Page 75 of Zero
I picked Eden up and followed Crash and Barbie to the car. Once the girls were secured, Anya opened her eyes long enough to kiss my cheek. By the time we closed the door, she was once again asleep.
“Drive safely.” I told them.
“Thank you.” Crash grinned. “I’m so happy for you guys.”
“How far along?” Barbie asked.
“Six weeks.” I replied. “It wasn’t the way we planned it but this child—I’m still on cloud nine.”
Crash patted my shoulder.
I accepted hugs from Barbie then stepped back for them to drive away. When I went back inside, Bishop, Beast and Miracle were saying their goodbyes.
It didn’t take long for the house to empty out except for Justice and Haha. They were staying with us. Haha wanted to help Bailey clean up but I wouldn’t have it. I ran Bailey a bath and told Haha I would handle the cleaning.
Justice helped me and while the two women I loved the most rested, I worked with my brother-in-law to tidy up.
“How are the others?” I asked as Justice and I locked up for the night.
“They miss you, still.” Justice groaned. “Wasp most of all. She was a good pick, Zero. She’s tough.”
“I’m glad. She’s a good soldier.”
Justice nodded and yawned. “Do you mind if I showered and crash? I’m wiped.”
“See you in the morning.”
I watched him leave and couldn’t help feeling that my life had finally come full circle. From that kid who grew up without a father, to being one of Germany’s top cops, to this family I’d managed to piece together.
All of it felt right.
Setting the alarm, I climbed the stairs to find Bailey, wrapped in a towel and reaching for a bottle of Shea Butter body lotion. Justice had brought back a couple bottles from Jamaica for her. I took it from her hand and sat her on the chair by the window.
She watched me intently as I sat on the floor and squirted some into my palm. I massaged it into her skin from her toes, up her knees to the warm insides of her thighs.
“Did Justice tell you what happened with Morena and Ortega?” Bailey asked.
“That they were convicted?” I nodded. “They will never be out again unless they escape.”
“Yup.” Bailey smiled.
“I wish I could feel happy about that.” I told her. “But it’s hard to feel any sort of accomplishment when you know there’s a million other Ortegas and Morenas out there.”
“And you know something?” She asked. “You and your team, my brother and his team, won’t be able to get rid of all of them. So, celebrate this small victory.”
I smiled up at her then went back to silently caress lotion into her skin. Bailey was right—putting Ortega and Morena away was a small victory. But I couldn’t help wondering how long they would stay behind bars. Those men had connections and it was only a matter of time.
Positive thinking, Zero.
“Baby?” Bailey called.
“Mmm?” I didn’t look up.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I replied. “I just—a part of me keeps thinking this whole thing is too good to be true and the other shoe is going to drop. That this is a dream and I’m going to wake up and I really don’t want to wake up.”
“That’s the human in you.” She told me. “We never expect to be as happy as we get, so we spend all our time waiting for something to prove that it was all make-believe. But this isn’t a dream.”
