“Sheisglowing, isn’t she?” Sophia takes her sister’s hand and lays aloving kiss to her wrist. “I hate to spoil a surprise, but our mutual princess has wonderful news for you, Estefan.”
“No!”Mafia schmafia. Cordoza lights up and drops his hands to Ellie’s flat stomach. “You wouldn’t lie to an old man, would you?”
“Not about this.” Ellie’s eyes glisten with happy emotion. Her chin trembles. “I intended to share my news with you earlier today, but catching a moment with you,withoutthe rest of your guests, was proving difficult.”
“Next time, you need only to tell them to leave.” He yanks her closer and drops a noisy, juicy kiss to her cheek. “I’m over the moon for you! And you.” His eyes, not nearly as friendly, jump to her guard. Her husband. “This child will be protected for life.”
Promise. Threat.
Don’t fuck with her, Rosa.
“What do doting grandpas typically buy for an expectant mother?”
“Oh, no,” Ellie giggles nervously. “Buy nothing. I simply wanted to share my news with you.”
“The sky’s the limit, sweet thing.” He cups her cheeks, squishing them higher and swiping a happy tear from the corner of one eye. “Do you know yet, is it a boy or a girl?”
“I want to talk to you.” Sophia inches closer to my side, her words just loud enough for me. “In private.”
Archer’s arm grows tighter over my shoulders.
Yep. He heard her, too.
“She’ll be under Checkmate protection the entire time, Detective. And as a sign of good faith—” She gestures toward her chattering sister. “I’ll leave mine with you. Take care of her. Don’t let her out of your sight. And for the love of God, get her an ice bucket before she yacks again.”
“What do you need?” I hold my ground, even when she grabs my wrist. “This isn’t about the Aubree thing, is it?”
“Jericho.”
My heart stumbles in my chest, screeching to a painful stop and then galloping forward once more. Because she speaks the one word we know means something. The one phrase she warned me meant life or death. Her dark eyes hold mine captive, staring but silent. Probing and serious.
Not even Archer knows what that word means to us. And I think… now that she’s brought it up… I think that was her intention all along.
It’s just for us. Only us.
“Okay.” I slip out from under Archer’s arm, then I turn and set a kiss on his tense jaw. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
“Minka…”
“I’ll be with Checkmate. She promises.”
“And you have my sister.” Soph tightens her grip on my wrist and tugs me away. “I’m trusting you, Malone. Don’t lose her. Don’t screw this up. Come on.”
“What’s going on?” I lift the front of my dress so I don’t stumble on the damn thing. “Soph? You said Jericho mattered.”
“It does.” She leads me straight along the hall and into the kitchen I already visited once tonight. And just like Archer did, she barks out an order that has staff scattering. “Leave.” She yanks me through the doorway, propelling me forward, but she doesn’t release my hand, so when our arms can’t stretch any further, I come to a sharp stop and swing back around in time to catch her shutting the door. “I have something I’d like to discuss with you.” She lifts her chin, ironically gesturing toward the counter I’ve already sat on tonight. “Take a seat if your knee is bothering you. We’re gonna be a while.”
ARCHER
“How’s it possible that today feels like the longest day I’ve ever experienced in my entire life, but like it flew by at the speed of light, too?” I glance across in the dark, the flash of streetlights illuminating the inside of a Malone car as we make our way toward the house on the hills. Taking Minka’s hand in mine, I study the hard line of her jaw and the worrying abuse of her teeth on her bottom lip. “Babe?”
She lays her head back against the seat and fakes a nonchalant smile. “Hmm?”
“You’re tired, huh?”
“Exceptionally.” Inching closer, she leans into my side and rests her cheek on my shoulder. “Tell me you worked your magic and had some of my clothes moved to the house already? I know I usually grumble about that sort of stuff, but Ireallydon’t want to have to put this dumb dress on again in the morning.”
“I already took care of it.” I bury my lips in her hair and inhale the scent of her shampoo… and something else. Something I can’t quite place. “What’d Soph want to talk about?”
