Page 6 of Stay Toxic

And since we’d found her, we’d stayed.

Over the years since we’d found her again, all of us had grown closer.

I’d also added onto this house multiple times in an attempt to make it more secure, as well as bigger for the family.

That family being a bunch of fuckin’ cops.

If you’d have asked me ten years ago if I would be willingly conversing with a bunch of cops, I’d have called you crazy.

But that was before my little sister had fallen in love with one.

Maven had met and fallen in love with Auden Carter. Auden was one of nine children. Seven of them being cops.

Then, of course, I’d gotten involved with Athena as she tried to find her own sister—the reason that she’d created the missing children’s app in the first place—and in doing so, had inadvertently invited them to be a part of our lives as well.

Needless to say, my life had changed.

And now I was carrying a fuckin’ baby in my arms into my home, and I’d have to hide that from my little sister.

It fucking sucked that I had to keep secrets from her, but it was for the best.

I didn’t want to implicate her in any way.

So again, this would be one of those things that I never told her.

“Sir?” Polina asked as she stood anxiously at the door.

“You call your daughter?” I asked.

Polina’s eyes widened. “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” I said as I turned to the side and showed her the small baby in my arms. “She still searching for a kid to adopt?”

Polina’s eyes widened comically as she said, “Yes, sir.”

“Great,” I said as I unbuttoned my suit coat. “Meet your new grandbaby.”

I handed over the kid and said, “When she gets here, go with her. Take the next two days off. Tell her that I’ll take care of the paperwork. This’ll all be done the legal way.”

“Yes, sir.” She took the child from my arms, her eyes filling with tears. “Thank you.”

I patted her on the shoulder. “I’m headed to bed.”

The moment I closed myself into my room, exhaustion washed over me.

I just hoped that no one woke me until well past daybreak.

I just doubted I’d be that lucky.

I was right.

I wasn’t.

I got a solid four until someone knocked on the door with the news that the men I’d been missing were found dead, with a note pinned to their chests with knives that said, “Go home.”

If he smells like fabric softener, he’s in a relationship.

—Brecken’s secret thoughts

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