“I actually got so good with ASL,” she signs with pride. “I took lessons for two months when we started dating, and he’s been very patient with me. He’s even teaching me the Mexican one now.” She tries to sign something that is barely comprehensible, even though I get she’s introducing herself in MSL. “Most of the time, though, I don’t even have to sign. He’s gotten amazing at reading my lips. I have to put a hand over my mouth when I’m on the phone with a client.”
“Oh my God, yes! That was the worst thing ever growing up. He’d watch me from the other side of the room, and then tease me about whatever I was talking about. What you can also do is talk like this,” I explain, moving my lips frantically while still making sense. “He hates it so much, but that’s what he gets for being an intrusive asshole.”
“That’s genius. I need to do that,” she laughs.
“Anytime, babe. I’m here if you ever need tips on how to bother him. I have twenty-seven years’ experience, after all.”
“Oh, I’m pretty good at getting him hot and bothered, don’t worry.”
And that’s my cue to leave. I’m not letting her put images of my bestie and my brother doing the nasty in my head. I’ve suffered enough this year, and it’s only July, for fuck’s sake.
As we make our way back to the men, I’m glad to see she isn’t as torn and closed off as before. This situation isn’t easy for anyone, but she knows we’ll do everything we can to fix it. And I hope she also knows I have no regrets and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
And if that makes me a masochist, then so be it.
Chapter 27
The house in Canada didn’t feel like a home. Andrea did, not the structure. Stepping into my apartment in Seattle, though, comes with a strong sense of homeyness.Ourapartment, actually.
Maria Carmen’s hip replacement went well, and we waited for her to wake up before hitting the road. Andrea might have wanted to stay for a couple more days, but just like me, she realizes time is of the essence. So, she didn’t complain or argue and hopped into the car that drove us back to Seattle.
“Hey, Iris,” Andrea greets with a smile once we’ve dropped our suitcases by the entrance.
“Hello, Andrea. I missed you. It has been a long time since I last saw anyone.”
“I missed you, too, girl. I’ll catch you up soon.”
“Can’t wait to hear it.”
“I’m here too,” I say, a little offended that my AI hasn’t acknowledged me yet.
“Hello, Alexander. Welcome home.”
I turn to Andrea, giving her back a graze to claim her attention. “I will reinforce Iris’s security system first, so we’re sure no one’s coming for us while we’re here.”
“Good idea. I’ll set up a secure connection on my laptop and start digging to find dirt on Becker. Maybe I’ll call Oli, let him know to be vigilant, too. He helped me with the heist, after all. He’s like five percent Nammota at this point.”
“I found no traces of his involvement when I looked at all your work. I think he’s safe.”
“Okay, good. That’s one less person to worry about,” she says, offering me a sheepish smile.
I turn on my heels, about to head to the hidden door, when she stops me with a hand on my shoulder and, “Lex, wait.”
When I face her, her hand slides to my neck instead. She tugs gently, and I follow her silent will and lower to let her kiss me. After our lips part, I remain right here, my forehead against hers.
“I love you,” she whispers. “Thank you for everything.”
“I love you too, freckles.”
“How about once we’re rid of all this mess, we have the most ordinary and boring life ever?”
“That’s actually a great idea. Our lives have been eventful enough as it is.”
“Definitely.”
We exchange another kiss, longer than the first one, before getting on with our duties.
It takes me about two hours to reinforce Iris’s security. I already hacked into the building’s cameras when I originally set her up, so that wasn’t something I had to work on. I did, however, tap into the city’s CCTV feed and add the entire block to her system. She’ll scan the faces of every passer-by, cross-examine them with criminal databases, and alert me if one of them comes close to the building. In the event that it happens, she’ll then hijack the elevators, giving us enough time to react and plan an escape or lock ourselves in the safe room.
