumbass?” “Well, because he was just outside trying to convince Gabby he wasn’t a bad guy.” The two of them had become overbearing since Josh died. I mean, yes, they were pains prior to that, but now it was ten times worse. “Listen, I don’t need the two of you running to my rescue. I’m fine. No, I don’t plan to have any type of relationship with Lance, friendship or otherwise. But it’s up to me to tell him that, not either of you.” The looks they gave me clearly stated they had no intentions of listening to me, and all I could do was roll my eyes. It was

pointless. They were both unstoppable. When a light knock came from the door, I groaned in irritation. Audrey froze in place, as if she wasn’t sure what to do next, which I found odd. Brook, on the other hand, tossed down her fork and stormed toward the door. “This asshole is really starting to fucking piss me off.” I hung my head but was startled when Audrey yelled, “No, wait.” But it was too late. Brook yanked open the door, and her face went from pissed to shocked in seconds. “Oh my God,” she gasped while taking a step back. And just like that, I felt the world was moving in slow motion, as if I could hear every footstep, every breath while

my heart thumped in my ears. I watched Brooklyn stumble back and cover her mouth with her hand as a pair of black boots peeked out from behind the door. The entire room tilted, and I braced myself against the counter. His hair was longer, the facial hair thicker, but there he was. A man I had mourned. A man I had cried hours over as I held his picture tightly against my chest. The same man I vowed to never stop loving. Josh scanned the room until his gaze landed on mine and then slowly moved lower until it stopped at my stomach. I could hear someone sobbing, deep, wrenching cries, and it took a moment for me to realize they were coming from

me. Josh was suddenly moving toward me as my tears fell heavier. I had to be dreaming. I had this dream so many times before, but it had never felt so real. When he got to me, he didn’t reach out, only stared back at me with equal emotion. His eyes were red and glossy, and his chest moved with big, heaving breaths, but he still didn’t touch me. So I lifted my own hand and placed it over the spot on his chest where his heart beat rapidly. The thump against my palm caused my eyes to close tightly. I just wanted to take it in. I didn’t want anything to interrupt this moment. Even if only for a few minutes, I wanted to savor

the feel of him beneath my hand. “Baby,” he whispered, and my knees wobbled. When his arms finally wrapped around me and he pulled me close, I went without hesitation. How could a dream feel so real? “I’m here,” he said, confusing me even more. I ran my hands over him, feeling every muscle, every dip. “I’m here, Gabby, and I will never leave you again.” When he kissed my forehead and Brook’s crying became stronger, I pulled back and looked around. Audrey, Brook, and even Greyson watched me closely. That’s when it clicked. I wasn’t dreaming.

“How?” I mumbled as I looked back to Josh. Tears clouded my vision, distorting his face. I was suddenly angry that I couldn’t see him clearly, but before I could wipe away my own tears, Josh did it for me. “I’ll explain everything, I promise. Right now, I just want to hold you,” he whispered, his voice shaky. I could feel his breath on my face as his lips gently brushed over mine. “I just want to feel you in my arms for a while. I need to feel you close.” The moment his lips pressed against mine, I wrapped my hands securely around his neck. How could this be real? He pulled back to rest his forehead against mine. “I want to hear every

detail, sweetheart.” I leaned back and looked at him, wondering what he could be talking about. “I’ve missed so much already, I want to know it all. I need to hear about the first time you heard our child’s heartbeat, the first time you saw our miracle on a sonogram. Baby, I want to know it all. And in time I will tell you everything, but I just need to feel like I haven’t missed out on the last three months of you and our child.” He looked so sad and lost. For the first time since my world had tipped on its side after he entered the apartment, I really, truly looked at him. He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept peacefully in days. I noticed a scar above his eye that I know he didn’t have

before, and my stomach instantly ached. What had he been through? What kind of pain had he suffered? It all broke my heart. Yes, I wanted to know it all, I needed to understand how this all happened, but I also knew what he meant about holding me close. I needed that too.

Chapter 17 Josh I knew she had a million questions, and I planned to answer each one, but I also needed to feel her. Our lives had

been interrupted and we lost time where we should have been building our foundation. Right now I felt so lost, I just needed to know she felt what I was feeling too. The last time I saw Gabby, she was hurt and angry and never wanted to see me or Audrey again. That memory haunted me for the last three months, and I had to replace it with something more. “Tell me this is real,” she whispered as we lay in her bed and I held her close. “Please tell me I won’t wake up tomorrow and this will all be some sick dream.” Her body shook, and I knew she was still crying. I rolled to my side and pulled her against me so her face was only inches

from mine. “I promise you this is real. I have fought against wanting to come to you every single day for the last three months. It was one of the hardest things I have ever been forced to do. I worried so much about you moving on before I could get back to you.” She shook her head and leaned in to place her lips against mine, giving me a gentle kiss. “Being without you left a hole deep inside me. I regretted letting you leave that night. I should have stopped you.” “Shh, I understood your anger.” I refused to let her feel guilty about the way that night played out. None of this was her fault. Had Leo not taken me that night, he would have eventually.

“I’ve missed you every day, so much. I found out I was pregnant on the day of the funeral,” she whispered, and my stomach tensed. Knowing how sad she felt gutted me. Hell, I spent two hours listening to my father cry when I showed up at his house. He was so relieved, but when that relief turned to anger, it made my sister’s reaction look mild by comparison. “Technically, I shouldn’t have come back now, but I couldn’t stay away any longer. I needed to hold you, feel you. I need to be careful, but I can assure you I am never leaving you again.” She rubbed my jaw lightly, and I smiled. “I need to shave, I know.” She smiled up at me, and I pressed

my lips to hers. I had spent so many days and nights wishing for this, and now she was here in my arms. In my entire life I had never once felt the pull I did when I was with Gabby. She was my world, and she made me feel whole. She filled me with that uncontrollable, consuming love that makes a person feel they may go mad if anyone threatened it. “I love you so much, Gabby. I’m so sorry for all the hurt you’ve gone through because of me.” Before she could answer, I kissed her once more, and she moaned against my lips. Desire built inside me. She drove me to the edge. I wasn’t sure how sex should work during pregnancy, but I was sure she would stop me if this was a no-go. I

rolled her onto her back and brought my body to hover over hers but refrained from putting any pressure on her stomach. When she parted her legs and wrapped them around my waist, I knew this was okay. She wasted no time as she reached between us and began to undo my jeans. “I want you,” she whispered. “I know there’s a lot we need to talk about, a lot I want to know, but right now, I just need to feel you. I need to know that you’re real, that you are here with me.” “I want you too.” I pressed my hardness against her. My control was slipping. “I need to feel you beneath me, your legs wrapped tightly around me. I want to hear your moans and cries as I

move inside you.” She had my pants undone and had already begun to push them downward with the assistance of her feet. I chuckled at her urgency. “How about tonight we reconnect and tomorrow we talk?” “That sounds like a great idea,” she said in a needy whisper. I pulled back and got up on my knees so I could help her undress. As she lifted her shirt up above her head and her stomach came into view, a strong sense of possession washed over me. My hands moved on their own accord and came to rest over the small bump that held our growing child. “Mine,” I whispered. I leaned over her and

pressed my lips to her belly just above the top of her pants and closed my eyes, fighting against the emotions that were taking over. “I’m gonna be a father.” The idea of that was both terrifying and amazing. I had dreamed of one day having a family, and now it was happening. It just made the love I already felt for Gabby that much stronger. “Make love to me, Josh.” My gaze shifted from Gabby’s stomach to meet her eyes. They were glossy and held everything I needed to make me feel complete. I wasted no further time as I hooked my fingers in the waistband of her pants and began lowering them over her hips

and down her legs, her pink silk panties following closely behind. After leaving a trail of kisses along her stomach, I paused to lightly flick her nipple with my tongue, making her whimper. I smiled against her breast. I had fucking missed the sound of her pleasure. I craved knowing I was making her feel desired and fulfilling her desire. On more than one occasion, I lay in that shitty apartment worrying that she had moved on. My mind played some sick games. Now that I was here with her in my arms once more, I no longer had to worry about that. She was mine, and I would never let go. I positioned my cock at her entrance and gently rubbed myself against her

pussy. She was dripping with need. Her panting filled my ear as I looked down between us and slowly began to sink inside her. “Yes,” she whispered. Rotating my hips, I slipped in farther and farther until I was completely sheathed by her tightness. This was home. I was finally whole. “I love you,” I said as I looked into her eyes. “You are my world, Gabby, my safe place.” “I love you too,” she said as she laced her fingers together behind my neck and pulled me close. We began to move together, our bodies seeking pleasure from one another. With each thrust of my hips, she

matched me, lifting her own. “You are mine, all mine,” I groaned as I picked up speed. My head was spinning with the way her tight walls gripped me. As Gabby pulsated around my cock and my legs stiffened, I tried to refrain from coming. “I need to feel you, baby. I need you to come.” I pushed her, and she whimpered as I drove into her over and over as my pelvis ground against her sweet spot, and I knew it was only a matter of time. When her legs tightened around me and her pussy gripped my cock, I placed my mouth against hers to hide her cries. The feeling of her come running along my balls threw me over the edge, and I

slammed inside her as I filled her. We both tried to catch our breath as we rested our heads together. I hadn’t felt this relaxed in months. I collapsed at her side, making sure to keep my weight off her. I pulled her close and rested my palm outstretched over our child. Silence filled the room as I held her in my arms. “Are you happy?” she asked. “I mean about the baby?” She looked up at me, and I kissed her softly. “Yes, coming back to you makes me the happiest man alive, and our child is the best kind of bonus.” “Were you here? I mean in the city?” she asked, and I knew it was only a matter of time before we went back to

the things I knew she needed to know. “Do you remember the guy I told you about, the one we were undercover investigating?” She nodded. “He’s the same guy Audrey was keeping tabs on.” She averted her eyes, and I knew she was thinking about what had happened between Audrey and me. I placed my finger under her chin and made her look back up at me. “Don’t think about that.” She forced a smile, and it made my stomach tense. “That same guy took me the night we left here. And if it wasn’t for the fact Trevor—you remember me telling you about Trevor, right?” She nodded and I continued. “He placed trackers on Mike, Greyson, and myself. Without them, our guys wouldn’t

have found me. But when they did, I had already been beaten up pretty bad.” She flinched at my words, and her eyes filled with tears. “It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle,” I reassured her. “But the problem was the Bureau and the DEA used that as a way to play some big game. Between Frank and Sheppard, they thought it was the perfect chance to gain some leverage, but after three months with no end in sight, I fucking walked out. I couldn’t live like that anymore. I had to get back to you.” “So you never got the guys you were after?” I fucking hated the look of fear that washed over her. “No, sweetheart, but I’m gonna lay

low. The guys are still working, and we have a few leads. I was just going crazy being trapped while everything went on without me.” She hooked her leg over mine and used it to pull me in closer. “I’ll just have to set up here instead. Do you mind?” She smiled and ran her fingertips over my jaw once more. I missed the feeling of her fingers on my face. I also really needed to shave. “I actually love that idea,” she whispered. Within seconds, she had me rolled onto my back and was lowering herself over my hardness. I placed my hands on her thighs and watched as she took control. Her hips moved as she took my

cock over and over, and sweet moans fell from her lips each time she took me completely inside her. I was entranced by Gabby, fucking lost in the beauty of her riding me. *** I didn’t need an alarm to wake up, and I was used to getting up early. It was barely after five when I opened my eyes. Gabby was still sound asleep, her naked body still partially resting on mine. I lost track of how many times we lost ourselves in one another over the course of the last ten hours, but I could feel the aftereffects. My muscles ached, but I wanted more.

I decided to climb out of bed and allow Gabby to sleep longer. She needed her rest. As I inched out from under her, she gripped my arm tightly. It was like she feared if she let go, I would disappear. “Baby, I’m not leaving. I’m just getting my phone,” I assured her, but she still didn’t let go. “I promise you, I’m really here. And I will be here.” I leaned over and kissed her forehead, and she slowly released her hold on me. When I was finally able to get up, I took a moment to just stand at the side of the bed and look at her. Her dark hair covering the light-colored sheets and her breast peeking out at the top only made her look even more beautiful.

I let my eyes scan over her and come to rest on the small bump beneath the sheet. That little bump would only continue to grow, and I planned on being right next to her to see it all. I found my phone lying on the floor at the edge of the bed. I scooped it up and sat down on the edge of the bed to type out a message to Mike, Greyson, Audrey, and even Trevor. Me: Setting up at Gabby’s place. Get the equipment and let’s find this bastard. After tossing my phone back to the floor, I crawled back in bed and pulled Gabby back against me with her back

resting against my chest. I ignored the ding of the texts coming through to me and closed my eyes, basking in the feeling of my woman being in my arms at last.

