Page 51 of Sweet Little Spies

The thing was when his baby had enough, she kind ofexploded, and he might be dealing with two and a half years’ worth ofsuppressed rage.

Thank god he was well versed in trauma. He thought he mightface a lot of it today.

“I’m going to take a shower. Tell Kala I’m ready whenevershe is.”

“Oh, not a good idea.” Kenzie had been watching the wholescene from her place at the bar, sipping her coffee while the show played out.“Maybe you should start with like Lou. Or Dais. She’s been takingself-defense.”

“I just got my nails done,” his sister said. “I’m strictlyaudience today. The only pounding I intend to take is from Nate tonight. I’mexcited about the play party. I thought we were going to skip the whole weekendbecause of the wedding thing.”

“I did not need to hear that, Dais.” There was a lot of infohe didn’t need to know floating around today.

“No, I can handle Kala,” Carys said, stretching one arm overher chest and then the other. “Do we have any protein bars? I’ll eat it after Ishower. I can handle this. I can.”

She walked off.

Aidan started after her.

Cooper put a hand on his shoulder. “She needs some time.This is woman’s work, man. We should make breakfast and pray they don’t take itout on us.”

“I could eat,” TJ said.

Aidan sighed. It was going to be a long day.

* * * *

Tristan came awake in a crazy, groggy state, the world hazyaround him.

What was wrong with his arms? He couldn’t move them. Hiswhole body felt…tight.

What the hell had happened? Had he been kidnapped? Was thisit? Someone had finally found him, and he would be tortured until he had toadmit he didn’t know who the bombmaker was and they killed him because he wasfucking useless. He hadn’t been able to solve the problem, and it cost himeverything.

“He’s waking up,” a familiar voice said. “You were right. Ithought he would be out longer.”

“Yeah, I know Big Tag. Aidan thinks Tris has never taken atranq dart before. Big Tag thinks shooting his employees with tranqs istraining,” another voice said. Just as familiar.

Was he dreaming? He groaned as he felt a feminine hand onhis face. Somehow he knew it was feminine. But not Carys. Carys might neverfucking touch him again.

“Sweetie?” Was his mom here? “Are you all right? You shouldknow I was against the whole use of the tranquilizer. I thought they couldjust, like, tie you up or something. Your dad’s good at that, as you’re aboutto find out. Don’t struggle too much.”

“Mom?” He managed to get his eyes open.

Was he home?

Why was the rest of his body not working? He managed tofocus. His mom was kneeling beside him, concern in her eyes. “Are you feelingokay?”

He seemed to be in the dining room in the house he’d grownup in. His parents had a beautiful home in North Dallas in a wealthyneighborhood where the lots were big enough for a pool and a guesthouse hissister had been living in up until recently. Every inch of this house wascoated in memories.

It was probably why he hadn’t been home in years. Everythingwould remind him of what he’d lost.

“Could someone tell me what’s happening?” Tristan asked.“The last thing I remember I was having the weirdest conversation with Daisy.Also, am I shrink-wrapped to a chair?”

It’s what it felt like. He legit couldn’t move his arms orlegs. He was pretty sure his feet moved, though, and he could turn his neck. Itwas how he knew his dads were sitting across from him, both enjoying whatlooked to be an excellent brunch.

“It’s more like plastic wrap.” His sister was here, too.Good. He wanted an audience for this humiliation. “The last time I went campingwith the dads they were trying out the whole plastic wrap as a hammock thing.They shouldn’t be allowed on TikTok. It gives them ideas.”

“Not where I got this one,” his papa said with a wink hismom’s way.

Adam Miles. Papa. The one who hadn’t shot him with atranquilizer dart but had almost certainly been involved in the planning.Because his papa and his dad were always in step. They didn’t miscommunicate orget awkward around each other. They always took care of his mom.

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