“I need money, mother. I can’t get to Marnie if I don’t have cash. Then I’ll figure out your ‘supply’ issue.”
She slid an envelope toward him and started to walk away but turned and kissed his cheek.
“I do love you, Alden. You’re just very frustrating sometimes.”
“Yeah, I know, mother. I know.” He watched her walk to the brand-new Rolls Royce, sliding behind the wheel like the queen of Sheba.
“Like mother like son.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Marnie was so nervous at the hospital she could barely focus. In spite of the male nurses, doctors, and various team members constantly watching, she still felt as though someone was watching her.
“Marnie? Marnie, honey,” prompted Ajei.
“Oh. Oh, gosh, I’m sorry Ajei. I was lost in thought.”
“It’s no wonder. There’s been a lot going on here and I know that you’re scared. Don’t be. Look around you. You’re protected here.”
Marnie nodded and Ajei took her hand, leading her to an open exam room. They took a seat across from one another and Ajei held her hands in her own.
“Marnie, I wasn’t born into this family. I was eight when my sister, Lena and I moved to Virginia to be with Tailor and the others. They were called REAPER at the time.”
“Ominous,” she frowned.
“Ominous for those they were chasing. Just a short distance from their compound back then, my sister and I stopped to use the restroom. We were coming there for the holidays from New Mexico. I was abducted by a very, very bad man.”
“Oh, God,” whispered Marnie.
“He realized very quickly who he’d pissed off and thanks to his brother, Miguel, that’s a long story, I was released. Tailor picked me up, hugged me and never let me go after that. He’s my father, brother-in-law, and protector. I love him so much.
“Thanks to him, we moved here and I met Luke when we were just teenagers. We married right after he left the Naval Academy and I graduated from nursing school. He was an active-duty SEAL but was home for a family event and I was almost nine months pregnant when I was threatened again.
“Once again, the team here protected me. And that team was mostly the women at the time.”
“I see,” frowned Marnie.
“No, I’m not sure you do. We are family here. Family is more to us than anything in the world. We protect one another, we protect our privacy and secrecy, and we do not allow others to take what belongs to us. Family.”
“How can you see me as family already?” she asked.
“Because that’s what you are,” laughed Ajei. “The moment you walked into this hospital, you were family. Even if you hadn’t fallen in love with Mitch, you’d still be family.”
“That’s the other thing. I’m nervous, Ajei. I have a ring on my finger from a man I met just a few days ago. That’s not normal. That’s crazy!” Ajei laughed again, shaking her head. She heard a sound behind her and turned to see Gabi, Riley, and Lena.
“It’s not crazy, honey,” said Gabi. “It’s normal. I was a bit different. I saved Zulu’s life when he had a bullet lodged at his spine. He didn’t know it but I fell in love with him while he was unconscious. Strange circumstances separated us for thirteen years. But when I was in trouble, I knew the one person I could turn to. That man has loved me like I don’t deserve.”
“You deserve every second of it,” said Riley hugging her friend. “Max saved me as well. Literally fell in love within a few days and married. We never thought we’d have kids and yet, here we are with a grown son.”
“Sweetie, these men, and this place are different. The exceptional love and tenderness given is as natural as breathing to them. There is no one on earth trained better, more proficient at what they do, than our men. This doctor, Alden, has nothing on them. He will not get back on this property,” said Lena.
“You say that but he’s desperate,” said Marnie. “You guys know what that does to people. He uses the drugs he steals and that’s motivating for him. I’m not sure who he’s selling the other drugs to but I can assure you that he’s going to want that money as well.”
“We will stop him,” said Marissa with a smile. “Besides, you have a wedding tomorrow and if I were a betting woman, I’d say you’ll be pregnant by the end of the month.”
“What?!” gasped Marnie. Her face flushed a bright red and she looked terrified, then laughed. “Pregnant. Oh, gosh. Do you think so?”
“I know so,” smiled Marissa. She looked at all the women and grinned. “I know so because Joey and I haven’t been married that long and I’m pregnant. I haven’t told mom and dad yet, but we’re about eight weeks along. I take the sonogram next week to determine if there are multiples.”