Chapter 18 Gabriella “Our apartment has turned into the FBI headquarters.” I looked up from my laptop to see Brook eyeing the group of

men in our living room. She looked all starry-eyed, and it made me laugh. “How is a girl supposed to concentrate with all this yumminess?” It hadn’t escaped me that Greyson was also looking at Brook with starry eyes from time to time while offering her a megawatt Greyson smile. I was trying not to be concerned. Brook was a big girl. She had heard more than once how big of a man-whore Grey was, so if she willingly went there, it was on her. Grey, Mike, Trevor, and Audrey had all been camped out in my place for four days now, and at times things became tense. It was actually an extreme turn-on to see Josh at work. He was so takecharge and demanding. It didn’t take

much to make me want him. After all, I just got him back, so I had some making up for lost time to do. “So, um, distract me,” Brook said as she continued to stare ahead. Her eyes were locked on Greyson’s ass, and all I could do was shake my head. She was a goner, I knew it now. Lord help him when he screwed her over. “And how would you suggest I do that? From the looks of it, nothing can pull you back from your current state.” I smiled when her head whipped around in my direction. “I’m wondering if we should all leave you and Greyson alone.” “Whatever.” Brook rolled her eyes and spun around to lean against the

countertop with her back facing the living room. Now it was Greyson’s turn to check her out, and he was already taking the opportunity to do so. “How’s work going?” she asked, and I knew it was only to distract herself. “Do you honestly expect me to believe that you care about my job?” I asked with a knowing smile. “For your information, smartass, I do care. I do,” she insisted when I laughed. “Has that asshole ever tried to contact you or Margo again?” “Nope, she tried calling him a few times, but the number was wrong, or at least that’s what the woman that answered said. It’s all fine by me, though. I couldn’t care less. No amount

of money was worth how uncomfortable he was making me.” “Who made you uncomfortable?” Josh asked as he stepped around the end of the counter and bent to place a kiss on the top of my head. “Oh, it’s nothing, just some creep I was showing penthouses to. He got a little too comfortable, which just made me a little nervous.” I grabbed my water bottle and lifted it to take a drink. When I placed the lid back, Josh was still staring at me. “What?” “How did he make you uncomfortable?” he asked, his tone a little more demanding this time. “Oh my God.” Here we go again. This time it was Josh interrogating me

instead of Greyson. “He just kept asking me out, and things got weird.” “That wasn’t all. He showed up at her office all the time, called constantly, and let’s not forget how he made you throw up that day in your office. He had her so upset, she lost it.” I glared at my sister. Once again she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. “Who the fuck is this asshole?” Josh now looked pissed, and I was trying to find a way I could later repay my very conversational sister. “Gabby?” “Do you seriously think having a name is going to change anything? Honestly, Josh, I haven’t heard from him in weeks. Margo insisted she would take over for me, and even she can’t reach

him.” “Yes, Gabriella, I want his damn name.” I arched an eyebrow at him when he used my full name. Very rarely did he call me anything but Gabby or baby. “Name?” he repeated when I didn’t respond. “You are impossible, you know that?” He didn’t flinch, only continued to wait for the name. “His name is R.J.” He leaned in and placed his hands flat against the countertop. He was such an overpowering ass at times. “R.J.? You wanna give me more than that, Gabby?” “His name wasn’t R.J. He just wanted her to call him that,” Brook said. I glared at her, and she wrinkled her

nose. “One morning you might wake up with your head shaved if you don’t find something else to do besides run your mouth.” “Gabby,” Josh practically growled this time, and it made me jump in surprise. “Fine, his name is Roman Kovalsky,” I said a little louder than I had intended, but I was so over this shit. The anger left Josh’s face immediately as his skin broke out in a light layer of sweat and his eyes widened as they shifted toward the living room. There, the three other men and Audrey were staring back at me with matching expressions. Greyson walked toward us, his eyes

locked on mine. “What did you just say?” he asked as he stepped up next to Josh. My stomach tightened. Something told me this name meant something to all of them. “My client, the one I talked to you about on the phone, Josh wanted to know his name,” I replied. “Did you say his name was Roman?” Greyson was beginning to scare me. Josh snapped out of whatever crazy trance he was in and leaned in, placing his hands on my shoulders. “Baby, I need you to confirm that you said Roman Kovalsky.” I nodded. “What in the hell is going on?” I was getting irritated at being kept

in the dark. Growling, Josh spun around and gripped his hair in his fist, pulling at the ends. Greyson tried to gain some control of the situation by placing his hand on his shoulder, but Josh grew angrier. “He was that fucking close, Grey. He was within inches of her.” Panic rushed through me as Josh placed his hands against the wall next to the refrigerator and hung his head. “Fuck!” “Josh, you’re scaring me. Please, will someone tell me what in the hell is going on?” I stood from the barstool and took a step toward him as he turned around to face me. He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. “Grey, get me a sketch artist. We

finally have a face to go with the name,” Josh said through gritted teeth. In that moment I realized the man who had tried to insinuate himself into my life could have had been the one to end it. The thought sickened me. “Baby, Roman Kovalsky is the man we’ve all been after. He’s the man responsible for a lot of death and despair,” Josh whispered, and my knees grew weak, but he held me up. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. I promise to keep you safe.”

Chapter 19 Josh I paced the living room as Gabby gave detail after detail of the man who had terrorized so many in this city. A

man who worked his way into our lives and had gotten entirely too close to the woman I love. That made me sick to my stomach. I knew the things he was capable of, the things he’d done to innocent women and children. We had spent months trying to find this man when he was right under our noses terrorizing Gabby. She may not look at it that way, but I knew how he worked, and terrorizing her was exactly what he was doing. Trevor called in a guy he knew to sketch for us. The waiting was killing me, but sitting on the couch bouncing around and popping my knuckles was only making Gabby nervous. So I paced the room instead. It didn’t stop the death

glares Brook and Audrey kept shooting me, but fuck, I felt like I was losing my mind waiting. “You need a breather, man.” I looked up at Mike as he leaned against the doorframe. “I know all this is pretty fucked up, but you need to take it down a notch.” My body hummed with a mixture of anger and fear as I stepped closer to him and tried to keep my voice down. “He was alone with her. Roman could have taken her at any moment. He could have hurt her and there wouldn’t have been a damn thing I could have done about it. You know how ruthless he is and the things he thrives on. We’ve seen what he does to women. The idea Gabby could

have been one of his victims is fucking eating me alive.” “I know,” he replied with a look that told me he honestly did. “But after this sketch, maybe we’ll be able to bring this to an end.” Neither of us were able to say more before the living room plunged into chaos. “Is that all?” Merle, the sketch artist, asked Gabby, and she nodded. Greyson and Trevor stepped up to Merle’s sides, and the looks on their faces told me they knew something immediately. “Fuck,” Greyson growled. “No fucking way,” Trevor said. I knew this couldn’t be good. “Josh, you gotta see this,” Greyson added as he

stared at the picture, looking lost and completely shocked. I took in a deep breath, and Mike and I made our way to the living room. Gabby looked up at me in sympathy. She obviously had picked up on the fact the man she had just described was someone we all knew well. When she reached her hand out to me, I placed my hand over hers, pulled her from the couch, and held her securely against my side. Closing my eyes tightly, I took in one last deep breath before looking at the sketch. I knew once I looked, things would never be the same. As I opened my eyes, I felt like the floor beneath me had crumbled away. A man I had considered a friend, someone

I had looked up to and aspired to be like stared back at me. My heart rate picked up, and my head fucking pounded. “Motherfucker,” I mumbled, catching the attention of everyone in the room. “I take it you all know him?” Brook asked. Greyson was the one to answer. “Yeah, babe, we know him. We know him well.” There was a long pause as all of us stared at the sketch. My stomach rolled as I thought of all the times this man and I had discussed this case, the times he had led us on our next operation, bringing in information we would use to “catch our target” when all fucking along he was our true target. “This man is our boss,” Mike

whispered in disbelief. Just like the rest of us, he couldn’t accept the fact that Frank could be responsible for all the horror we had been trying to bring to an end. “What do we do now, Josh?” Grey asked, and I looked up to meet his gaze. We both stared at one another, torn over our discovery. “Who do we trust?” “Sheppard,” Audrey spoke for the first time. “If there is anything you allow me to contribute, please let it be this. Sheppard may come off as an asshole at times, but I can guarantee he is the most loyal man I have ever met. We can trust him.” ***

Fourteen hours later, thanks to the work of a whole lot of men, we had finally brought in Frank. I stood outside the interrogation room trying to pull myself together. I had to get my head on straight before I walked into the room that held Frank. During those fourteen hours, I had gone through a lot of different emotions, but right now I was stuck in a state of disbelief. I had convinced myself there must be some kind of explanation for this entire thing. “Can you do this?” Grey asked from my side, and I nodded. “Are you sure, man? I know how close the two of you were.” “I got it, Grey,” I assured him as I

took a step toward the door and twisted the handle. Once Frank came into view, my heart beat faster than it ever had before. “Hello, Josh,” Frank said with a smile, and I wondered what in the fuck he actually thought he had to smile about. We were about to end his life as he knew it. Without responding, I continued to just look at him. Only a few feet away sat a man I had learned to rely on, trust, and love as if he were a father. “I will never understand how you could be capable of all the things you have done. All the lives you destroyed,” I said, my stomach rolling as the faces of some of the women who weren’t so

lucky to survive the hands of Roman and his men flashed in my head. “We all have a means of survival, Josh,” he offered as a reason for all the abuse. “You led us around like your fucking dogs, training us to see only what you wanted us to see. Leaving us blind to the real monster. You.” My disbelief was slowing turning to anger as I thought of all the time he had taken from me. “All these weeks of keeping me hidden and offering false leads. It was all a fucking game to you.” I took in a calming breath. I knew if I lost my shit, they’d pull him out of the room. “What was all the talk about finding Roman’s son?” I asked, my throat

burning. “I had to throw you off,” he said, “just needed to buy a little time.” A strong urge to leap over the table that separated us and wrap my hands around his throat hit me. Motherfucker was one sadistic son of a bitch. “You killed your own son, didn’t you?” I asked in disgust. This had to be some fucked-up dream. As bad as he was, Frank couldn’t have been capable of that. “I tried to control the situation. I tried to convince him that if we were a team, no one could stop us.” Frank shook his head, and bile rose in my throat as he continued, “But he was too much like his mother in that sense. Their consciences

won’t allow them to put themselves first, regardless of those who may be hurt in the process. So when he grew a little too bold, I had to protect myself. You understand.” “I will never understand how you could kill your own son. How you could take him from Marie and face her every day knowing that you put a fucking bullet between his eyes?” I said in disgust. “You are inhuman.” He nodded as if he agreed. Then a small smile spread out over his lips. “I find this entire situation quite humorous, Josh.” I leaned forward, placing my hands on the table and glared back at him as he lifted his head, and our eyes locked.

“And why’s that?” “Because you have all wasted so much time on Roman,” he said the name with a smirk, “but in reality, there were two monsters corrupting this city. The thing that amazes me is that you all think I was the biggest threat. I can assure you that Leo is the man who will make you all regret your actions. He played me for years, as if he was on my side. But all this time he was only building a force that outwitted all of us. And in the end, he’ll make you all regret focusing so much time on me.” My heart sank. Leo was still out there, and Frank was right. With all our energy invested in bringing in the socalled boss, we had all allowed the

biggest threat to slip through our fingers. “If you think my presence in Gabby’s life was bad, wait until Leo seeks revenge. He’ll make me look like a saint.” Frank leaned back against his chair. “Don’t fucking mention her name again. You don’t get the privilege of speaking about her. She is pure and innocent. She will never have a part of this world.” I was barely hanging on to my self-control now. He laughed, and it only fueled my anger. “She is a very attractive woman, Josh. And that smile…” He shook his head and closed his eyes as if envisioning her, and I saw red. I grabbed the collar of his shirt just as

I heard the door open and someone rushing into the room behind me. “Josh, let go. Come on, man.” Mike grabbed me and tried to pull me back, but I twisted my hand in Frank’s shirt and pulled him closer until our faces were only inches apart. “If you touch her, reach out for her in any way, I will fucking kill you with my own two hands. I will fucking beat you within an inch of your life and leave you to suffer. I would love to watch you die a slow, agonizing death. You don’t deserve to live.” I let go with a shove, and Frank’s chair wobbled from the push, nearly tipping over. I allowed Mike to back me out of the room, but just before the door shut, Frank hollered out words that only

infused my anger. “Tell that sweet woman of yours that I miss her.” I struggled against Mike’s hold as the door to the interrogation room closed. I wanted to hear Frank’s screams. I wanted to make him pay for all the pain he had caused over the years. I wanted to seek revenge for Marie and the son she’d lost at the hands of his own sick father. “We got him,” Greyson said as he stepped in front of me, blocking my view of the door. “I know you want to beat the hell out of him—fuck, Josh, I do too. But we have to play this out right.” I looked to my left and found Sheppard and Audrey staring at me. They had been outside, and I knew they

all witnessed my entire interaction with Frank. “He played us all, son.” Sheppard was the first one to speak. “I never imagined he’d be the one behind all this.” From the moment I met him, I hadn’t liked the man. But then again, he was the one who thought up the idea of me faking my death. I guess anyone would hate the person responsible for taking away their entire life, even with the best of intentions. “He was like a father to me,” I confessed, feeling defeated. I felt like I’d been robbed of a father, and I felt even worse for Marie. No one deserved what she had been handed.

