Chapter 6 #2
“It’s nice to meet you both,” I say, keeping my voice gentle. “Emma and Ella. Beautiful names for beautiful girls.”
Mia’s expression softens just enough to let me know she’s listening, even if she’s not ready to let her guard down. Zane straightens, stretching his arms above him as though exhaustion is finally catching up to him. I can tell he didn’t get much sleep last night. I wish he had called me up earlier.
“I’m out,” he says, brushing past me. “Don’t screw this up, Ash.”
“I never do,” I reply, watching as he walks down the driveway. When I turn back to Mia, her eyes are still on me, wary.
The twins chatter like sparrows as Zane’s car pulls away, leaving me standing in the front yard with their mother. I crouch to their level, meeting their curious gazes head-on.
“So you’re Damon’s soldier friend, as well?” Emma asks, her wide eyes gleaming with excitement.
“More like a secret agent. I’m here to keep the bad man away,” I say, glancing at Mia as I talk. She flinches slightly at the mention of “bad man,” so I adjust. “I’m here to help make sure your fortress is extra safe. Lead the way, please.”
“Okay, come with us,” Ella says.
“How about we play a game of Super Secret Agent Academy?” I say. “While we cover the rooms, Agents Ella and Emma will walk me through each one. We’ll go through each nook and cranny. Remember, no detail is too big or small.”
The girls squeal in delight, their earlier shyness evaporating like morning dew. “Yes! Yes!” Emma cries, practically bouncing on her toes. “We know the house inside out. We’ll help you!”
Mia folds her arms, watching us with a mixture of caution and amusement. “If you can get them to listen while checking the house, you’re already earning your keep,” she says to me dryly.
“Challenge accepted,” I reply, straightening with mock seriousness. “All right, agents, lead the way!”
The girls grab my hands, dragging me into the house.
Inside, the house feels small but welcoming, with an organized chaos that only a family with kids could achieve.
The walls are dotted with hand-drawn pictures, the furniture mismatched but functional, and there’s a faint scent of lavender and coffee in the air.
It feels... lived in. Safe, in its own way.
I let the girls lead me room by room, turning every security check into a treasure hunt. They take their roles seriously, especially Emma, who seems born for leadership.
“Agent Emma, what’s rule one of perimeter security?” I ask as we enter the kitchen.
“Check all the windows!” she states with authority, moving to the nearest one and rattling the lock dramatically. Ella follows close behind, scribbling with a crayon on a notebook.
“Excellent work,” I say, giving a small nod. “Agent Ella, your turn. What’s rule number two?”
“Uh...” She hesitates, glancing at her sister.
“Always look for weaknesses,” I prompt gently.
“Always look for weaknesses!” she repeats, her small voice growing more confident.
I catch Mia leaning against the kitchen doorway, her arms crossed but her expression softer than before. Her eyes linger on me, and when our gazes meet, she quickly looks away, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.
We move to the girls’ bedroom next, a cozy space with twin beds and a battalion of stuffed animals guarding the walls. Emma leads me to the window and points dramatically. “Agent Asher, we have a loose latch here!”
“Excellent find, Agent Emma,” I say, crouching by the window. “Now, what do we do if we find a loose latch?”
“Fix it?” Ella guesses, peeking out from behind her sister.
“Exactly,” I say. “Come here, I’ll show you how.”
Ella steps forward hesitantly while Emma hovers, watching closely. I demonstrate how to tighten the latch. Mia steps in to help, and when our fingers brush, it’s like a live wire runs between us. We both freeze for a moment before pulling back quickly.
“Got it?” I ask the girls, my voice a little rougher than before.
Ella nods solemnly. “Got it.”
After the girls lead me through the rest of the house, we finish in the basement.
The basement stairs creak as Mia descends ahead of me, her slender frame lit by the dim bulb overhead.
I’m just a step behind her, scanning the space for potential vulnerabilities.
It’s an old house. Cozy, sure, but not exactly built with defense in mind.
Mia turns to face me. “Be careful, it’s a little dark in here.”
I’m about to suggest reinforcing the back entrance when Mia’s foot catches on the edge of a step.
Time slows as she stumbles sideways, a small gasp escaping her lips.
Instinct kicks in, and I move faster than I thought I could, catching her before she can fall.
My hands close around her hips as I steady her, her body flush against mine.
For a second, the world narrows. Her hands are braced on my chest, her face tilted up toward mine, and I’m struck by how close we are.
Her warm breath brushes my neck, her eyes wide with surprise…
and something else. Something I shouldn’t be noticing.
My fingers tighten instinctively on her hips, and I feel the curves of her body beneath my hands, soft in ways that make my pulse spike.
Heat floods me, primal and immediate. My body reacts before my brain can catch up, and I grit my teeth, silently cursing myself. I’m a professional, dammit. I don’t get distracted.
The twins’ delighted squeals from the bottom of the stairs snap the moment in half. “Mommy, did you fall?” Emma calls, giggling.
Mia’s cheeks turn pink as she pulls back, quickly straightening herself. “No, sweetheart,” she says, her voice a little breathless. “Asher caught me.”
I force my hands to drop to my sides, though it feels like an effort. As I set her down fully, her body slides against mine, the unintentional friction nearly undoing my composure. I bite back a groan, praying she doesn’t notice my erection.
“Careful on these stairs,” I say to Mia, my voice rougher than I’d like. “They’re steeper than they look.”
She nods, avoiding my gaze as she smooths her shirt. “Thanks,” she murmurs, her blush deepening. Whether it’s from embarrassment or something else, I can’t tell.
The twins, oblivious to the tension between us, dart around the room like spies on a mission. Emma points to a small ground-level window. “Agent Asher! Is this a weak point?”
I crouch to inspect it, grateful for the distraction. “Good eye, Agent Emma. This latch is loose. We’ll fix it to make sure no bad guys can get in.”
“What can we do to help you, Agent Asher?” Ella says.
Before I can answer Ella’s innocent question, my phone chirps.
I fish it out of my pocket and swipe the screen.
Zane’s message pops up, along with a series of attached photos from the hospital.
Each one highlights a glaring security gap—unmonitored corridors, unsecured entrances. There are several blind spots.
I can’t afford distractions. Not here. Not now. Still, as I tuck the phone back into my pocket, I catch a glimpse of Mia. She’s watching me, her lips curved in the faintest smile. Something about it is disarming, pulling at a part of me I’ve tried to keep locked away.
The twins chatter on, oblivious to the shift in my mood. I glance around the room one last time, making mental notes about what needs reinforcing, but my thoughts keep circling back to Mia.
Professional distance.
Those words run through my mind like a mantra, but it’s already clear it’s going to be a hell of a lot harder than I expected.