Page 35 of Huck Frasier
“Jesus, you look like a retired action figure.”
“Nice to see you too,” I muttered, limping to the little side table.
Frasier walked out of the bathroom without a shirt.
Lark gave him a once-over. “Well, now we’re all uncomfortable.”
He grabbed a T-shirt from his bag and muttered something aboutprivacyandboundariesbefore heading to the sink.
Lark dropped the bag on the table and pulled out muffins like she hadn’t just seen me half-dead three hours ago. “You want blueberry or banana nut?”
“Do you have a morphine-flavored one?”
“No, but I brought aspirin. And a tiny bottle of whiskey in case you need to disinfect your soul.”
I snorted. Then winced. “Laughing hurts. Stop being funny.”
Lark sat across from me and handed over a warm muffin. “I figured you’d want to talk before you went all Navy SEAL on a cartel.”
Frasier looked up. “We’re not going after the cartel.”
Lark raised an eyebrow. “We’re not?”
Marley and Frasier exchanged a look.
“No,” I said. “We’re going after the kids. And the bastards moving them. Fast, quiet, clean. No big explosions. Minimal body count.”
Frasier muttered, “Emphasis onminimal.”
“Axel’s already running intel,” Lark added, suddenly serious. “We’re pulling traffic cam footage and trying to track the vans they mentioned. Reina—the real contact—finally responded. Said she’s in hiding. She can confirm locations.”
“Good,” Frasier said, leaning against the counter. “Because we’re not sitting this out.”
Lark’s gaze softened as she looked at me. “You’re really not her, you know.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Mom. You’re nothing like her.”
I swallowed hard.
“I watched you fight for kids you’ve never met. I watched you learn to love someone even when it scared the hell out of you. She couldn’t even show up for her own daughters.”
I nodded slowly, throat tight.
Frasier came over, placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I love you, you know,” Lark said, like it was nothing. Then added with a smirk, “Even if you did steal the hot one.”
Frasier looked mildly insulted. “Thehot one?”
“Relax,” Lark said, standing. “I’m married. Not blind.”
She tossed us a wink, grabbed another muffin, and headed toward the door. “Get some rest. You’re going to need it. The op starts tonight. We have a room two doors down.”
The door clicked shut behind her.
I looked at Frasier. “She’s annoying.”
