Chapter 7

7

"Jacked up about that kid," Shiloh Marcou grumbled from beside me as we walked through the precinct.

Sunny wasn't wrong, it was fucked up Brian Hamilton was beat to shit and in the ICU.

"But it was cool of Ethan to keep Cap up to speed on the case."

It was cool but I knew Ethan Lenox didn't brief our captain out of the goodness of his heart. The detective had better things to do, namely tracking down the person responsible for beating a fifteen-year-old kid. Further from that, Ethan had no obligation to keep Cap up to date on an attempted robbery case that didn't involve SWAT. However, it involved me, and Ethan being a friend and Cap being the type of man who was all about keeping his finger on the pulse of his team, he gave us an update.

"Not a coincidence Ackerman gets bonded out and within hours the kid's beat to shit," Sunny went on as we hit the back exit of the station.

She wasn't wrong about that either.

Dale Ackerman was Lenox and Jase Taylor's prime suspect. He was also in the wind.

I swung the key ring looped around my finger, catching the key to the SUV in my palm as I spotted today's ride.

"You're awfully quiet today," Sunny noted. "You're not still pouting I kicked your ass during quals are you?"

It was cute she thought grown men pouted.

"That was a week ago and we're all used to you showing off," I told her, purposefully evading her comment. "Though not all of us have twenty-four-seven access to Triple Canopy."

"Please. I outshot you before I met Luke."

That was the damn truth, not that I'd admit it and stop giving her shit about her husband. After all, the team and I had years of ribbing to make up for. Gone was the woman I'd met who'd made an art out of being close to the team while at the same time holding herself distant. Shiloh Kent only allowed you so close before she unleashed Killer Frost. Shiloh Marcou was entirely different—warm, friendly, and fully engaged.

"I have no recollection of that," I lied.

It didn't matter what her last name was, the woman was a damn fine cop and the best marksman we had on our team for two reasons. The first, the result of her being raised by her brother Echo who had drilled into his siblings a code of honor, integrity, and service. The second, the product of her feeling the need to prove she belonged on a SWAT team. The first was nothing short of a miracle considering who her father was. The second was unneeded.

"What gives?" she asked as soon as her ass was planted in the passenger seat.

It had been a while since she'd met and married Luke, but not long enough that I was used to this new Sunny who poked her nose into other people's business. Prior to Luke she would've happily ignored anything beyond work. Actually, she would've run a mile if any of us started talking about anything personal.

"I'm worried about Sophie."

"Sophie? The woman who took down Ackerman?" I didn't miss Sunny's proud smile for a sister who bested an asshole.

No, the woman who I hadn't been able to stop thinking about .

"Yeah."

"You think Ackerman's gonna go after her?"

Hearing my concern voiced out loud made my neck stiffen. That was the second time that morning I felt that twinge in my neck. The first time was when Cap had told us about Ackerman roaming the streets and Brian being in ICU and my mind had immediately gone to Sophie. It bore contemplation why upon hearing a fifteen-year-old was nearly beaten to death my first thought was if that was Sophie laying in that hospital bed, I'd lose my motherfucking mind in a way that would be life-altering.

Riddle and Mereno climbing into the SUV parked next to me pulled my attention back to the task at hand.

We had a search warrant to serve.

A warrant that had cut my time with Sophie short.

"Well?" Sunny prompted.

"Well, what?"

"Do you think Ackerman's gonna go after that woman?" she reiterated slowly.

Again I said nothing, too busy dealing with the itch on the back of my neck and burn in my gut to express my thoughts on Ackerman going after Sophie.

"You know she'll be notified he was bonded out. But if you're worried, you should talk to Ethan."

I'd do more than talk to Ethan. I'd talk to Dylan Welsh and ask him for a panic fob Sophie could carry, and call in a marker to have him monitor the device.

"I'm gonna call Dylan," I informed her.

"You're calling in a marker for this woman? You know Ethan will take care of her."

I wasn't going to think about why I was cashing in a favor with Triple Canopy when those were not something any cop would squander. TC owning a marker was gold.

"I know he will."

I felt Sunny's eyes drilling into the side of my head. Thankfully, Riddle pulled out of his parking spot before she could continue pressing me for answers I didn't have.

"Seriously? Both at the same time." Sunny feigned irritation.

I glanced up from adjusting the straps on my thigh holster and caught sight of Echo and Phoenix Kent making their way to our huddle. The men were easy to spot; they stood head and shoulders above most of the officers gathered in the staging area. The only family resemblance Sunny shared with her siblings was her blonde hair and blue eyes. Though the brothers had different shades, when all four Kent siblings were together you knew they were family.

"And you're surprised, because?" Riddle voiced my exact thoughts.

Our team was serving a search warrant for the drug unit. Echo being the lead of the investigation on the house we were hitting, he would conduct a secondary brief with our team before we headed out on The Beast. And where there were drugs there were guns. Seeing as Phoenix worked the gun task force neither was it shocking he was there.

Not to mention if one of Sunny's brothers were present before she kitted up to kick in a door they always made it a point to see her. But right now, the eldest Kent was sporting a frown and giving his sister a hard look.

