Page 160 of Javier

Illuminated by the light of a faint moon and framed by the majestic Rockies, the mansion stood at the center of a scenic valley, overlooking a tiered garden and a vast blue lake. Four massive towers pierced the night sky and anchored the building, each housing the set of rooms assigned to his four daughters. One of those towers was mine.

The sight was bittersweet. Memories of my siblings’ laughter shared the same headspace that echoed with my father’s rage. The old vagus nerve balked. I took a deep breath and put it in its place.

From his spot sitting next to me, Javier squeezed my hand. “Are we doing okay?”

Before I could answer, the vehicle pulled under the portico. Our small party streamed through the massive medieval doors, advanced between the suits of arms down the dark corridor, and stepped out to the light of the chandeliers pouring down on the ballroom-sized atrium where we’d all been forced to learn how to dance the freaking waltz.

“Surprise!”

The happy chorus echoed in the huge space. The room’sgrandiose dimensions, the enormous stone staircase, and the gilded balconies overlooking the space dwarfed the table at the center, which was by no means small. It was piled with drinks and tiered trays of food and surrounded by familiar faces. Taped to the tablecloth was a handwritten sign that saidWelcome Home.

“You.” Dash pointed from Javier to the chair at one end of the table. “Sit.”

Javier rolled his eyes, but he relented. Keeping his hand in his sling and flanked by Kai and me, he eased down on the chair. This seemed to be the cue for the celebrations to begin. The rest of the crew surged forward. Conversation and laughter echoed throughout the house as folks exchanged greetings. The team attacked the feast like a ferocious pack going into a feeding frenzy. For a moment, I just stood there with my hand on Javier’s shoulder, as if protecting him from my ghosts.

Despite the late hour, a fire roared in the giant hearth, reflecting on the black-and-white marble tiles and warming not only the space, but my insides. The team’s jokes and laughter rang all around me like music, bringing different memories to play.

In my mind’s eye, I saw Thena and Cece practicing their ballet moves in the middle of the hall. I remembered Affie, clowning around, pretending to do a strip tease as she walked down the stairs, keeping the rest of us in stitches. I recalled Nix and Dash, hot and sweaty, sprawled on the cool tiles after a ten-mile run on a summer day.

It struck me that, to this moment, I’d been afraid of returning to Astor House, of the dreadful memories and the coldness that settled in my bones whenever I spent time here.

When I was a kid, the mere sight of my smoldering father stalking this enormous house made me tremble, cower, and cry. But now, I didn’t feel like crying. Even surrounded by these big,strong, powerful men, I felt safe, empowered, and capable of holding my own.

The old fear was gone from my soul. Looking at the men of Tracker Team, seeing Javier for who he was, I knew the truth. There were good males in the world, men who valued women as their equals, who were willing to embark in love’s dangerous adventure.

Javier was right. With Tracker Team based out of the mansion, something felt different. The house felt hospitable and hopeful. It was as if the place had evolved with the times and changed along with me.

“Missy!” Sandy beamed as she caught me in her arms. “You’re home at last!”

Sandy had been our housekeeper since forever. These days, she managed the estate. Her dark hair had grayed, but the same strength of character lingered in her tall figure and her lean, long face. Her husband, Cook, was next in line to hug me. The rotund little man was the resident chef. He settled a small, gilded plate topped with a frilly cupcake in my hand.

“Your favorite,” he said in his British accent and his smile lifted my lips. “Strawberry shortcake. And for you, sir.” He placed another plate before Javier. It was neatly stacked with cookies. “They’re still warm from the oven.”

Javier grabbed a cookie and stuffed it in his mouth. “Cook, you da man.”

A copper-skinned, fair-haired beauty took Cook’s place and planted a smooch on Javier’s face. A tiny prickle of jealousy stabbed at me. Okay, so it wasn’t so tiny. I felt like an alpha she-wolf ready to fight for her mate.

“Welcome back, Goofman,” the woman said. “I guess you’re now royalty around here.” She grabbed the sides of her gypsy skirt and pretended to do a curtsy before she taunted him with a playful grin. “I’ll admit that you had me nervous, forlike, sixty seconds. I bet that snake threw up after she bit you. Just joking,” she rushed to add when I frowned. “I’m sure he’s delish.”

“This brainy beauty is Mina Moses.” Javier motioned to the woman. “As you know, Mina’s our team’s brilliant cyber-hunter-in-chief.”

“Brilliant’s good, though you could’ve added gorgeous and extraordinary, you know, to make me look good.” The woman grabbed my hand and pumped it, setting all the bangles and bracelets she wore aflutter. “You hid good, girl. Respect.”

“She’s the one who found you,” Javier reminded me.

“Yes.” My fingers were gonna fall off if she kept shaking them so hard. “Thank you.”

“No worries.” She flashed another bright grin, grabbed the cupcake from my plate, and took a big bite. “Don’t be cross,” she spoke through a mouthful. “There are many more where those came from. We can always share.”

“The cupcake, maybe.” I eyed the woman before me. “Not Javier.”

For an instant she stiffened. Then she burst out laughing. “And here I thought you’d be baby putty, you know, easy to mold. But you’re fierce, girl. You’re like a lioness. I love your fangs. You’re legit.”

“I see you’ve met Mina.” Thena threw an arm over me and another one over the other woman’s shoulders, bringing the three of us closer together. “Since she got here, she’s been my lifeline.”

“Don’t know about that.” Mina flushed, not unlike me, and I felt an instant kinship with a woman’s whose skin also betrayed her. “I’m a little feral, but you’ll get used to me.”

“I like feral,” I grinned. “I’m working toward feral.”

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