Page 41 of Embedded
“Hey.” She pretended to be mad, and he laughed and shoved it in his mouth. I tried not to be grossed out as wet banana and toast showed through his open mouth. I leaned back and watched the two of them interact. He held up a half-eaten piece for her to try, and she leaned down and snagged it out of his fingers which he found to be the funniest thing. His head tilted back, and a full-blown belly laugh erupted from him. I had to turn away for a moment to keep my face from showing how much it affected me. I pulled out my phone, as I needed a distraction to let the emotion fizzle out.
“Gah! Gah!” He pulled my attention back to him, and I saw he was offering me a piece. I grinned, made the Blackhawk sound as I bent down, and did the same thing Nicole did. His laugh was so infectious that I joined in.
Daniel and Doc Roberts moved into the kitchen and watched from a distance. We played the game a few more times until he had eaten most of Nicole’s breakfast himself.
“You’ve gained his trust.” Doc Roberts grinned as he slowly approached us. “That’s huge.”
“He’s always trusted Nicole.” I nodded. “Today was a first for me.”
“Children typically feel a bond with a female in the beginning, and given that this little guy was raised by his mother alone, it doesn’t surprise me that he would gravitate toward you.” He smiled at Nicole. “It also helps that you have a natural maternal instinct, and children at this age pick up on that. I’m pleased you’re here for him and, well, for all of us.”
“Thank you.” She glanced at me.
“Keep playing with him, Paul.” Doc inched his glasses up his nose. “It won’t take long. He can already tell you’re a good person too.”
“How long do we have?” Nicole asked.
I glanced at my watch. “We leave in ten.”
“No, I mean how long will Chase be here? I know I’ve asked that before, but to be honest, I’m letting him in, and I’m unsure if I should be. Saying goodbye is something I’m going to need to prepare for.”
Doc Roberts eased into the chair across from me. “The child is still being hunted, so it will be a while. Best for him to stay at Shadows until we know the coast is clear and we have a plan for his safety.” He glanced at me. “After that, we’ll see. To be honest, there’s enough love here for this little guy. Who knows,” he smiled, “maybe there’s a way for him to stay.”
“Can you do that?” She shifted as Chase lay his head on her chest and reached for her hair. His favorite spot. “I mean, it would be awful for him to fall into the system. Lord knows, that’s a total crapshoot.” She looked hopefully at Doc. “Do you actually think keeping him might be something you’d all do?”
“Yeah,” I blurted without thinking. “He has no one, and Cartel life isn’t something any kid would want to be born into.” I’m sure Nicole thought it wasn’t my choice to make, but in fact, it was. “There’s plenty of space here and plenty of people who would give him love.”
“I guess there is. I hope you all can make that happen. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” She rubbed his back tenderly as she thought. “You’re a lucky little guy. I hope you know that,” she whispered, and I could almost feel her own heart squeeze. I know mine did, for her.
“Hey,” I leaned forward, “sorry, but we really need to go.”
She wrapped her arms around Chase and hugged him tight, then took a deep breath. “I promise I won’t be gone for long, okay, little guy?” When she looked over at me, I could see how much it hurt her to leave him behind. “What if?—”
I cut her off from going dark. “He’s safe here, and it’s only for two days and one night.” I acted like leaving wasn’t bothering me, but inside, my chest hurt in a whole new way. “Come on.”
I stood when she did and tickled Chase under his chin. “See ya soon, little fella.” She took an extra minute to kiss him then handed him to me. I hesitated then kissed him on the top of his head before handing him to Daniel. He whisked him away, saying something to Chase about finding Cole’s old flipbook.
As we walked toward the entryway, Nicole checked the time. “Can you give me a minute? I just need to speak to Ben before we leave. I know he’s nervous they’re going to pull him from his next assignment. I’ll be quick.”
“I’ll meet you in the driveway.”
“Copy that.” She smiled then quickly made her way up the stairs. I couldn’t help but watch her hips sway as she climbed the steps.
I grabbed my duffle bag from the bottom of the stairs and felt someone come up behind me.
“You know, she’s good for you.” Mark bit into an apple and chewed with a smirk. He always appeared out of nowhere. “Pretty too.”
“Why is it the first time a woman shows interest in one of us you think it’s a match made in heaven?”
“History has proven to me I have a special gift.” He tapped his head then leaned against the banister. “Let’s be honest. We need a certain kind of woman. Example,” he twirled a finger at me, “those girls at the bar, you chased away without a thought, but Nicole,” he made a face, “you can’t take your eyes off her. It’s obvious she can handle the shit we deal with. She’s tough, and it shows. She’s like our women, strong and fierce. They keep us in check.” He smiled wide. “And we love them for it.”
“You done?” I headed for the door, but of course he followed.
“Maybe take this trip to get to know her better. I’ve got a feeling she’ll be around for a bit.”
I turned to speak over my shoulder. “Just because two people are single and I might be attracted to her, it doesn’t automatically make her the right one.” I knew a lot more than Mark did, and I knew I had to be careful with her. She didn’t know I was Eric Noah, and it was no secret she hated who that man was. It ate at me, but I couldn’t see a way out.
“Why are you so hardheaded? I don’t ever remember you being this way.” Mark’s voice pulled me back from my internal struggle.
