Epilogue
Ten weeks later
Nash gripped Haisley’s hand, her engagement ring winking in the office lights, as Dr. Williams moved the ultrasound wand across her still-flat belly. His heart thudded against his ribs, anticipation and anxiety warring in his chest. The last time Haisley had been pregnant… He pushed the painful thought away. This time would be different. This time, he was here. This time, they’d take every precaution. This time?—
“There’s your baby.” The doctor’s calming voice yanked him from his spiral of worry. She pointed to the screen where a tiny form appeared. “Good strong heartbeat. Ten fingers. Ten toes. Everything looks perfectly healthy.”
Haisley’s fingers tightened. When Nash glanced down, tears shimmered in her eyes. She was remembering their loss, too.
“Would you like to know the sex?” Dr. Williams asked.
Nash’s throat closed up. He and Haisley had discussed this, had agreed they wanted to know, but now that the moment was here…
She glanced his way in question. He nodded, and her tremulous smile did something to his heart.
“Yes,” Haisley whispered, her voice shaky. “Please.”
The doctor adjusted the wand, studying the screen, then smiled. “Congratulations. You’re having a boy.”
Another son .
Nash’s vision blurred. Joy and grief tangled in his chest, threatening to choke him. Haisley’s quiet sob broke something inside him. He pressed his lips to her temple and breathed her in. “It’s okay, baby. You heard the doctor. Everything is fine.”
“I know this is emotional,” Dr. Williams said gently. “Given your history, it’s completely normal to be worried and feel overwhelmed. But everything looks perfect. Strong heartbeat, good size, all his development markers exactly where they should be. Your blood pressure and blood work have all been great. I see no problems with your placenta. You’ve nearly finished your first trimester, which greatly reduces the risk of future miscarriage. You and baby are both doing fantastic.”
Haisley nodded gratefully, but her tears fell faster. Nash stroked her hair, his own eyes burning.
“I’ll give you two a moment,” the doctor murmured as she stashed the wand away and rolled the cart to the side. “Take all the time you need.”
The moment the door closed, Haisley turned her face into Nash’s chest with a sob. “A boy. Another little boy.”
“I know, baby.” He gathered her close, his own tears falling into her hair. “He’s healthy. He’s strong. And this time, we’re both here for him.”
She lifted her head, her blue eyes swimming. “I’m scared.”
“Me, too, baby.” He brushed his thumb across her damp cheek. “But I won’t let anything happen to either of you.”
“Promise?”
“With everything I am.” He kissed her forehead, then her tearstained cheeks, before capturing her trembling lips. When he finally lifted his head, he managed a smile. “Trees is going to be insufferable about having a nephew to spoil. And Laila just wants a playmate for her kids.”
That drew a watery laugh from her. “Madison, too. She’s already planning sleepovers with her kids.” She touched her belly. “Speaking of Madison, I should call her.”
“Why don’t you do that from the car? I need to head to the office. Got a meeting.” And he wasn’t sure why the bosses had encouraged him to bring Haisley.
“Oh, that’s right.” She sniffled. “We’ll get going.”
With a soft, lingering kiss, Nash helped Haisley clean up and straighten her clothes. Then, hand in hand, he led her to his truck. Haisley dialed her bestie to give her the good news while he drove in silence, basking in his bride-to-be’s happy conversation, his free hand resting on her belly.
By the time they arrived at the office, the whole team had assembled. Hunter, Logan, and Joaquin stood at the head of the conference table while Trees lounged nearby with Laila perched on the arm of his chair, her own baby bump starting to show. One-Mile leaned against the wall, seeming to watch everyone with his sharp stare. Zy stood beside him and muttered something that made the badass sniper laugh. Matt and Madison sat close together, his hand protective over her growing belly. Kane and Gracelyn were there too, sharing secret smiles that made Nash smile.
But it was Ethan who caught Nash’s attention. His usually cocky roommate looked uncharacteristically serious as he helped Kaylee Wright into a chair. The girl still looked fragile, but something in her eyes had changed. Maybe it was the way she leaned into Ethan’s touch instead of flinching. Maybe it was the tiny smile she gave him when he settled beside her.
“How’d it go?” Trees asked the moment Nash and Haisley sat down.
“It’s a boy,” Nash answered, his voice rough. “Healthy and strong.”
A chorus of congratulations filled the room. Laila burst into happy tears, which set Haisley off again. The sisters-in-law-to-be hugged while Nash and Trees shared knowing looks. Madison joined the girl hug, and Matt just shook his head with an indulgent smile.
Karliah eased into the room and took a chair at the table like one of the guys. Nash waved. He hadn’t seen her since leaving the Velvet Cove. What was she doing here?
“All right, people.” Hunter’s voice cut through the celebration. “Let’s get down to business. Joaquin?”
Their stepbrother opened a thick folder. “The feds just finished processing all the data from the Velvet Cove’s servers. Between that and Kane’s footage from the masquerade, they’ve identified over two hundred wealthy clients. Thirty-seven arrests so far, including three senators, two Fortune 500 CEOs, and that Grammy-winning artist. More coming daily.”
