Page 38 of Juan

Zoe squealed and pointed up, the movement throwing her off-balance enough that she fell backward onto her butt. Jarred by the landing, her lower lip pushed out and started to tremble.

Amber swooped her up, relishing the feel of her tiny, pudgy body pressed against hers even as a sob burst from Zoe’s mouth, ringing in Amber’s ear. She’d done her fair share of babysitting as a teenager, though. And while none of those children had been her daughter, thankfully, the rusty skills came back to life.

Bouncing Zoe gently on her hip, she spotted a patch of lichen on a nearby tree. Distraction, the name of the game when no real injury threatened.

She pointed to the pale green swath fastened to the dark trunk of a pine. She cooed words about its curly edges, its unusual color, and its shape. Soon enough, Zoe’s tiny finger pointed at it as she leaned forward.

As Zoe babbled a question only she understood, Amber reminded herself that focusing on the beautiful spring day and her daughter—the here and now—was precisely where she needed to be. When Zoe napped that afternoon, then she could think about who Anthony might be getting drugs from.

Between lunch, cleanup, and naps, she didn’t find the time to revisit any of those thoughts about her ex. But six hours later, she walked out of the lawyer’s office with a smile. The man was bloodthirsty and vicious in the best of ways, and the further into her twisted tale she ventured, the more his eyes lit up. She had a feeling he was going to enjoy going after Anthony and fighting on her behalf. And Zoe’s.

By the end of their two-hour meeting, she’d promised HICC would send him the DNA results from the test they’d collected earlier that day, and that Clara and Adrian would contact him to give him their statements. She’d also given him the name of the nurse who helped her escape. Amber didn’t know what agency she worked for or if she still lived in the DC area, but he assured her that he’d find her. If nothing else, one of the Falcons could probably help since she’d been Amber’s connection to the network.

In turn, he committed to building the case for sole custody. He didn’t sugarcoat anything and tell her everything would be all right. On the contrary, he’d been clear that the process would be sticky, that there were multiple angles he needed to explore and prepare for. And they needed to be ready for Anthony to engage a top-notch lawyer; his ego wouldn’t allow him to do anything else. Her lawyer seemed almost gleeful at the possibility, not daunted in the least, and his confident, practical, no-nonsense approach put her at ease. Well, as much as she could be at ease until she officially had sole custody of Zoe.

When she arrived back at the clubhouse, most of the guys, including Spencer, had returned from their day’s work. His gaze zeroed in on her when she paused inside the door. She smiled at him, then scanned the room, looking for Zoe. She found her daughter sitting in a high chair next to Kendall, each with a piece of paper and crayon in her hand. Zoe’s wobbled and tilted as she learned how to hold it in her fist, and her attention darted between watching Kendall and her own paper as she tried mimicking the older girl.

Amber walked over and dropped a kiss on Zoe’s head. So focused on her paper, her daughter barely acknowledged her. Then changing direction toward Spencer, she considered how to greet him. They crossed a line last night, but what did that mean in the light of day? How much of what they’d become to each other did he want the others to know?

His eyes swept over her as she approached, a small, satisfied grin on his face. When she was within arm’s reach, he took the decision of how to greet him away. Slipping a hand to the back of her neck, he pulled her in for a kiss. A wholly appropriate, it’s-nice-to-see-you kiss, but still a kiss. In front of everyone.

“How’d it go with the lawyer?” he asked as her eyes skittered around the room. The Falcons were an observant bunch; they would have all seen the kiss. But to a one, no one commented, no one snickered, no one seemed surprised.

“Uh, fine,” she said.

“Should I have not done that?” Spencer asked quietly. Her gaze shot back to his. “Kiss you. In front of everyone.”

That tiny hint of vulnerability flickered in his eyes again. She let out a slow breath, then smiled. “It’s not that. I’m just surprised they aren’t ribbing you, or us. That’s all. They are weirdly silent about this whole thing, considering this is the same group of guys who sang ‘Marley and Jessa sitting in a tree’ for a week after a single, and only, date.”

He chuckled. “That’s because I told them that if they made this weird for you, I would keep you too busy to cook for them.”

Telltale heat crept up her chest. “You didn’t.”

He grinned. “Now you want to tell me about the lawyer visit? And how he’s going to eviscerate Anthony?”

“We all want to hear about that,” Viper said, chiming in and proving her point that the Falcons heard and saw things normal people didn’t.

She looked over to Kendall and Zoe again. Kendall glanced up. “I got her. You go ahead and fill them in,” she said, sounding far older than her thirteen years.

She’d just finished giving everyone the update and ensuring both Clara and Adrian had his number to set up appointments for their statements, when Kara, Juliana, and Callie walked in, trailed by Philly, Stone, and Sherman.

They paused inside the door when met with so many eyes watching them. Then Juliana smiled and held up her laptop. “We each did some drug research today, and we’re going to compare notes.”

Amber rose from where she’d taken a seat on one of the sofas. “I have some thoughts on that as well.” Kara and Juliana both cocked their heads. “Not on the specific drug, but I’d bet my life he’s getting it from a woman.”

She felt more than saw the calculation in Callie’s eyes before she spoke. “Hmm, interesting. And I agree, that fits. Do you have any idea who?” she asked as they took seats at one of the tables.

“A few,” Amber replied. “And also a few ideas about ideas, if that makes any sense.”

Callie flashed a blinding smile. “I love ideas about ideas. Ladies,” she said, her gaze sweeping over Amber, Juliana, and Kara, “let’s get started.”

Chapter nineteen

Juan’s gaze drifted to the four women sitting at a table across the room, heads together. He might be holding a cue and playing a game of pool with Stein, Dulcie, and Philly. In reality, he was doing little more than aimlessly knocking some balls around.

Clara and Adrian were in the kitchen with Dottie, helping with dinner, the spicy aromas wafting out filling the lodge room with a homey comfort. Mantis, Marley, and Hawkeye were there helping, too. It didn’t take six people to make the meal, but he suspected they were giving Amber and the others some space. It would be too tempting to breathe down their necks if they were in the same room.

Amber leaned over to look at something on Callie’s computer, pointed, then nodded. His heart hitched as she flashed Callie a grin. Never, in his entire life, had he been in a relationship with a woman. He’d never trusted one enough to take the leap. Not that the women who’d tried were bad people or unworthy of his trust. No, the hang-ups were all his. Being moved from family to family, never staying in one place more than a few months, living with the near-constant threat of violence, not to mention the violence itself, had scarred him in ways therapy had helped him name and recognize, if not fully understand. He’d learned at a young age that it was easier not to get involved with people. Getting involved with people led to having expectations, and it was easier not to hope or want things.