Chapter 20 Gabriella “I’m worried about him,” I said in a hushed whisper. Brook looked over toward the couch

where Josh slept. He had been up for hours going through all the acts Roman, now known as Frank, had committed. “He’s having a rough time with all this,” I added, and Brook nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Greyson is worried about him too.” Her comment caught my attention, and I raised my eyebrows in interest. She caught me staring and smiled. “What? We talked last night.” “Talked?” I knew it was more than just two friends having a conversation. “He’s nice, Gabby. I know you think he’s a man-whore, and I’m not denying that he most likely is. But he treats me different than any other guy I’ve ever talked to. He actually listens to what I

say without making me feel stupid.” She shrugged and walked over to the coffeepot to fill her cup. “I’m not saying it will lead to anything, but getting to know him is something I’m enjoying.” “Just be careful, Brook. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” I’d heard stories about Greyson. He wasn’t the type to settle down. “I’m fine,” she assured me. “Besides, I think you have other things besides me to worry about.” She pointed toward the couch, and I followed her gesture with my eyes. Josh was beginning to stir. “I’m gonna go take a shower and give you a little time alone with each other,” Brook said just before she disappeared down the hallway.

I stood up, grabbed a mug from the cabinet, and filled it with coffee. I then made my way toward the living room and sat it down on the table just as Josh was sitting up. “Thanks,” he mumbled sleepily. “You’re welcome.” I stood in front of him as he reached up and placed his hands on my hips. “I’m worried about you,” I confessed, and his face shifted into a look of sadness. He pulled me toward him, and I went gladly, straddling his lap. “Baby, don’t worry about me. I’m fine.” I placed my hands on his shoulders and leaned in to rest my forehead against his. “You’re not fine. I know this is taking a toll on your emotions. This was

a huge shock, Josh, and I can see how it’s affecting you.” He reached up and placed his hands on my face, forcing me back just enough so he could bring his lips to mine. It was a gentle kiss, but it held so much promise. I know he was doing his best to assure me that he would be okay. “I love you, Gabby, and I don’t want you to worry.” He pressed his lips to mine once more. “I won’t lie to you and say this isn’t hitting me hard. Frank was like a second father to me. He was someone I felt I could go to with anything. Hell, sweetheart, I went to him about us, about how much I was falling for you. Do you know what he said?” “No,” I whispered as I trailed my

thumb along his jawline. It was now smooth, missing the beard it had only days ago. I loved that his strong jaw was no longer hidden. “He told me to let you go, to walk away.” He wrapped his arms around my waist, and I moved in closer to him without hesitation. “But I was already too wrapped up in you. I felt something for you the moment you kissed me. It was like it woke something up inside of me. It may have only been your way of rescuing me from the date from hell, but to me it was so much more.” “It was supposed to be something simple and out of character for me. But I agree it was hard to forget,” I said with a smile.

He rubbed his hands over my lower back soothingly. “I worry about you getting sucked into this fucked-up world, and now our child.” “Hey,” I whispered, “nothing is gonna keep us apart. I went over three months thinking I had lost you. That was one the worst things I ever had to face. I love you, Josh, and I know you’re doing everything to keep me sheltered from this, but I need you to understand I’m here for you.” He closed his eyes tightly, but I refused to let him shut me out. “If you need to cry or be angry or if you need to just have someone sit beside you and hold you close, I’ll do whatever you need. But the one thing I will not do is allow you to hide from me or push me

away. I’ve gone long enough without you, and I’ll never do that again.” He leaned in and placed his face into the crook of my neck. His breath was hot on my neck as he just breathed me in. I just held him in silence, allowing him time. He kissed my neck and lifted his head to look at me once more. “When is your next appointment?” I smiled at him because honestly that was my reaction every single time I thought about the child growing inside me. I had a piece of Josh, and soon we would have something we created out of love to keep us both grounded. “Two days,” I replied. “I was sixteen weeks on Sunday.”

“If it wasn’t for you and this baby,” he said as he placed his hand against my stomach, “I think I would have gone crazy by now. You hold me together, sweetheart.” *** “Is that the heartbeat?” I looked up at Josh through teary eyes and nodded. “That’s amazing,” he whispered as he focused solely on the sound. For the first time in days, a genuine smile graced his beautiful features. “At your next appointment, we’ll do another sonogram. We should be able to find out the sex of the baby, if you want to know,” Dr. Bali said as he looked

between Josh and me. I looked to my left to see Josh smiling brightly. He obviously loved the idea of seeing our baby and loved the idea of finding out what the sex was even more. “We’ll want to know,” I whispered, and Josh noticed I was looking at him. His infectious smile grew even wider. Without warning, he leaned over and placed his lips against mine. “I love you so much,” he whispered as he pulled back, looking at me as if I was the only person in the world. Despite all the ugliness and disastrous events that happened recently, we had moments of pure joy like these to keep us going. Our child would be the light at the end of all this darkness.

Chapter 21 Josh “We found two of Frank’s houses,” Mike said as he placed his gun on the table. We had started meeting at the

Bureau again. After Frank was brought in, the guys from Washington, D.C. sent in two men to investigate. Burton Chadwick, a man Sheppard swore by, had taken over for Frank, and we were now reporting to him. He had been with the Bureau for over twenty years and was at the top of his field. “We don’t know how many men he has inside these locations,” Burton said. “But we do know a number of women and even teenage girls that have been held against their will at both.” My stomach rolled at the idea of just what these women and young girls had gone through. “We have four teams, five guys on each. We’ll be entering on the west and

east sides of the buildings. Each one appears to have only two floors, but be advised there could be an attic we’re unaware of.” Burton stood and began loading his weapons onto his belt. “We don’t know what we’re walking into, but I can guarantee you nothing about it will be easy to accept.” One by one, we exited the room as we prepared for yet another bust. It was time to free some of Frank’s victims. “You okay to handle this?” Burton asked as we climbed into the waiting vehicles. I was tired of people asking me if I was okay. “I’m not gonna break, Burton. I’ve seen some fucked-up shit over the last few years. I had the shock of a

lifetime when I found out about Frank’s involvement. But nothing will stop me from freeing these women. They’ll never forget the torture they’ve lived through, but they deserve to get their lives back.” I was an agent, and a damned good one. I needed to bring down the monsters who had flipped my life upside down. First we brought down Roman—or Frank, whatever the fuck you want to call him. Now we would free the innocent girls and women his people were still holding prisoner. Then Leo was going down. Come hell or high water, I vowed to make him pay too. I had to protect my family and my unborn child. And until Leo was behind bars with Frank where they both belonged, he was still a threat

to them. On the ride to Staten Island, Burton recapped the mission and gave us our last instructions. We had no idea what would be between us and Frank’s victims, but we wouldn’t stop until we freed them. We slowed to a stop about half a block from our target location. Just looking at the nice, well-kept homes and other buildings, you would never have guessed that the most hideous events took place inside two of them. “Team one and two, you’ll take location A. Team three and four, take location B. Earpieces in, men. It’s time to fuck some shit up,” Greyson said, and we all began to exit the vehicle.

Greyson, Mike, and I were together; we always were. We were a trio, and a powerful one at that. “You ready for this?” I asked Mike. He nodded as he cocked his Glock 19 and flashed his signature smirk. “Hell yeah, I’m ready. Let’s roll.” I shook my head and signaled to our group that it was time to move. One by one, we began advancing toward the house on the right, doing our best to hide in the darkness and using bushes and vehicles to shield us. As I looked for any signs of activity, I heard music faintly playing from a window to the left of the back entrance. Deep laughter followed by a few catcalls told me all I needed to know.

We would be walking in on a party. One I was more than positive involved a few unwilling participants. When we were all in place, we waited for our signal. My heart was racing and my adrenaline was pumping. I vowed to make these fuckers pay, and I was about to get that chance. “We go on three,” Burton’s low voice came through my earpiece, and I positioned myself. “One, two, and… three.” And the chaos began. Upon entering, we found multiple men and half-naked girls, most of whom were crying. Rage filled me at the sight. A few men had gone for weapons, but we were fierce, disarming them before

they were able to defend themselves. We caught them when they least expected it, and that was a benefit. Our men swarmed the house, checking every room. One by one, we led the guys out in handcuffs as another team entered and began helping the abused women cover up with the blankets and shirts scattered throughout the room. “Phoenix,” Greyson called from the other room, and from the tone of his voice, I knew it was something I wasn’t going to like. I worked my way down the hall, and as I reached the room he’d entered only moments ago, my stomach felt like it hit the ground. On the mattress in the corner

were the three girls we’d met the first night we came into contact with Leo. Jillian, Molly, and Zara. All three of them were wearing only panties and had been beaten recently, and older wounds were covered with fresh bruises and cuts. They stared back at Greyson and me with tears streaming down their faces. Zara, the girl I had been paired up with at the warehouse, couldn’t take her eyes off me. Her body shook, her lower lip trembled, and the sight of it fucking gutted me. This young girl should be enjoying her life, going to parties with friends and going to college. She sure as hell shouldn’t have been trapped in this house, being used and beaten over and

over. “You came,” she whispered as she stared up at me as if I was some sort of hero. I wasn’t a hero. I should have taken all three of them with us that night. I never should have allowed them to stay with Leo. “You said you would.” Her voice shook. “You came,” she said once again, and before anyone could stop her, she leaped off the bed and jumped into my arms. My gaze connected with Greyson, and I wrapped one arm around Zara to keep us both from falling. Her face was buried in my chest as she cried, and she continued to whisper, “Thank you.” Each time she did, it was like another piece of

me crumbled. “Everything’s gonna be okay,” I assured her as I pointed toward a blanket only a couple feet away. Grey followed my gesture and handed it to me. Once I had Zara securely wrapped in it, I led her from the room and toward the awaiting EMTs. As we walked, she began to shake and gripped me tighter as she shook her head and whispered “no” over and over. Her body trembled harder while she dug her bare feet into the floor. “Hey.” I stepped in front of her and gripped her forearms, forcing her to focus on me. “Sweetheart, they’re here to help. They need to look you over, and

we need to get you to the hospital.” “Please, no,” she begged as tears fell from her eyes. “Don’t leave me again.” I felt like this sweet, young girl had just kicked me in the nuts. She looked at me in a state of panic, and I had no idea what to offer her. So I did the only thing I could think of. “I’ll be right behind you. Go with them, let them check you over, and I promise you I will be at the hospital to see you later.” I brushed away her tears with my thumb, and she nodded as she stepped past me and walked toward the waiting paramedics. “Josh.” I jumped at the sound of Grey’s voice and turned to see him standing only a

few feet away, watching me closely. “Yeah?” “Your job with her is done. You know that, right?” I looked back toward the ambulance. Zara stared at me through the back doors. Even as the paramedics worked on her, checking her vitals, she never looked away. “It’s not healthy to let her grow attached.” “I know, Grey, but I feel like I owe her,” I confessed. “You did all you can. Don’t do this to yourself.” Greyson stepped forward and placed his hand on my shoulder. “Let her heal with the help of professionals, man.” “I know, Grey.” And I did, but that didn’t make it easier. I felt like if I didn’t

at least go see her, I was a liar. And after everything she’d been through, I couldn’t lie to her. She’d already had too much disappointment in her life. I wasn’t about to add to it.

