Page 103 of Loco

The bathroom looked like something out of a cozy farmhouse magazine—clean white tile, polished wooden cabinets, and a clawfoot tub that practically begged to be filled with bubbles. Lindee already had towels laid out, fresh sets of pajamas folded on the counter, and a basket full of colorful bath toys on the edge of the tub.

“I hope dinosaurs and sea animals are still a hit?” she asked, opening a jar filled with bath fizzers shaped like turtles and pterodactyls.

“They’ll love it.” I blinked hard against the sudden sting in my eyes. “Thank you, I mean it.”

She reached over and touched my arm, warm and steady. “You don’t need to thank me, honey. You’re home now.”

The wordhomecaught me off guard. I hadn’t thought how much I missed that one thing since everything had gone sideways. But maybe—for today—it could be this until we decided what we were going to do next.

I got the water running while Lindee helped. Kaida perked up the second she saw the tub filling, pointing and squealing around her thumb.

“She’s a bath girl, huh?” Lindee asked with a laugh.

I smiled. “Big time. Showers are the enemy.”

Kaida was already squirming in my arms, her little legs kicking in excitement. I stripped her down and set her in the warm water. Kairo climbed in next to her, and the second they were both in, they relaxed like they’d been holding tension in their tiny bodies just as long as I had in mine.

Lindee handed me one of the fizzy tablets, and I dropped it in. It sizzled and fizzed, turning the water a bright sea foam green. Kairo’s eyes lit up, and Kaida started splashing immediately.

I sat on a stool beside the tub, rolling up my sleeves, and justwatchedthem. For the first time in what felt like forever, they looked like kids again—not scared, not quiet from confusion or exhaustion, just kids.

Lindee lingered in the doorway. “Take your time. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything. Got a plate of cookies with their names on it.”

“Thank you,” I said again, softer this time.

She smiled, then left us in peace.

I dipped my hand into the water, brushing it across Kaida’s back as she babbled nonsense and tried to balance a plastic whale on Kairo’s head. Kairo giggled, trying to get it to stay.

I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes for a second. It wasn’t over, not even close. But in this moment, in this warm bathroom with laughter bouncing off the tiles, it was enough because we were all safe.

Chapter 33

Roque

Itook the seat closest to Ned, with Judd and Keir flanking me. The big den had been transformed into something just shy of a command center—laptops were open, files were spread, and one wall was lined with whiteboards and pinned documents. It wasn’t official, but it was thorough, organized, and purposeful.

And this wasn’t the first time Ned had done something like this. I could see it in how he moved and how efficiently his people worked around him.

Hurst stood to one side of the table, arms crossed as he listened while I walked them through what happened—Sayla’s abduction, the two men involved, Briggs’s warning, and the mention ofTitian.

Ned’s expression didn’t shift much, but I could tell the wheels were turning. His jaw ticked just slightly, and his fingers drummed against the table.

Just as I finished, one of Ned’s security personnel entered the room. He was a clean-cut guy with an earpiece still in and a folder clutched in one hand that he dropped on the table in front of Ned with a nod.

“Came through twenty minutes ago. Thought you’d want it immediately.”

Ned opened the folder, skimmed the first page, and then looked up at us.

“As of an hour ago, Walter Griggs’s financial accounts have been frozen.” His voice was calm but edged with satisfaction.

Judd straightened. “That was fast.”

“I’ve got a small group inside the Bureau I trust,” Ned replied, flipping to the next document. “They moved as soon as I sent them the information. They pushed it hard once they saw agent credentials tied to unauthorized access. It turns out a few agents on the insidearen’tcrooked, and they’re damn eager to clean house once they got the proof.”

He set the folder down and leaned back. “Griggs wasn’t at home when my people passed earlier this morning, but we’re tracking him now. I’ve got a wider surveillance net than he does, and much smarter security.”

Hurst gave a low grunt of agreement. “The man’s been playing dirty for a long time. He just finally overplayed his hand.”

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