Page 29 of Asher

“But as usual, Kelsey’s stronger than any of us expected,” Libby added. “But that’s her story to tell. Judy, why don’t you tell Marlowe about you and Harley?”

Kelsey returned with an adorable, blue-eyed, toddler-sized little boy snuggled under her chin. Could only be Alex’s son. The boywas a miniature, sweeter version of him, and it was easy to see how much this little guy loved his mom. Kelsey had it all, a handsome, rich husband, a beautiful mansion, and two perfect children.

She shifted the boy to her hip and opened the slider off the kitchen. “Whisper. Smoke. Come.” In through the door bounded two huge, slobbering dogs, a black German Shepherd and a silvery Malinois.

Kelsey told the dogs, “Playroom, boys. Guard.” Not sternly, though. Kindly.

Straightaway, both dogs did as she ordered.

“Boys?” Marlowe asked. “You call them boys, and you’re sending them in with your little girl?”

“Trust me,” Judy cut in, “Lexie bosses them as much as she does her grandpa. They’ll be okay. They’re big marshmallows when it comes to her and Bradley.”

“But they’re so big. Are they military working dogs?”

“Retired explosive ordnance dogs, yes,” Libby answered.

“Aren’t you afraid they’ll hurt her?” Lexie might be bossy, but those dogs were trained, military muscle. The American soldiers in Afghanistan didn’t let anyone pet their working dogs, much less read to them. What was Kelsey thinking?

“Those boys would never hurt my kids,” Kelsey said as she plopped her son on Marlowe’s lap. “They’re bigger, older, furrier brothers, and they’re quite defensive of their little sister and brother. I’d let the puppies in, but they’re still in training.”

Marlowe forgot about dogs now that she had a baby in her hands. A cute little boy with wide, curious blue eyes that weren’t full of fear. Alex’s son. Oh, my. She tightened her hold on his waist, not going to let anything happen to this perfect clone. Interestingly, he wasn’t afraid of her, a total stranger. How perfectly American. What did kids here in the land of the forever free and the incredibly wealthy have to be afraid of?

“And they’re walking vacuum cleaners,” Judy teased. “I’ve got at least three dogs in the house on most days, between Harley’s, Little A’s, and whichever fur baby Georgie is training at the moment. Did I tell you I had him tested and he’s been diagnosed with ADHD?”

Kelsey washed her hands at her beautiful kitchen sink, then brought a plate full of perfect little squares of coffee cake to the table and helped herself to a mug of coffee. She set the cake in the center of the table and took the chair beside Marlowe. “I’m not surprised. Will he have to take something for it?”

“He already is, and I’m seeing a big difference in him. Poor kid told me it’s easier to think, and stuff that boggled his mind before, makes sense now. He said it’s easier to concentrate, and he doesn’t feel like he’s falling down a rabbit hole, like Alice in Wonderland whenever he opens a book. I had no idea how badly he felt.”

“I’m glad you had him tested. Children with ADHD don’t realize how differently their brains process information,” Kelsey said. “I often think that Nick—”

“Don’t. Just don’t,” Libby snapped, the sting in her voice surprising Marlowe. “Don’t you dare make excuses for that man. Nick made his choices. He deserved what he got.”

“And I’m proud Harley put him down,” Judy added fiercely. “When I think what you went through that night, and everything Alex suffered” —she shuddered— “I thank God for every bullet Harley put into those bastards’ brains. I wish he could kill them again. Hell, I wish—”

“Judy, shush,” Libby whispered. “Lexie has radar ears, and Bradley doesn’t need to hear this.” She turned to Marlowe. “Well, look atWonder Woman. Guess you’ve got maternal instincts after all.”

“What?” Marlowe looked down at the little boy on her lap, the grinning toddler, whose cute little ears her hands now rested over. He was looking up at her, his eyes sparkling, as if she was playing a game with him. Darn. She did have maternal instincts, and apparently, they’d reacted automatically when Judy cussed. Tears flooded her eyes again. Had to be something in the air.

Bowing her head to the top of this little guy’s downy head, Marlowe strived for distraction. “Who’s Nick?”

Chapter Fourteen

By late afternoon, Marlowe not only felt completely comfortable with Kelsey, Libby, and Judy, but she now knew who Nick was and all that Alex and Kelsey had lived through during that horror-filled night in the Pacific Northwest years ago. She also knew Libby’d survived being buried alive, and that Mark Houston was the man who’d found her. Even Judy had lived through a nightmare, after a horrendous freeway accident left Harley missing for days, with a traumatic brain injury that made him forget her. They hadn’t had their boys then, but Marlowe could relate to being forgotten. That was the story of her life, and knowing these women better gave her a new perspective.

Persia and China were running late, and Marlowe realized her new friends weren’t the shallow divas she’d thought. If anything, they were like her, each lucky to be alive. Only they didn’t feel sorry for themselves. They were each resilient and strong. That was what she had in common with these ladies. They might look like they’d just stepped off high-fashion runways in Paris or New York, but they were scarred and battered, too. They were brave. Well then, Marlowe could be brave and stop whining, too.

“And then I find out that SergeantKnicks” —Judy made exaggerated air quotes— “who I thought was a female soldier, was actually a big, black lab. Do you believe that? Her name’s spelled N-Y-X, not K-N-I-C-K-S like the basketball team. Darn him. Alex tricked me, the jerk, and then he laughed in my face when he drove me to the airport to pick up a… a dog crate.” Judy leaned into Marlowe when she said that.

Marlowe laughed.

“Yes, but Nyx was Harley’s military working dog,” Kelsey added. “He needed her back in his life and you made that happen. How is Nyx anyway?”

Judy crossed her arms and humphed. “Oh, she’s fine, but until that day, I didn’t think Alex knew how to tease. He made me look stupid, but” —she shrugged— “now I know he loves Harley as much as I do.”

“He does,” Kelsey murmured. “He loves all his agents, their families, and even their dogs.”

Despite Judy’s sarcastic, over-exaggerated delivery, it was easy to see how each of these women loved their men, and no wonder. Alex, Mark, and Harley had each saved their wives’ lives in one way or another. Kelsey had two men to thank for her being there today. Alex for finding her after her ex-husband tried to kill her—after he’d already murdered her tiny baby boys, the asshole. Then Harley, when a year later, Alex and Kelsey were nearly killed by her ex—again—and his survivalist buddies from Montana. Harley’d rescued Alex first that time. He’d been near death’s door, beaten so bad. Then Harley went into the woods after Kelsey, who’d been dragged off by her ex and his buddies. By the time Harley caught up with them and put them in the ground, she’d been in rough shape. She’d lived through onenightmare after another that year. Alex hadn’t helped matters when he’d thought he was dying and yelled at her to leave him. To just go. But once again, Harley brought the lovers back together.

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