“So what’s your plan?” Xander asked, bouncing his daughter in his arms and smiling when she giggled.
“Like I said last night on the phone, I think the little girl is too sick to be anything but a distraction to Sasha. We should be focused on keeping her and her daughter safe. And if we wait for Harper to recover first, I’m afraid the kid having a cold will be the least of our troubles.”
“Given the contacts and resources Clifford has, he’ll find you fast. You’re right; Harper is better off with us, away from the danger, so she can heal.”
Nick nodded. “Convincing Sasha will be the hard part.”
“If she’s half as attached to her daughter as London is to ours? Oh, yeah. She’ll fight you like hell.”
“I’m betting on it. But the solution to this shitstorm isn’t going to magically roll up to my door. Sasha and I will have to search Mike’s old stomping grounds for whatever he left behind. A sick girl is a liability. If Sasha and I find what we’re looking for, she and Harper will have a chance to live happy, healthy lives.”
“And the bastard who put you in prison will go down.”
“That, too.” Nick nodded.
“Then what? Got any plans beyond that? You haven’t talked about reopening your business or taking on new cases.” Xander looked at him as if he saw too much.
“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” he hedged. Who the hell would hire him now?
Xander raised a dark brow. “We’ll make you head of security at S.I. Industries.”
And fire the guy already occupying that position to create a vacancy for their ex-con pal? They had already done too much for him.
“Thanks, but I’m not much of a corporate guy. This is fancy office attire for me.” He gestured to his T-shirt.
Xander rolled his eyes. “Bullshit. Swallow that fucking pride and say yes.”
Nick didn’t respond, just stared, blank-faced.
His buddy sighed. “Look, you’ve had some tough breaks, and I know you think I’m trying to hire you out of pity. But that’s not it. You’re genuinely good at what you do, or my brother would never have had you on retainer back in the day. Just…think about it.”
“Nick?”
Sasha’s startled whisper saved him from answering Xander. He pushed away from the table and approached her. She held Harper, who began coughing with red-cheeked abandon.
Worry tightened her face as she braced a hand on her daughter’s back and cut a glance at Xander, who closed in behind him. He heard London and Javier approach, too.
Nick didn’t follow Sasha’s gaze. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her clean hair looked rumpled and sexy in a pale cloud around her shoulders. Her hazel eyes were wide and wary as her stare fell on the Santiagos—strangers to her.
Instinctively, she looked to him for reassurance and safety. He felt a jolt of satisfaction—along with the rise of his cock.
As he reached her, he couldn’t stop himself from hooking his finger under her chin and lifting her gaze to his. “Don’t be afraid. These are my friends. They’re here to help.”
“You’re sure they can be trusted?” she whispered.
Nick wasn’t insulted. She’d probably stayed alive this long by questioning everything and everyone. “Positive.”
He tore his gaze off her long enough to perform introductions. London cradled Dulce and backed away, making sure the baby wasn’t exposed to Harper’s germs. But she smiled and waved at Sasha with a warm friendliness that had almost had Sasha smiling back.
“We brought groceries,” London said. “If one of my husbands will hold the baby…”
Javier plucked Dulce from her arms. “Go ahead. I’m sure Sasha and Harper would like a home-cooked breakfast. I know I would.”
“Maybe you’d talk to me while I get everything ready?” London asked Sasha. “We’ll send the men to the living room. I’m sure they can find some college football pregame to watch until the doctor comes.”
“Sure.” Sasha didn’t look as certain as her answer sounded, but she followed London into the kitchen, still carrying a limp, hot-cheeked Harper.
Reluctantly, Nick followed the Santiago brothers into the living room as the sounds of bowls clacking and the gas stove firing filled the air. Female chatter followed.
