“I’m just so…tired.”
“How long has it been since you slept?”
“I… I don’t know. Yesterday morning? Maybe? Time is meaningless now.”
Duncan patted him on the back. “I think you’ve earned a couple of days off with no interruptions.”
Ken finally stepped back, rubbing his face. “Please tell me you’re driving.”
“I am.” Duncan picked up Ken’s carry-ons and led him out to where he’d parked Gillian’s SUV.
Ken settled into the passenger seat, tipped it back, and?—
Someone rapidly knocking on the passenger window awakened him.
Dewi.
And the vehicle was no longer moving.
Disoriented, he sat up to find Duncan smiling as he unbuckled his seat belt. “We’re home.”
“Oh.” Ken fumbled for the door handle to get it open, and Dewi practically yanked it open and threw herself into the SUV, kissing him.
“Dewi, he’s exhausted and half-asleep,” Duncan said. “Let him at least get out of the car before you climb him.”
She tried to help Ken out, realized he was still belted in, and then helped him unbuckle his seatbelt and yanked him out to hug him.
“I missed you so much!”
He fought the urge to lean against her and go back to sleep. “Missed you, too, baby.” He yawned. “Cabin, please? Seriously, I need to sleep.”
“Yeah, of course.”
“I’ll bring his bags,” Duncan said.
“Thanks, Da!” Dewi led the way, her arm hooked around Ken’s. “I started Lyssa on formula,” Dewi said as they walked. “She’s getting kinda bitey.”
“Kind of like her mom.”
She snorted.
He was vaguely aware of entering the cabin and looking into the play crib at the baby before face-planting onto the bed without even getting undressed.
And that’s all he remembered for…a while.
Dewi
“I’m going to kill that rat-bastard brother of mine when I get my hands on him,” she growled at Duncan as she exited the cabin behind him with Lyssa on her shoulder and they started across the backyard to the big house. “He had no fuc—ggin’ right to drag Ken over there without talking to me first and getting my permission!”
Duncan stopped so suddenly she nearly ran into his back. She wasn’t expecting it when he whirled on her, thunderclouds in his eyes, and leaned in, forcing her a step back.
His low, growly tone didn’t bear the slightest hint of mirth. “Dewi. Do you have any idea of the full scope of what Peyton’s dealing with?”
“No, I don’t, because no one’s telling me shit!”
“Someone abducted him, he found someone who barely escaped a similar fate, a family was brutally tortured and murdered, and our entire understanding of the situation literally upended itself. Not to mention, they never would have figured out the direct connection between Ray Dorland and Faegan had Ken not been there! And had it not been for Ken, we wouldn’t know about Miranda Segura’s overtures toward the Russians and be able to contain that! I get that you’re upset, but understand that the world does not revolve around you and your desire to bubble-wrap Ken!”
“I’m sorry I’m bitchy, but you aren’t the one who’s barely slept the past two weeks and having nightmares every time I do because I’m worried about Ken. I think I’ve been pretty reasonable, all things considered. Y’all didn’t even have to tranq me when we found out about Peyton. Do I not get credit for personal growth? Because the last time I had no fucking clue where Ken was, he’d driven off the side of a fucking mountain with Nami and disappeared with some cartel dudes chasing them and trying to kill them! Remember that? You should, because you were there!”
