Page 65 of Her Honorable Hero

He disconnected and sped up to Dex. “What’s the plan?”

“We don’t have the time to waste running the four blocks to base. Somebody’s going to meet us near in the Grinder Parking lot.”

“Who?”

“Whoever can get their ass there the fastest.”

* * *

Livvie hadto be picking up on her stress levels, because she normally didn’t cry like this. She was a happy baby. Of course, she wasn’t in her normal car seat, either.

“Sweet Girl, we’re almost home,” Miranda crooned.

She hated this. She looked at Livvie in the rearview mirror. Her daughter’s face was scrunched up, her tiny hands clenched into fists as she struggled against the belt on the booster seat.

“Out,” her little girl sobbed.

“I’ll make you smores when we get home,” Miranda bribed. She had always sworn she wouldn’t stoop to bribery if she’d had a child. That had flown out the window real quick.

“Out,” Livvie cried again.

Miranda saw Maple street coming up. Thank you, Lord.

Her phone rang.

Shit, shit, shit.

She saw it over there in the footwell. She pulled over to the curb and put the car into park. Then she snagged the phone.

It wasn’t the blocked number, it was Kane’s number.

“Where’s Griff?” she answered.

“Where are you?”

“I’m on my way home. My ETA is two minutes. I’ll be safe there. Our security system is state of the art, and I’m getting the gun out of the gun safe. I’m not taking any chances with my daughter. When will Griff be home?”

“Stay on the line this time,” Kane commanded.

Miranda rolled her eyes. These men. As soon as they thought it was some kind of mission, they all sounded the same.

“I told you, now that I have Livvie and I’ve got my house in sight, I’ve got this under control. I just want my husband.”

She reached up to depress the garage door opener and realized it was Susan’s. Her lower lip started to tremble in frustration. She slammed the car into park and shoved on the emergency brake when she pulled into the small driveway.

“Out,” Livvie shouted, when Miranda opened her door.

“In a second love, Mommy’s got to open the garage door the manual style.”

She ran up to the keypad by the door and pressed in the code. Then she ran back to Susan’s mini-van while the garage door started to open.

“Out,” Livvie shouted again.

“Dammit.” Miranda managed not to raise her voice as the stuffed giraffe hit the back of her head.

“Miranda, what’s wrong?” Kane demanded.

“I have a pissed off almost-two-year-old who’s throwing things.”