Page 24 of Soldier, Tailor, Spy

“That sounds wonderful,” she whispered. “Thank you, Jake.”

“Not a problem, Gingersnap.” He rubbed Declan’s back in a soothing manner. “Look, he’s going to nap here in a minute. If you want to grab a shower, go for it. I have nothing on my schedule for the rest of the day. I can handle these two.”

Ginger stared at him. “Jake, what are you doing?” She knew he was trying to be nice and helping her out, but why? Of course, she shouldn’t be looking a gift horse in the mouth, but right now, she was too raw—exposed. She had too many questions and not enough answers.

“Nothing. I’m helping you out. I can’t do my job, or any job, right now. This is what I’m good at. You know this. Besides, I owe you for saving my life, too.” He shrugged. “Knowing I had to get you and Fawn and Declan to safety kept me moving until I physically couldn’t anymore.”

“Jake... I—”

“Don’t say anything, Ginger. Go relax. Take a shower. Unwind a little. Take care of you because we need you too.” The seriousness of his voice made her all too aware of just how exhausted and mentally spent she really was.

“Fine.” She dropped her bag near the couch, then headed straight for the bathroom. At the last second, she faced him. “Thank you, Jake.”

“You don’t have to thank me for anything,” he whispered. “Now go, before these two wake up and this place descends into pure chaos.”

Chaos summed up their lives in a tumultuous little package. “You have no idea.” She laughed as she closed the door behind her.

Chapter 6

Somewhere in Florida, three weeks later...

Duncan stepped through the door of his home a little later than he expected. Work was, well, to be honest, work. Being a private investigator had its challenges. However, even at its toughest moments, the rewards made all the sleepless nights' worth it.

After helping R.O.O.T., he’d been given a few recent cases to track down for the FBI. He thought for sure, even after he’d helped with the stolen art case, they’d have cut him loose again, but, it seemed, they couldn’t get enough of him. If Duncan was honest with himself, he could admit, he missed the investigative part of being an FBI agent, even though he’d been a consultant, not a full-fledged agent.

There was a downside though, taking consulting jobs from them, also put a target on his back. The risks to being seen or caught were enough he questioned whether he should take any more cases, even if he was indebted to them. Yes, he was given a full pardon for his crimes tied to his father’s work in the IRA, but it didn’t mean he’d ever truly be free.

“You’re home,” Bella said, greeting him at the door. “How was your day?” She kissed his cheek, allowing him to rub her belly. Little Valentina had a few more weeks until her eviction and their house was turned upside down in preparation.

“Long and hard,” he whispered before kissing her. “You’ll make it better later, won’t you?” He cocked a brow, teasing her.

Bella giggled. “I’m sure we can help you in that department.”

“Where’s Enzo?” Duncan wrapped his arm around Bella as he headed for the kitchen. “Where’s Ezekiel?”

“Working on writing his letters with his papa,” Bella said. “You know, Primo, before long he’ll be going to school all day.”

Don’t remind him. There were days Duncan still had to pinch himself that this was his life with his partners. “Seems like only yesterday when I arrived here to find you and Enzo. I still have moments where I nip myself to make sure it’s all real.”

Bella laughed. “Of course, this is real. I feel Valentina kicking my ribs all day or sitting on my bladder.”

“Daddy!” Ezekiel ran to Duncan, holding a piece of paper in his hand while giggling like a little loon. “I missed you today.”

“I missed you too, bucko,” Duncan replied, picking his boy up. “What’s this?”

His son was the best combination of him and Bella. His jet black hair curled around his ears, brushing his forehead in a boyishly cute way. Ezekiel’s piercing blue eyes, eyes that stared back at Duncan every time he looked at himself in the mirror, always took his breath away. Today he wore a blue and black button-down short-sleeved shirt and khaki pants. He was all teeth when he smiled up at Duncan, melting his heart just like his mom and papa had all those years ago.

Ezekiel showed him the piece of paper with his name on it in his writing. Duncan felt bad for the boy. He was the only left-handed person in a right-handed home. It made for an interesting time teaching him how to write. “I wrote my name.”

He had to. The letters were a bit stick like crossing at the top and bottom. The i’s in his name tilted to the right, and the dot was a circle. His e’s almost looked like c’s, but in time, he’d figure it out. For now, to Duncan, it was a masterpiece worthy of being celebrated. “Yes, you did! Good job, bucko.” Duncan kissed his son’s cheek. His flesh and blood. The bond between him and his son made him feral sometimes if he thought about everything they’d been through together over the years.

“My teacher said I’m getting better at writing my ABCs,” Ezekiel stated with pride in his voice. “I want the award.”

Duncan tilted his head. “Award?”

Enzo joined them, his brown eyes twinkling with mirth. “Yeah, Hermano, an award.” He leaned in for a kiss, then went to Bella’s side. “They give them out for the students who improve penmanship throughout the year. EZ is striving to be the best. I’m so proud of him.”

Considering a few years ago Bella and Enzo were gang bangers, with zero chance of surviving on their own, both had really come a long way. Bella had gone back to school to become a registered nurse while Enzo took a few online courses to become a PI like Duncan, so when they weren’t doing school work with Ezekiel, he could help Duncan. If Enzo was proud of their son, Duncan was bursting with the emotion because of how far they’d all come in such a short amount of time.

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