Having Aerinn back in her arms felt amazing. It might as well have been years instead of months since Bella last saw her. Of course, her feelings couldn't compare to Quinn’s, and she hated how much time he’d missed. It would take even more time before Aerinn accepted the man she hardly knew.
Bella’s head still ached, but it was much better than it had been; a blessing when her granddaughter decided to climb all over her.
“Gran, why are you still in bed? Get up!”
How to explain it gently? “I’ve got a bit of a headache, little one.”
“That’s what Grandad said.” Aerinn frowned, shooting a look at her mother. “Mama told me to be quiet,” she whispered, “so I don’t di-turb you.”
“That’s very kind of you, Aerinn.” Smoothing her curls back from her forehead, Bella was struck once more by how much the four-year-old resembled her. Between Layla’s darker skin tone and jet-black hair and Quinn’s red Irish features, Bella hadn’t expected to see such familiarity in her granddaughter’s face mirrored back at her.
“We’ve secured a location stateside,” Edward announced, walking into the room with his phone in his hand. “The mercs are loading up the Stallion; departure in thirty.”
He walked back out, and Layla said, “I don’t remember him speaking in such clipped tones before.”
Smiling slightly, Bella responded, “You haven't really had to watch us in action.”
It was all different, and Bella despised it. The life she’d created for her children—and grandchild—didn’t include the sort of shit they’d seen recently.
Layla had hidden away with her mother during the fight against Zion. They’d all thought the end of the world was near, and it only made sense for her to bunker with Leah. There had been a time when they’d all forced themselves to act like sardines in the basement safe room at the Cullen house, but it hadn’t lasted long before everyone went stir-crazy.
The Cullens had various safe houses, and time had only proven them unfortunately necessary. But Bella and the others were positive the agency knew of the whereabouts of those locations. Having worked together so closely, it had only made sense to disclose the coordinates. And now it bit them in the ass, preventing them from hiding from the enemy within.
“Good thing we didn’t unpack,” Layla commented, rising from the chair beside the bed and hoisting Aerinn onto her hip. “Let’s find your plushy, love.”
“It fell on the floor.” Aerinn stuck her fingers in her mouth, a habit she’d broken a year ago and now relied on in uncertain times.
“Here it is.”
Layla handed it over, and Aerinn shouted, “Ready, Freddy!”
Cringing, Bella glanced at the clock to see if it was time for more pain meds. It was close, so she went ahead and took one of the horse-sized pills, grimacing as it went down. “Can you send Dad in, please?”
“Sure.” Turning Aerinn upside down and tickling her, Layla left the room amidst the squealing of her preschooler.
So much for not di-turbing her. But things had been crazy, and Bella wouldn't hold it against her daughter-in-law.
Edward came back, fooling with his phone much the way he had the last time he’d been there. “Yeah?”
“Edward.”
“Hmm?”
He had yet to look up, so she crossed her arms and waited.
Finally, he picked his head up and focused on her. “Sorry. What do you need?”
“For starters, I need you to come here.”
Holding out her arms, she waited for him to pocket the phone and sit beside her on the bed. He put his arms around her and tugged her closer, sighing into her hair.
“This is all stupid and crazy,” he said.
“I know.”
With his strength seeping into her, she inhaled the scent of him. He had no reason to bring cologne with him, and the soap they had access to was different. Yet his essence was there underneath it all. Somehow, he evoked memories of home, of the forest surrounding their property. Of safety and security, and none of the shitshow they’d found themselves in.
Edward stroked his hand up and down her back, his other hand resting low on her spine. “As usual, I can’t come up with the right words.”
“I don't need pretty words, Edward. Or any words. I just need you.”
“Is breá liom tú níos mó ná mo shaol féin.”
“Those words are always appropriate.” Yes, she loved him more than her own life as well, and that would never change.
“I’m still recovering from the shock of how I found you back there.” Since he held her so tightly, she felt his shuddering breath. “If anything had happened to you, it would have been my fault.”
“We don’t lay blame, Cullen. Stop breaking your rules in order to flagellate yourself.”
Pulling back, he rested his forehead on hers. “I have nothing without you.”
Her heart stuttered. “You have more than most men, with or without me.”
“No.” Straightening, he kissed her temple and clasped her hands. “Without you, I’d have nothing. You taught me how to love, and you gave me the children.”
“What’s got you so sappy?” Bella reached out to stroke his stubbly cheek. “We’ve been in dire straits before.”
“And I hate it each time.” The green in his eyes darkened, and he leaned forward to capture her lips with his.
For a long moment, the only sound was the exchanging of breaths as he poured his love into the kiss. Understanding what he needed, she threaded her fingers through his hair and let him lead. Reconnecting was far away, in some anonymous house they’d never set eyes on. If they were lucky to have their own room, at least. Otherwise, they’d have to settle for the occasional stolen kiss.
Edward inhaled when he pulled away. “We need to go. What can I do?”
“Is my stuff packed?”
Nodding, he replied, “I made sure of it.”
“Then I’m good to go.”
She shouldn't have been surprised when he scooped her into his arms, but she was. Instead of protesting, she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
“My pills,” she said before he opened the door.
“Oh, right.”
She only had a handful of them, and strict orders about not taking too many. It was unlikely they’d hunt down another doctor once they reached destinations unknown, so she would be careful with what she had left.
The helicopter ride was unpleasant, but not the worst she’d ever experienced. The jump seats were her least favorite, but what counted was that her family was whole. Quinn and Layla sat next to each other, Aerinn firmly planted on her mother’s lap. She clutched the stuffed unicorn close to her face, her fingers in her mouth and her gaze on her father. Quinn smiled at her, and she smiled back.