Chapter 22 Gabriella I had fallen asleep close to midnight. I tried to stay awake waiting for Josh, but it was hopeless. I was out as soon as

my head hit the pillow. I awoke a few hours later to a freshly showered and very naked man climbing into bed with me. He didn’t speak but ran his hands over my body. The moment his lips touched mine, it was like a fire lit within me. He trailed his tongue along my jaw and slowly descended the side of my neck to my collarbone. It was so easy to get lost in him “I missed you, baby,” he whispered as he positioned himself between my legs and pressed his erect cock against my center. Josh was such a dominating man in the bedroom. Hell, in everything he did, he took charge. I craved it and loved when he took what he needed from me.

“I need you,” he said as he continued to move down my body. When he stopped to kiss my stomach, he whispered, “I love you.” Knowing he was speaking to our baby made my chest tighten. I never thought our child would be able to know their father. But now that they would be able not only to know Josh but feel his love, I had never felt more complete. The moment his mouth reached my lower stomach and he began to slide my panties down, my body began to tremble. I knew what was about to come, and I needed it. God, I wanted it so badly. “So perfect,” he said before he kissed my inner thigh. I allowed my legs to fall open wider, welcoming him. “So fucking

sexy.” A deep rumble resembling a growl escaped him, and he was on me, as if he was starving, licking and sucking, taking everything he could from me. I was so sensitive, I could feel my body tightening as my orgasm built. “Give it to me, Gabby, I need it,” he said as he slipped a thick finger inside me and began pumping in and out, curling it each time he pulled it out. “Let go, baby. I can feel your pussy squeezing my finger. Let go.” I arched my back, and a sudden rush of pleasure rolled through me. “Oh yes,” I screamed. Pumping my hips, I rode out my orgasm, and for a moment I forgot my sister was right down the hall. Josh began working his way back up

my body, and with each kiss, each touch, I continued to tremble. As he hovered above me, his thick cock rested against my sensitive clit. He must have picked up on my shaking because he began slowly moving his hips, sliding over me. “You are so unbelievably gorgeous when you come. I fucking love it.” I smiled through my daze. I was still feeling lightheaded, and my body vibrated with the aftereffects of my orgasm “Do you want me inside you?” Josh asked, still hovering above me. I nodded and he smirked. “I need to hear the words, Gabby. Tell me how bad you want me.” “So bad,” I said in a breathy whisper.

He shook his head, still wearing his cocky smile. He knew just how worked up he had me. His cock had slipped between my legs, and he continued to slide through my wetness, coating himself. “I need to hear more. Tell me how you crave me. How when I’m inside of you everything else fades away.” He continued to tease me as he pulled back just enough to hit my clit once again with the head of his cock. “Tell me you want me to fuck you, baby.” I was now panting with need, and I gripped his shoulders as I dug my nails into his skin. “Yeah,” he groaned at the pain, “leave marks, Gabby.” “Fuck me, Josh. I need you inside

me.” I was so close to attacking him, I needed him to take charge and fuck me into a coma, for God’s sake. “That’s my girl,” he said as he pulled back and found my entrance. He slid inside me with ease and let out a satisfied moan was he was completely seated. “So fucking snug. Perfect, baby. So good.” His breathing picked up as he began to move inside me, hitting so deep with each thrust. “Home,” he whispered against my ear before sucking on my earlobe. I knew just what he meant. Even after everything he had been through, everything I had gone through, this right here trumped it all. It was the connection we both needed to survive. He was my home too.

*** I woke up to the sound of Josh’s phone ringing. Immediately, I flashed back to when he was undercover. Now that Roman, Frank, whatever, was behind bars, the FBI was still cleaning up his messes. They were also doing what they could to track Leo. With all leads going nowhere, I knew it was eating away at Josh. He was so distracted, and on most days he was distant. I just hoped they found Leo soon so we could all finally relax. “Hey,” Josh said in a husky, sleepfilled voice. He paused to listen to whoever was

on the line before he spoke again. “Yes, I went. Just to check. But I only stayed a few minutes.” Another pause. “Grey, I don’t need a fucking lecture from you. I make my own choices. I had to, man. Now it’s done, so move the fuck on.” Josh sounded angry, and I wondered who he was talking about. ”I don’t give a fuck what you think.” Josh hung up. I jumped in surprise as he tossed his phone onto the hardwood floor. “You awake?” he asked. I had been sleeping on my side with my back to him. I rolled just enough to look back at him as he sat up on the edge of the bed. “Kind of hard to sleep through that conversation. Are you

okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine,” he said as he ran his hand through his hair. “Sorry I woke you.” “It’s okay.” I rolled completely onto my back, and the sheet fell below my still-bare breasts. Josh lowered his gaze to my chest and stared for a few seconds. “Wanna talk about it?” He gaze met mine once more, and the lust that had been there only moments ago was gone. “Nothing to talk about. I do have to get to the office, though. We made a bust last night, and I have a ton of paperwork to get filed.” I was irritated at myself for pushing him. Had I not just ruined the mood, we probably could have had some great

morning sex. I grabbed for the sheet and covered myself. “Yeah, I have to make some phone calls, and I have a closing at two today.” “I don’t want you alone,” he said with force. “I don’t need a babysitter,” I countered, and his jaw began to tick. “Gabby, can you please not give me shit about this? Not after the night I had. Just for one day, just fucking accept that I don’t want you alone when Leo is still out there. I can’t focus if I know you’re out in the city by yourself.” I bit back my attitude, because frankly he had enough for the both of us right now. But the euphoria I had felt only hours ago when he crawled into bed

with me and took charge of my body was now gone. It was replaced with aggravation and the need for some space from his arrogance. “Fine,” I said as I sat up and grabbed for my robe at the end of the bed. “I’ll ask Brook to tag along.” I slipped my arms into the silk material and crawled out of bed before wrapping it securely around me. “Gabby?” Josh said as I walked toward the adjoining bathroom. “It’s okay, Josh, I’ll see you later,” I said just before closing the bathroom door. I didn’t want to argue. I just wanted to defuse the problem, and I felt this was the easiest way.

Chapter 23 Josh The days and even the nights began to blur together as we kept hunting for Leo. Now that Frank was behind bars, we

were finding the locations where he kept his drugs and the women he tortured, but Leo was still escaping us. Even Nicolay, Leo’s number-one man who was also an undercover CIA agent, had not seen Leo since the night he and Leo took me. We were worried he too had been compromised. It would appear Leo no longer trusted anyone. Every man we had brought in since Frank’s arrest attested to Leo’s absence. No one had seen him. He had fallen off the grid, and that left one hell of an ache in my gut. I knew he was out there. Something told me he was well aware of what was going on and was just waiting for the right time to attack. “Josh, you got a minute?” I looked up

to find Burton standing in my doorway. “Sure.” I motioned him in as I leaned back in the chair at my desk. “Come on in.” He took the seat on the opposite side of my desk and scanned over the papers on top of it. “I wanted to speak with you regarding the senior agent position.” That gained my full attention. “Agent Andrews and Agent Turk would like to make a decision by the end of the week. With the recent events surrounding Frank, they feel this location needs some stability as soon as possible. In fact, they wanted this handled immediately, but with me being here as the active fill-in, they’ve held off.” “Are you offering me Frank’s

position?” To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I knew they would eventually fill it, but in all honestly I thought they would bring in someone from Washington who had more seniority. “Yes, Josh, we are. With your credentials and dedication, you’re the best candidate. We all agree,” Burton said without any signs of hesitation. “I’m honored, truly,” I said, still a little shocked. “So I take it that’s a yes?” he asked with a huge smile. “Yes, sir. That’s a firm yes,” I added as we stood at the same time. He reached out, and I shook his hand. “Congratulations, Josh. We’ll

announce it this Friday in our meeting,” he said before turning on his heel and leaving my office. I had just been promoted. It was something I had been working toward my whole career. I hadn’t expected it to be a possibility for years to come because Frank seemed to be doing such a good job, but it was mine now. Not under the best circumstances, but still it was mine. *** I’m not saying what I did was right. In fact, I knew it wasn’t, but I couldn’t help it. I found out Zara had no family. Her

father ran off before she was born. Her mother died of a drug overdose when Zara was twelve, and she lived with her grandmother until she was taken. But her grandmother passed shortly after her disappearance. Now she was left with no one. I felt drawn to her, like I owed her. She’d had so much taken from her, and I just wanted to show her someone out there cared. So every day since we freed the women at Frank’s Staten Island house, I had gone to the hospital to see her. She was usually asleep, but on occasion she would wake up long enough to know I was there. We talked about the things she had been forced to do. I wished she would

talk to a counselor or someone who was trained in these things instead, but she said she only trusted me, and I thought if she could open up to me, she might be able to eventually open up to someone else. Today when I arrived, I found her sitting up in bed and staring out the window. As I stood in the doorway looking at her, I thought that today she seemed different. Better, even. As I shut the door, she turned to face me, and a smile covered her mouth. “Hi.” “You look like you’re feeling better,” I said as I took a step toward her. “I do, actually. Dr. Franklin said I may be able to leave in a couple days.

My ribs are healing, and my results came back clean.” She was referring to the tests they’d run to make sure she didn’t have any sexually transmitted diseases, either from unprotected sex or the dirty needles Frank’s people had used to drug her. “That’s great news,” I said. She continued to smile at me, and something about her expression reminded me of the way a woman looked at a man she was interested in. That thought made me feel a little bit sick. “Listen,” I said after taking a moment to be sure I’d put what I was going to say in the kindest way possible. “I wanted you to know that I think you are a

very brave girl.” She flinched when I referred to her as a girl, but I went on. “You’ll get through this, and in the end you’ll be one of the girls that uses your experience to help others. I can see that in you. You’re strong, and I want you to get all the help you can. The staff here is amazing, and the therapists are some of the top in their field—” “But I like talking to you,” she said, looking suddenly panicked. “I know, and I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to share what you did with me. But I’ve already gone way above my job duties. I’ve overstepped some clear boundaries, and I need to step back,” I said, remembering Greyson telling me not to interfere. “I wish you

the best, Zara, I do, but we can’t be friends.” “Friends?” she asked. “I thought we were more than—” “This was nothing more than me wanting to make sure you were okay.” It was my turn to interrupt now. This had gotten out of hand, and I had no one to blame but myself. I let my emotions get in the way, and now it was fucking backfiring just like Grey said it would. “It will never be more than that,” I went on. “I told you that first night that I was involved with someone. We can never be more than an agent and a young girl who got wrapped up in a world of hate. I’m sorry you thought it was more.” I left the room before she could say

anything else, mentally cursing myself with each step. I needed some air. Letting my heart get in the way of my job was one fucked-up thing to do. I had planned to go to Gabby’s, but my mind was now fucked. So I decided to go back to the office instead to lose myself in capturing Leo.

Chapter 24 Gabriella “Do you want to keep waiting?” I looked up from my phone to find the nurse staring back at me. I had tried to

call Josh four times and texted him multiple times too. Over the last four weeks, he’d become distracted and even irritable investigating every lead. I rarely saw him, and when he was with me, his mind was somewhere else. I understood it. I did. After everything he was put through, he was consumed with bringing down anyone who threatened his life. But today I couldn’t forgive his behavior so easily. Today he should have been focused on me and our child. Today was the day we were supposed to find out what we were having. It would have been the first time he was able to see our child, and he was unreachable.

I was both heartbroken and pissed beyond belief. Throughout this entire ordeal, I’d been understanding and forgiving. I had accepted that until Leo was caught, Josh would be gone more often than not. But I refused to allow him to shrug off our child. The looks of sympathy Dr. Bali and the nurse were giving me only made the situation worse. I was about to find out the sex of my child without anyone to share it with. This should have been a happy day, but now I just wanted it to be over. My chest grew tighter and my tears built with each swoosh of a heartbeat and each word Dr. Bali said. And when he informed me that he was able to get the perfect view to determine the sex of

my baby, the tears spilled over. “Looks like you’re having a boy, Ms. Shannon,” he said as he looked up at me. Mistaking my tears for joy, he smiled brightly. I was happy, but my sadness was outweighing my joy, and I suddenly hated Josh for that. He had known about this appointment for weeks. If he wasn’t able to make it, then he should have told me instead of taking this happy moment from me. Now, as I lay here alone looking at the screen that verified we were having a son, I wondered if he was really all that excited. ***

I was numb as I made my way downtown. If Josh didn’t want to answer my calls, then I would go to his office and he would listen to what I had to say for once. I wouldn’t be giving him a choice not to. When I entered the lobby, I walked straight for the front desk. I knew I would need security clearance and would most likely have to wait for Josh to come downstairs to get me, but I didn’t give a shit. My anger would not dissipate while being forced to wait; if anything, it would only grow more intense. I had been waiting all morning for him, so what would another fifteen minutes matter? “Gabby?” I turned around to find

Greyson walking toward me, looking concerned. “Are you okay?” “No.” I shook my head. “I’m not. Can you take me up to see Josh, please?” He placed his hand on my elbow and led me past the front desk toward the elevators. After he scanned his key card, the doors opened and we stepped inside. “Gabby, talk to me. You’re making me nervous.” Greyson watched me closely, scanning my face. “Did something happen?” “It’s not what you’re thinking.” I had told myself I would save my anger for the man that deserved it. But the problem was once I started, I couldn’t stop. “Josh stood me up.” Grey’s brow wrinkled in confusion.

