Chapter 4
Gertie’s Wise Words
Wire
Wolfie’s glad to see me, and as soon as I open the door, he brushes up against my legs, waiting to be petted.
I come down on my haunches and give Wolfie the attention he needs.
I found him when we raided a farmhouse. There were six puppies in total.
I took it upon myself to find them all homes, but I couldn’t bear to give Wolfie away.
Having a dog doesn’t suit my lifestyle when we’re called away on a mission, but Kailyn, Maya, and Sadie have been great about coming over and taking care of him when it can’t be helped.
Wolfie follows me around as I pack more clothes into my bag and cart the necessities to make Wolfie comfortable at Remmi’s place. He happily hops into the truck, waiting for his road trip.
Rebel took the women grocery shopping and is now outside getting the bags out of the trunk.
From the half dozen bags in his arms, I can see we’re going to have more food than we need.
Wolfie gets excited when he meets new people, and I don’t want him bounding toward Remmi and knocking her off her feet.
He’s friendly and mostly well trained, but I haven’t gotten him to tamp down his eagerness yet.
Wolfie tugs at the leash, but I keep a tight hold, and he lets out a bark to get Remmi’s attention. She whips around, her focus going directly to my dog, who whimpers, begging to be let go.
“Calm down, boy,” I state firmly. “Sit.” Wolfie does as he’s told. “Remmi, come here, baby.” She comes closer. “Hold out your hand, let him smell your scent.” Wolfie takes a sniff, then nudges her hand, urging her to stroke his soft fur.
Remmi goes down on her knees to snuggle Wolfie. “Hey, Wolfie. It’s nice to meet you. You’re so soft and furry. Such a handsome boy. That’s what you are,” she coos.
Jesus, I’m jealous of my own dog!
“I can leave him outside if he’s in your way for now, and he can roam for a while, while you do what you have to do in here,” I say.
“No way!” she exclaims. “Wolfie’s part of the family.”
I take Wolfie’s leash off. “I’m going to go grab the rest of the stuff out of my car.
” I stand, bringing her with me. “Don’t worry, Wolfie will explore, then settle in a spot he’ll call his own.
” Remmi gives my hand a squeeze, then starts back toward the kitchen to where Sadie is unloading the bags Rebel set down.
Wolfie follows her. It’s clear he’s decided that his job is to look after Remmi.
He plops down beside her while she works in the kitchen.
Phoenix and Kailyn are the first to arrive. Kailyn falls in love with the art pieces that Remmi has around the room.
“If you like these, I’ll take you to my workshop out back, and you can take a look around,” Remmi offers.
“I’m in!” Kailyn quickly agrees.
“Better wait for Maya,” Phoenix suggests. Then, right on cue, Bull and Maya come through the door, with Gertie leading the way. “Now that’s timing.” Phoenix laughs, as do the rest of us.
Gertie doesn’t hesitate to make her way over to where Remmi and I are sitting. Remmi quickly rises to greet her new guests. The room goes very quiet. Gertie stops right in front of Remmi, reaching up to cup her cheeks with her hands. Remmi bends to accommodate Gertie’s tiny frame.
“Such a beautiful soul,” Gertie says, her eyes locked with Remmi’s. “I see they hurt you, my child, but Wire will help you heal.”
“He already has, ma’am,” Remmi responds, giving Gertie a shy grin.
Gertie returns with a smile of her own. “Not quite, my dear, but you’ll get there.
” Gertie scans the room and looks at the rest of the crew.
“Wire and Remmi aren’t moving into the building,” Gertie says, apparently coming to the conclusion that Remmi and I will not be joining the other couples that have made the apartment complex their home.
She sighs, then her gaze turns to me. “I’m an old woman, and that means you’re going to have to pick me up and drop me home,” she states, and finishes with “Feed me. Falcon is late. Again.”
I hug Gertie. “It’ll be a pleasure to be your chauffeur, Ms. Gertie.” She pats my cheek. “You’re a good man, Wire, but you need to have that talk with your woman. She needs to know what makes you who you are.”
“I know,” I say. Gertie gives me a firm nod, letting me know she believes me.
“Remmi was going to take us out to her workshop to look at some of her pottery work. Do you want to come along?” Kailyn asks.
“I’m coming with you,” Gertie decides, but picks up a smoked salmon and cream cheese appetizer and pops it into her mouth before she slides her arm through Remmi’s to walk out with them.
