12
CROSS
When we arrived home, the house was quiet, lit only by the soft glow of the porch light and a couple of lamps we'd left on. My senses were alert as I carried Isa and smoothly guided Hannah inside. Her body brushed against mine as we entered, and despite the tension coiled tightly in my muscles, desire still sparked instantly through me—a possessive surge that I couldn’t ignore.
She offered me a tired smile, hopefully unaware of the dangerous currents running beneath my carefully calm exterior.
“I’ll get Isa ready for bed.” She lifted our baby girl carefully from the carrier. “Can you make her a bottle?”
“On it,” I replied easily, forcing my voice to sound casual and relaxed, not betraying an ounce of the vigilance riding just beneath my skin.
Hannah padded toward the nursery, her hips swaying gracefully. My gaze lingered a second longer than necessary on the tempting curve of her ass, my body instantly tightening in response. Even in moments like these, she had the ability to set me off, my cock stirring at the mere sight of her retreating form.
I quickly shook off the distraction, moving efficiently around the kitchen as I prepared Isa’s bottle. The mundane task did nothing to ease the adrenaline coursing through me, and my thoughts returned instantly to the strange man outside the diner. His lingering glance and subtle shift in posture hadn’t been much, but it was enough to set my instincts screaming.
But I wouldn’t let Hannah feel it. Not when she’d finally begun to trust me, to let her walls down. I was determined to keep her from feeling a second of fear or worry.
As I heated Isa’s bottle, I glanced at my phone again. Wizard had already responded to my text when I let him know I needed eyes because we had a possible tail.
Wizard
On it.
I let out a slow breath of relief, knowing Wizard would already be diving deep, utilizing every piece of tech we had at our disposal to figure out who was tailing us and why.
After testing the temperature, I carried the bottle into the nursery. The sight that greeted me made something tighten deep in my chest. Hannah sat in the recliner, Isa cradled against her chest, the baby’s tiny hands resting gently on her chest. The soft light from the corner lamp illuminated Hannah’s golden-blond hair and the curve of her delicious body.
For a moment, it was impossible not to imagine her belly round with our baby. Possessiveness surged in me again, mixing seamlessly with the desire I always felt for her.
I stepped close, handing Hannah the bottle before bending down to press a soft kiss to Isa’s chubby little cheek. Her baby scent hit me instantly, a reminder of the fragile innocence I’d vowed to protect. Then I brushed my lips against Hannah’smouth, unable to resist tasting her sweetness. She sighed softly against my lips, and for a second, everything else faded away.
“Need to make a quick call.” My lips brushed her temple as I kept my tone casual. “Be right back.”
She nodded and gave me another warm, trusting smile before her attention returned to Isa. I stepped out of the nursery, quickly slipping onto the back deck, pulling out my phone again.
King answered immediately. “Yeah?”
“Saw something at Fuel and Flame tonight,” I explained without preamble, my voice hardening. “A man I didn’t recognize, watching a little too closely. He looked away a second too late when I caught him staring. Not exactly a massive red flag, but my instincts say something is wrong here.”
My hand clenched around the phone as I scanned the darkened property again, looking for anything out of place. “Wizard’s already on it. Said he’d keep me updated.”
King was quiet as he absorbed the information. “I’ll put prospects on it. We’ll ask around town, see if anyone’s spotted unfamiliar faces.”
Riverstone was small enough that strangers couldn’t blend in for long. And with its reputation for being practically owned by the Hounds of Hellfire, not many even tried.
“I'll send security to keep eyes on Hannah and Isa. No chances.” King’s voice was cold and lethal but entirely reassuring. “We’ll handle this, brother.”
“Thanks.” The tension in my muscles eased a little at his assurance. “Don’t know what the fuck is going on, or if this new development has anything to do with Gavin, but I’m not letting any of this bullshit touch my girls.”
“Never doubted it.” King’s voice softened just a fraction, enough to convey understanding and approval. “Head on the swivel.”
I grunted in agreement, then the call ended, and I let out a slow, controlled breath, staring into the darkness. The timing was too coincidental. This had to be about my motherfucking twin. I couldn’t be all mad, though, since his irresponsible ass had brought me Isa and Hannah. But that wouldn’t mean much if it also ruined what we were building. They belonged to me, and I’d destroy anything or anyone who tried to threaten them.
When I finally went back inside, the tension was still riding me. I forced it down, locking my anger deep inside as I moved through the house back to the nursery.
Hannah glanced up as I entered, clearly sensing something was off despite my careful control. Her brows drew together, worry darkening her soft brown eyes. “Everything okay?”
I kept my expression neutral, stepping close again to stroke a finger lightly down her cheek, needing to touch her. To reassure myself as much as her. “Sorry, sweetheart. Just some club business. Didn’t mean to be distracted.”
