Page 187 of Bossy Hero

“That makes sense,” she says softly, swirling her fingertips through my freshly trimmed beard. “I needed you too. Different setup, but ultimately, the same underlying cause. I was so...”

I draw my fingers through her hair, content to let her take her time to finish.

“I was relieved you were safe. And I needed to be connected to you too.”

We press our foreheads together. Our eyes close, and our breathing syncs up.

For a long time, we stay that way. Bodies still joined intimately, and hearts beating the same rhythm.

While holding her silently, I make a decision that’s languished in the back of my mind for quite some time. The reason I’ve been training Leo to take over Redleg isn’t only because I want to retire after a long career. It isn’t because of my age or because I’m financially stable enough to do it.

The reason is right in front of me.

I want her to live each day with the peace and safety she never had.

I want fear to be only in her past.

Chapter33

It sounds almost too easy

Maddie

Lettie winks at me as she approaches us in the corner of the conference room. “I brought the popcorn this time.” She shakes the bag, her big blue eyes dancing with deviousness.

Sammy reaches for it with two stiff arms and ten grabby fingers. “Gimme, gimme.”

Lettie purses her lips and glowers at Sammy. “Now, now. Don’t be rude. How do you ask?”

My daughter feigns being confused, pinging her index finger back and forth through the air between Lettie and me. “Wait. Which one of you is my mother?”

Lettie takes the chair on my right. “Samantha Jean, your mama has clearly had a rough day, so I’m just doing my part to make sure you don’t forget your raisin’. After all, it takes a village to rear a wild child like you.”

I’m unsure if I should worry more about how accurately Lettie has pegged my daughter or me.

She’s damn right on both accounts. It’s been a hell of a night for me. And my daughter is a freaking handful. Always has been and always will be. Fortunately, she’s entering that stage of life where she’s about to find out what goes around comes around.

Alan catches my eye from across the room, flashing me a quick wink. It’s just enough to make my heart flutter and my thighs press together.

After I cried all over his chest while his cock was still inside me, he kept me wrapped up in the warmth of his embrace. I lost track of time as he held me. We stayed like that until the physical awkwardness of the situation began to demand our attention.

Once we were cleaned up, he dropped the bomb on me about the chief’s identity and what happened with his wife and kids. Then he shared some tiny details about what these revelations can do to help Redleg take down Lenkov. Now, I understand a little better why Alan was so revved up. The whole situation is kind of exciting and terrifying.

And it turns out those emotions are an arousing combo.

As the last few stragglers file into the conference room and take their seats, the individual conversations slowly dry up.

Given the late hour, this briefing is only for those staying at Redleg. He said he’d have another meeting tomorrow for everyone else.

Although she typically stays at Klein’s place at night, Mia is still here since she never left after the earlier op.

Alan bends his open palm in half twice, wobbling his fingers toward him. “Ladies, you don’t need to sit in the corner.”

Leo throws a bemused glance in his sister’s direction. “It’s not like you’re gonna be quiet anyway, Sammy. You might as well belly up to the table with the rest of us.”

Shrugging, I rise and head to the table. Sammy and Lettie follow suit.

Unlike last time, there’s plenty of room. On Alan’s right are Leo, Sue, Sawyer, and Junior. On his left are Tomer, Mia, Shep, and Kri.

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