Page 91 of Badges
“Just be sure this is all of the way off, or it’ll leak.” I point to the small detector on the ceiling. “And that thing’ll start squawking at us.”
She purses her lips and nods. “I’ll be careful.”
As she starts breaking shells, I head to the coffee pot.
It’s hot.
“I hope you don’t mind that I made it too?” Her genuine look of concern rattles me.
“No, it’s great. It’s just—” I’m not sure how to word it, so I busy myself with pouring a cup.
Damn, it’s good.
Exactly how Elena makes it.
“If you don’t like it, I can change it.” Cynthia hurries as her arm churns into the bowl.
“Easy, now.” I pull out one of the chairs from the table so I’m not towering over her. “‘Thia—” The word feels a little foreign. “—you don’t have to earn your place here. That’s never going to change. Do I appreciate you wanting to pitch in? Absolutely. But I want one thing clear from the beginning.”
Her chin trembles until she bites her lip as she watches me.
“This isyour home too. Unconditionally, okay? We can all work together to make it a happy one.” I take another sip, hoping she understands what I’m trying to say.
“Okay,” she says quietly.
Fortunately Elena appears, whisking through the kitchen like a dancer to wrap her arms around her sister before dropping a quick kiss to the top of her head. “Ugh! I almost thought it was a dream that you were here.”
“Nope, you’re stuck with me.” Cynthia gives me a tentative smile, almost as if she’s accepting the truth.
“Damn right.” Elena raises to her tiptoes to pull down a mug.
Her and those tiny shorts are gonna be the best kind of death of me.
Then she sets down her steaming drink next to mine and settles in the chair close enough to rest her hand on my thigh.
Ah, a public show of affection. Her small gesture lightens the tension in my shoulders knowing I don’t have to hide.
When they’re both sitting at the table, after all three of us enjoyed the most amazing scrambled eggs I’ve ever had in mylife, I lean back and pat my belly. “Well girls, business or pleasure first?”
“Business.” Cynthia sets her fork onto her plate.
“Pleasure,” Elena says at the same time, giving me a seductive wink.
“Shit,” I grunt. Opposites. Will it always be this way? “I guess I’m the deciding factor. Business it is.”
Cynthia juts her chin towards her sister with a snort.
“I wouldn’t gloat quite yet. You’re the one who’s gonna be stuck with most of it.” I almost laugh at her immediate look of panic.
“I have your case file being sent to me. It’ll probably be here in the morning. But I really need you to look at a couple of pictures and tell me if you recognize the man who sent you to Nancy’s place.” I thread my fingers around my cup, letting my mouth drop into a frown. “It’s going to be more important than ever that I can identify who it is before he chooses to retaliate.”
“Wait—” Cynthia glances towards Elena. “—what is he talking about?”
Elena takes a long breath. “It has to do with why I have the ankle monitor. There was a very awful man who used your location as bait to make me do some things that, um, I’m not proud of.”
“He wasn’t afraid to try and escalate. I want to keep you both safe.” Reaching behind me, I pull out the familiar stack of folders from the cupboard, then flip through until I find the photos I need of Max and Cade.
“I’ve narrowed it down, I think, to these two men.” Sliding them past Elena, Cynthia picks them up and stares hard at each.
