He shot his brother a look. Apparently, he’d agreed to Daphne’s plan without even knowing. Philly grinned and winked.
“I’ll stay at the clubhouse for now,” he said. He wanted to keep an eye on Daphne anyway, and the club was the safest place for her when she wasn’t with Callie and Philly. It would be the safest place for her period, but he knew better than to try to convince her not to stay with her sister.
“So that’s the plan,” Mantis said. “Lovell, you’re here until we figure this shit out and neutralize the threat Daisy poses. Daphne will be with Philly and Callie, and when she’s not, she’ll be here. Amber?—”
“Believe me, you don’t need to remind me to stay here or not leave without an escort. I’m a complete chicken, remember,” she said.
“No one who’s been in your situation or found a way out of it is a chicken,” Juan said, his voice quiet but firm. Not everyone heard, but those who did nodded.
Amber brushed off his comment with a wave as she rose. “I’m going to start prepping for dinner. Beef stew, fresh bread, and some sort of green—whatever Dottie comes back from the store with. Daphne,” she said, setting a hand on her shoulder. “It’s really good to see you. Maybe we can grab coffee while you’re here?”
Daphne stood, shoving her phone into the back pocket of her jeans. “More than once,” she said, giving Amber a hug.
“Dinner at seven for everyone who’s here,” Amber said when they parted. Her gaze swept over the group one more time, then she walked to the kitchen.
Daphne turned to her sister. “I assume we’re taking your car?” Callie nodded. “There are a few things I need to grab from mine, then I’ll go with you.”
“Give me a few minutes and I’ll follow,” Philly said, his hand lingering on Callie’s lower back. She nodded, and Philly dropped another kiss on her lips before the sisters donned their jackets and headed out.
When the door closed behind them, Lovell let out a deep breath. “Sorry, guys,” he said, sincerely. He really had hoped that the crazy he’d left behind on the East Coast wouldn’t follow him to California.
“We’ll figure it out,” Dulcie said.
“Especially with HICC helping,” Hawkeye added.
“I’ll add a few more cameras to the perimeter here tomorrow,” Superman offered. Lovell wasn’t sure how he’d improve what was already in place. His brother had an uncanny way of positioning cameras to capture the widest field. But if S-Man thought he could improve it, who was he to argue.
Philly cleared his throat and crossed his arms. “There is one thing I want to know,” he said.
“What’s that?” Lovell asked.
“You going to tell us what’s going on with you and my sister-in-law?”
CHAPTER FIVE
Daphne looped her arm through her sister’s as they walked toward her car. “He knocked you up, eh?” she said, hip-checking Callie. Gently. She didn’t want to knock her preggers sister over.
Callie couldn’t have hidden her smile if she tried, and Daphne was thrilled she didn’t even try. She deserved this happiness. After their shit childhood, then throwing herself into work, then tracking her best friend’s killer. Yeah, both sheandGabe deserved some happiness.
“That he most definitely did,” Callie answered. “How’d you know?”
“Your body is similar to mine, but now your boobs are at least a cup bigger. When are you due?” Then, because she couldn’t help it, she did a little jig. “I’m going to be an auntie!”
Callie laughed. “I’m only eleven weeks along. Everything is looking good. Because I’m apparently geriatric when it comes to pregnancy, we’ve been to the doctor twice. It’s a single, and the heartbeat is strong. We haven’t told anyone else yet. You’re the first other than the two of us.”
They stopped at her car, and Daphne turned to face her sister, dropping her arm but taking her hand. “You’re going to bea mom.” And yes, she got a little teary-eyed, too. “You two will be amazing parents.”
Callie blinked away her own tears. Truly, standing out in subfreezing temperatures crying wasn’t the best idea, but they’d lived through worse.
“I’d settle for being decent parents. It’s not like either of us had good role models,” Callie replied.
“You did. Just not our dear mom and dad. Or Gabe’s father.” Perfection was a weapon in their house and when Callie and Daphne didn’t meet the bar, they suffered all sorts of punishments, from starvation to being locked in closets. Their parents were endlessly creative in dispensingdisciplineand exceedingly careful about making sure none of it visibly showed. It wouldn’t do to have rumors going round about the family. Gabe’s sire, on the other hand, had been a run-of-the-mill drunk, abusive asshole who didn’t give a shit about anything but his next drink.
“Gram and Gramps,” Callie said, a familiar fondness in her voice. Daphne nodded. “They were the best, weren’t they?”
Again, Daphne nodded. “We were lucky to have them. Our port in the storm of our home life. And as I’ve gotten older, every halfway decent thing about me I can trace to them. Or you. When you think about being a parent, think of them. Not the people who spawned us.”
Callie leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her. “I’m glad you’re here.”
