47. Easton
Easton
Wyatt peers over Gwen’s shoulder at me, jaw tense and mouth closed in a tight line. I stare quietly back, even though my heart is liable to explode in my chest.
What I really want to do is agree with him. Get on my knees and beg Gwen to stay here where it’s safe. We can build bulletproof walls to surround her. Never let anyone go near her ever again.
But I can’t.
A cage isn’t what she needs, and my support is what she wants. So, I have to give her that. Use my body as a shield when we step out of this hotel. Me in front, her dad behind her. Falcon flanking her sides.
“So?” Gwen prompts again, and I look over at Carter, Gray, and Natasha patiently watching on.
Carter’s sudden “maybe pull Camila in” consideration didn’t do wonders for my nerves. But he won’t let us step a foot out of this place unless he’s certain our asses are covered, so I’m choosing to put my energy there.
Wyatt’s staring at Gwen like she’s still his little girl. The one he never got to raise and can’t fathom losing now that he’s got her. I can’t even imagine what he’s going through. “I hate this,” he says low and deep.
“I know you do,” she whispers.
“But . . . if the president agrees, and—”
“Thank you!” she rushes out before he can give his ultimatums, throwing her arms over his shoulders.
“Any chance I can convince you to stay here?” he asks Natasha as he hangs on to his daughter like she might evaporate if he lets go.
“Not a one. Tessa can take care of Emory while we spin up.” I’m not shocked by Natasha’s decision. She may not be Gwen’s mother, but the bond they share is just as solid. “And you need someone behind a keyboard right there with you just in case shit goes sideways.”
“Shit better not go sideways.” Wyatt releases Gwen, and she hurries over to me.
She grips my hand and peeks up at me, relief in her eyes.
“Trouble,” I mouth, then bend in and almost kiss her. Fak. I immediately step back, remembering we have eyes on us.
“We’ll have Reapers overhead and armored vehicles escorting us out of here,” Carter says, cutting through some of the tension. “And I trust Malachi and his people to watch over our families while we’re gone.”
“Maybe keep someone from our team behind? Like Oliver since Mya’s pregnant?” I suggest. “Or Constantine?”
“Your sister will want her husband to have your six. She’s stubborn like my wife.” Carter’s right about that. “I’ll have Oliver stay. Nash’ll come with us in case we need a pilot while you’re with Gwen in custody.”
Good call.
Wyatt looks back at Gwen. “I almost lost you twice in the last six months,” he huffs out. “I won’t survive nearly losing you again.”
Same.
Fucking same.
Emotion rattles something loose in my chest, and I have to swallow back the pain pushing up and into my throat.
“You won’t lose me.” She bumps her shoulder into my arm. “You’ll both be right next to me.”
He targets me again, eyes narrowed and intense. “I don’t need to ask for your word that you’ll keep her safe.”
“Because you already have it,” I promise. “Every step she takes, I’ll be two in front of her, watching guard.”
“Then let’s do this,” he officially agrees, and I let go of her hand, knowing she needs to hug him again.
She buries her face in his shoulder. “Mum and my brothers still have security keeping an eye on them so no one can attack them to draw me out, right?”
“Of course, but they don’t know about it,” Wyatt responds. “Why?”
“Well, there’s one perk to this plan. When Mum sees me on the news as a hacker, she’s gonna lose her bloody mind.” She lifts her head and the wicked smile on her mouth nearly makes me laugh. She taps her chin with one finger and asks, “Is it wrong that I don’t mind her reputation being ruined?”
Wyatt lets go of her and shockingly cracks a smile of his own. It’s fast and quick, but I spotted it. “She kept you from me for over twenty years. If she cares more about her reputation than her own daughter, and spazzes out about that, then so fucking be it.”
Juliette sits at the edge of the bed, holding my niece, as I pack. “Are you sure about this?”
“I’m not sure about anything other than how I feel about her.” I shove my bag aside and sit next to her, opening my arms so I can hold my niece. Feel the comfort from innocence to help ward off all the bad fighting for space in my head.
She smiles and gently hands her over, careful not to wake her. “Maybe one day you two will have your own little one.”
“God willing.” My shoulders fall forward as emotion works its way into my chest all over again. “Gotta have a few conversations, and I suppose maybe a couple of dates first,” I joke instead of saying what’s really on my mind. Like still being scared of what the future holds for us.
“You don’t need to worry.” She gives my leg a motherly pat. “I mean, I know it’s hard not to, but you have to trust God’s plans for you are always better than your own. And something tells me He’s laid out quite the future for you two.”
I angle my head to stare at her. How did she read my mind and say exactly what I needed to hear?
She lifts her hand in apology, misreading my confused look. “Sorry, don’t mean to get preachy on ya.”
“Maybe a little preaching is what I need.” I exhale. “But how about we wait until after I survive this?” I side-eye her. “Then you can preach to me all you want. I even promise I’ll do my best to listen with an open mind.”
