Chapter 4 #2
Elsa kissed each of Sydney’s cheeks. “Torna quando vuoi. Due dei miei nipoti hanno messo gli occhi su di te.”
Sydney stared at her, then said, “I got part of that. You said, ‘come back anytime.’”
“Molto bene. Very good,” Elsa said.
Sydney flicked her gaze to Teddy. “Help.”
Teddy translated. “Elsa said, ‘two of my grandsons have eyes for you.’” He winked at her and, damn, if her cheeks didn’t pink.
“You see all, like the wizard in Oz,” Sydney said to Elsa, and the group laughed.
“That’s definitely Elsa,” Luciano said. “The great and powerful nonna.”
Sydney shifted toward Teddy, her heated gaze drilling into his. “See you tomorrow.”
“Absolutely,” Teddy replied.
“Speaking of tomorrow,” Greystone said, “I got a meeting, and you gotta come with.”
Teddy dragged his attention from Sydney to Greystone. “I need to spent time at the restaurant.”
“Our meeting is twenty minutes, max,” Greystone said, “but my ride’s leavin’, so I’ll call you.”
“Where is it?” Teddy asked.
“The White House.”
Beyond The Day of Destruction mission, running the restaurant, and being there for his brothers, Teddy had no life.
As he watched Sydney saunter toward the front door, he had every confidence all that was about to change.
SYDNEY
That evening, as Sydney crawled into bed, her phone binged with a text from Tank.
Pick you up 9 tomorrow night
Meet you there
No pick up?
Meeting a girlfriend for drinks at 7, Hotel Dillinger, then you at club
Knock-knock.
“Come in.” Sydney set her phone on the bedside table.
The door opened, Caroline entered, shut the door, and sat on the edge of Sydney’s queen bed. “Look at you, all tucked in.”
Sydney had six pillows of various sizes all neatly arranged around her, like a fort. She liked squirreling herself away and, most nights, slept with the sheet over her face.
“I missed you a lot,” Caroline said. “I just wanted to say good night.”
“I missed you too.” Sydney rolled toward Caroline, pushed onto her elbow. “Please no loud sexy sounds with Stud-Man. My brain will melt.”
Caroline laughed. “We’ve been practicing the fine art of silent sex.”
Sydney chuckled. “At least one of us is getting some.”
“What’s going on with you and Gabriel… and you and Tank?”
“G and I are buds.”
“What? How?”
“I met him a couple of years ago.”
“Did you date?”
“God, no,” Sydney replied. “He’s not my type, plus I don’t do the hide-the-sausage-thing with people I work with.”
Caroline laughed. “You know, you’re a total weirdo.”
“Thank you.” Sydney sat up. “Update me on your wedding plans.”
Caroline stared at her for the longest time. “I didn’t tell you.”
Sydney shook her head. “I haven’t been here.”
“We’ve been invited to get married at the White House, but we’re waiting until the terrorists are eliminated. No time now to plan a wedding.” Caroline scooted closer. “So, you and Tank. Did you find out why he never texted you?”
Sydney tucked her hair behind her ear. “He did text me, but I gave him the wrong number.” She smiled. “He asked me to the Halloween party at Lost Souls.”
“Yay!” Caroline hugged her. “I love him so much. You’re gonna have the best time!”
Knock-knock.
“Come in, Stud-Man,” Sydney said.
Greystone stuck his head inside. He’d pulled his hair into a man-bun, he was bare chested and in sweat pants. “Hey, Syd, sorry to disturb. Babe, I’m callin’ it.”
“If you don’t climb that tree, I will,” Sydney said. “I’m that desperate.”
Caroline laughed. “Tank asked Sydney to the party at Lost Souls tomorrow.”
“Nice,” Greystone replied. “It’s a closed party, security everywhere.”
“You’re not afraid of a few bad guys, are you?” Sydney teased.
Greystone flashed a smile. “I’m not afraid of anything.”
“That’s the ‘tude,” Sydney said.
Caroline kissed her sister’s forehead. “Love you, sissy. Happy you’re home.”
“Love you back, Car.”
They left, shutting the door behind them.
Sydney relaxed onto the pillows, then sat up and got busy rearranging them before laying back down.
She was happy to be home, but not happy enough to drop her guard.
She’d taken out Todd Petersen, but Crafty Lamar was probably burning the midnight oil looking for Petersen’s killer.
Before closing her eyes, Sydney slid her hand under the pillow on the empty side of the bed. Her fingers curled around her SIG Sauer and she released a sigh.
Years ago, she heard her mom and dad talking about being each other’s best friend. Her mom had joked that diamonds were a girl’s best friend, and her dad had said he was happy to supply her with a never-ending stream of them.
As much as Sydney loved her friends—and she counted her sister as her closest one—her best friends were her weapons. They had been from the moment her dad took her to the range for the very first time.