I took a deep breath. “Our doctor’s appointment was today. The appointment where we found out what we were having. He didn’t show up, he won’t return my calls, and I am fed up with him avoiding me.” “I’m sure there’s a damn good reason why he didn’t come,” Grey assured me just as the elevator arrived on the floor that held Josh’s office. Memories of the last time I was here flashed through my mind—visions of how he took me on top of his desk and the other agents graced me with knowing smiles as I exited his office. I should have been embarrassed by the way Josh and I carried on that day, but I was too pissed to care.

“Don’t make excuses for him. You know just as well as I do that he has been ignoring everyone. I get that he has a job to do, Grey, I do. But today was our day. One fucking hour of his time was all I needed.” I didn’t wait for him to respond before hurrying down the hall. I knew where Josh’s office was. I could hear Greyson approaching, but I only walked faster. I would not waste any more anger on him. My anger was meant for Josh. I stopped just outside Josh’s open office door when I heard voices inside. The last thing I needed to do was interrupt some meeting. As I listened, though, I began to feel sick. This wasn’t a conversation I was

meant to hear. “I wanted to apologize.” The voice sounded young. “I understand now that I developed a bond with you. I think it was because when I met you the night at the warehouse, you made me feel safe. Even though we were being forced to perform in front of Leo and his men, you still made me feel like nothing could hurt me.” There was a pause, and I could feel Greyson’s presence behind me. “Josh, I know you were only doing your job, but I let myself think it was all real. Remembering the way you touched me and kissed me kept me going during the time I was trapped. When someone was using me, I would just allow myself to float back to you and our night

together. And then a couple weeks ago when you saved me, those fantasies I had created suddenly felt so real, like you had finally come for me. I know it all seems crazy, but I had to do whatever I could to survive, and thinking of you gave me that.” “Zara,” Josh said, and I knew that tone. It was the one he used when his heart ached; when he had done something he was having a hard time facing. The entire thing was surreal, and I hadn’t realized I was crying until I felt the tear drop from my face and hit my arm. “Gabby, come on.” Grey tried to lead me from the doorway, but I refused to

budge. I stepped into the room and found Josh hugging a young girl close to his chest. It was like someone kicked me in the stomach. But instead of falling into a crying mess on the floor, I stood tall and stepped farther into the room. Of course Greyson followed close behind, and I wished he hadn’t. It was bad enough I had to share this with a complete stranger. Josh looked up and pushed back from the young girl in his arms. “Gabby,” he said as he stepped around the girl, who was now watching me too. “I was gonna call you back, but I had some things to take care of.” “I can see that,” I replied with little

emotion. Josh looked up over my shoulder, and I assumed he was making eye contact with Grey, but I refused to turn and be sure. “Can you take Zara to your office and give Gabby and me a few minutes?” “That won’t be necessary,” I said loud enough for everyone to hear. “I actually just stopped by to give you something.” Josh stood before me with his hands on his hips as I pulled out the pictures the doctor had given me less than an hour ago. Doing my best to fight back the tears, I held them out before me, and Josh took them from my hands. I saw the moment he recognized what he was holding, and then the realization of what

he had missed washed over him. He stepped closer, and a look of defeat covered his beautiful face. “Shit, baby.” He reached out for me, but I stepped back. “I just thought you should know it’s a boy.” My lower lip trembled, but I bit down to hide it. “Since you had more important things to take care of.” “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. I got lost in work and then—” He looked up, and his gaze fell on the girl. I didn’t need to know anything more about her. I had heard enough. I was so close to falling apart, but I refused to do it in front of any of them. “I have gone through this entire pregnancy on my own from the

beginning. I know that isn’t your fault, but damn it, Josh, you’re here now. Be here!” My voice rose higher than I had intended it to. “What you missed today is something that can never be repeated. You missed a magical moment, and right now I’m so angry and hurt that you didn’t show up, I feel numb.” “Baby, please. Just let me explain.” He tried to reach out for me again, but I shrugged away. “There is nothing to explain. You should have been there today. We should have found out together, and nothing—” I pointed at the girl who stood only a few feet away. “—and no one should have stopped you from being there.” I turned around and rushed from the room

because I could no longer hold back the tears. I angrily hit the call button on the elevator as I bit down hard on my lower lip. When you’re in a hurry, an elevator always has ten stops. But god damn it, when you had all the time in the world, the fucker was waiting for you. “Sweetheart!” Josh’s pained voice caused chills to run through me. The elevator bell announced the car’s arrival, and the doors slid open. I stepped inside, then turned around to face Josh. He tried to step in after me, but I held up my hand to stop him. “No,” I said. “Don’t follow me. I need some time to think before I decide whether or not I want to talk to you.”

I couldn’t take another moment of his sad eyes. I had a right to be angry, and if I allowed him to step inside this elevator, my anger would fade. The doors slide closed, and I rested back against the wall as the tears fell. I needed him to understand that missing today broke my heart. And for what? To meet up with one of the girls he was forced to do God knows what with when he was undercover? And then what the girl said truly hit me, and a sick feeling washed over my stomach. What exactly had he done with that girl? And was it before or after he met me?”

Chapter 25 Josh I fucked up. I mean royally fucked up, and I wasn’t sure this one could be repaired.

The heartbroken look in Gabby’s eyes confirmed that. I woke up this morning and slipped out of bed before she woke, but even last night she had talked about how special today was going to be. I went to work thinking I would get ahead of the game and sneak out thirty minutes before the appointment. What I had not counted on was for Trevor to bring me footage from the lobby of Leo’s apartment. It showed a woman slip in and leave moments later carrying a large, unidentified package. It seemed Leo still had people to do his dirty work. I became so absorbed in the footage looking for any sign of who this woman

may be, and then Zara arrived unexpectedly, blindsiding me. I had missed one of the most important moments in Gabby’s pregnancy, and I had no one to blame for it but myself. “Josh?” I hung my head and took in a deep breath before turning to face Zara. “I’m really sorry if I caused any problems.” “It wasn’t you, it was all me. I messed this up,” I confessed. Not because I was attempting to make her feel better, but because it was true. “So you’re gonna be a dad? Is it your first?” I nodded. “Congratulations! I feel like I should throw blue confetti or something.”

I knew she was attempting to make this moment a little less tense, but it felt wrong. I should be with Gabby. We should be laughing and smiling as we talked about having a boy. I could fucking kick myself for how stupid I had been. “Listen, I gotta go,” I told her as I brushed past her toward my office. “Good luck with everything, Zara, really, but I have somewhere to be.” After getting my keys and rushing back downstairs to my car, I drove as fast as New York City traffic would allow, which unfortunately was not fast enough. On more than one occasion, I considered ditching my car and fucking running there on foot. But when I finally

arrived at Gabby’s door, I quickly unlocked it and hurried inside. I was rushing straight down the hall toward Gabby’s room when Brook’s voice stopped me. “Hey, Daddy, what are you doing here?” I turned to find her standing just to the side of the couch looking at me in confusion. “I figured you would have gone with Gabby to tell my parents.” Her words made my stomach twist yet again. Obviously, Brook didn’t know about what happened. Had she known, I was more than sure I would have been on the floor cupping my balls after her foot connected with them. Audrey and Brook were both very protective of Gabby and vice versa. They were a

solid trio, kind of like Mike, Greyson, and me. “Yeah, I had a few things to finish up at work, but I got done much sooner than I thought. So I decided to surprise her.” I looked around, trying to hide my anxiousness. “My parents decided to take Gabby to Nana’s,” Brook added as she opened up the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. “You have never had the pleasure of meeting the great Myrtle Shannon, have you?” I shook my head and wondered what I was about to get myself into. Brook walked toward me and hooked her arm through mine. “Oh, Josh, you are in for a treat. Our Nana is without a

doubt one of the greatest women you will ever meet.” She led me toward the front door, and I took this as her saying she was going with me. Which I was grateful for, considering I had no idea how to get to her grandmother’s. “She is loud, and if you think I’m mouthy, ah hell, wait until you meet our Nana. She has a mouth like a sailor and she loves to gamble,” Brook continued as she led me downstairs to the parking deck and straight to her Malibu. I wasn’t sure I wanted to get in the car with her. I’d heard horror stories about her driving skills, or lack thereof, but I would have to endure it. I wanted to get to Gabby, and this was the fastest way.

*** “Honey, I’m home,” Brook hollered as she entered the small apartment. “And I brought the baby daddy with me.” I was still trying to calm my racing heart from the multiple times I thought I would die on the way over. Brook was seriously the worst driver I’d ever been in a car with. I stepped in behind her, and four sets of eyes locked on me within seconds. Marshall and Judith, Gabby’s parents, sat on the love seat. An older woman, who I assumed was the grandmother, sat in the recliner, and Gabby sat on the other love seat across from her parents.

She smiled at us, but I could tell it was forced. Gabby’s father was the first to stand. “It’s real good to see you, son. How’ve you been?” He held out his hand, and I reached out to shake it firmly. “I’m good, sir, thank you.” Gabby’s mother wrapped her arms around me and pulled me in for a hug. “It’s real good to have you here. Gabby said you got stuck at work and weren’t able to make it over, so she came to share the news of our grandson with us.” I looked over her mother’s shoulder, and my gaze landed on Gabby’s once again. Brook was standing near her as she talked to her grandmother. “Now I’ll be the first to warn you, my

mother is full of piss and vinegar. She’ll give you shit and she has no filter, but take none of it seriously.” I found Marshall’s warning humorous, considering Brook had told me the same thing on the way over. “Thanks for the warning,” I said with a smile as I stepped past them and walked toward Gabby. I could immediately sense her anger, but I could also see she was doing her best to hide it from her family. I sat down next to her and leaned in to offer her a kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I whispered before pulling back and placing my arm over her shoulders. “Well, this tall drink of water must be

Joshua.” The raspy, shaky voice made me smile. “Oh, Gabby, I see the appeal of this one.” Myrtle slid forward in her recliner and got closer. I noticed Marshall hang his head with a slight shake, but I was prepared to accept whatever Nana was about to throw at me. “So, listen, me and my friend Lauren went out a couple weekends ago to do a little gambling, and we stumbled upon this place called Dirty Harry’s. You know the place?” My throat tightened at Nana’s serious look. Yes, I knew what Dirty Harry’s was. It was a fucking strip club with women on the main floor and men on the second level. But the idea of this ninety-something-year-old lady in a

place like that didn’t seem right. “Well, anyway,” she said, because apparently she got tired of waiting for a response from me. “Lauren said we should check it out, and boy I sure am glad I did. It’s been years since Granny here—” She pointed to her chest. “—got a kick-start like that. Those men wiggling around, shaking their things.” She wagged her eyebrows, and I suddenly felt like the room had gotten a little hotter, or maybe it was just my face. “The reason I’m asking is, what would be the chances of an old woman convincing a handsome devil like you to take me back to Dirty Harry’s? I picked up some ones when I went to the bank on Tuesday, and I’m itching to touch those

saucy buns.” She grinned widely and winked at me. I think I swallowed my tongue. I had no fucking clue how to respond to her. I mean, that was not what I had expected to come out of their Nana’s mouth. “Nana,” Brook whispered, followed by a laugh she was trying to hide. “What? It’s not like any of you will take me. I thought if I could convince this handsome hunk of meat to escort me, you all wouldn’t mind. I mean, he has a gun. Plus, he carries one on his holster too.” She wagged her eyebrows once more, and I was blown away. This tiny little fireball had stunned me into silence. Not only had she asked me to take her to a strip club, she cracked a dick joke too.

