“The base has extra rooms. I could have slept there,” Sean told her as he watched the city fly by. Katie drove how Annabelle flew—if they went fast enough, they could beatthewind.
“And wake up before dawn to deal with your family? I don’t think so,” she shot back mildly. “You need rest, Sean. Get your head screwed on straight before you see them tomorrow. A couple of hours isn’t going to cut it.Trustme.”
The thing was, hedidtrust her. Katie was an exceptional second-in-command, even if she technically wasn’t his. He knew better than to argue with her though, remembering their time in London and the way she ordered everyone around, including Jamie. Which was why he didn’t say anything when she parked her car, walked him up to his apartment, and saw himinside.
“Hungry?” Katie asked, glancing at hiskitchen.
“Tired.”
“Then I’ll pick you up in themorning.”
Sean nodded tiredly and headed for his bedroom, letting Katie see herself out. Exhausted, numb in a way he knew he couldn’t deal with at the moment, Sean stripped down to his underwear before crawlingintobed.
He slept like the dead and woke up feeling hungover. Eyes gritty, mouth dry, he came awake to the smell of synthcaf brewing when he knew he’d run outlastweek.
“Ugh,” he muttered into his pillow. Someone was in his apartment, and he didn’t care who it was, because it smelled like they were cookingbreakfast.
Getting up, getting moving, took actual effort. Sean grabbed a clean change of clothes, opting for a casual pair of dark jeans and a button-down, before heading for the bathroom, the siren call of the shower luring him in. Sean got clean, got dressed, and didn’t question Katie being there when he got out, breakfast made and platedfortwo.
“Your fridge was empty. Noticed it last night. My mother would be heartbroken if I left it that way,” she said before spearing a piece of sausage andeatingit.
“Why?” Sean muttered around a mouthful of eggs andpotatoes.
“She’s a cook. Owns her own little restaurant in NewChicago.”
“Neverbeen.”
“You’ll have to visit onedaysoon.”
Sean eyed her over his mug of synthcaf, unable to read the expression on herface. “Okay?”
Katie pointed her fork at him. “You andAlexei.”
His first instinct was todeny, deny, deny, but lying wasn’t an option here. Not now, not when he’d tasted Alexei and knew exactly what it felt like to come undone in the younger man’s arms. If London had taught Sean anything, it was that Alpha Team looked after their own and closed ranks against all comers. They protected each other, and Sean would go through countless uncomfortable conversations if it meant he could still keep Alexei byhisside.
“Me and Alexei,” he finally said, not bothering to hide the truthfromher.
Katie nodded, finding whatever answer she wanted in his eyes, maybe his mind, but that was an uncharitable thought Sean quickly chased aside. Katie would never read another person’s mind without permission or unless cleared and ordered todoso.
“Paperwork’s going to be a bitch. Alexei hates it, and he’ll push it off as long as possible. You better be the one to register yourstatus.”
Sean laughed tiredly, cutting at his omelet. “Speaking fromexperience?”
“Babysitting comes with the chevrons. I wish it fucking didn’t, but there you go. Now finish your breakfast. We got placestobe.”
He saluted her with his fork. “Yes,ma’am.”
They ate; he stacked the dishes in the compact dishwasher and turned it on. Locking the door to the apartment behind him, he followed Katie to her car. The drive back to base went through morning rush hour traffic, but since he wasn’t behind the wheel, Seandidn’tcare.
“Stirling is overseeing your family’s security clearance meeting,” Katie said after awhile.
Sean nodded. “That’s what Agent Flores said lastnight.”
“What she didn’t tell you is that JAG had a recommendation that Stirling and Nazari both signedoffon.”
“What sort of recommendation?” Sean askedslowly.
“Your mother and father are in professions where keeping quiet is second nature to them for legal reasons. The MDF isn’t worried they would compromise your identity and their ownsafety.”