Remmi’s workshop is only a hundred feet away from the main house, but I installed lighting along the walkway leading to it.
I’ve also got security cameras installed inside and around the workshop.
I have the app on my phone turned on to keep my eye on Remmi and the others.
Bull watches the women through the window.
“How’s it going with Remmi?” Phoenix asks.
“We’re taking it slow. I’ve been holding off telling her how I feel, but I’m done waiting. I plan on talking to her later tonight. I’ll make my intentions clear that if we’re starting something, we both have to be all in,” I tell the guys.
“Don’t think you’re going to get a fight,” Bull chimes in, looking over his shoulder and giving me a sly grin. “That woman is gone for you.”
“I fucking hope so, man,” I say with a chuckle.
Remmi
“These are all so beautiful. I want all of them,” Maya exclaims. She picks up a teal vase featuring a marbling technique that defines the texture and glaze, creating a unique coloring.
“I make new pieces every day, and I want to keep them all. I have a tough time packing them up and sending them off to my vendors,” I say.
Gertie is quiet for a while, then she picks up a deep green lamp. “I’d like to buy this for the baby’s room.”
We all look confused, but Gertie simply looks at Kailyn and asks, “Have you told Phoenix yet?”
“Gertie, there’s nothing to tell,” Kailyn responds, furrowing her brow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Kaylie girl, make an appointment with the doctor. All the practicing for a baby you’ve been doing has paid off,” Gertie says with a giggle.
I laugh too, but not because of Gertie, but because Maya, Sadie, and Kailyn look utterly shocked. Kailyn looks down at her belly, and there’s no baby bump that I can see. Surely, Kailyn would suspect if she were pregnant.
“Kailyn, could you be?” Sadie asks.
“Well, uh…” Kailyn is speechless. When she finds her voice, she says, “Of course it’s possible.” She looks freaked, and I know what that feels like, so I step in.
I touch her arm to get her attention. “From what I see, Phoenix would be thrilled to be a father, and he loves you so much that it shows on his face the second you walk into the room. What does it matter, then? If you aren’t, then nothing changes, but if you are, then there’s nothing more precious than a baby to join in the love that you and Phoenix have for each other. ”
“We’ve talked about having a baby,” Kailyn replies.
“Good, because you’re having one,” Gertie says firmly. “Now wrap up my lamp because it’s going in the baby’s room.” She hands me the lamp, and I do as she asks, because you really can’t say no to the adorable and very wise old woman.
It seems that Maya, Sadie, and Kailyn really like my work because they all pick out an item or three to take home with them. I’m glad they like my creations, but I don’t want them to feel obligated in any way, and I tell them so.
It’s wise old Gertie who steps forward and speaks for them all.
“You don’t value your own worth, my girl.
These things”—she waves her hand around my space—“they’re art.
You’re an artist. You create with love and pour your heart and soul into each piece.
It shows. From what Wire’s told me, you make a pretty good living at it.
You can’t keep enough stock, and the orders keep coming in.
The right people buy your things because they see their worth.
You’ve earned your success, so hold your head up high and enjoy it. ”
Those words hit home. Tears well up in my eyes because they feel so good to hear.
Mom and Dad have always been proud of me, but they’re my parents, and they support me in whatever I choose.
Listening to Gertie, someone who has known me for less than a day, validates that my dedication to my craft does shine through in my pottery.
“Thank you, Gertie,” I say quietly, then in a louder voice and with a shy grin, I go on to say, “That will be seventy-five dollars. I’m giving you the friends-and-family discount.”
Gertie bursts out laughing and hands me cash, squeezing my hand. “It’s worth at least double. But I’ll take the deal.” She’s not wrong. I sell this lamp to retailers for at least a hundred dollars, and I’m sure they would mark it up to make a profit.
Kailyn’s head is still clearly swimming with wonder when we go back into the house, but we come in to see a really tall, large-framed guy and my friend Mina arguing with each other.
As soon as the man turns around, I recognize him.
It’s the leader of Storm, the man they call Falcon.
He doesn’t look a bit upset, but more amused.
This does not bode well for him because Mina is not amused and looks like she wants to throttle him.
Her five-foot-two-inch frame is ridiculously petite next to Falcon, who is at least a foot taller, if not more. While Falcon gives a short wave to acknowledge our entering the room, Mina is oblivious, directing her anger at the big guy in front of her.
