Chapter 36

"Iunderstand," Ranger says softly. I blink awake to find I'm asleep on his chest in his office. "No, you're correct about that. I appreciate the callback."

"What's the verdict?" Locke asks, making me jump. I didn't know he was here.

"Lyra checked herself out not thirty minutes after her call with Laken." Ranger sighs, sliding his hand down my back. "For the record, this is why I was hesitant to allow the two of you to speak in the first place. Not that anyone listened to me."

"What?" I whisper, sitting up. "She left? Of her own free will?"

"Yes," Ranger says, his discomfort pulsing in the bond. "The facility recommended against it, and I pushed for you to be allowed a onetime call. I'm afraid her leaving is ultimately my fault." His guilt is like a heavy weight in my chest, and it pisses me off.

I know my sister.

She does what she wants.

If she makes her mind up, she doesn't waver.

No one can talk her out of it.

Ranger's misery upsets me even more, knowing he was trying to make me happy. I did stop pushing once I realized where she was, but I'm sure that was still in the back of his mind.

"It's not your fault," I assure him. "Not even a little. Lyra has always been unpredictable."

I almost feel like she went to rehab because she felt guilty about me being kidnapped. Then, as soon as she heard I was safe, she decided she didn't want to tough it out anymore. Maybe she didn't want to risk staying too long and losing out on being able to cash in on the payday of all the drugs she stole from Will's penthouse.

I honestly don't get it. She had a fully paid treatment program funded by Ranger.

We've always been so different that it's hard to comprehend what she was thinking because, if it were me, I would have stayed there to get better.

At the same time, she's still my sister.

"Is there any way someone can monitor my old phone number, in case she calls for help or to ask for money or something?" I ask, trying to keep myself from panicking. It's been one thing after another since she showed up that day in Chicago.

"I'll speak to Merrick. He runs tech. If it's possible, we'll make it happen," Ranger assures me, sending steady comfort in the bond.

Locke tosses himself down on the couch at our side. "I'm guessing she was gone before your team arrived?"

"Indeed," Ranger says solemnly. "They're in the process of doing reconnaissance. They'll attempt to follow her trail, but I feel like I should be in Miami." He nuzzles his cheek to my head. "However, if Locke and I took a trip to Florida, that would leave you alone here with Tanner. He's certainly not going to take care of my prisoners. I could do away with?—"

"No, we're not leaving the safety of Virginia to track down Lyra," I say, shaking my head. "She's resourceful, and she knew the risks when she chose to leave."

It hurts my heart, but I've got to start protecting myself.

Every time there's a choice, it feels like she chooses the wrong one.

No, she chooses the one that benefits her, no matter the cost to anyone else.

She's always been selfish and a little reckless, but it never put me at risk the way it does now.

I'm bonded and pregnant.

If something happened to one of my guys while trying to save her…

I don't even want to think about it. A broken bond is agony. There are physical and mental aspects.

Now that I know I'm carrying a baby, it changes everything. There's an entire human being counting on me to make the hard choices to keep them safe.

My chest feels tight and my eyes ache, but my mind is made up.

"There's something else we need to discuss. I spoke to Bless." Locke tucks my hair behind my ear, running his thumb over my cheek. "She needs assistance getting two of her informants out of New York."

"The woman with a relationship with Avan?" Ranger asks, referencing Locke's younger brother.

"Correct," Locke agrees. "She and her daughter. Also, her sister. Bless is on her way back to New York, but she hasn't been able to reach her. It won't be safe for Bless or any of her team to make contact, because it needs to be done in person."

Ranger hums. "That is a problem. You know, I think this might be the perfect opportunity for Maverick and Gunner to redeem themselves."

I almost chuckle.

They really did scare the hell out of me, but Karma is awesome. Not that we've gotten to know each other well, but they're actually really chill, and it's easy to see they're good guys.

"Just tell them to leave the masks at home this time," I say, holding back a laugh.

We hear nothing for the next few days. Maverick and Gunner leave to handle the mission to make contact with the women Bless is worried about. And I drive Ranger crazy with questions approximately every two hours, but Lyra is good at disappearing when she wants to.

I know it's bothering him. It's impossible to miss his frustration and concern in the bond. She's been here before, and I have some irrational hope that she'll show up at the fence, demanding to be let in, but so far, there's been no contact whatsoever.

Ranger made it clear that he has the tech guy watching to see if her phone is turned on, and he's also monitoring my old phone number in case she calls it from a different number.

There's not much we can do but wait.

Locke sleeps with his head on my thigh as I lie with my back against Tanner's chest on the long end of the sectional sofa. Karma is on our right, and she's belly up, getting tummy scratches from Tanner, who must be distracted with the movie because his left hand is in Locke's long hair, massaging his scalp.

