Her cool lips press against my neck as she kisses me. “It’s okay. Go to sleep now.” Fingertips rub my temple as I drift. In the distance her voice reaches me, as it always does. It says, “I’m here.”
I wake slowlyand realize I’m alone in the dark room. I turn my head toward the clock. Eleven thirty. I slept through my phone’s alarm. I’m surprised C and Trick didn’t text. I’m glad they didn’t.
The blackout shades have the room in almost complete darkness. Good for sleeping. Glancing at the nightstand, I realize my phone’s not there. I rub my eyes. So that’s why I overslept. She moved it so I wouldn’t hear it. I reach for the baby monitor and find Raven’s turned that off too.
I turn it on and and press the two-way button to use it as an intercom. We’ve got monitors in most rooms, so wherever she is she’ll hear me.
“Raven.” I let go of the button and lie back.
A minute later the door opens, and she comes in carrying the baby. “Look who’s here, Irina. Daddy’s still home.”
The baby holds out her arms, and I beckon for Rachel to give her to me. Rachel sets the baby on the bed, and she crawls tome and climbs to a standing position using my side to stabilize herself. I put my hand against her back to steady her as she presses the side of her face against my chest.
“Good morning, ???????.”
Irina lifts her face and makes some happy sounds, and then slaps her hands out to the sides, banging her little palms against me.
My mouth quirks, then I draw in a deep breath and look at Raven. “My phone?”
Raven takes it from the nightstand and holds it out. It’s turned off.
“Did C call you?”
“He texted me around ten thirty. I texted back that you were asleep. He just said okay.”
The baby kisses and slaps my chest.
I pick her up to set her on top of me. She sits on my sternum, looking down at my face as she babbles. Her little foot lands on my throat, then my chin.
“I have pancake batter and bacon ready to cook. Do you have time for breakfast?”
“Yeah.”
Rachel starts toward the door.
“Raven?”
“Yes?” she asks, turning to look at me.
“My phone stays on unless I turn it off.”
“I know.”
I know she knows. She turned it off because she felt strongly I needed the rest and was determined to give it to me. Her love for me hits me in the heart, but I can’t allow her to interfere this way again. If something serious goes down, I can’t sleep through it. We have C Crue operations running all night, and for some emergencies, I’m the first call.“The next time you touch my phone, you’ll be in trouble.”
Her light brown eyes hold steady on my face. “Okay.” She’s calm, and I can tell she doesn’t regret what she did. C Crue isn’t her highest priority. I am. She’s always been willing to defy anyone to save me, and it never fails to have an impact.
“You’re right though,” I say. “The schedule’s a problem. Sit down.”
Raven comes to the bed and sits with us.
“I’ll get some other guys ready to take over body-guarding C at night. Until then, I’ll shift my schedule. I’ll start going to the main house around noon or one, so I can sleep later. Some nights, even when I get home late, I’ll wake you up. I’ll have to, or we’ll never see each other.”
“You won’t need to wake me up, Sasha. Whatever schedule you’re on is the one Irina and I will be on too.”
That possibility sends a wave of pleasure and relief humming through me. Then a tiny foot bangs against my jaw and reminds me there’s more than myself to consider. “Is that all right for a baby? Don’t they need daylight?”
“Like flowers?” Raven says with a small smile. “She’ll be fine. What’s best for us is to see you.”