“What about the women?” Haisley asked, her hand squeezing Nash’s. “Amy?”
“All accounted for,” Logan assured her. “Amy is in a treatment program in Arizona. She’s doing well, all things considered. The other women are receiving medical care, counseling, whatever support they need. The feds are working with international authorities to track down past victims, too. That’s going to take time, but they’re committed.”
“And the babies?” Haisley’s voice caught. “The ones they sold?”
“DNA testing has already reunited six infants with their mothers,” Joaquin said. “They seem to be spread all over the globe, but the task force is prioritizing finding the others.”
Kaylee cleared her throat. “I… I started a support group. For the survivors.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it held steel. “Some of the women from the island… We meet online twice a week. It helps…having others who understand. So if you find more, if you talk to them…”
“We’ll send them your way,” Hunter insisted gently. “You have my word.”
She couldn’t meet his stare; she still seemed afraid of most men. But she smiled. “Thank you.”
Ethan’s expression softened as he looked at her. Nash recognized that look—it was the same way he looked at Haisley. His playboy roommate had fallen hard. But she had both a lot of healing and a lot of growing up to do. Hell, she was just finishing her freshman year of college…and he was a notorious manwhore. How was that going to work?
“Speaking of support,” Hunter cut in, “Karliah is joining EM Security full-time. We could use someone with her expertise, especially since we’ve been approached with non-government-approved trafficking investigations.”
“Congrats! Couldn’t stay away, huh?” Kane teased.
Karliah grinned. “What can I say? You guys grew on me like a fungus.”
“Good. I liked the way you cut my hair,” Nash teased.
Haisley elbowed him. “You do not talk like that to one of my bridesmaids.”
Everyone laughed.
Until Xander and Javier Santiago strode into the conference room, slick in designer suits.
Silence fell over the room. So this meeting wasn’t a simple wrap-up of the Velvet Cove mission. Judging from the heavy expressions on the Santiago brothers’ faces, something big was about to go down.
Logan rose to meet them with backslaps and bro-hugs. Rumor was, the younger Edgington brother was friends with Xander from way back. “Look who crawled out of the DC swamp.”
“To come spend time in a real one,” Javier quipped back.
“True that.” Hunter offered the brothers a hearty handshake.
Joaquin, a man of few words, followed suit.
Xander grinned. “London insisted we take a break. Our lovely wife is soft and sweet…until she puts her dainty foot down. And she wanted to visit her cousin Alyssa for spring break. So she and the kids are settling into the house for the duration.”
“Three kids under five.” Javier shook his head. “I never thought my brother and I would become so...domestic.”
“I didn’t, either,” Logan laughed. “But one look at her, and you were both screwed.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Xander scowled. “Like Cherry doesn’t have you wrapped around her little finger.”
Logan winced. “Do not let Tara hear you call her that. She’ll kill me.”
“Oh, I know.” Xander’s scowl turned into a smug grin that really seemed to piss Logan off. “Don’t think I won’t use it against you.”
Javier cleared his throat, directing his gaze across the table full of operatives. “Speaking of domestic, we’ve come to provide a little background for you all.”
The wives and girlfriends seemed to sense the shift in mood. Without a word, Madison, Laila, Kaylee, and Gracelyn rose and exited. Haisley squeezed Nash’s hand before following them out.
Once the door closed behind them, Ethan leaned an elbow on the table, brow raised. “Background for what?”
Xander leaned against the conference table. “I assume you’ve all heard about Gideon Sterling?”
Nods circled the room. The mysterious disappearance of the billionaire’s plane over the North Atlantic had dominated headlines for days.
“Tragic accident,” Matt said. “He was brilliant. Eccentric as hell, but brilliant.”
“And richer than hell,” Nash put in.
“Yeah. Born with a silver spoon, but never acted like it,” Kane added. “Actually gave a damn about making the world better.”
“How does a man who can buy all the best—even mechanics—mysteriously disappear over the ocean due to mechanical failure?” Trees asked. “Since they never found the wreckage, they can’t even investigate.”
Ethan nodded. “Valid question. When you put it like that, it seems awfully suspicious.”
“It should because there’s more to the story.” Javier’s voice was grim. “A lot more.”
Hunter cleared his throat. “What we’re about to tell you cannot leave this room.” His gaze swept the assembled operatives. “Before his death, Sterling approached Javier and Xander, looking for security operatives they trusted implicitly. They recommended us.”
“We’d been negotiating behind the scenes for weeks. Sterling wired payment for twenty-four seven protection for three months,” Logan added. “But now…”
“Now his sons want to know if we’ll honor the agreement,” Joaquin finished.
Ethan frowned. “Sons? Sterling didn’t have children. His wife was killed years ago when she was pregnant, and he never remarried. Hell, he was a notorious recluse.”
