11. Sloane
11
SLOANE
M y morning is a whirlwind. I really shouldn’t have let Reese invite Rhett inside. The way he looked around my apartment said that he saw too much of my life as it really is. My place should be littered with moving boxes, but the reality is, we don’t have much.
And most of what I took from Alistair’s is Reese’s.
I shake the thoughts away and pack Reese in my car to get her to school on time.
She looks at me thoughtfully from her booster seat. “Why did your co-worker stay out in his car all night?”
The only downside to having such an intelligent little girl is how observant she is when I don't want her to be. I just want her to have a safe and stable childhood.
I’ve already failed in that regard, but that doesn’t mean I have to break her entire world open to the threats that always seem present as an adult.
“Because he’s paranoid. His job makes him that way.” I steer us onto the highway, scanning for suspicious cars like the one last night. Rhett might have made me a bit more paranoid, too.
“He’s a soldier?”
“Yes. A Navy SEAL.” That much I’d learned from him last night. It is the only explanation for their small team coming in, searching through the computers, and hovering around me as they did yesterday. When he mentioned having dangerous missions, it all clicked into place.
Warren didn’t call them to help figure this out. He called them to keep me out of danger.
A lot of good that did me. With the way those three have been acting, I’m already in the thick of it.
“Why did you push him out the door this morning instead of inviting him to breakfast?”
I sigh. If that’s all she saw, I’m grateful. Because I swear he was about to kiss me. The firm grip he had in my hair sent the kind of pang through me I haven’t experienced in a while. Pleasure at being handled and handled with care.
Such a new concept. A foreign one.
“Because he was being overbearing.” Which is definitely one way of putting it. Sure, I’d stepped into him, but he grabbed me first.
Reese’s features soften as she thinks through that. It takes her a moment to unravel what I mean. She’s such a smart little shit. Finally, she nods at me. “I like him. He seems nice.”
I pull up to her school, thankful we don’t have to unpack any more of what Rhett was doing there and why. Or how very attracted I am to him.
It confirms my type—twice my age and authoritative. Not a good sign when I’m going to be stuck with three of them again today. All day, I imagine. And all of them fit that description.
God, is this what rebounding feels like? I don’t need to or want to throw myself at the next man who crosses my path.
It’s too soon.
Too much the same.
“Duly noted, sweet cheeks.”
Reese laughs as she climbs out of the car. “Bye, Mommy.”
“Have a good day, baby. Be good.”
I wait for her to disappear inside before I’m willing to drive off. Rhett certainly has got me paranoid.
Or maybe it’s the car from last night, the constant texts and calls from Alistair that I can’t block, the man who came in to threaten me at work, Warren’s insistence that I let the men take care of the issues at the warehouse to keep me out of it, or the sinking suspicion that I have no idea what I’m doing.
I’ll never make it on my own.
Huffing, I stiff arm my steering wheel on the way to the base. Once I’m parked in my spot, I will my shoulders to relax and take a deep breath. Today is an improvement from yesterday, so I’ll take that as a win.
I don’t see Rhett’s car. He'd better not have followed me. My search for it is interrupted by four new pings on my phone.
God damn it.
I’m not even out of my car yet, and Alistair sets a bomb off in my morning.
He’s the only one who texts me. And it’s never just once.
Closing my eyes, I push myself back against my seat and imagine telling my ex off—something I’ve never been able to do. My mouth can’t keep up with my thoughts when I’m battling him. He’s too practiced at getting the upper hand, at laying out his argument for why I’m wrong and why I need him to hold my hand. Why I can’t reach the potential he sees for me.
I gag on the overwhelming feeling, my stomach churning through the heavy breakfast burrito.
Edmund knocks on my window.
Waving, I step out of my car to him with a wan smile. “Hey. How’s your mom? You took her to her doctor appointments yesterday, right?”
He smiles, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Yeah. The scans were good. Looks like treatment is working.”
That piece of news gives me some genuine joy. Edmund’s mother is the sweetest little woman. I’ve met her a handful of times over the years. She’s gentle and motherly, just like I’ve always wanted in a mom. What I try to be as one.
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
We share a moment of silent gratitude.
“How’s Reese?”
Sighing with happiness, I say, “Too smart for her own good, and maybe too nice, too. I couldn’t ask for a better little girl.”
“She’s transitioning well?” Edmund’s voice is soft, almost nervous as he asks.
I talk about Reese all the time, but I don’t ever talk about the other parts of my life. I guess my move has been pretty obvious, though. “Okay. She’s resilient, but I guess time will tell. It’s the best move for her. For us both.”
“I’m glad you finally pulled the trigger on that one. You deserve so much better.”
Heat flushes my cheeks and neck. I’m unsure how to respond to that. “Thanks.”
“Of course.” Edmund opens the door for me, and I feel him stall when we step into the office together.
Cole and Shepard have made themselves comfortable in our office, Cole in an empty desk and Shepard behind mine. Again.
“What did I miss?” Edmund asks at my back.
I shrug. “Just people to get in our way. Audit.”
I’m not exactly sure why I lie, but it slips from me easily. Cole’s gaze lifts to mine, and I swear he approves, even though his expression is completely stoic.
It takes a second to tamp down the flutter of heat in my belly when we look at each other. Yup. Rebounding is a strange phenomenon.
But what do I know? I’ve only ever been in one real relationship, and it wasn’t the one that conceived Reese.
I march up to my desk where Shepard is sprawled in my chair. My fists find my hips as I look down at him. “Ugh, so I’m stuck with you again? Where’d Rhett go?”
Shepard smirks. “Stuck with me, sweetheart. Your knight in shining armor has gone home to catch a few Zs.”
Well, that makes sense. He was staked out in front of my apartment building all night. I bet he didn’t take so much as a cat nap, even though he seemed perfectly aware when he came up to my apartment.
Shepard stands and bends close, lowering his voice and winking. “No need to worry, Sloane. Jack’s got your back.”
“How chivalrous.”
He full on grins at me as I sit. It’s a bit devastating.
I push him out of the way and sit behind my desk, putting my bag down and signing in to check on the day’s work. Two deliveries today. At least today won’t be a busy one.
Jack leans on the desk again, looking over my shoulder. He smells like cedarwood and orange blossom.
“You mind?” I ask as he stays hovering in my space.
Edmund gives me a wild look as he settles behind his computer. Do you need help? He blinks at me.
I shake my head. I’m fine, really. Even if this man thrives on being overbearing.
“I’ve been through it all already. No need to be shy.” His mouth is at my ear, and I have to suppress a shiver from the heat of his breath across my neck.
“Then, why do you need to look over my shoulder?”
“Just want to know how to score myself a breakfast burrito. Heard you make a mean one.”
Fucking bastard.