Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“What are you looking for?”
I thought for a second. “Three—no four bedrooms and three baths. Something in the city.”
“Not in the suburbs?”
“Not yet. I need to make sure all my enemies are contained before I can sleep easy in an unguarded home. Something in the city for now.”
I knew Tayla wasn’t leaving Chicago. She couldn’t stay a day in New York, and her family, including her little sister, were here. I wanted to be present for my child and that meant living here full time.
“I’ll run a script and see what’s available.”
“I want a doorman and garage access.” After another second, I added, “And near a park, if possible.”
“I figured. A price range?”
“I trust you,” I said.
“I’ll send you what I find.”
That was how we left it. In the meantime, I had to call Griffin and coordinate what we needed to execute the plan. That didn’t mean I’d forgotten about Tayla.
Though I couldn’t speak to her and didn’t want to send a message through Connor or Griffin, that didn’t mean I couldn’t send something.
32
TAYLA
Mom called me the next morning and I didn’t tell her about the shoot-out at my house or how badly the op had gone. Still, she could read me. “Have you seen your therapist?”
“I’m fine,” I said, though I knew I would be required to meet with one before I could return to duty. And that was probably a good thing.
“I know my daughter,” Mom said.
“I’m fine. I want to hear about you.” There would be time to share with her everything when we saw each other, not over the phone.
“I do have news. We won a cruise.” She was so excited and told me all about winning a cruise trip the night before.
“Are you sure this is legit?” I asked her for the second time.
“You worry too much. I called the Disney cruise line directly and confirmed. It’s an amazing all-expenses-paid trip.”
She started to tell me the details, and I stopped her. “Don’t. I’ll be jealous. Just take lots of pictures and be ready to tell me everything when you get home.”
“The prize is worth over fifteen grand. We have the largest stateroom,” Mom gushed. “How lucky are we?”
I didn’t think luck was involved. Griffin or Shawn had intervened after my confrontation with Ruin. He’d made threats about my family, and all of a sudden, they were headed on a two-week cruise somewhere on the other side of the world in a week.
“Cell reception may be spotty, though they say it won’t be. But just in case you don’t hear from us,” she said.
“You guys have fun and make sure to tell everyone I love them.”
Instead, she passed the phone around and I quickly spoke to my dad and sister before we ended the call. It was for the best, I knew, but I hadn’t been away from my family this long except for my training at Quantico. I didn’t like it then or now. Mom still didn’t know I was pregnant. I didn’t want to tell her over the phone. Plus, I wanted to be sure everything was okay. I had an appointment scheduled for later in the week, and I wondered if Shawn would make it. Though I had no way of telling him myself, I could relay a message. I hadn’t yet.
Bureaucracy moved slowly. Time itself felt like it was moving slower. With my family gone, Shawn MIA, and Kelsey in California, I had no company but myself. Thankfully, I’d been cleared of any charges for the shooting at my door. However, after my pronouncement to my boss that I was pregnant, I’d been put on desk duty and told to meet with my therapist.
I was in tears when I arrived home from my doctor’s appointment later that week. Though everything was fine, and the baby measured out where it should be, my hormones got the best of me.
Likely because I had some romantic notion that Shawn would have magically arrived in time for my first ultrasound. Because I was further along than a normal first baby visit, I’d gotten the works. And I’d seen and heard my baby’s heartbeat—all alone.
I wiped the tears before I opened my mail. I left the package for last. It was always fun getting a package, even when you knew something was coming. In this case, I hadn’t ordered anything that I remembered. It was possible I had a while ago and whatever it was had been on back order. Anyway, once I got past the junk mail, I tore open the bag and was surprised to find what appeared to be a white T-shirt. I unfolded it to find a red heart on one sleeve and nothing else.
There was no note or even a receipt inside. But I just knew it came from Shawn. He would do something like that. I wondered at the meaning. If he was saying my heart, or his, was on the sleeve. I tucked it to my chest regardless and thought of how Lizzy said he shuts himself off not to be secretive but to keep others safe. No doubt he thought he was doing what was best for me. I held on to the shirt like it was my lifeline.