Chapter 11
BELLA
It’s early when I wake the next day, curled around Copper like I am most mornings. Not that he’s ever mentioned it. We always fall asleep on opposite sides of the bed, but during the night, I gravitate towards him.
Not wanting to wake him up, I slide slowly out of bed. He came to bed a few hours after me, wanting to spend as much time as possible with his family. I don’t blame him. If I’d had the chance to spend time with mine, I would’ve done the same thing.
I’ve only had four hours of sleep, but now that I’m awake, I know I won’t drift off again. I’ve always been like that. Once I’m up, my brain refuses to switch off.
I tiptoe to the saddlebags Copper brought in last night.
Finding my leggings, I pull them on, followed by thick socks and a fleece over my T-shirt.
I open the door and slip into the silent hallway.
All the bedroom doors are still shut, so I assume everyone is still asleep until I enter the kitchen to see Thea and her little girl.
Shea sits in a highchair, shovelling cereal into her mouth, and Thea looks exhausted.
“Morning,” she greets as I walk in.
“Morning, Thea.”
Shea eyes me as if she’s not sure how to react to this new person who’s appeared in her life.
I so feel that, baby girl.
I get the coffee started, and seeing that Thea’s mug is nearly empty, I refill it with tea from the pot on the side before sliding it onto the table. She lifts her head from her arm and looks at me blearily. “Thanks, Bella.”
I smile. “You’re welcome.”
Tired mums are nothing new to me. Many of the Crow Old Ladies seemed to get pregnant and give birth at the same time, so I got used to seeing sleep-deprived women ambling around the kitchen at the manor, going about their day with eyes half shut.
Opening the fridge, I look inside and see breakfast tray bakes ready to go in the oven.
Maggie must have brought them with her. The container of pancake mix makes me smile because it’s not something we Brits typically have for breakfast. That’s not to say I don’t know how to make them. I love them as much as anyone else.
Shea bangs her spoon on the table, and Thea jerks as if she was nodding off.
“If she’ll stay with me, you can go back to bed,” I offer.
“No.” Thea sighs and stands, rubbing her hands over her face. “Thanks for the offer, but if I go back to bed now, I’ll feel like shite when I wake up in a few hours. What are you doing?” she asks as she plucks Shea from the highchair and takes her to the sink to clean her up.
“I’m getting started on breakfast,” I reply, taking a sip of my coffee before setting it down near the stove. “Not that I’ll need to do much other than cook the bacon, sausage, and pancakes. Maggie made breakfast casseroles for the rest.”
I turn to look at Thea, who has Shea propped on her hip. This house isn’t exactly babyproof. “There’s a travel cot in the storeroom off the garage. Do you want me to get it so Shea can play safely? I’m sure I have some plastic bowls and wooden spoons around here somewhere she can play with.”
Thea looks relieved. “That would be grand, thank you. Her toys are in our room, but I don’t want to wake Coal. I hate when they ride tired.”
“It’s no bother,” I assure her, walking towards the door that leads to the garage.
Ten minutes later, I’ve got the travel cot up, and Shea is happily banging away with the plastic bowls. I smile down at her.
“You’ve done this before.” Thea remarks.
“I have,” I agree. “Many times.”
A pang of sadness hits me as I think of my nieces and nephews. They will have grown so much over the last few years, and I’ve missed it all.
Shaking off my melancholy, I turn back to the stove to prepare the sausage and bacon.
“I’ll get the weapons Copper ordered,” Thea says, finishing her tea. “You can have a look and see if you need me to make any changes.”
I nod. “Sounds good.”
Thea goes to the lounge and grabs a duffel bag from the top of the bookcase. Bringing it back to the kitchen, she places it on the table and opens it. I check the sausage and bacon, making sure they don’t burn as she unpacks.
With breakfast coming along, I peek over Thea’s shoulder.
I’m impressed. These guns are bloody amazing, and I tell Thea so.
They’re lightweight, and she’s brought a variety of sizes, some small enough to wear in an inner thigh holster.
I’ll be much happier going to work with a few of those strapped to me.
While I’m trained to use everyday items as weapons, I like the security of carrying a firearm along with my knives.
Thea lays everything out on the table. We need to clean and reassemble the guns before we can test them. Copper and I can do that tomorrow evening after the gym. I know a place where we can test them.
Thea and I spend a companionable hour cleaning and reassembling all the weapons. I like Thea. We have things in common, like not filling the silence with useless conversation.
I finish breakfast and put it in the warmer while Shea continues to play happily in the travel cot.
