Page 118 of Beneath The Truth
“You made it!All of you!”She pointed at Elle.“You’re lucky I hired a cleanup crew.Otherwise, I’d be sticking you with that job since you bailed onsetup.”
“It wasn’t my fault.I swear.Blame Lord and his—” Her words cut off as soon as she saw Charlie readjust the baby on her hip.“Youbroughther!”
Elle rushed toward the baby girl Charlie held with Simon beaming down at her.I could swear the guy had been wearing that same expression for months.Ari had missed that baby shower, but I had a feeling, from the slight bump Eden was sporting, that Ari would get more chances soon.There was clearly something in thewater.
I scanned the room, taking in the people who’d all come into my life because of the badge I’d given up.They’d all become as close to me as family.Sometimes life worked out the way it wasmeantto.
“Just to give you fair warning, I need to steal your genius fiancée for a few minutes before this is over.I have a problem that I think she’d enjoy helping tosolve.”
The voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I looked over at LucasTitan.
“Steal?”
“Borrow,” he said, correcting himself with asmile.
The billionaire wasn’t as big of a prick as I’d originally thought.Even though I wasn’t as close to him as I was to Lord, Con, and Rix, I wouldn’t hesitate to call him if shit went down again—which it wouldn’t, I hoped.Rome had promised to take care of any blowback from Carlos’s death, and he’d given us the all clear a fewweeksago.
Regardless, I kept an eye out, and I felt better that Ariel and I spent most days locked down in her lake fortress, working.I was already at max capacity for missing-persons investigations, and had a waiting list.Word spread quickly that I was the guy to call, and I had a certain Vietnam POW to thankforit.
“Borrow is better.”I looked at Ari.“Ifshe’sgame.”
She was practically salivating at the chance.“You’re joking, right?Lucas Titan needs an extra brain to solve something?I’m in.But I don’t work cheap.There better be crawfishinvolved.”
“I’m sure we can make thathappen.”
Yve returned to his side, coming from Vanessa’s direction with two champagne flutes.“I got the good stuff.None of that fake sparkling-cidercrap.”
Titan turned an indulgent look on her.“You just say the word when you’re ready to change that, love, and we’ll gettowork.”
Yve rolled her eyes.“Get to work?I’m sure you’d just have to snap your fingers to impregnate me.He wills it, it shall be done.”She clinked the champagne glasses together foremphasis.
“Mmm, I think I’d rather enjoy the workpartmore.”
Yve handed off the extra champagne flute to Ari instead of Titan.“Don’t listen to him.We’re too busy conquering the world to have babies yet.I figured you two would understand that better than anyoneelsehere.”
When I laid a hand on Ari’s hip, she nodded.“Someday.But not too long.I want three, so it’s going to take a littlewhile.”
My head jerked to the side.“Three?”
Her smile widened.“I was going to say four because there were four of you growing up, but I think that’s a touchexcessive.”
“Two.That’splenty.”
She raised an eyebrow.“Then we’ll agree todisagree.”
“Hmm, sounds like y’all are gonna have fun with that,” Yve said.“God knows Titan will probably knock me up with triplets because of his super-sperm.”
Titan chuckled, and I decided to stay silent on thatsubject.
“Sorry to barge in,” Delilah said, “but I’ve got the good champagne and JP has the fake shit.Whoever has a bun in the oven that hasn’t spilled about it is about to be outed because Vanessa insists on atoast.”
When Titan and I both reached for the real champagne, Delilah rolled her eyes.“As if I thought there was a questionthere.”
“You’ve all met my home girl, Honor, haven’t you?”Elle asked as she joined the group, carrying Charlie andSimon’sbaby.
We all nodded as Elle ran down the list of reasons Honor was the coolest baby ever, and why Rix and Valentina and Eden and Bishop had their work cut out for them if they wanted to have acoolerkid.
I couldn’t get over her name and the innocent aqua eyes staring backatme.
