Page 66 of Alexander's Heart

:Joint Comms, this is Alpha 1, you’re good to go, move on target. Be fucking careful boys, report back in five mikes, or we’re comin’ in.

Jackson and Cuddy move on ahead and I don’t like it, but they are good at what they do and the best to check it out. Don’t get me wrong we’re all highly skilled with weapons but specialists are a whole other level. They are taught like the rest of us but they have this innate intuition and ability to become one with the deadly devices and know in their gut just how to handle any particular weapon or bomb.

We all have our strengths and that is what makes us a damn good team, and as a team we become ‘One’ and that is why they call us ‘Elite’, one of us alone is a lethal machine but as a team we are fucking deadly. The fact that we all went through BUDs together and were in the same team right from the beginning under Commander Davies reign made us bond like no other team ever has.

That is why the Navy didn’t want to let us go, but we also knew that our platoon wasn’t the same with Davies gone and we all decided to retire two years later. The original plan was to be high end security and we did it well and my other employees still do.

What we didn’t expect was for JSOC to come knocking direct at our door, to be requested to be back out in the thick of it kicking in doors, doing exactly the same work but with a higher clearance and zero restrictions and we’re damn good at it. I’m proud of the chance we took, and glad I decided to start my business because there’s no way I could live without these knuckleheads, we grew up together battling hard in BUD’s and then forming the best platoon on graduation, we are brothers through and through and always have each other’s back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

LILY

Betty’s been amazing, taking over the baking at Brew since the accident, but this morning Alexa and I made some of our special creations and took them into the morning crowd and the place erupted in cheer the moment we arrived. The morning commuters all happy to see us, we handed out our treats to each person who came through the door and the customers wished us well for our future, which was really heartwarming.

The cooking continued when we came back up to the apartment, Alexa, Betty and I have been baking up a storm today, and I’ve lost count of how many batches of cupcakes, cookies, fresh loaves of bread, and meal prepping we’ve made in preparation for the team to come home. I don’t know exactly when they’ll be back but Alexander said it wasn’t a long mission.

I’ve really been feeling the effects of pregnancy today with the ache in my back and pain in my legs from all the standing and now I have pains low in my belly and know I need to sit and put my feet up. I waddle, yes waddle to the sofa because I have reached that point where it feels like I have a bowling ball pressing down between my legs, I sit sideways and put my back to the arm of the sofa, stretching my legs out and feel the pressure ease.

“You okays, Mommy, Betty is making you a cup of tea, do you want a foot wub?”

I smile at my thoughtful little girl, “Mommy has just been standing too long today and needs to rest.”

“You doing good, Cupcake?” Betty asks with query in her voice.

Betty hands me my hot tea, and I take a sip and feel the warmth spread through me.

“Mmmm, thanks, Betty I needed this and yes I’m okay, I think I’ve just overdone it is all.”

Betty’s eagle eye is assessing me closely, “How about you and Alexa watch a movie while I get this kitchen cleaned up, can I get you anything else?”

“I’m good for now, thank you Betty,” I say smiling warmly at her.

“Okay, Cupcake, you yell out if you need anything,” Betty says as she walk toward the kitchen.

“Lovebug, what are we going to watch?”

Alexa taps her little finger on her cheek and then gasps with her decision.

“What about Spy Kids?” Alexa asks with a cheeky grin as she lays down with me, her back to my front. The babies give a boot to Alexa and I feel her giggling as she reaches back and taps my belly.

‘Boys, I’s told you, you needs to leawn to shawe our Mommy,’ Alexa says in her commanding yet lovingly sister voice and I can’t help but chuckle.

“Ow!”

I wake with a strong pain in the center of my belly.

“Mommy, that feels diffewant,” Alexa says rolling over and looking at my tummy.

“Yes, you’re right sweet girl, I think that’s a Braxton Hicks contraction.”

Alexa gasps, “It’s not time yet, what do we do?”

I chuckle, “I’ll be okay, Braxton Hicks are practice contractions and they happen because our body is preparing us for the real contractions later on, I just need to relax and breathe through them, I will be okay.”

Alexa’s face twists in concern when another one hits and she feels my tummy tightening.

“Bweathe, Mommy, you doing good,” she says rubbing my tight belly.

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