“I tried to warn you,” Marshall said, and Nana smiled proudly. During the entire visit, Gabby didn’t say a word to me. She nodded or smiled when necessary, but that was it. As I sat next to her, holding her against my side, I could feel the frigid tenseness of her body. She had not relaxed into my side but remained board-straight. At a break in the conversation, when people were moving around to get drinks or food or simply to stretch their legs, I decided to make a move. I leaned in a little closer, keeping my voice low. “So you didn’t tell your family how big I screwed up today?” I asked. “I didn’t see the point in making them all angry with you. It has nothing to do

with them. So to answer your question, no, I didn’t tell my family that you blew me off today. They all still think you were there with me when we found out what we were having.” My strong girl tried to act like she was unaffected, but I knew different. “Baby, I am so sorry, and I know that doesn’t make up for anything, but you have to know I would never blow you or our child off like that. I know you feel like I did, and I don’t blame you, sweetheart, but I truly am sorry. I fucked up big, and I don’t know how to fix this.” My heart was hammering in my chest. “Did you sleep with her before or after we met?” Her question surprised

me. “What? Who?” I looked back at her in confusion and shifted on the couch to face her. “Gabby, what are you talking about?” “That girl in your office earlier. I overheard you two talking and—” “I never slept with Zara.” She flinched when I said the name, but I didn’t give her any time to think about it. “I met her when I was undercover.” “After we met?” she asked, and I nodded. “So you fooled around with not only my sister but this girl too?” “It wasn’t like that.” I was starting to panic once more. “Let me—” Her family came back into the living room, interrupting me. I sat there feeling

as if I had a fucking dump truck parked on my chest and there was nothing I could say. I was in a room of people who would skin me alive if they got any indication I had hurt Gabby in any way.

Chapter 26 Gabriella I think Brook may have picked up on the tension between Josh and me. I’m sure it didn’t help that when we left

Nana’s, I told him that he was riding with her. Being pregnant, I have found, makes it harder to hold your shit together. Normally I would come up with some snarky comment, something that would throw everyone off, but not now. Now all I wanted to do was dropkick his ass and force him to understand how this was affecting me. How would he feel if the tables were turned? How would he take it if I came to him and said, “Oh hey, by the way, today I made out with some guy. But it was only for show, no harm done.”? I was pretty sure he wouldn’t be pleased. I understood his job, I did. But I had a hard time accepting other women having

their hands on him. It was hard enough to think about what my own sister had been forced to do to him. I still felt jealous whenever they were in the same room together, even though I knew they didn’t feel that way about each other. Now I had to imagine Josh and that girl too. My stomach twisted at the thought. I should have known when I walked into my building that Josh would be waiting. Hoping I would have time to myself was just wishful thinking. Gerald the doorman greeted me as I walked by him and went straight for the elevators. “So are you just going to give me the silent treatment?” Josh asked as he stepped up behind me while I waited for

the elevator to arrive. I could feel his warmth, he was so close, and his breath fanned out over my shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Gabby. Please, will you just talk to me, yell at me, something?” “I started out this day thinking it would be one of the best days of my life, and it just turned out to be the opposite. I wanted to share that moment with you, Josh. That was our time, but you couldn’t even spare an hour for me and the baby.” The elevator door slid open, and I stepped inside, then turned and watched as he followed. “I know you have a demanding job, I understand that completely. But I need to know if I’m going in alone, or if I can count on you.” He moved in on me faster than I could

prepare for, bracing a hand against the wall on either side of me, his face only inches from mine. “There is nothing or no one that will ever keep me from you or this baby. I’ll admit that today was completely my fault. I knew about that appointment for weeks, but I screwed up and there is nothing I can do to change that. But I promise you it will never happen again.” His eyes remained locked on mine, and his intense stare made my stomach tighten. He looked as if he was fighting to hold himself together. The elevator door dinged behind him, and I bent down and slipped underneath his arm. He let out a frustrated sigh, but I continued to move toward my apartment

door, which I quickly unlocked, pushed open, and rushed through. I could hear his boots against the floor as he followed close behind. “Damn it, Gabby, we need to talk about this.” Brook looked up at us in confusion from her place on the floor in the living room with her textbooks scattered around her and a pen held between her teeth. “Gabby,” Josh’s demanding voice ricocheted off the walls of the apartment, and I slowly turned around to face him, glaring up at this towering man that overpowered the room. He took a step toward me, his jaw ticking in that way it does when he is angry or agitated.

“I spent three months locked away from every person I love. Three months of fucking wondering if you were moving on without me, finding happiness with another man. Then when I found out you were carrying my child, I had to fight with everything inside of me not to come to you. Now you want to play this game of acting like I don’t want this.” His nostrils flared, and I stayed frozen in place, fighting my own anger. He was like a ticking time bomb ready to explode. “That shit pisses me off,” he said through gritted teeth. “I fucked up. I know that. I should have been there today, and that is inexcusable. Nothing should have kept me away, but damn it,

Gabby, I made a mistake. I got wrapped up at work. But don’t act as if I’m not here, like I don’t want this.” “How can you expect me to feel otherwise? When you’re here, you’re not. We’re back to you slipping into bed next to me, putting your fuck-’em-andleave-’em methods back to work. Most of the time I can be talking to you and it’s like you’re not even there.” My body shook with anger. Brook still sat in the middle of the living room floor looking shocked and confused as her gaze shifted back and forth between Josh and me. “You don’t understand what I’m up against, Gabby,” he said, sounding defeated.

“That’s because you don’t talk to me. You never share things with me. How can I understand when you keep me in the dark?” He was always throwing that at me, that I didn’t understand. I was tired of it. “I have a man running around the streets of New York City who wants me dead. Not ‘hidden away in some crappyass apartment on the west side of town’ dead, I mean truly fucking dead. He wants to make me pay for the way I flipped his shit upside down. I took away an operation he spent years building, and now he has nothing. He is a murderer, a rapist, and he loves to fucking torture people just for the fun of it.” My heart raced as he took in a deep

breath. “I can’t let him remain free, because as long as he roams the streets, I’m not safe, and the people I love aren’t safe. I fucked up, Gabby. I lost something today I can never fucking get back, and that shit sits on my shoulders. But never fucking throw that shit about me not being in this for you back in my face again. I’m here. I’m fucking in.” His chest was heaving, and I chose to remain silent. I had nothing to say. Actually, that was a lie. I had plenty to say. I just felt it wasn’t wise to taunt the angry bull. We both just stared at one another, waiting for the other to speak. When minutes passed and neither of us said

anything, Josh turned around and walked right out the front door, which had remained open this entire time. I was sure the neighbors greatly appreciated the show.

Chapter 27 Josh “You still in the doghouse?” Greyson asked as he flopped down in the chair across from me.

“Fuck you,” I said, refusing to even look in his direction. The bastard witnessed the entire altercation between Gabby and me earlier; not to mention Zara was here too. I felt like an ass the moment Gabby handed me the picture of our son. It was a fucking moment I should have been present for, and now the opportunity was gone. She had every right to be pissed off. Hell, I was pissed off at myself. “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened that kept you from being there?” Greyson wasn’t gonna let up. “I got wrapped up in new information on Leo, and then Zara showed up out of nowhere,” I confessed as I placed the file I was currently going over onto my

desk. “What new information? And dude, I told you a long time ago to let that shit go with Zara. It was a mess in the making.” Greyson shook his head as he leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “Do you have to be so smug about it?” Cocky little fucker was having one of those told-you-so moments. “Hell yeah, man. Do you realize how long I’ve waited to be right about something you weren’t? So now that shit has happened, I just want to sit back and bask in the essence of its glory.” He grinned brightly, and I suddenly wanted to punch his face. Arrogant prick. “So really, though, how is Gabby?”

he asked, wiping away the smile. “She was pretty upset.” “And she still is, with good reason. I fucked up big, Grey. I should’ve been there. I just hope she can forgive me.” That she wouldn’t was what worried me the most. “Give her some time to cool off. Gabby loves you. She may be mad now, but she’ll forgive ya.” I know he was trying to be supportive, but I just wasn’t sure. *** Hours, that was how long I gave her. I stayed at the office, and Trevor and I went through videos and audio

interviews with the doormen and security team at the building that held Leo’s apartment. We had determined the female was around five-foot-six, give or take an inch due to the high heels she wore. She had blonde hair that hung just past her shoulders and walked with a slight limp. No one in the building recognized her, and most said it was the first time they had seen anyone visit the apartment in months. We had already known that to be true due to surveillance we’d set up since they took me into custody. We had placed one of our men inside the security office of Leo’s building and had a second one posing as a maintenance man. Around-the-clock surveillance was

hard to handle, but at least one of our men was there at all times. Plus we had men here at the office keeping tabs on the apartment too. I wanted to make sure I gave Gabby time, hoping that maybe we could actually talk calmly. I fucking hated the sadness in her eyes, knowing that I was responsible for it. When I entered the apartment and found it dark, I was disappointed. Going to bed angry would never solve anything. I had started to approach the bedroom when a voice startled me. “You’ve been gone a while.” On instinct I reached for my gun at my back before I realized it was Gabby. My heart raced as I looked through the dark room, barely making out

the silhouette of her sitting on the end of the couch. Laying my keys on the counter, I approached her and took a seat at her side. “What are you still doing up?” I was treading softly here. I had no idea what her current mood was, but I hoped the few hours away from each other would give us both the chance to be more rational. “Couldn’t sleep.” I could tell she’d been crying, and it made me feel sick. “I’m sorry.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. What the hell could she possibly have to be sorry about? “For what?” I asked. “I wasn’t very reasonable earlier. I’m not going to blame it on hormones, but

they do actually enhance my irritability. I just wasn’t thinking straight earlier, and then when I came to your office and found you there with that girl, I got a little Pregzilla.” She smiled at her description of herself, and it made me smile too. “Pregzilla?” I asked with a chuckle. “Yeah, it just seems fitting. I left the doctor upset about you not being there, and seeing you with her only made it worse. I let my mind get away from me and immediately thought the worst.” She pulled the blanket tighter against her chest. “I guess hearing her talk about something the two of you shared wasn’t on my list of to-dos for the day.” I leaned back and placed my arm

around her shoulders and pulled her close. Her head rested in the crook of my neck, and I took a moment to just feel her nearness; a moment to breathe her in. “We didn’t share anything, Gabby. It was a job, a show that was forced and a lot less pleasurable than you envision.” She shifted at my side, but I refused to let her go. “It was shortly after I met you, the night after I found you confused over which wine to choose.” “I wasn’t confused,” she whispered, and I grinned, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. I left my lips pressed against her for a few seconds before I continued. “It was the first night I was undercover, and Leo brought in three

women. Well, girls more than women. They were barely legal and terrified, and the sick son of a bitch used them as bargaining chips. It was sick.” I hadn’t really planned on giving Gabby any details regarding that time, but right now my professional life and my private life were growing intertwined. I knew she needed to understand, so I would give her the clean version—well, the clipped version I should say, because nothing involving Leo is clean. “He wanted a show. The asshole told them it was their job to take care of our needs, and they weren’t the only ones being tested. He wanted to see how Greyson, Mike, and I would react to

them, and when we were led to a more private setting that was anything but private, we had to think fast.” My throat felt tight. Gabby hadn’t spoken. She listened without moving, and not knowing what was rolling through her mind was driving me crazy, but I continued. “Leo had the room set up with cameras, watching us. So Greyson and Mike each took a girl, and I was left with Zara. Somehow, by luck or maybe because someone was watching over us, we made it through the next hour without doing anything and were able to convince Leo and his men that we enjoyed their gifts.” I let out a breath as Gabby shifted in my arms.

Looking up at me in confusion, she asked “How is that possible? Something like that can’t be faked when you have cameras watching.” I knew she would want details, and it gutted me that I now needed to give her more. “We told the girls we had no intentions of having sex with them. They were all so innocent, and you could see the relief on their faces. We positioned ourselves in different places around the room where the camera couldn’t see us as well and used the furniture and long, sheer curtains to hide our movements. It wasn’t easy, but I couldn’t do the real thing, for more than just the obvious reasons.” “Why?” she asked. I knew she

already knew, but I understood she needed to hear them. “Because I met you, and like I told you once before, meeting you changed everything.” She stared up at me, the back of her head resting on my shoulder, and our eyes locked. I lowered my lips to hers and prayed the explanation I had given her would be enough. “How far did it go?” she whispered, and my heart sank. Closing my eyes tightly, I let the silence set in as I tried to decide how to tell her. “Kissed,” I whispered. “Please don’t imagine something intimate and meaningful, because it was nothing

resembling that.” “Just tell me, please. I won’t understand unless you make me understand. Because I’m seeing the things you’re telling me not to. I’m imagining your hands on her, and hers on you. I’m hearing the—” “I remained clothed from the waist down, and because we were on the couch and she was on my lap, she did most of the acting. Faking the whole scene between Zara and me was easy; we were hidden for the most part. But Grey and Mike weren’t so lucky. They did have to get undressed. But when you know you’re being watched and if you’re discovered, your life is in the hands of some sick fuck with more

weapons than the entire city combined, you do what you have to do. That hour was one of the worst fucking hours of my life.” I wasn’t sure if I should continue, but I needed her to know how much that night fucked with my head. “I came here after, remember? The night I sort of called you out of the blue and we stayed up talking.” “Yeah, I remember.” When she didn’t say anything else, my mind began to race. Just when I was about to say something, anything to break the silence, she spoke. “You were a mess that night.” “I was,” I confessed. There was no reason to deny it. That night made me question everything. My ability to do my job, my strength…everything.

