Page 90 of Lust
Joe didn’t have the heart to tell him that much of what had happened was circumstance, but then again, a lot wasn’t. Captain Morais was right, he’d successfully juggled three incidents, all with optimal outcomes, all finished on the right side of the law. Maybe he was better off working in this city. He was reaching the age of retirement for a Fed. Only a few more years and guys like Geoff would be in their prime at the agency.
Joe turned in the direction Liza had left in the back of an ambulance. She’d surreptitiously removed her Deadly Seven outfit, handed it to her family, and then stayed in her underwear until backup arrived. It made her look like one of the kidnapping victims they’d rescued, who were also at the hospital receiving care. A part of him still felt wrong about keeping these secrets, but he knew now that, in doing so, he was making the world a better place. He also knew the lie wasn’t the first step to becoming like his father. He would never be like that man, no matter what. And he also knew he didn’t need to strive to be better, to impress Parker, or gain his respect.
He may not fly from building to building, or have any superpowers, but Joe respected himself. He was where he needed to be, with Liza—helping her and her family. He’d found where he belonged.
He smiled at the captain. “This city has a piece of my heart. I’d love to stay, sir. Whether that’s with the Feds, or with you, remains to be seen. One thing I know for sure is that this investigation is only beginning, but I’m going to see it through to the end.”
Joe glanced at the director, hoping he got the message. Joe would investigate the Syndicate, hopefully with the FBI’s blessing, but if he was road blocked, he’d find a way to continue elsewhere. Nothing would stop him now.
31
The wailsof a baby filtered into the waiting room of the maternity ward in Cardinal City General Hospital. Like the rest of her family, Liza had come straight here after they’d returned home and cleaned up. She’d double scrubbed in the shower to remove any toxin from herself. Joe stayed at the packing plant. She’d wanted to stay with him, but knew it wasn’t possible.
There would be more instances like this where she had to leave him to do his job. But on the upside, she had more freedom to live her life. Like now. At least until her suspension was over, and then she was returning to work. She would find a way to balance her two lives eventually, and if she had to take some time off while things heated with the Syndicate, then that’s what she’d do. But her blood would always be blue.
A newborn baby cried.
“Was that us?” she asked Lilo, also pacing in the waiting room.
“I don’t know. Griff, go ask someone.” She patted her husband on the chest. He flinched at the sudden contact, but then softened his gaze on his wife.
“I’ll be back,” he said.
Tony and Bailey were there too, snuggled into a corner seat, preferring to wait virtually attached to each other. Sloan and Max were somewhere walking the halls. Mary and Flint remained at home. Mary had been injured more than she admitted, and moving was causing her pain, but she refused to send herself to the hospital. Not when there were so many of them here already.
Parker was in surgery, a floor down, being operated on by a colleague of Grace’s. Sometimes they could triage in the medical room in the basement headquarters, but Parker was usually the one performing any emergency care. Grace was already at the hospital, so Evan had brought Parker straight here through a back entrance. “Grace will make sure he’s patched up.” His faith in his mate was echoed by the whole family.
Liza checked her cell for the ten millionth time. Nothing from Evan, but Joe was parking and on his way up. Her stomach did a flip flop, and she felt an emotional burn at the back of her throat. God, she couldn’t wait to put her arms around him.
Misha had been in labor for hours. When Daisy had pushed her, Liza had been so frightened, but the long labor wasn’t because of that. The baby was fine. Misha’s waters broke because of the fall, sending her into premature labor. Apparently, they’d arrived and her labor stopped. Just like that. They induced it again, only for it to stop. Again.
From what Liza had learned from Lilo, Misha had gone through a few rounds of oxytocin to keep the labor progressing.
“No update on Parks?” Sloan asked, coming from the hallway that stocked a vending machine. She ripped open a candy bar and shoved it in her mouth.
Liza shook her head.
“He’ll be fine,” Sloan said. “He always is.”
“It will grow back, right?” Max murmured, putting his arm around Sloan.
Both Liza and Sloan sent him a grim look. The truth was, they didn’t know. Wyatt’s voice box had grown back, and all of Gloria’s notes said they could regenerate. But an entire arm?
“What did I miss?”
Liza twirled at Joe’s deep voice, and she ran into his arms like a little girl, only wincing slightly at the residual pain in her hands.
“Hey,” he murmured and took her into an embrace. “I missed you too.”
He kissed her hair softly, and Liza melted into him.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered and buried her face into his chest. She inhaled his masculine, sweaty smell. It was heaven, and she couldn’t wait to fall asleep next to him tonight. And every night.
He grinned down at her.
“Did everything go fine?” She asked.
“As expected. Oh, I just remembered.” He patted his suit pocket and brought a tall, thin box out. “I got you a gift.”
