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Michelle
“You want to tell me what this is all about now?” I questioned as I slid next to Carter while he prepared his banana French toast. I watched as his lips turned downward. I knew whatever was going on he didn’t want to share but he owed me some type of explanation. “Is it Gabriel? Is he causing problems?” I asked worriedly.
Carter turned to me and cupped my face before pressing his lips to my forehead. “I told you he was no longer an issue and I meant it.”
I blinked, nodding my head. “Okay, so what’s this all about? Why did you rush us out of the hospital last night and insist we pick up Diego from my mother’s when it was well past his bedtime?”
I could see the inner debate going on in his head. Whatever this was he didn’t want to tell me. Didn’t want me worrying about it and that scared me even more. If it wasn’t Gabriel then what was it?
“The fire,” he paused to turn the burner off and remove the pan from the stove, “the one where Corey got injured. We think it was set intentionally by someone who wanted to hurt Rescue Four.”
My eyes doubled in size and my heartbeat quickened. A lump formed in my throat, nearly making it impossible for me to speak. Somehow I managed to get out, “Someone’s after you?”
Carter’s jaw tightened. “Possibly.”
“Possibly?” I knew he was bullshitting. Trying to downplay the seriousness of what was going on.
“We don’t know anything for sure. Don’s investigating it and we’re all just taking some precautions.”
“Precautions? Like, bringing me and Diego to your home where you have state of the art security systems? You think this person might be after us, too?”
A look of pure rage crossed over Carter’s face. It was so intense that it stole my breath. The same extreme look that he had in his eyes when I told him about Gabriel was back.
“Nothing is going to happen to either one of you. I promise you that. We don’t think whoever is doing this is targeting Rescue Four’s families, but I’m not taking that chance with mine.”
My eyelids fluttered despite the gravity of the situation. Hearing him refer to us … me and Diego as his family was the soothing balm my anxiety needed. I barely had time to register it all when I felt his strong arms encase me and the tickle of his beard brush against my cheek.
“You’re both safe. Nothing will happen to either of you. I won’t allow it. I just need you here with me to make sure. To hold onto you every night. So I can tuck my little guy in his bed and read him a bedtime story before he falls asleep. I need you with me.” He pulled back, staring me in the eyes.
He hadn’t asked the question directly but I knew that’s exactly what he was doing.
“You want us to move in with you. You want this to be permanent, us here with you.”
“I’ve only been saying it since the first time I brought you here.”
I laughed. He had.
I sighed. “You sure this is what you want? Taking on a ready-made family? Diego and I are a pack–” My little speech was cut off by his kiss. I moaned into his mouth and felt moisture pool into the lace panties I wore.
He pulled back, bringing his forehead to mine. “Decorator will be over at two o’clock.”
He grinned when my mouth popped open. “Easy, sugar. I might have to put something in that mouth of yours, you keep holding it open like that. And I still have to feed the kid his breakfast.” He winked at me and moved away.
“What if I’d had said no?”
“You wouldn’t have,” he stated with all the confidence in the damn world.
“I could’ve.” I swatted at him with a dish towel I grabbed from the sink.
“I’m very convincing when it comes to you, sugar.”
“So I’ve noticed,” I grumbled.
“Morning, Mama! Morning, Mr. Carter!” Diego’s voice startled me.
Carter turned, swooping Diego up in his arms.