It's ridiculously cute.

The whole thing feels seriously domestic, but I'm a little sad that Ranger is sitting in one of the club chairs, rather than snuggled up next to us. It's also complicated by the fact that I know he's still anxious about my sister. He takes the world onto his shoulders.

I look up at Tanner, and he bends to give me a kiss. He's always playful and teasing in a way that's hard to ignore, but I feel like Ranger needs some extra attention at the moment.

I carefully lift Locke's head out of my lap, and he ends up on Tanner's thigh.

Karma grunts as I move, but she immediately snuggles closer to Tanner.

I sway my way to stand in front of Ranger and quirk an eyebrow. He slowly unfolds his crossed arms and stretches out his exceptionally long legs. The bottom of his short-sleeve T-shirt pulls up, showing several inches of tanned abs.

God.

He really is a beautiful man.

And so cocky, while also being thoughtful and attentive. I'm not sure if he really is just different for me, or if everyone judges him unfairly, but either way, he has my whole heart.

His veiny hands run down his jeans as he waits, and it's very hard not to melt.

He has no right being that sexy.

I climb right into his lap, facing him as he wraps those long arms around me.

"Please stop stressing," I whisper close to his ear. "Have you heard anything about where our marriage certificate stands?"

He nods. "The legal certificate hasn't been issued, so Merrick was able to swap out your old identity for the new one of Laken Stevens. The next step is new documents for you and Locke. We'll need to have new photographs taken for both of you. That will be easy enough, though."

"It's a little crazy how much power that guy holds," I say, running my nose down his throat.

"He still does contracts for the government. In certain circumstances, it's better to keep a powerful adversary close." He chuckles. "Or, in that situation, on the payroll."

"It's a blessing having someone like that on your team."

"It is. It's also extremely frustrating that Lyra hasn't made an appearance on any of the cameras and networks that his software frequently scans."

I nod, running my fingers over his jaw. "I know you're doing all you can. You've still got guys watching my apartment in Chicago?"

"They're in place close by," Ranger says. "They're not just watching for Lyra, but for the Barretts or any of Locke's men who might be interested in locating that missing product." His hands cup my backside, giving a little squeeze. "You smell absolutely delectable."

"Thank you." A smile I can't hold back crosses my face. "Not just for the compliment, either. Thank you for rescuing me. For keeping me safe and taking care of me and all you're doing to look after my sister, despite her fighting against it at every turn. I know Maverick and Gunner didn't ask or give you any warning about Karma."

"They did not."

"And I know the dog hair bothers you. I don't want you to spend the next however many years miserable. If you want to let Annika have her, she mentioned yesterday that she would gladly take her."

It broke my heart a little when she jokingly asked if Ranger had started twitching yet or actively chasing Karma around with a lint roller.

I had no idea it was so tough for him, but I have my own minor issues with OCD. Back in my apartment, I would check the door locks on the front door three times every night before going to bed. The higher my stress is, the worse the compulsions get, but I've always had issues with anything on my hands. In the past, when I've been extremely anxious, I've over washed my hands to the point they cracked open and bled or plucked my eyebrows compulsively until they barely existed.

I can't stand the thought of Karma being a similar type of trigger for Ranger.

"We could visit her, and I just want you to know I won't hold a grudge."

"No," he says, shaking his head. "She's already accepted us as her humans. It would be jarring for her to have to adapt again somewhere else."

My brow furrows as I try to feel him out in the bond. Studying his face doesn't help me decide if he's just trying to keep the peace at his own expense. "I'd rather we make that decision soon, before we all get attached?—"

"Get attached?" Ranger chuckles, nodding at Tanner. "That man would legitimately cry alligator tears. No, she's joined the pack. As long as she continues to recognize that I am the leader of said pack, then she can stay."

My heart flutters.

"I love you so much. I just need you to know that." I attack his mouth, squeezing his cheeks.

His hands tighten on my ass, and his fingers slide up the bottom of my dress.

"I care for you deeply. On a level I've never experienced." His lips brush mine as he speaks. "I'm not sure I've ever felt the emotion of love, and I don't want to lie to you, but you'll always have me at your side." If I couldn't feel his sincerity and fondness for me radiating in the bond, then his words might hurt my feelings. Lucky for both of us, I can, and it only makes him more endearing.

He can take as long as he needs to parcel out that what he feels toward me is love. I'm totally fine with letting him come to terms with that in his own time.

I dive back in for another tantalizing kiss as he grinds me over his thickening cock. I really did luck out when those Andretti guys mistook me for Lyra. Without that one moment, my life would look totally different right now.