She rests her head on my shoulder and sweeps her thumb under her daughter’s bottom lip. The idea of Gwen having my child is . . .
I have no words, to be honest.
“Constantine will have your back out there. He knows if anything were to happen to you, I’d be a disaster. There’s nothing that man won’t do for me, which means I have total faith he’ll ensure you and Gwen come back safely.”
“Yeah, I would prefer him to stay here with his family, but you’re like everyone else on this floor. Stubborn with a capital S.”
She lightly laughs. “Guilty.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt.” Speaking of stubborn women. “Just wanted to let you know Uncle Gray talked to his dad and the president.”
Juliette waves Gwen in, but she’s busy staring at Illiana in my arms.
“What’d they say?” I ask when she’s yet to continue. My nerves are motherfuckin’ nerving, and I need to know if her plan is a go.
Her beautiful eyes journey back to my face. “The plan is a go.”
Dammit.
She slowly walks over, like she’s worried her footsteps will wake Illiana. “Sydney would like to fly out and join us, but Grandpa said no. Besides, there’s no time.” She grimaces. “Unfortunately, Elaina now knows what’s going on. She eavesdropped on the call with Liam.”
“Shit.” I shake my head. “And?”
“Liam has to watch her like a hawk to ensure she actually swallows her pills.” She frowns. “But in other news, Carter said Sebastian’s joining us in Bern, so that’s good.”
Having Sebastian with us equates to about five to seven extra bodies. So she’s right, that is something.
“It’s his safe house we’re using. Apparently, he bought the boutique hotel for his wife after she fell in love with it when they traveled there last year. They decided to convert it to a vacation property for themselves instead of keeping it as a hotel.”
So that’s where Carter’s head went when we mentioned Bern.
“Sebastian’s willing to risk it getting shot up for us, so that’s nice of him.” She casually raises a shoulder like what she said didn’t just stop my heart from beating.
“There will be no shots fired near you.” The fact I can’t actually prevent that from happening is beside the point. And just the thought is going to kill me.
“Are you all telling Diana’s mom about the plan?” my sister deflects, saving my sanity from checking into the hotel of worst-case scenarios.
“Carter would prefer to keep it from her, just in case she’s still in on this somehow,” Gwen answers.
Not a shocker. I rise, doing my best not to disturb my niece. “When do we leave?”
“In twenty minutes.” She opens her arms. “May I?”
I close the space between us and hand her Illiana. I can hardly breathe at the sight. Gwen rocking a child in her arms, her hips swaying side to side, may be the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.
Juliette stands and wraps a hand over my tense forearm, her way of letting me know she understands the emotional storm happening inside me.
“I’m so sorry your family is in this position because of me,” Gwen says while looking up at my sister, her voice as soft as silk.
“You didn’t do this,” Juliette beats me to saying. “But you’ll be one of the reasons we’re safe when this is all over. I know that for sure.”
Gwen gently hands my niece to my sister, her hair falling into her face, soft strands moving as she does, so I can’t read her expression.
“How’s your dad holding up about all this?” Juliette asks her.
Gwen tucks her hair behind her ears, trying to pull off casual when she’s gotta be far from it. “As to be expected. Losing his bloody mind.”
“Sounds about right,” my sister muses, rocking Illiana in her arms. “Even my son’s nervous, which isn’t like him.”
“For us to do this?” I ask, sliding my hands into my pockets as I turn toward her.
“He doesn’t like you two going out there without him. What can I say? Like father, like son.” She hip-checks me. “You all make a pair. Or, well, one big circle?” She smirks. “Ignore me, I’m tired. Illiana’s been waking up three times a night lately. I think she feels the tension.”
“Shit, I’m sorry,” I say in a hurry, guilt tripping me up.
“No, no, not your fault, either.” Juliette angles her head toward the living room. “Just go say your goodbyes and get back here within a day or two. My worry-battery depletes by hour forty-ish.”
“We’ll make it back in under thirty-six.” And I sure as hell hope I can keep that promise.
I leave my bag behind for now, and we head out of my room and down the hall to find the others. Everyone’s gathered in Carter’s suite like we’re at one big family reunion. Too bad this isn’t the after-party instead of the before-shit-hits-the-fan one.
I make my rounds, ending with Oliver and Mya since they’re both staying behind.
“I hate this.” Mya frowns. “We should be with you.”
Like I said, stubborn women on this floor.
“Sure, sure, you should absolutely go into battle while pregnant.” Oliver rolls his eyes at her.
Mya rolls her eyes right back, then pulls me in for a quick hug. “Keep my girl safe, will you?” She whispers, “Sorry, your girl.”
I swallow, then catch sight of Gwen over her shoulder, mid-hug with Jack’s wife, Charlotte. My breath catches when we lock eyes.
“Does everyone know she’s my girl?” I rasp, barely able to get the words out.
“They do,” Mya murmurs. “Congratulations on being the last ones to find that out.”