Derek looked down at his daughter, something complicated moving across his face. Then he carefully transferred Denise into Quinn’s waiting arms.
“Support her head. She likes?—”
“Don’t worry, she’s safe with me.” Quinn was already settling Denise against her shoulder, her posture shifting into that natural sway that seemed to be hardwired into anyone who’d ever raised children. “Go. Get some food. Talk to your brother about whatever’s happening in the kitchen.”
She drifted away, cooing softly to the baby, leaving Derek with empty arms and a strange expression.
“Feels weird,” he admitted. “When she’s not with me.”
Dorian wasn’t sure if he meant Becky or little Denise, but it didn’t matter. “That’s how you know you’re doing it right.”
Derek huffed out something that was almost a laugh. “That’s not comforting.”
“Wasn’t trying to be comforting. I was trying to be honest.”
Whatever Derek might have said in response was cut short by movement at the edge of Dorian’s vision. He turned, some old instinct prickling at the back of his neck.
Theo was crossing the room. Lincoln was with him.
Dorian knew his son’s body language better than he knew his own. The set of Theo’s shoulders. The controlled pace of his movement. The way his eyes swept the room even as he walked.
Operational mode. Something had happened.
Theo reached them, Lincoln half a step behind. His gaze met Dorian’s, mouth tight.
“Tell them,” Theo said to Lincoln.
Lincoln’s face was calm, focused, already processing whatever data had prompted this approach. “There’s been aperimeter breach. East side. Two individuals on foot, moving through the tree line toward the main building.”
“Not a car,” Theo added. “Looks like someone who doesn’t want to be seen coming.”
Derek had gone still beside him. Dorian could feel his own body shifting, old training surfacing like muscle memory.
“How far out?” Dorian asked.
“Ten, fifteen minutes, at their current pace in this weather. They choosing stealth over speed, looks like,” Lincoln responded.
Stealth over speed could mean a lot of things, but to Dorian all of them meant danger.
Across the room, the party continued. Kids laughing. Adults talking. Charlie’s voice rising from the kitchen in exasperation. None of them knew yet.
Dorian pushed off the wall.
Some instincts never turned off.
?*
* Books from characters in this chapter:
Ray & Dorian Lindstrom (Theo & Savannah as children) – GHOST, SCOUT epilogue, BLAZE
Derek & Becky – HERO’S FLIGHT
Blaze & Neo – BLAZE
The RESTING WARRIOR RANCH series
Pawsitive Connections – part of WARRIOR SECURITY
