Page 3 of Strike Fast

She groaned. “Now?”

“I know, it sucks, and I’m sorry. But I have to go in, there’s an important meeting. I didn’t want to cancel our night together though, so I thought I’d just come get you, take you with me, and we can catch the movie when I’m done.”

She buckled her seatbelt and flopped back against the seat with her arms crossed, looking so much like her mother but with his coloring, it startled him. “Fine,” she muttered, gazing out the window.

Reid fired up the engine. “Shouldn’t take too long,” he said trying to put a positive spin on things. He swiveled to look back at her. “It’s a nice day out. Wanna drive with the top down?”

She shrugged and didn’t look at him. “I guess.”

The amount of attitude she managed to inject in those two syllables damn near made him chuckle. He was in so much trouble when she hit her teens. “Okay.”

Without another word he hit the button to open the convertible top and it folded away into the back, smooth as butter. Pulling away from the curb, he reached down and turned on the stereo, where he had a special playlist waiting, and cranked it.

As soon as the bass line for one of the bubblegum pop songs she loved blasted through the speakers, he glanced in the rearview mirror and caught the reluctant smile tugging at her mouth. Reid smothered a grin. Worst music in the history of music, but if it put a smile on his kid’s face, that was all that mattered.

By the time he reached FAST headquarters in Arlington just across from the Pentagon, Autumn was singing along to the music and bobbing her head in time with the beat.

Mission accomplished.

He parked in a spot out front of the building just as Maka pulled in beside them in his big-ass black, raised pickup. Reid nodded at his teammate. “Hey, who’s that?” he said to Autumn.

“Uncle Kai!” she squealed, and frantically unbuckled her seatbelt.

Reid had just enough time to switch off the ignition and pop the passenger door for her, then she was out like a rocket, practically hopping up and down as she waited impatiently for Maka to climb down from his truck.

“Hey, if it isn’t my best girl,” Maka said, his bronze, rugged face breaking into a huge smile as he reached down to scoop Autumn up in a giant hug.

The contrast in their size was almost comical, but Reid had to admit there was something endearing about a guy Maka’s size hugging his daughter with such genuine affection, those huge arms wrapped around her protectively. It always made him proud that all his teammates loved her and would watch out for her.

“Nice tunes, by the way.” Maka shot Reid a knowing grin. “Didn’t know you were into that sorta stuff, man.”

“Guy’s gotta have some secrets from his teammates,” Reid said, climbing out and grabbing Autumn’s backpack, then his gear in the trunk.

The instant Maka set her down, Autumn reached up for both his hand and Reid’s. “After Dad finishes with his meeting, we’re going to see the new Pixar movie,” she said to Maka. “You wanna come with?”

“Oh, man, I wish I could, sweetie, but I’ve already got plans later.”

Autumn peered up at him, a frown tugging at her eyebrows. “You have a girlfriend?”

Reid burst out laughing at her astonishment.

Not the least bit offended, Maka grinned. “Yeah, I do. We’ve been seeing each other on and off for a while now.”

From what Reid had gathered, the “relationship”—if one could call it that—with Shelley was a total shit show, but there must be a reason why Maka kept getting back together with her. And Reid wasn’t exactly a relationship guru, so what the hell did he know. She must be damn good in bed for his buddy to put up with all the drama, though. Since he didn’t exactly have the equivalent of a PhD when it came to making things work with the opposite sex, Reid had never asked his buddy about Shelley.

“Oh, there’s Uncle Zaid!” Autumn said as they entered the building. She tugged free of their hands and raced over to Khan, who stopped and held his arms out to her with a big grin.

“Hey, princess. How are you?” Khan said, wrapping her up in a bear hug.

“Good. Dad and I are going to a movie after he’s done here. You wanna come? Uncle Kai can’t, because he’s got a date or something.”

“Is that right?” Khan shot Maka a wry look. “I’d love to go, but I’ve got a date too.”

“With Jaliya?”

She and Khan had eloped over in England back in March. Everyone on the team had been stunned by the suddenness of it, except for Reid. Of all of them, Khan was the most level. He knew what he wanted, and when he’d found Jaliya he hadn’t wasted any time in making her his. Reid had never seen his buddy happier.

“Yes. You like her, right?” Khan asked Autumn.

---