“I trust you,” she whispered, and a huge sense of relief washed over me. “I know you wouldn’t willingly hurt me.” “Never,” I added as I lifted my hand to her face. Cupping her jaw, I tilted her head up and brought my lips to hers. Our kisses quickly led to more as she crawled onto my lap and straddled me. She was only wearing one of my t-shirts, and I found myself smiling at that. “I love seeing you in my shirt,” I said, and she smiled in return. “I love you,” she whispered against my lips. Today had been an emotional roller coaster for the both of us. I just needed to feel her close, touch her, and know that everything would be okay. Gabby

was my security, the place I could settle when everything else was fucked up. She kept me grounded and feeling whole. “I love you, sweetheart,” I said as I ran my hands up her bare thighs and brought them to rest on her hips. “I need to know you forgive me, not just for everything I had to do during that time, but for today too. I can’t say I will ever forgive myself for missing that special moment, but I need to have your forgiveness. I can handle a lot, but you being upset with me rips me apart.” “I forgive you,” she whispered as she rolled her hips against me, and I hardened beneath her. “I have something for you, but you have to wait to see it.” “Now you’re just teasing me.” I was

trying to focus, but the way she was moving on top of me had my blood flowing to other parts of my body. I had feared coming back to Gabby’s place because I wasn’t sure how things would go. I worried we’d talk and it would only turn into yet another argument, but this was so much better than I anticipated. I felt lighter now that she knew everything—or at least what bothered me most about being undercover. Those memories were always sitting in the back of my mind, making me feel as if I’d wronged Gabby. “I’m not teasing. I just have other things on my mind right now. The surprise will come later.” She smiled against my lips as she wrapped her arms

around my shoulders and ran her hands up through my hair. “Other plans?” I asked, my voice shaking as I spoke, giving away just how much she was affecting me. “Mmhm,” she moaned as she ground against my now very-hard cock. I grabbed for her shirt and lifted it over her head, baring her breasts. The moment I closed my lips over her nipple and flicked it with my tongue, her body trembled. “Maybe we should move this to the bedroom? Your sisters…” The last thing I wanted was for one of them to find us here on the couch. “They’re both gone. I’m noticing a trend with that since you brought Grey and Mike around.” Now that she had

mentioned it, I did notice the two guys who were more like brothers had been quieter lately. But that thought slowly faded as Gabby slid down my body and positioned herself between my nowparted legs. She bit down on her lip as she began to unbuckle my jeans and lower my zipper. The anticipation of what was to come made my body scream out for her. I fucking needed her hands on me, her mouth wrapped around me. And the moment she encircled her hand around my cock and pumped once, twice, I was a fucking goner. My head fell back against the couch just as she lowered her mouth over my hardness.

Chapter 28 Gabriella Being bent over the arm of the couch as Josh pounded into me from behind in the middle of an apartment either of my

sisters could enter at any moment should have bothered me, but it didn’t. In fact, I loved it. The thrill only magnified the pleasure. I could feel myself building toward my release, and from the sounds of it, Josh wasn’t far behind. We were both in a race to finish, seeking the thrill we evoked in each other, driving fast toward that exquisite feeling of the best kind of release. “So sweet,” Josh groaned as he dug his fingers deeper into my hips. “So perfect.” His deep moan sent chills rolling up my back and along my shoulders. My body tensed, and heat rushed through my center, causing my toes to

curl into the carpet. “Oh yeah, baby.” He continued to move inside me. “Let go, feel me.” “Josh.” His name fell from my lips in a weakened whisper, and my insides convulsed around his cock. Within seconds I could feel him releasing inside of me. I was spent, and he immediately noticed as he pulled back and scooped me up in his arms. I could feel his cum coating my inner thighs, and if I wasn’t so unbelievably exhausted, I would have demanded more. But I could barely hold my eyes open. He carried me to my room and gently lowered me to the mattress. “Sleep, sweetheart,” he whispered before he

kissed my temple. “Where are you going?” I grabbed his forearm. I didn’t want him to leave, I wanted him close. “I’m just going out to the living room to pick up our clothes and get my phone. I promise I’ll be right back.” He carefully ran his thumb over my jaw just before his lips touched my head once more. A peaceful feeling washed over me, and I slowly faded away. *** I woke hours later to find Josh lying next to me, holding his phone out before him as he stared at the screen. He appeared to be mesmerized by whatever

he was looking at. I then remembered the video I had sent to his email just before he came home last night. After our in-depth conversation followed by the most amazing make-up sex I have ever had, I forgot to tell him to check his email. Earlier today, I had the doctor record the sonogram in progress, then turned it into a video file and sent it to him. I was upset Josh hadn’t been there, but I wanted him to be able to see his child— our son. I wanted him to feel what it felt like to see our boy’s little movements. His eyes shimmered as he continued to stare at his phone. The sounds of that familiar swoosh of our son’s heartbeat filled the silence.

I placed my hand on his arm, causing his gaze to shift to mine. “That was the surprise I was talking about earlier. I forgot to tell you after we…” I let my words fade. He understood where I was going. “I wanted you to be able to see him too.” I smiled as he looked back at his phone, once again hitting Replay. He was silent for a few moments as he smiled at the screen. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.” The pain in his voice made my throat constrict. “But thank you for doing this for me. I forwarded it to my sister and my dad. They’ll love it.” “How many times have you watched it?” I asked. “I’ve lost count,” he confessed.

Seeing a grown man so full of emotion at the sight of his unborn child was so moving. The love he obviously felt for our son only made my love for him stronger. Josh was a man with a heart of gold and that heart showed through in the difficult job he did every day, just like with that girl I’d seen in his office. I had to let go of my worries, because I believed him when he told me it was nothing like I envisioned. “We’re having a boy,” he whispered, and the way he said it made my heart race. “Yes, we are,” I replied with a grin. After the video finished and he placed his phone back on the nightstand, he turned to face me and placed his hand

over my stomach. He stretched his fingers across my abdomen as his eyes remained locked on my bump. “You and our son mean the world to me,” he whispered, still staring at my stomach. “After everything we’ve been through, you’re still here by my side. That means more than you will ever know.” “I’ll always be here,” I replied. “Promise?” he asked, and I laid my hand over his. “I promise,” I whispered. He lifted his head, and our eyes met. “I love you so much.” Josh leaned over and pressed his lips to mine, offering me a sweet kiss. I had grown to know his moods just by how he

kissed. When he feels vulnerable, he kisses me in the most gentle way, so soft and delicate. But when he is ramped up from his day, frustrated and irritable, his kiss is so dominating. He takes control and has the ability to bring me to my knees. I loved and was intrigued by the many sides of Josh. He slid in closer, wrapped his arm around my waist, and held me close, burying his nose in the crook of my neck as we both slowly faded off to sleep once again.

Chapter 29 Josh “We’ve got a problem,” I said into my phone as I stood in front of my car, seething with anger. My entire fucking

body shook as I gripped my phone tightly. “What’s the problem?” Greyson’s voice was still gruff from sleep, and I thought I heard a soft whisper filter through the phone—a woman’s whisper. I shook off the idea that the woman may in fact be Brook. That was a conversation for another day. Right now I was feeling murderous. “We’re being watched,” I said as I stared back at the mess that was now my car. The windows had been shattered, and the paint was scarred with deep scratches. They formed words that made my stomach ache and my heart pound thunderously within my chest. “Being watched?” Greyson sounded a

little more alert. “Explain to me how you know that.” “Well, from the looks of my car and the message that was left, I’d say they’re not just watching you, me, and Mike, they’re watching the girls too.” I ran my hand through my hair before resting it on the back of my neck. “Load up Brooklyn and get over to Gabby’s place.” “Josh, I—” “No time for explanations, man. I know she’s been spending time with you. Load her up and get over here. Don’t let her fucking argue, and don’t let her out of your sight.” He didn’t argue, which confirmed what I already knew—he was, in fact, hooking up with Gabby’s youngest sister.

And from the track record he had, I knew I’d feel sorry for him when he tried to end that one. For the first time in his life, he might not make it out unharmed. Brook was feisty. I made one more call to Mike, and when Audrey answered his phone, I closed my eyes and let my head fall forward. Looks like the three of us were all attracted to the sassy Shannon sisters. And then the words carved in the paint on my hood came screaming back at me. The delectable Shannon sisters. Oh the possibilities.

Anger once again rushed through me

like a tidal wave. Now he was fucking with people I loved. I left my car and rushed back to Gabby’s place to wait for the guys. As I entered the apartment building, Carver, the doorman, stopped me. “Agent Phoenix,” he hollered as he rounded the front desk, holding out an envelope. “This was dropped off for you. I missed you on your way out.” I took the envelope and held it by the corner, but by now it had been passed around, and I was sure it would be impossible to get any viable prints. “Who delivered it?” I asked. “I didn’t get a chance to speak with her, but it was a tall, slender woman. She was bundled up due to the cooler

weather, and her face was covered. Sorry, sir.” Carver looked nervous. “Is everything okay?” “If anything more comes handdelivered for myself or Gabby—actually anything for Gabby’s sisters too—you give it directly to me. And try not to handle the items too much.” Still holding the envelope by the corner, I turned toward the elevator as Carver gave me his word to do just what I asked. Something told me that whatever was inside this envelope would for sure be something that would only enhance my anger. Gabby’s apartment was still quiet when I entered. I had left her sleeping soundly in bed only moments ago when I

had originally planned to go into the office for a bit. I grabbed a knife from the butcher block and slid it along the edge of the envelope, allowing the contents to fall to the counter. My heart raced and my stomach lurched at the sight of what I found. It was picture of Gabby leaving what looked like her doctor’s office. She appeared to be upset, and the clothes she wore were the same ones she wore yesterday. I searched through the silverware drawer and found a set of tongs. Using them, I carefully unfolded the letter that accompanied the photo. As I read it, panic rushed through me. Josh, I hear congratulations are in order.

A son on the way. I am counting the days until I get to meet your beautiful woman.

I already knew who sent it. And the idea of Leo being anywhere near my family enraged me more than I’d ever been before. There was no way he was getting near them. No fucking way. *** Burton walked into the conference room and took a seat to the side of the room. He quietly observed the men as they ran through all the information we had on Leo’s possible whereabouts. Trevor had pulled together all the points

of locations and dates and placed them on a large board at the front of the room. Grey and Mike began going over the reports from Nic from the CIA. He was the last one besides me who had seen Leo before Leo slipped out of the warehouse where he had been holding me captive. Audrey and Sheppard were also there and were adding all the information they had gathered on Leo during Audrey’s undercover operation in his home. The entire room hummed with energy. Each agent there understood how close I was to losing my shit, and no one attempted to test me as I barked out orders. Damn it, I knew I sounded like the biggest ass, but this was hitting too

close to home. He was messing with my life and threatening Gabby’s safety as well as her sisters’. It wasn’t hard to notice the anger in Mike’s and Greyson’s faces too. They had also become protective over Audrey and Brook. Mike’s gaze was glued to Sheppard as he continued to hover over Audrey. His jaw ticked with irritation each time Sheppard got within a few feet of her. If the situation wasn’t already so tense, I would have given him shit for it. “We sent the envelope and its contents to the lab, and they’re checking for prints. Since the fold was selfadhesive, I don’t foresee us gathering any DNA, but they are running the DNA test as a precaution anyway,” Greyson

added as they continued to go over the items on the table. “I need to talk to Frank,” I said. The room grew silent, just as I knew it would. Since Frank’s arrest, most of us avoided using his name. He was, after all, someone most of us had thought of as a father figure. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Josh,” Grey said. “I didn’t ask your opinion,” I snapped. I turned to look at Burton. “I need ten minutes.” He only nodded as he stood and made his way toward the door with his phone in his hand. Josh and Mike stared at me with blank expressions, but I didn’t ask for their opinions. I had one fucking goal

in mind, and that was to protect my family. I would do whatever it took to make that happen.

