Page 61 of Secrets Unsealed

“Noel said you’re rich.”

He looked confused at the change in subject, but he nodded. “Not as rich as you, but I’m close.”

“Do you need to work again, ever?”

“Nope. I can give you everything you need.”

“So, another point in your favor. You’re not marrying me for my money.”

“No. I can give you everything you need,” he said again, then sighed. “Except a baby.”

“Liar.” She brought his hand to her belly and smiled. “You made me sick, you big goof.”

“Huh?”

She splayed his fingers over her abdomen. “You said you didn’t think you could have children. But that was a big fat lie. You knocked me up. We never used protection because you said you were shooting blanks, remember? Well, you must have loaded the gun with live ammo at some point, because…” She felt wildly excited, scared, and thrilled all at once.

“Holy shit.” He sat up fast and groaned. “Wait. Are you telling me you’re…?”

“Pregnant. And in case you’re thinking I managed to get lucky with some other guy and call it yours, we’re getting a paternity test as soon as possible to show this kid is a Shaw.”

He glowed. “I don’t need it. God. Pregnant? Really?” The hope in his eyes lodged in her heart and filled her with joy.

“You’re happy about this.”

“Are you fucking crazy? Of course I am!” he shouted. “I never thought… I mean, I went to the doctors and got my workups. They told me I would probably never father children.”

“Probably does not mean definitely.”

“I guess.” He looked dazed. “But I always wore protection anyway. And I never got close enough with anyone to want kids. Not until you.” He subtly wiped his eyes with his forearm. “Fuck, Solene. Baby, you…I…” He blew out a breath. “I love you so damn much it’s killing me not to bury myself inside you. I want us as tight as possible. But I’m just too out of it right now.”

“I know.” She leaned close and kissed him. “I’m going to wait. And buddy, if you don’t make up for that terrible closet declaration, I will shoot you.”

He grinned. “Guess I’d better start working on my proposal then.”

The large engagementring in the center of a Twinkie, surrounded by bouquets of flowers while they watched aFireflymarathon, guaranteed him ahell yes.

Hammer hadno idea what to do next. He still hadn’t told Noel about his connection to Angel or the code. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Yeah, Burleigh was no longer part of the equation. His DNA didn’t match Little Dee’s either, thank God.

Yet they still didn’t know who Little Dee belonged to, and Vi remained at large, a part of the conspiracy after them.

It hurt that she’d turned on them like that. No matter what Deacon and Solene said, he’d seen her aim at them. Must have been dumb luck she’d hit the guy behind them instead of Deacon.

Damn her anyway.

She’d put Solene at risk. What information did Burleigh have that Vi wanted so badly? For that matter, what had she gleaned from being close to them for those few weeks she’d been at Noel’s? What had she learned from Big Joe, and why was the bastard being so cagey about what he knew of her?

What was Big Joe hiding?

Hammer was glad to have Addy’s house to himself. With the others staying with Noel—Addy now living there and Deacon and Solene recovering from their ordeal—it was up to him to take the lead on their problem.

The townhouse they’d found when backtracking Burleigh had turned up a few mercs, one of whom preferred to talk in lieu of Hammer’s method of interrogation. The weak bastard had admitted they had abigboss.

Not Burleigh, who’d acted as the man’s accountant and been responsible for Brenda Rice’s death, but a different man. One who knew his way around surveillance. Only one of the mercs in that house had seen him and worked with him one on one, and that guy refused to talk. He’d taken his own life instead.

But something the narc had said told Hammer he’d been right to keep his knowledge of Angel to himself. The big boss had been looking for something. Forsomeone. A link to an angel, the weasel had heard mentioned more than once.

Not to be confused with Burleigh’s angels, which the big boss found humorous. A play on words and a way to confuse his targets.

Hammer grunted. He knew for sure Angel was involved now. Or at least, she had been. The baby, Mexico, the cartel—he had a few suspicions about who they should be targeting in their investigation.

Time to see a Phantom about a ghost and put this mess to bed once and for all.

And when he got his hands on Violet, she’d wish she’d never been born.