“You spent twenty minutes interrogating me outside and wouldn’t let me pass, and now all you can say is ‘It’s my job.’” She uses a deep, throaty voice, trying to mimic a man’s tone, probably Falcon’s, and failing miserably.
Falcon crosses his arms and stares down at Mina’s beautiful but pissed-off face and smirks. “I thought you’d be glad that people are looking out for your girl.”
Mina’s dark hair whips around as she turns and points at Wire. “That’s his job.”
Without missing a beat, Falcon says, “This is my family. All these men and their families are my family. I’m not going to apologize for being careful when I know the hell Remmi’s been through, and I’ll be damned if anyone gets another stab at hurting her.
If you want to be pissed, go right ahead.
I don’t know you, and I was taking precautions.
You were sneaking through the back, and I did what I had to do to stop you. ”
Mina’s eyes are wild with fury. “You threw me over your shoulder and carried me into the house. You scared the shit out of me. Maybe you’re forgetting that I don’t know you either, and carrying me off as you did was terrifying,” she exclaims.
Falcon tilts his head, watching her carefully, then he touches her cheek with the back of his hand, and suddenly, Mina’s eyes soften, her lips part, and she goes perfectly still.
“It was never my intention to scare you. I saw what I thought was a threat and acted. No woman should ever have to feel that kind of fear, and for that, I’m sorry,” Falcon says. Since I met Mina, she’s never been at a loss for words, but she can’t seem to do anything but lock eyes with Falcon.
The whole room feels the tension, and I need to do something about it. I break free from the ladies and go to Mina. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been holding out on taking your dip out until you got here. Come and help me in the kitchen.” I tug at her hand to force her feet to move with me.
Gertie
As I sit in the most comfortable chair in the room, because Wire wouldn’t have it any other way, nor would any of the others, I can feel the connection between Wire and Remmi.
Wire hides nothing about who he is or what he does.
He knows his place on the team and has a firm sense of how he wants to live his life.
Remmi has been shaken to the core by what happened to their family.
Being abducted was only part of the trauma.
Being drugged and threatened over and over again has turned her into a frightened rabbit.
But she has spunk! There’s passion deep in her eyes, and it becomes a fire whenever she looks at Wire.
Those two are meant for each other, if Remmi can accept that danger is a part of Wire’s life. When you love someone, the fear of losing them will either make you stronger to support them or tear you apart for fear of the pain of losing them.
Remmi arrives with a tray of homemade snickerdoodle cookies.
“Gertie, would you like another?” she asks. I’ve already had three, but I reach for two more. My doctor would pitch a fit and go on a rant about blood sugar, and blah, blah, blah. I promise myself that tomorrow, I’ll forgo the cookies with my tea to make up for the extra cookies tonight.
“Thank you, sweetie.” I clasp her wrist before she moves on.
She bends down closer to listen. “You have it in you, you know. We can never take away the awful memories those men created, but we can fill them with better ones. If you stick with Wire, he can do that for you. But you have to let him fight the bad guys to make others safe.”
“I don’t want to change him, Gertie,” she replies softly.
“I know, child. But he will be called away, sometimes for a day, and other times for a week. Those days will be hard, and you’ll worry, but you have to understand that this is who he is and who he’s meant to be.
These men, they slay dragons to keep all of us safe.
It works because these brothers are committed to one another. ”
“How can I not worry? I’m falling in love with him,” Remmi says, biting her lip.
“Trust. When you feel the angst, and you will, because that is very normal, call your girls. They’ll see you through. Will you do that for me?” I ask.
“Can I call you?”
“Absolutely.” I pat her hand. “Now get these cookies away from me before I take any more.”
Remmi gives me a shy grin and sneaks another onto my plate. That means two days with no sweets, but what the heck.
Remmi moves away, opening my line of sight to her friend Mina, who, after I had a nice chat with her, explained that her name is actually Filomena, but in school, she shortened it to Mina.
She’s an exotic beauty with olive skin and high cheekbones, and a full, wide mouth.
Her long, dark hair is like a thick blanket framing her delicate facial features. She’s stunning!
I can see that I’m not the only one who sees her beauty, because on the far side of the room, appearing to be chatting away with Wire and Bull, Falcon constantly looks in Mina’s direction. And Mina seems to be gazing steadily at the group of men huddled together.
There’s a slow burn happening, one that will scorch them both if they’re not careful.