I’m surprised and delighted to learn that the boots Noni bought for each girl when she turned eighteen came from Thea. Her mum designed the boots with hidden knife compartments, and Thea turned it into a business.
“Da!”
Shea’s shout interrupts our discussion about our preferred weapon, and we turn to see Copper and Coal enter the kitchen. Copper raises an eyebrow as he takes in the guns scattered across the kitchen table.
“Fuck me, Cop, is there anything hotter than a woman who knows her way around weapons?” Coal remarks.
I blush. Thea smirks.
“Nothing, brother,” Copper agrees.
His gaze is fixed on mine as he stalks towards me. He tugs on my ponytail, tilting my head back, and drops a quick kiss on my lips. Turning to the coffeepot, he fills a mug and sits next to me.
It seems he’s done waiting for me to make up my mind and is now taking charge.
“Here.” Thea opens a side pocket on the weapons bag, pulls out a few boxes, and hands them to Copper.
My eyes widen as he takes them and flips the lids open. “Oh, wow, Thea. These are so beautiful,” I whisper, looking at the exquisite array of jewellery. I gently touch the blue stone inset in a ring mounted with diamonds.
“Thank you. I enjoy making them.” Thea grins.
“Makes a change from designing weapons. And they’re not just pretty—each one has a built-in tracker.
If you pass me your phones, I’ll sync them so you can always find each other.
They’re not real diamonds, by the way—zirconias.
Copper’s ring has black zirconia stones. ”
We pass our phones to Thea so she can set up the apps. Copper takes the ring, and I expect him to slip it onto my right ring finger, but he puts it on my left ring finger. My breath hitches as I stare at it on my hand, wondering if it means what I think it means.
I look up at him to find him watching me.
“One day, I’ll ask you, and I’ll get you a proper ring. Until then, this will be a reminder that you’re wanted and loved,” he whispers in my ear.
Tears prick my eyes as I pick up his ring and slip it onto his left ring finger. I’m aware that Thea and Coal are in the kitchen with us, but I ignore them. This moment is for Copper and me.
I lean into him and whisper, “One day, I’ll say yes, and I’ll claim you with a ring of my own because you are loved, even if I haven’t said the words.”
I pull back slightly, needing to see his face.
His eyes are soft, and a small smile plays on his lips.
A second later, those lips are on mine. I sink into the kiss.
It’s not the first time we’ve kissed, but this one is different.
Hot, possessive, and filled with the promise of what’s to come.
It’s a kiss that makes me feel cherished, wanted, and loved—things I never thought I’d feel again.
Copper rests his forehead against mine as we break apart. “You don’t need to say the words until you’re ready.”
My lips curve in a smile, and I kiss him quickly as I return to reality. Shea is perched on Coal’s knee, and his arm is wrapped around Thea. Their expressions are soft, and I know they’re happy with whatever is building between Copper and me.
My heart is happy, too, and I ignore the pang of hurt that I won’t be able to tell my family.
“I also had Thea make these as extra security in case you’re taken,” Copper says, picking up a bracelet and snapping it closed around my wrist. He then fastens a matching necklace around my neck.
“Let me show you the secret hidden in your bracelet,” Thea says, pushing away from Coal and sitting opposite us.
I give her my wrist so she can remove the bracelet. She tugs at the clasp, and a thin wire emerges from the centre of the silver tube.
“Oh,” I whisper. “A garotte. That’s so cool, Thea.”
“If you open the locket, you’ll find another surprise.”
I flick the clasp and open the locket, smiling when I see what’s hidden there. “You thought of everything.” I show Copper the lock-picking set hidden in the tiny compartment. No wonder the locket is heavy. The tools are small and fiddly, but I’ll practice with them.
“Cahir said you can pick any lock they’ve thrown at you. I figured the more help you had should the shite hit the fan, the better. “
“Shite,” a little voice pipes up.
I stifle a giggle at Thea’s look of dismay.
“Oh, feck,” she whispers, covering her face with her hands.
“Feck,” Shea repeats, bouncing excitedly in a laughing Coal’s arms.
Thea thumps her forehead on the table.
Shea shouts “FECK” again just as Copper’s parents walk in the door.
My giggle becomes a belly laugh, and I collapse against a chuckling Copper.
I love his family. They’re similar to mine in their affection and merciless teasing.
We laugh a lot over the next few hours. I relax and enjoy the happy atmosphere, ignoring the underlying sadness that my family isn’t here to share this with me.
I can only hope that this assignment won’t drag so I can see them soon. But hope is a fickle thing, and I should know better.