Page 82 of Command and Control: GHOST Operative

Taking a deep breath, I brace myself as the words spill free. “Holden’s the one who made that program.”

Vincent doesn’t react, which seems strange. He shifts around, sliding onto the seat of the chair Heidi recently occupied as his hand strokes the tiny patch of skin along my hairline that doesn’t hurt. “I know.”

I start to frown but moving my eyebrows makes my head throb almost as much as the lump I’m sporting. “How do you know?”

Vincent’s thumb continues sliding against my skin. “Heidi figured it out while we were tracking you down.”

I search his eyes, looking for some indication of what he’s thinking. “I didn’t know he was behind it. I only put it together when Clark said they traced it back to my IP. The only other person who could have done something like that and has access to my system is Holden.”

“I know you didn’t know, Angel Face.” Vincent’s voice is low and soft. “If you did, I’m pretty sure you would have had me flying out to get him.”

A little of the fear I’m harboring eases. “You’re not mad?”

“Oh, I’m mad.” His expression hardens the smallest bit and my gut tightens. “I’ve got a few things to say to Holden when he gets here.”

The air rushes from my lungs. “When he gets here? You’re going to get him?”

“No.” Vincent continues petting me, the touch achingly gentle. “I’m not leaving you ever again.” The warmth of his fingers skims through my hair, gently working the tangles free. “I just met with Pierce. He’s sending a team to get him.”

I imagine my poor son waking up to a team of men in black in his room. “He’s going to shit his pants.”

“Good. He deserves to shit his pants for putting you indanger.” Vincent rocks his jaw from side to side the way he does when he’s trying not to be pissed. “But I remember what it was like to be young and way too fucking cocky for my own good.”

I work not to smile, hoping to avoid the twinge of pain that will come with it. “Are you saying you were only cocky when you were young?”

Vincent angles a brow at me. “Are you giving me shit already? You’ve been awake five fucking minutes.”

“I’m sorry.” I reach out, teasing my fingers against the short crop of his beard. "Now I get why you don't want me working for GHOST. I thought I was cut out for this shit, but I’m not."

Vincent's expression doesn't change as he gently strokes my cheek. "I'm going to go get Eli. I think he needs to check you out again. You must have hit your head harder than we thought, because the Jules I know would never admit she wasn’t a perfect candidate for GHOST."

A little more of my lingering worry fades. "Very funny."

The hard line of his mouth quirks in a hint of a smile. "Don't tell anyone. They’ll never look at me the same."

"I've got bad news for you." I move past his beard to trace his lips. "I think it's way too late for you to worry about that.”

EPILOGUE-TEN MINUTES IS PLENTY OF TIME

VINCENT

"THOSE ALL LOOK really good." Julieanne scoots in at my side, one hand fisting in the back of my T-shirt. "Remember that time you tried to tell me you didn't cook?"

I shoot her a scowl before going back to lining the egg-filled puff pastry cups down the baking sheet in front of me. "Idon'tcook. This is heating up store-bought shit."

A fuck-ton of it. I remembered how much these women plowed through last time they were here, and I didn't want Julieanne to run out of food this time. I grabbed every appetizer looking thing I could get my hands on at the store.

"I’m going to count it as cooking since you also shopped for it instead of sending Vera out to get everything." Julieanne rests her chin on my shoulder, and I can feel her dark eyes fixed on my face. I don't have to turn my head to know how she’s looking at me, and it threatens to put a smile on my face. It always does, and it's irritating as shit.

"Vera didn't get enough last time, so I figured I might as well do it." I finish with the mini quiches and step back to slide them into the oven. "But I wrote down everything I bought so she can do the shopping next time."

My housekeeper is getting spoiled. Now that Julieanne’s here, she only cooks about half as often and shops about the same since Julieanne enjoys wandering the aisles of the grocery store. And since I enjoy Julieanne, I also end up wandering the aisles of the grocery store, buying her anything and everything she wants to try.

I turn, putting my back to the counter before hooking an arm around Julieanne and pulling her against me. She leans into me, pressing the softness of her full tits into my chest as she loops both arms around my neck. "Thank you for letting me invite everyone into your fortress of solitude again. I know it got a little crazy last time."

That is a gross understatement. Last time she hosted girls’ night here I ended up having to call an entire team of my men to take her friends from Alaskan Security home. They were drunk and rowdy as hell, and a complete inconvenience.

But Julieanne was also drunk and rowdy as hell, so I was willing to overlook it.

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