Chapter 42
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
NEW YORK CITY, ONE WEEK LATER
“You seriously called the two of us here for this?” Wyatt’s eyes widened at the sight before him. “What makes you think I’ll be able to help you assemble two cribs?” He leaned against the interior of the doorframe in Asher’s home and grinned.
A.J. was already in the twins’ bedroom looking around as if he didn’t have a damn clue how to help. Pieces of the cribs were strewn all over the carpet.
“Well, you can strip and reassemble a rifle faster than anyone I know,” Asher said, eyes on Wyatt. “These beds shouldn’t be hard for you.” Asher had his jeaned legs stretched out on the bedroom floor, a set of instructions on his lap. “And A.J. is here for the comic relief.”
Based on the number of parts in the room, the assembly process would not be so damn easy.
“Maybe try flipping the instructions over to the side in English.” A.J. laughed.
Wyatt pushed away from the doorway and removed his jacket. “And I hate to admit it, but Liam has about a half a second on me. I’m pretty sure he’s been practicing just to gain that time over me, too.”
“Probably has something to do with that wager I made him last month when we were bored and waiting to spin up for an op.” A.J. grinned.
“What wager?” Wyatt asked.
“I bet Liam he couldn’t strip and assemble a long gun faster than you.” A.J. squatted next to Asher and snatched the instructions. “I’d assumed you had it in the bag. You know, prove Echo is better.”
“I’m thinking we need some sort of matchup,” Asher said as Wyatt set his jacket on the white wooden dresser by the door. So far, it was the only piece of furniture in the room aside from a white rocking chair. Pairs of animals were framed on one of the light yellow walls, a Noah’s Ark theme.
And now all he could think about was the fact he’d missed out on Gwen’s life and that she still hadn’t called him.
He had to remind himself that it’d only been seven days. And had he not just gotten back from an op in Venezuela yesterday, he probably would’ve lost his mind sitting around the city staring at his mobile.
“I’m game for that.” A.J. tossed the instructions back at Asher as if they were useless and grabbed a skinny white piece of wood off the floor.
“Anytime,” Asher said with a teasing smile. “So, uh, how’s Natasha?”
“Talked to her last night when we got back. She’s good. Just frustrated.” Echo Team had to rescue two Americans who’d been illegally detained by a private militia group, and fortunately, the mission had been a success. A walk in the park compared to chasing down The Knight.
“Did she take any heat about being a badass and going rogue?” A.J. asked, his tone casual.
“Nah. Director Spenser covered for her. He said she was working undercover for him to prevent any leaks. Good thing we have him in our pocket.” Wyatt smiled. “She’d quit before she let her father step in and bail her out.”
“Is that weird that her old man is working with us now?” Asher cocked a brow.
“Yeah, but no stranger than having Knox’s dad as POTUS,” Wyatt quipped.
“Touché, brother.” A.J. tipped his head to the side. “You tell her you love her yet?”
“He just met her.” Asher glanced at Wyatt. “Well, I guess you’ve had a few bump-ins in the past. Come to think of it, that’s sort of how we all roll, right? We fall quick and hard.”
“Except you and Knox.” A.J. peered at Asher. “You boys waited too damn long to make a move.” He discarded whatever he’d been holding and sat in the rocking chair, which was a bit snug for his frame.
“So, do you?” Asher angled his head to the side, waiting for Wyatt to answer. “And does she know?”
“I haven’t told her,” he admitted, but his feelings for her were undeniable.
“So, A.J.’s right. You do love her,” Asher commented. “I knew beneath that rough exterior there was a softy.”
“Softy my arse.” Wyatt grinned.
“And look who’s talking.” A.J. pointed at Asher. “That MMA fighting shit you do is just an act to hide the fact you’re the biggest teddy bear of us all.”
Asher flung a piece of wood A.J.’s way, but he snatched it in front of his face.
“Yeah, well, Jessica doesn’t want me fighting anymore. She wasn’t too happy to find out I stepped into a cage back in December.” Asher reached for the instructions again.
Wyatt grimaced. “Sorry again. That was my fault.” After far too many rounds of whiskey, he’d thought it would be a good idea to let off some steam at an underground fight club.
“Not just a softy, but you’re whipped, too.” A.J.’s lip quivered as he attempted to suppress a laugh.
“Says the guy who hasn’t even looked at another woman since you met that FBI agent last fall,” Asher shot back. “And you’re too chicken to actually call her up and ask her out.”
“Yeah, what are you waiting for, anyway?” Wyatt asked.
“I may have done some research. A bit of Googling and—”
“You Googled her?” Wyatt’s brows shot up in surprise.
A.J. rolled his eyes. “Yes, and it looks like she just got divorced a few months ago. I figure there’s like a waiting period before you can date again, right?”
“Maybe if she lost her husband in a tragic accident, but . . .” Wyatt cocked his head, smiling. “Damn, you really like her, don’t you? You don’t want to be a rebound.”
“Shouldn’t we be talking about Natasha?” A.J. pointed to the crib parts on the floor. “Or skip to the part where I make fun of you two as you attempt to put these things together?”
And back to the cribs. “Why’d you call me instead of someone who has done this crib assembly thing before?” Wyatt squinted at Asher. “Who asked you to distract me?”
He did need a distraction, though. He was anxiously waiting for Natasha to lock up her case before he went to visit her.
The account Balan had hacked in Sweden had belonged to Kate Ward, and given the money was a close match to what had been financially gained off the hacks over the years by The Knight—plus, with Kate having no way of proving how else she may have acquired the three hundred million—it’d been enough for the FBI to hold the Wards.
Unfortunately, Kate and Felix were only placed on electronic monitoring while the Agency and FBI worked to get more evidence for the case.
As for Jasper, he was back in MI6’s custody.
His family and sister were safe, and apparently, Balan had lied to him, and they’d never been in danger.
But as for what MI6 planned to do with him, Wyatt wasn’t sure.
The idea of Jasper working for any government agency again as a free man made him sick, so with any luck, Natasha would find more evidence to send him away as well.
“So, fess up. Who told you I needed the distraction?” Wyatt asked again.
“Who do you think?” Asher pointed to A.J.
Of course. “Yeah, well, we’re going to need more of the guys for this. And if anyone can make sense of the instructions, it’s Roman.”
“Tell him to bring beers. I’m all out,” Asher ordered while getting onto his knees and snatching the instructions again.
“You’re still looking at the Mandarin side of the instructions,” A.J. said with a laugh while Wyatt grabbed his phone.
“A lot of beers,” Asher grumbled.
“You ever imagine this would be our lives?” Wyatt asked, taking a moment to appreciate the situation before he phoned Roman and corralled the troops for an assist. “That we’d wind up on a crib-making mission?”
Asher’s gaze cut to Wyatt. “No, but now I couldn’t imagine a world where this wouldn’t be happening.” He grinned from ear to ear. The big guy was a softy, wasn’t he? “I’m gonna have twins.”
“And I have a twenty-year-old daughter.” Wyatt squeezed the phone in his hand, his thoughts drifting back to Gwen.
“Maybe after Natasha’s wrapped up her case, you two will have some time to make a baby. At the very least, get a hell of a lot of practice in,” A.J. commented.
“You know,” Wyatt said with a nod, “that’s not a bad idea at all.” He eyed the crib parts, “But first reinforcements and—”
“The beer,” Asher finished with a laugh.