She doubted she’d ever find anything she loved more than a weapon but, as she drifted to sleep, Tank’s rugged face, chiseled cheeks, and wicked-dark eyes crashed into her thoughts.
But she’d dated handsome men before and that had not worked out. A year ago, she’d told herself she needed more than a good-looking idiot.
I need a man who’s brave. He’s gotta be smart, definitely fierce… and he’s gotta be loyal.
I need the full package.
Is Tank Santini that man?
TEDDY
At one-fifteen the following afternoon, Teddy stopped at the guard station, rolled down his window, and held out his driver’s license. “Theodore Santini for Evelyn Baker.”
The guard took his license. “Do you have any firearms?”
“Yes,” Teddy replied. “I’ll lock it in the safe in my glove box.”
“Lock it up, step out, and wait over there.”
As Teddy exited the vehicle, Greystone pulled up. Two different guards approached him.
“Please remove your suit jacket,” said one of the guards.
Teddy complied.
One patted him down while the second waived a wand over every damn inch of him. He glanced at his vehicle. Two guards, each with dogs, were combing through the truck.
Greystone approached. “You’re gettin’ the royal treatment.”
“I made the mistake of coming armed.”
“If Haqazzii has eyes on us, the bullets are comin’ from a distance.”
“Good to know we won’t see death coming,” Teddy said.
Greystone patted his chest. “I’m in armor. You?”
“Always,” Teddy replied.
One of the guards approached, handed Greystone back his ID. “Good to see you, Commander Santini.”
Greystone slid his ID into his wallet. “How you been?”
“Good, thanks.” The guard regarded Teddy. “Mr. Santini, what’s in the locked case?”
“My weapons,” Teddy replied. “I’m headed to target practice after.”
“Where do you work?” the guard asked.
“I run Santini Ristorante in Old Town, Alexandria,” Teddy replied.
And I’m an ALPHA BLACK OPS.
The guard made his way back to the other guards.
“This is BS.” Greystone pulled out his phone, made a call.
“Evelyn, we’re here, but the guards have a security issue with my brother.” Greystone listened, then hung up.
Seconds later, the phone at the security station rang. The guard answered, glanced over, and hung up.
After he approached, he handed Teddy his ID. “Let me bring you inside.”
Only Greystone has this much power.
The guard handed them off to a woman who escorted them down several hallways.
Teddy flicked his gaze from painting to painting while he peered inside any open office door.
Several staffers were dressed in their Halloween costumes, and he chuffed out a laugh.
He passed a Batman, a Superman, and a Spiderman.
He spotted a woman dressed as a black cat, another wearing a chef’s costume, and a third dressed as a rock star.
For these employees, it was a fun day at the office. For him, it was a chance to visit a building steeped in American history.
The aide stopped in front of an open office door, and a middle-aged woman glanced up from behind her desk. A smile lit up her face and she hurried over.
“Hello, son,” she said to Greystone.
A mix of emotions washed over him. Gratitude toward a woman who took his brother in when he ran away. But something else crept into Teddy’s heart.
Envy.
Their biological mom hadn’t been there for him, but Elsa had been there and that had made all the difference.
“Mom, this is my baby bro, Theodore,” Greystone said. “Teddy, this is Evelyn Baker, White House Chief of Staff.”
Teddy extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Baker.”
While shaking it, Evelyn beamed up at him. “I’m delighted to meet you. Greystone talks about you so often.” She raised her eyebrows. “I read your file. Your family calls you Teddy, but everyone else knows you as Tank. What should I call you?”
“Tank works,” he replied.
“The President is running behind,” she said. “C’mon in. I’ve got a little something for you guys.”
They entered her spacious office. On the small conference table sat a large tray loaded with several delicious-looking sandwiches, some on croissants, others on whole grain.
Next to the sandwiches sat a large bowl filled with fruit salad, along with several cans of flavored sparkling water.
Sitting on the sofa were two black leather overnight bags.
“Help yourself to food,” Evelyn said. “The leather bags are for you.”
“Thank you.” Teddy paused at the table, picked up a china plate with the White House insignia in the center. “This looks great. I’m starving.”
After both men filled their plates, they sat at the small conference table, but not before Teddy opened one of the leather bags. Inside was a bath towel set, a ballpoint pen, a pickleball set, and a watch. All embossed with the White House emblem.
Teddy wasn’t expecting any of this. With a smile, he said, “Thanks for all these gifts. Totally unexpected and definitely appreciated.”
Greystone tossed her a nod. “Thanks, Evelyn.”
“Of course,” Evelyn replied. “Tank, you’re the first family member of Greystone’s that he’s introduced us to. I’ve waited a long time to meet you.”
Teddy couldn’t begin to understand what his brother had had to endure. “I’m glad he had you and your husband.”