The slow progress between them was agonizing. Bella’s gut instinct told her it would turn out fine, but it was difficult to watch Quinn struggle.
Edward nudged her awake when they arrived, and she yawned. They stepped out onto a large field, a huge red brick house barely visible in the distance.
“Oh, goody. A hike,” Holden muttered.
“Hold,” Nigel barked.
Dusk rapidly closed in around them, rendering their sightlines useless. Dwayne, Nigel, Hollywood, and Danny dropped infrared goggles over their faces and waved everyone over to the closest copse.
“The hawk is in the nest,” Hollywood said into his comms. “Advise.”
“All clear.”
“Who the fuck is that?” Jasper hissed. “Why does that voice sound familiar?”
“You didn’t recognize it immediately?” Dwayne asked.
“It’s Ben,” Edward snapped. “We don’t have time to play games.”
Jasper visibly relaxed. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner he was coming in on this?”
“Because he had to convince Angela we weren’t dragging them into the lion's den before he could agree to come help.”
At Edward’s explanation, Dwayne said, “We had the place, but no one was available to sweep it ahead of time and ensure it’s still as off-grid as we thought it was.”
They walked together up the sloping lawn, and as soon as they were out of range, the helicopter rose in a cacophony of rotors slicing through the night air before disappearing on the horizon.
Ben greeted them at the back door, a few lights blazing behind him. All the curtains were drawn and most of the lights were out. Floral wallpaper suitable for a house from the turn of the twentieth century adorned the walls above mahogany chair rails.
“Fancy,” Emmett said sarcastically.
“There are several bedrooms upstairs, plus an attic with a couple of beds and a bath. There’s a basement, though I wouldn’t recommend sleeping down there.” Ben shrugged. “It’s drafty.”
Dara greeted him with a hug. “Come to help me hack into classified databases, did ya?”
“Wild horses couldn't keep me away.” Ben cleared his throat. “Then again, my wife nearly cut my balls off for suggesting she take time off work to stay home with Asher.”
“How’s he doing?” Bella asked, hugging Ben.
“Great. Getting bigger.” He looked around at all the people gathered in the kitchen. “Anyway, there’s food in the fridge and pantry, some supplies on the dining table, and I think I got all the bathrooms stocked with the essentials.”
“Thanks, Ben.” Edward slapped him on the back. “We’re gonna need you.”
“Let’s put our shit down and meet back here,” Nigel ordered. “We need to hash out our plan.”
They took a few minutes to drop their gear in the many bedrooms. Bella felt relieved that she and Edward would have one to themselves. Quinn and Layla had one, and so did Jake and Leah. After that, the guys had to share or go to the attic and deal with the more open space. It was much less cramped than what they’d come from, and no one complained.
Back in the dining room—which also boasted wallpaper, but in a different color and pattern—they ranged around the secure laptops Ben brought along. The only adults absent were Leah and Layla, who were trying to bathe the little one and convince her to sleep in a strange house.
“My suggestion.” Edward pulled up a web page. “We meet with this reporter from the Washington Daily, Dylan Anderson. They’ve been writing investigative articles about the agency, trying to cover the scandals that seem obvious to us but not to everyone else.”
“And then what?” Seamus asked. “Invite him for a spot of brandy in tea and then spill our secrets?”
“No, of course not. But if he’s already writing about Blithers and the others, it won’t be suspicious if he comes out with a new story. One we’ll feed him, bit by bit.”
Emmett nodded at Edward. “I like it. What else?”
Looking at the faces around the room, Edward landed on hers. Bella straightened her shoulders. “I can’t ask anyone else.”
Figuring as much, she nodded. “What is it?”
“Someone should research the family of Derrick Blithers. Wife, children, mistress, personal assistant. Dog walker. Get close, get info.”
“I’ll need to be slightly more undercover than just waltzing up to her as I am. Assuming the wife watches TV at all, she’d have seen us on the news after the finale with Zion.”
“She’s got a point,” Dara said, making a note on her pad of paper. “I’ll take care of that.”
“The rest of us,” Edward said, “will figure out what his endgame is. What’s his agenda and who’s paying him off? Make it public, one piece at a time, until he’s crazed with the need for answers.”
“We can dig deeper into his ties with the Russians,” Nigel said. “They should never have brought you on to help them defeat Zion. It doesn't make sense.”
“Zion targeted us,” Bella said. “My father brought them to our doorstep.”
“And then the good little agents”—Emmett shot a glare at Holden—“had us do their dirty work.”
“I lost an agent on that mission, Cullen. It wasn't a walk in the park for me either.”
Seamus snorted. “My brother has never walked properly since, you absolute wanker. Don't talk to me about loss—”
“Enough!” Dwayne interrupted. “We’re not reverting to Kindergarten.”
It was so tempting to talk about evening the score. Bella wanted to beat Holden to a pulp, despite the fact he’d been an unwitting puppet. “You,” she said, pointing at James. “You are in charge of getting us access to Blithers’ work computer. These two could spend days hacking, or you could tell us what you know about getting into the agency’s secure server.”
“My clearance doesn’t run as high as his,” Holden protested. “But I’ll do my best.”
Edward held his hands up before Holden could go off on a tangent. “So we’re in agreement? We ruin Blithers one step at a time, no matter how long it takes?”
Emmett spoke up first. “If it means going back to our lives and never having to do this kind of shit ever again, then yes. I miss my wife.”
“That’s the goal. To finally be free.” Edward narrowed his eyes before the mask of confidence slipped back over his face. “Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
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| Aerinn |
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Love the chapter and the pictures.
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