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“Yeah, our daughter has a big red target on her back.”
Thirteen
Devon was up before dawn. It wasn’t something he did that often.
Strike that. He was sometimes up before dawn, but mainly because he hadn’t gone to bed.
Once a hacker, always a hacker.
He smiled as he sipped his coffee and walked out to the lanai. Soft waves lapped at the small dock at the end of his property. There was a sweetness to Hawaiian air all day, but it seemed most pungent in the morning. He would have never picked Hawaii for himself, but since his only family was here, and there was no way his sister would ever leave Micah, Devon has settled there. It had started out as an occasional visit, but he had been spending more and more time over the last year. He still missed his seasons.
He set his cup on the table and settled back in the chair. As he watched the sun peek up over the horizon, Devon decided he needed to rethink his views on early morning rituals. This was not a bad way to start the day.
He’d hoped to get some sleep, but he had failed. Exhausted, he had fallen asleep quickly only to awake less than two hours later. His brain was still drenched with the memories of their night together. Hell, he could still taste her essence and hear her moans. He’d been left shivering with need and immediately reached for her. He’d found his bed empty, of course.
His cock hardened as a fine sweat broke out on his forehead. Fuck. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. As soon as he did, images of having her in his bed washed over him. Damn. The woman was in his life again for less than a week and he couldn’t control himself.
“How ridiculous is it that this is your view every morning?” Ali said from behind him.
Dammit, he couldn’t get a break. The woman was in his head dancing through his dreams and taunting him with memories. Now he had to deal with her in the flesh.
Devon summoned what was left of his control and turned toward the sound of her voice.
The moment he did, he instantly regretted it. She was wearing a simple blue shirt and a pair of jean shorts. Her feet were bare. He thanked the Lord she was looking out at the bay and not at him. Drawing in a deep breath, he turned back around.
“Very, but I don’t live here all the time. I bought this to be near Dee. We spent enough time apart.”
“And because you’re an uncle now,” she said, taking the seat next to his. He noticed she had a cup of coffee also. “Family is really important. I get that.”
She was letting him know she equated her duplicity to his need to be near Dee. In a way, he could understand it. When he’d thought Dee was in danger, he’d kidnapped her. He would do it again in a heartbeat. Family was important.
“How’s Bridget?”
She smiled. “Still sleeping. I think it was a bit overwhelming for her.”
“The granddaughter and daughter of a master spy is overwhelmed?”
He felt her glance. “I’m hardly a master spy.”
“I could have been talking about myself.”
She laughed and there it was again. That happy sound moved through him. It did more to tangle up his libido than any words could. He knew that most of the time, she saved her happiness for Bridget. Their little girl was too happy not to have spent time with a mother who showed joy. The sound of her laughter was like a drug.
“Not bloody likely. Let’s remember, you didn’t finish training.”
Why did she need to keep bringing that up? “And you did.”
She looked out at the bay, avoiding eye contact. He didn’t know if she was uncomfortable with the questioning or him. Or both.
“I lived it. From the time I was twelve.”
“Not from birth.”
Her smile dimmed. “No. Before my mother…died…we lived a normal life. Well, normal for a two-spy household. After that, my father became focused on keeping me safe.”
Before he could ask her more, the sound of small feet came smacking against the wood stopped him. It was one he knew from the times Alana had spent the night with him.
“Mummy,” Bridget yelled, a laugh bubbling out of her throat. “There you are.”
