Page 97 of Stealing Blinds

“That is dangerous business,” Cash chides, winking at his nephew and cleverly aiming the joker at Jax. “You keep staying up until eight without a nap, you’ll end up like that guy.”

Remy tracks the card and bursts out with more giggles.

Maddox battles a smirk, summing up Jax’s story. “Classic miscommunication.”

“Exactly.” Jax gestures to him, as if this is the answer we’ve all been waiting for.

“The flamethrower?” Axel growls, spinning for better luck on his watch.

“Right.” Jax cuts a piece of cherry pie, scooping it onto his plate as he finally dishes out what happened. “When I let him know where I was, he told me to go inside and get it so I had something to show for my trip.” He takes a bite of his pie, casually tacking on, “It was from a movie set,” when he finishes chewing.

I think about what movies Tatum has produced. “He gave you the flamethrower from his apocalypse movie because you accidentally flew to his house?”

“Yep.”

Cash raises his drink. “Well, now we have to try it out.”

“It’s honoring the arts, Papa Axe.” Maddox points the blade of his balisong toward the eldest Noire. “We’ll reenact the movie scene. Everything went fine there.”

“Not for the aliens,” Jax concedes, and the rest of the table dissolves into laughter.

“We could call some stunt guys in for their roles,” Cash suggests. “We’ll make it into a homeschool class.”

Mercy appears both enthralled and exhausted.

“Don’t be morons. If I get a phone call about this …” Axel pinches the bridge of his nose, stands, and gathers Zara in his arms with a kiss in her hair before they wander to the conference room.

I think that’s the summons for the rest of us.

We clear our plates—doing at least the initial cleanup for their staff that will take away the catered meal—and grab some drinks. It’s late, but I go with coffee.

Cash comes up behind me as I’m leaving the kitchen, one arm hooking over my waist while the other swipes my hair off my shoulder. He kisses the exposed skin there and rasps in my ear, “You good?”

My heart batters my sternum. This man’s hands on me and his lips tickling my ear always have me weak-kneed, and his caretaking has been an unexpected gift. But tonight was a reminder that the more I have, the more there is to lose.

When I took this contract with E, I’d lost everything. It was easier then. The prospect of failing didn’t feel that different from waking up. Now my nervous system is overwhelmed with the fear of returning to that dark place. A much greater fall from here.

I don’t say any of that though. I spin in his embrace, careful not to spill my coffee as I press my lips to his with a confidence that transcends his family shuffling around us or the reality of our worlds colliding, and whisper, “Sly and Noire.”

Everyone, except Mercy and Remy, gathers around the conference room table. I’m surprised to see Tessa here this time, but I’m not bothered about it.

Axel waits patiently for everyone to settle, with his phone and some files stacked before him. “Let me start by being forthcoming about something, Sylvie. My sister, Rena, who I raised like a daughter, and her family have been in trouble. There was a media conglomerate started years ago. It gradually took off, selling spots for unverified stories across multiple networks to people who needed a widespread message.”

I’m not surprised that something like that exists, but I still seek clarity. “People, like politicians?”

“Not a lot of blatant politics because the FCC and FEC are all over that. But it appeals to clients with deep pockets and take-no-prisoners ambition. False news stories. Fake crimes. Slander. Subtle plugs for products.”

“I’ll be watching the news with a different lens from now on,” I say. “That’s dangerous.”

“It is,” he agrees, and the weight of whatever this information means to him clearly rests on his shoulders. “For this conglomerate, there are three cards capable of accessing the portal to approve these stories for the networks. Two cards ended up in the hands of a cabal called KORT, which my sister’s family and I have a strong affiliation with. The third ended up with someone we haven’t yet identified, but we do know some things about them. They are part of another cabal—Kratos.”

I sip my coffee, studying the drawn faces of the entire family, which are obviously due to Rena’s connection to this mess. And mine. “You think I’m stealing the media cards?”

“No.” He rubs his jaw, glancing at Zara to his right for a beat before returning to me. “I will get to that shortly, but my full transparency is imperative first. I have a very personal stake in this. The outcome means everything to me.”

“I appreciate that.” I swallow some blistering empathy because Axel always appears stoic and controlled, and in this moment, he wears the face of a grieving father—an expression I saw too often on my own. And when I peer at Cash, worry floods him. For me. While I’m warmed by it, I don’t love that either, so I meet his eyes with a promise. “I’m okay.”

He dips his chin and takes my hand beneath the table.