Page 115 of Silence and Surrender

Silence for a moment. Then: “I’ll call Steele. Get the teams ready.”

“Tell him we need to coordinate with Sari’s Interpol colleagues.” I studied the building schematics, mind already mapping exit routes.

I hung up, turning back to the surveillance feeds. Somewhere in the bank, Colton was still playing his role. Still gathering evidence. Still walking into danger every day to protect what mattered most.

To protect us. To protect everyone.

I touched my stomach, feeling a tiny flutter as our child moved within me. “Soon,” I whispered. “Soon this will all be over. And your father will come home to us for good.”

Chapter Forty-Six

Isabella

“Five minutes,” Colton said as he helped me settle onto the bed the next morning. We’d planned this carefully after discovering the surveillance, scheduling this appointment while most of Rodger’s watchdogs were following Cooper to a symposium. Cooper had flown in from Italy to pose as Colton, somehow managing to slip past Rodger’s surveillance through the service entrance. He’d complained loudly about having to wear Colton’s “uptight banker suits” instead of his usual casual attire, though I had to admit he wore them just as well as his brother. The real Colton’s hand stayed at my lower back, steadying me as my altered center of gravity betrayed my usual grace. “The team has the perimeter.”

I glanced around our secured penthouse, noting on the security feed the inconspicuous black sedan parked on the street below—Stryker’s men, maintaining watch while appearing to be nothing more than chauffeurs waiting for wealthy clients. Another guard, dressed as maintenance personnel, swept the building entrance with practiced nonchalance.

“Doctor Eisenberg will be here any moment,” Colton said, checking his watch. “Steele arranged everything. She’s the same obstetrician he and Ashlynn used…world-renowned, completely discreet.”

Our bedroom—and it had become ours so quickly after my return to London—spoke of our merged lives. My antique jewelry box perched on what was once solely Colton’s dresser, my books stacked neatly beside his on the nightstand. The Whistler lithograph hanging opposite the bed was his, though—elegant, moody, and tastefully understated despite its value. I recognized the brushwork as I settled onto the bed, remembering how many similar pieces I’d authenticated at the bank.

“The Whistler lithograph is beautiful,” I said to Colton as he adjusted pillows behind me. “A rare edition like this would fetch just under a million in today’s market.”

His lips quirked slightly. “Even now, you’re authenticating art.”

“Occupational hazard,” I admitted, shifting uncomfortably. “Though I don’t miss the endless board meetings where I had to explain myself to unsophisticated swine.”

He just gave me a wry smile, knowing I was teasing him.

Doctor Eisenberg entered—an older woman with a no-nonsense attitude. Even her white lab coat was stiff with starch. Silver threads ran through her dark hair, and her movements spoke of someone accustomed to operating under pressure. She carried herself with the confidence of someone who had treated patients in far worse circumstances than a private London penthouse.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, her accent carrying hints of northern Germany.

“Like I’m showing too much for four months,” I said, trying to find a comfortable position on the bed. “And the morning sickness—”

“Still persists into the afternoon,” she noted, examining my chart. “More severe than typical at this stage.”

Colton’s phone buzzed. My pulse jumped as he checked it, his expression tightening almost imperceptibly.

“Sari,” he said, tension threading his voice. “Rodger took an earlier flight back to London.”

“Are we okay?” I asked, my throat tightening.

“We have time; the team will alert us if anything changes.”

The ultrasound gel was cold against my skin as Doctor Eisenberg spread it across my abdomen. I watched the screen of her portable machine, trying to focus on this moment rather than the danger surrounding us. Colton’s hand found mine, warm and steady despite everything.

Doctor Eisenberg’s expression shifted slightly as she moved the wand. Not alarm, but something else that made my chest tighten. She adjusted a dial, studying the screen with heightened attention.

“Well,” she said, adjusting the image. “This explains the early showing. You’re carrying twins. Both boys.”

The words landed like a physical weight. I stared at the screen where two distinct shapes appeared in ghostly grey. Two spines curved like question marks. Two heads. Two hearts beating in synchronized rhythm.

“Four months along,” Doctor Eisenberg confirmed, noting my surprise. “Though with twins, it’s normal to show earlier and experience more pronounced symptoms. It’s easy to miss on earlier ultrasounds, especially if you aren’t sure of the dating.”

Colton went absolutely still beside me. When I looked up, his face held something I’d never seen before…everything stripped away, leaving raw truth beneath. Vulnerability, wonder, and fear mingled in his expression. Gone was the confident lawyer.

“Like you and Cooper,” I said softly.

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