Chapter 30 Gabriella I felt like I was going to lose my ever-loving mind. Josh had insisted I not go to work today, and after his car got

trashed and someone left that creepy note, I didn’t argue. By that point, work was by far the last thing on my mind. But never in a million years had I thought he would pack Brook and myself up and ship us off to my parents’ place. I adore my parents, but when my father thought anyone was mistreating any of his girls or had placed us in danger in any way, his already-protective nature went to ridiculous extremes. It was like living in a prison. Brook and I were both being guarded by a man on an extreme power trip. Our father craved control, and Josh had willingly placed us in his hands. He and Brook already butted heads on a good day. Add a little fear into the mix and they turned

into two starving bears fighting over the last ounce of food. I seriously felt as if I had gone nuts, and I was stuck here until Josh got off work. Who knew how long that would be? I cringed at the idea of staying here all night long. My mother had been baking all day, and when I say “all day,” I mean all day. She had told me I was too thin and that her grandson needed food. She soon gave up trying to convince Brook she was too thin, especially when she started to talk about getting no complaints from Greyson. She shocked us all when she freely threw his name out there. I mean, I knew they were seeing each other, but she’d kept it low-key until

now. My parents’ shocked faces were comical enough before Brook threw out that Audrey was spending her nights shacked up with Mike. My dad left the kitchen then, mumbling something about daughters giving him entirely too much stress. Brook had achieved her goal to rid herself of our hovering father. After hours and hours of television and snacking on the numerous different items my mother said I needed to consume, I found myself looking at my phone every few minutes, willing it to ring. When Greyson showed up at 7:00 p.m., I felt a pang of disappointment. “Hey,” he said as he entered the

living room. My dad eyed him close without speaking. “Josh is gonna be a few hours more. He asked if I would pick you up and stay with you girls until he can get back to the apartment.” Brook’s face lit up with excitement, and it only irritated my father more. “What are your intentions with my daughter?” His question hung in the air as the room grew silent. Greyson’s stare shifted between Brook and my father before he turned toward me with a look of desperation. I shrugged my shoulder as if to say “don’t look at me.” He was on his own. This was the best source of entertainment I had witnessed all day, and I wasn’t about to rescue him.

Watching him squirm under my father’s predatory glare was hilarious. “If you expect me to allow you to leave here with either of my daughters, I suggest you answer my questions, son.” My father held his stare, showing no signs of letting Greyson off the hook. I didn’t think I’d ever seen Greyson so nervous. He had always been so confident and cocky, but no witty line of shit was going to get him out of this one. I sorta felt sorry for the guy, but not enough to rescue him. And then he opened his mouth and shocked us all. “Brook challenges me. She’s smart, beautiful, and there isn’t anything I enjoy more than her smile.” He looked over toward Brook, and she winked at him. I

may or may not have felt the air rush from my lungs in surprise. Where the hell did that come from? Being all sweet and mushy was not like Greyson. “I take the happiness of each of my girls very seriously,” my father said after a long stream of silence. “I would hope you do the same.” “I do, sir,” Greyson said without hesitation. The charming side of Greyson had even warmed my father. Seriously, I was floored. I had no words.

Chapter 31 Josh I spent over an hour with Frank. A fucking hour of his sorry ass feeding me nothing but a line of shit. He actually

attempted to bargain with me, saying he would help me find Leo if I found a way to get his sentence cut shorter. He was seriously fucking warped if he thought I would ever allow him to be on the streets again. I was exhausted, and all I wanted was to do crawl in bed with Gabby and hold her close. Every time I thought of Leo hurting her or even threatening to, I felt murderous. I stopped by the front desk to find out if any other packages had been left for me. When Graham, the night watchmen, confirmed nothing had been left, relief washed over me. I didn’t really want to deal with anything more than we already had today. I just needed a little breather.

I allowed my body to relax back against the wall of the elevator as it slowly began to rise. When the ding sounded, announcing my arrival on Gabby’s floor, I pushed off the wall and exited. I had expected everyone to be in bed, so I used my key to enter. Only the lamp next to the couch was on, and it highlighted a scene I truly did not wish to see. My fucking best friend was hovering over Brook on the couch. Half his ass was exposed as his jeans were pushed down low. A half-naked Brooklyn was pinned beneath him, moaning loudly as he thrust his hips back and forth. “Fucking hell, dude,” I said in a disgusted tone. Greyson immediately

covered her body with his, shielding her from being seen. “Look away,” he growled. “Look away? Fuck you, man, my eyes burn. The last thing I need to see is your damn naked ass. Shit like that right there —” I waved my hand in their direction. “—that cannot be unseen, man.” Brook laughed as she buried her face in Greyson’s chest. As I walked down the hallway, getting as far away as fast as I could, Brook moaned once more, and I hung my head. If they only knew Gabby and I had a round in that very spot just a little over twenty-four hours ago, they may rethink their current location. I opened the bedroom door quietly

and carefully closed it behind me. Gabby was curled up in the center of the bed, and she looked so sweet, all tangled up in her lavender comforter. After I had stripped down to my boxers, I lifted the edge of the covers and crawled beneath them, bringing my body as close to hers as possible. Her warmth felt like heaven. She let out a little sigh as she reached behind her and did something I hadn’t expected. Her hand settled over my cock, and she slowly began to stroke me through my boxers, while rocking her ass back against me. “I missed you,” she whispered as she looked back over her shoulder. I leaned in and placed a kiss on her

shoulder. “I missed you too, baby.” I was growing hard beneath her hand as she continued to massage me, and my head was growing hazy from her touch. It always tended to do that whenever Gabby touched me. I slipped my hand around her waist and ran it over her stomach until I reached the top of her panties. Her breathing had picked up and turned into more of a pant. “Touch me,” she said in a breathy whisper. “Please,” she begged. “I’m going to touch you.” I slid my hand beneath the waistband of her panties, and she parted her legs, inviting me in. As I moved my hand lower and slid my fingers between her folds, she whimpered, and the sound went straight

to my balls. My hips began to move of their own accord, stroking my cock into her awaiting hand. Mimicking the movements with my hand, I began fingering her slick pussy, and I could feel already just how close she was. Each time I pulled my fingers out, I dragged her juices over her clit before pushing inside her once more. “That feels so good,” she whispered after another moan fell from her lips. Unable to wait any longer, I used my other hand to remove my boxers and then quickly worked on her panties. “I need to be inside you.” “Yes,” she agreed while continuing to ride my fingers by moving her hips at a slow, tantalizing pace.

I slipped my fingers from her and quickly replaced them with my cock. “Josh,” she gasped as I rocked my hips back and forth. I was fucking wired, and I knew it wouldn’t be long. “I’m so close,” she confessed. “I know. I can feel you tightening around me, sweetheart. Let me feel it. I want to hear you come, baby. Tell me how good it feels.” I slowly circled her clit with my finger, pushing her over the edge. “I’m coming,” she said as she pushed back against me and I thrust forward at the same time. “I feel you, baby. Squeeze my cock,” I coaxed as I fought against my own release.

Gabby spilled over the edge, and her pussy gripped me so fucking tight, my toes curled. “That’s it, sweet girl.” Gabby’s release covered my cock and ran down my balls as I pounded into her over and over, faster and faster. Gabby was my peace. She was everything I needed and all I wanted. At the end of the day, after I had been poisoned by so much hate and anger, she was the one person that had the ability to ground me, calm me, and make me whole. She was my world, my solace. *** I lay in bed, pretending to be asleep as she slid out of bed and walked

toward the bathroom. My big t-shirt hung to her knees and loosely off one shoulder. She was fucking gorgeous. Once she was inside the bathroom, I crawled out of bed and lifted the mattress on my side. I had hidden the box there over two weeks ago to wait for the right time to show her. Now was that time. I hurried back into bed, leaned back against the headboard, and waited for her to come back to bed. As she exited the bathroom, she looked at me and smiled. “Did I wake you?” “No,” I said as I patted the bed beside me. Gabby walked toward me with a look

of curiosity on her face. “What are you up to, Agent Phoenix?” she asked with a smirk as she sat down on the mattress. I brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “Do you know how much I love you?” She nodded as she slid in a little closer to me. “Being away from you was one of the hardest things I have ever had to face. I missed you every day, every minute.” My chest tightened as I thought about all the days we were apart. “I don’t ever want to be separated from you again. It hurts too much.” I lifted my other hand and held the ring box out to her, and her eyes widened. “I wanted to wait until a night I could take you out to dinner someplace fancy. I envisioned the

perfect night, but sweetheart, a perfect night is any night with you.” “Josh,” she whispered, and I shifted to get closer to her. “Just listen to me, please, baby.” I wanted her to understand just what she meant to me. It was that “can’t fucking breath without her near” type of love. “There’s nothing I want more than to come home to you and our son every day. I want to share a home with you, a life with you. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you or give you.” Her eyes filled with tears, and it made my throat tighten. “Will you marry me, Gabby?” I waited for her to answer as I opened the ring box, and her gaze shifted

to it. A single tear rolled along her cheek and fell to the sheet gathered between us. Her breath shuddered as she looked back up at me and smiled. “Yes,” she whispered. I took the ring from the box, lifted her hand, and held it in my own as I slid the ring over her finger. Her hand trembled the entire time.

Epilogue Leo Revenge is sweet, and I would get mine. They would pay for the things they took from me. I’d make them regret

deceiving me into believing I could trust them. I would make them suffer by taking away someone they all appeared to love. Gabriella would be the debt they owed me. She would pay for their mistakes. They all stay tucked away, hiding from me, but they don’t understand the connections I have, the people I know. I would allow them to believe they had the upper hand, for now. I would give them time to have their happy endings. It would only make taking her that much sweeter. I wanted to crush Agent Joshua Phoenix and his men. I wanted to torture that lying slut, Audrey, who had made me feel she was someone I could rely on. I had let her in and given her

everything, only to have her deceive me. Hearing their screams would be music to my ears. I had the perfect spot to watch them. To quietly observe their comings and goings. Knowing they feared me was a rush, a high like no other. They should fear me, because I was coming for each of them. When they least expected it, I would attack. And the happy little world they had built would come crumbling down around them. I’m coming for them. I think it’s about time the Shannon sisters and I met. If Gabriella and Brooklyn were anything like their sister Audrey, this would be a sweet reunion. A reunion I already found myself growing hard over.

Acknowledgments The Charmed Girls—you are all amazing. The continued support you show me is something I will never be able to express just how much it means to me. Thank you all for sharing my work and for just being you.

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Thank you, Lydia, because you are a true friend and motivator. Always making me laugh and smile. We are an amazing team, and your friendship means the world. Thank you for being one of my biggest Cheerleaders. Maria, no, I have not forgotten about you and never could. You are always

there, willing to read through my roughest drafts and give me feedback. You give me a boost when I hit a dead spot and get me back on track. Thank you for being the push I need to continue on. To my husband and children, thank you for being the best part of my days. For tolerating me when I get lost in the world of fiction and understanding that sometimes dinner may be a little late. Jayden and Tayler, no matter how many books I write, you two will always be my best creations. My fans, I am always so humbled by your support. Those random messages I receive after you read my books, whether it be something big or small, I truly love them. Hearing what you think,

in my eyes, is one of the greatest things about releasing a new book. I am never too busy for you. Sara Eirew. Once again, the pictures are gorgeous. The moment I found this couple in your many works of art, I knew they were my Josh and Gabby. You are a true genius behind the lens.

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About the Author A little about me. Let’s see where to start. I love HEA stories, as long as they come packing a little heat. I need some excitement, some angst, and moments that make me fan my face are always good too. I am an Illinois girl, born and raised. Simple and true, it honestly doesn’t take much to make me happy. I love the little things; they truly mean the most. I may have a slight addiction to my new Keurig—oh my, that thing is a godsend. And so fast, too. I have two children who truly are my very best friends, and their faces never fail to put

a smile on my face. I have been married to my husband for sixteen years, and even though at times I want to beat him with a stick, I would never change the years we have had. We have learned and fallen, only to pick each other up, dust off the ache, and help each other make it right. I am one of those authors who adore my fans. I love to hear from you. After all, it is because of each one of you that I continue to write. I look forward to your feedback. Be sure to follow me to stay up-todate on all my upcoming releases.

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