“That’s what we thought, too. Turns out, Sterling had five sons.” Xander’s voice was firm. “He adopted them twenty-five years ago from all over the world, then kept it quiet to protect them.”
“His eldest, Graven Caldwell, is based in DC,” Javier explained. “He’s asked us to send operatives to protect him and his brothers, and help gather intel while they investigate their father’s murder.”
“Murder?” Kane’s eyes narrowed. “They think he was offed?”
Javier shook his head. “They know it.”
“Jesus…” Nash whistled. “So all the speculation about what will happen to the Sterling fortune and holdings?—”
“Everything was spelled out in a will kept under lock and key. His sons have all been notified about the businesses, properties, and other holdings he bequeathed to them.”
Hunter nodded. “It’s explosive. They need our best. This is likely to be a long mission. And deadly. Volunteers?”
Ethan’s hand shot up. “Sounds up my alley. I’m in.”
No shock there. Ethan loved the danger. And Nash had a suspicion that he knew Kaylee needed time and space to grow up—space he didn’t seem inclined to give her lately.
“Me, too.” Kane didn’t hesitate.
Matt grimaced. “With Madison pregnant again, unless you really need me…”
“Same,” Nash put in. “Plus, with the wedding and all…”
He and Haisley were just settling into life again. She was finally not having nightmares all the time. Leaving her now was too risky.
Trees grimaced. “Laila is having some trouble with this pregnancy. I’d rather not leave her.”
One-Mile and Zy, both of whom had been silent until now, exchanged a glance. Between them, they had a passel of kids—and more on the way.
“We understand,” Hunter assured them.
Logan waved One-Mile and Zy away. “If we need a sniper or a demolitions expert, we’ll call on you for spot situations.”
“Ten-four.” One-Mile saluted.
“Thanks.” Zy nodded.
“You got it,” Hunter assured, then turned to Ethan and Kane. “Oracle is sending Trevor and Ghost to assist on this mission. But I want you two to understand the risks. Whoever killed Sterling wasn’t afraid to take out one of the world’s most high-profile men. They won’t think twice about eliminating a few ex-military operators based out of bum-fuck Louisiana.”
“Exactly,” Javier seconded. “Next week our jet will take you to DC.”
“We’ve got an apartment you can crash in until Graven and his brothers give you more specific orders,” Xander added.
“What can you tell us about his brothers?” Kane quizzed.
“Knox Mercer is in knee-deep with the movers and shakers in Austin. Dominik Volkov is based out of St. Petersburg. Henrik Kruger, Berlin. And Zayn Rahimi splits his time between New York and Dubai,” Javier supplied. “All brilliant. All potentially in grave danger.”
“And all determined to find out who killed their father,” Hunter added. “I know you guys are the best. I believe in you. But this won’t be easy.”
“When is it ever?” Kane’s mouth quirked.
“Stay frosty, and stay alive,” Logan ordered. “That’s not a request.”
“Yes, sir.” Ethan wasn’t sporting his usual cocky grin. They all understood the gravity of what they were undertaking.
Joaquin leaned forward. “Since you leave next week, I suggest you get your affairs in order. Now.”
The Santiago brothers rose to leave, exchanging meaningful looks with the bosses.
“We’ll be in touch with more details,” Xander said.
“Good to see you.” Logan hugged his friend for real, then exchanged a handshake with Javier. Hunter and Joaquin followed suit.
As the Santiagos exited, the women filtered back in, their chatter lightening the room’s heavy atmosphere. Nash watched Haisley retake her seat beside him, grateful he could stay here to protect her and their son. His mind briefly wandered to Kane and Ethan. What dangers lurked for them in DC?
Madison’s excited squeal pulled him back to the present. “Two weeks! I can’t believe you’re getting married in two weeks!”
Haisley’s eyes widened. “I know! I hope Charli will be okay. I’m sure it’s hard to be a bridesmaid when she’s in the middle of a divorce.”
“She’s much better now that Daniel is gone. And not for anything would she miss standing up with you while you tie the knot.”
“Thanks for always having the good answers and cheering me up.”
“What are besties for?” Madison flashed her dimples. “It’s going to be a busy two weeks!”
Nash squeezed Haisley’s hand. They’d talked about waiting, about giving themselves time to heal, but in the end…They’d wasted enough time apart. They both wanted their forever to start ASAP.
“Small ceremony,” Haisley reminded her friend. “Just family.”
“We are family,” Trees rumbled. “All of us.”
Murmurs of agreement filled the room. Nash looked around at these people who had risked everything to help him save Haisley. His brother. His team. His family.
The meeting wrapped up, updates given, plans made. As people began filtering out, Nash pulled Haisley close and buried his face in her hair.
“You okay?” she whispered.
“Better than okay.” He lifted his head to meet her eyes. “I love you. Both of you.”
Her smile was radiant as she guided his hand to her belly. “We love you, too.”
“Two weeks,” he murmured against her lips. “Then you’re stuck with me forever.”
“Promise?”
He kissed her deeply, pouring all his love and hope and determination into it. “Promise with all my heart.”