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“Well, then. We need to get going.” I nod at Erin who’s explaining to the guys with the babies what to do when the babies cry, and places a paper with all our phone numbers on the reception desk.
“And where are you going?” Jesse asks, already rocking baby Isabella like a pro. My, these guys will make good daddies, I think.
Super sexy daddies.
“Mission impossible,” Erin says without missing a beat. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you, and then who would babysit for us?”
“Good point,” Dakota murmurs, her expression grave.
“What?” Jesse looks from her to me and back to Erin. “It’s a secret? It is a girls’ thing?”
I wonder what a “girls’ thing” is supposed to be.
“Look after the little ones,” Dakota says, “and we’ll be back soon.”
“Thank you!” I call out as we file out the door.
“Have fun!” Erin says and wiggles her fingers at them before the shop door closes behind us.
***
“Meg.” Rafe frowns when I climb out of Dakota’s car outside Kenneth Shaw’s house, but like every time he sees me, his frown melts into a smile. “Hey. What are you doing here?”
“Same thing you are. Standing by our friend.” I nod at Zane who’s standing with Asher, facing the house, talking in low voices.
“Always happy to have you with me,” he admits in a whisper, and I wrap my arms around him. “Although I’d have felt better if you were home, safe.”
“And you don’t think I feel the same way about you?”
From the corner of my eye I see Zane wrap Dakota in his arms, his eyes closing briefly in obvious relief. Tessa is standing beside Dylan, holding his hand. Erin is stroking Tyler’s face, whispering something to him, too low to hear.
Stupid boys. They need us as much as we need them. Wanting to protect us is sweet, but they have to learn that the feeling is mutual. That we share everything, the good and the bad times, the fear and the danger and the pain along with the happiness and pleasure.
We’re right where we want to be.
“All right.” Dakota turns to face us. She has dark circles under her eyes, and her face is lined with fatigue and sadness, but her voice carries over us. The same voice that blares out the lyrics of punk rock songs when she performs with her band, DeathMoth. There’s determination in her blue eyes, and despite her diminutive size, she has us gathering around her without hesitation. “Let’s decide how to do this. You got something to open the door with?”
Asher lifts a folded cloth, red tinging his cheekbones. “Here.”
“You know how to break into a house?” Audrey whispers, eyes wide.
“Had to do it sometimes, at home, when I had to sneak in and my window wouldn’t open,” he whispers back.
I clap a hand over my mouth not to laugh.
“Good. Do we know if he’s inside?”
“We knocked, and rang the doorbell,” Tyler says. “Nobody answered.”
“Okay, we should split up,” Dakota says. “Front and back door, and we post lookouts, in case he comes back and catches us by surprise.”
“And since when are you an expert in breaking into houses?” Zane mutters, sliding an arm around Dakota and pulling her to his side. He looks vaguely amused, although exhaustion seems to hang around his neck like a stone.
“Movies.” She flicks him a smile. “Watched lots of them while breastfeeding.”
It makes Zane chuckle, and it’s a good sound.
“We go in,” she continues, “check the house for anything suspicious. Any sign of anyone else living inside, any kids, any pets, any sign of violence, any signs he has abandoned the house never to come back. Because we need to know.”