I glanced back to Sunny just in time to see her wince.

They had a strict, no bickering policy before any of them went to work. All of the Kents were cops. The second oldest, River, had moved to Idaho but a change of location didn't mean a change of career. He was now married with a kid and a detective in his wife's hometown, Coeur d'Alene.

But Echo looked like he had something to get off his chest.

"You good?" I quietly asked.

"Yep," she answered too quickly.

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Should you be here?" Echo boomed as he approached.

Riddle and Mereno stepped closer to Sunny. Echo transferred his scowl to Riddle before he pinned his sister with a furious look.

"Echo—" I started but Sunny got to him before I could finish.

"Don't you dare," she issued her own warning.

"You're late," he growled.

Late?

We weren't late.

"Don't," she snapped.

"Do they know?" Echo went on.

"Echo, brother, you know the rules," I reminded him. "Whatever this is can wait."

That scowl deepened, a big meaty paw lifted, a finger came out, and he pointed at me.

"You watch her back."

What the fuck?

"Seriously, whatever's going on not only needs to wait but you saying that shit to me when you know we always have her back and each other's is uncool."

"Yeah? Well, it's not every day my baby sister might be carrying my niece or nephew in her body when she's strapping on a vest. So I don't give a fuck what's cool. All I give a fuck about is, you keep her safe."

With that, Echo turned and stalked off, leaving Phoenix to clean up the mess he'd made.

"He might be a big, dumb idiot with zero sense but we love you and he's worried. Just be careful, baby sister," Phoenix softly said then followed his brother.

Now it was my turn to scowl.

"You're pregnant?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" Riddle asked. "How are you maybe pregnant?"

Sunny's eyes flashed with blue fire as she narrowed them on our teammate.

"We don't have time for me to explain menstrual cycles to you, Riddle."

You're late.

Oh, fuck .

"Sunny—"

"Don't you dare suggest I sit this one out," she interrupted me. "Even if I am pregnant the baby is the size of a pea and protected. I will decide when I step away from the team. Not you, not my brothers, not anyone."

I glanced around the men. Riddle, Mereno, Chip, Gordy, and Watson all tipped their chins in silent agreement. Whether she liked it or not, she just got six guards who would not let one thing happen to her or the baby.

"Right," I muttered. "Let's get this brief down so we can get to business."

Two hours later after successfully serving the warrant, clearing the house so Echo, Phoenix, and their teams could go in to execute the search, and taking three subjects into custody, we were back at the station. Technically we weren't on shift and only came in because Bravo team was already out on a barricade situation so everyone split as soon as we got back. I was waiting to see if I could catch Ethan before I stopped by Triple Canopy. Then I was going to Sophie's apartment to talk her into carrying a fob that would track her location and double as a panic button. It was an invasion of privacy and one I doubted she'd agree to. I was prepared to fight my corner and if I felt I was losing, I'd enlist Hayden. It was a dirty play bringing in my friend—her roommate—but I'd get down in the mud and fight as dirty as I needed to, to make her see reason.

I pushed into the locker room to grab my wallet and keys out of my locker and stopped dead. Sunny was standing in front of her locker with her forehead resting on the metal door.

"Sunny?" I called out.

Nothing .

"Shiloh?"

Still nothing.

"Kent!"

She didn't lift her head but she did mumble her correction, "Marcou."

"Wanna grab some lunch with me?"

She shook her in the negative against the door.

"Sunny?"

"I'm not pregnant," she announced and extended her hand to the side holding a white plastic stick.

"Okay," I said cautiously.

"I don't know if I'm sad or happy."

Christ, where was Gordy? He was a husband and a father. He and Sunny were close. He was a fatherly figure to her and the only one out of any of us who was qualified to talk Sunny through this.

I could understand the sad part so I focused on the other.

"Happy?" I inquired.

"Do you want kids?"

"Let me take you to lunch," I dodged the question by asking.

She lifted her head and turned her red-rimmed eyes in my direction.

"I don't know if I'm ready to have kids."

Panic rose fast.

"What if I'm a terrible mother? Today clearly proved I'm too selfish to even think about?—"

"Stop. Nothing you did today was selfish."

"I could've been pregnant and I still went into a dangerous situation. That doesn't say good mother, Valentine. That says selfish bitch?—"

"Shut it," I interrupted her. "Like you said, even if you were pregnant it's a pea. I'm not particularly educated about a woman's body." I paused when Sunny smirked. "Reproductively I mean. What I'm trying to say is, a woman's body is made to protect that little pea. Not to mention, you had all of us there. Nothing was going to happen to you. We're not on shift for another two days so you could've waited to take that test. But you didn't wait. You took it as soon as you got back. That doesn't say bad mom or selfish, Sunny."

Her jaw clenched and she blew out a breath.

"My mom left us," she whispered.

Sheer panic moved through me and I felt my pits get sweaty. I could be first in the door with nothing but a shield between me and a bullet and keep my cool. I could break a window and climb through into an unknown situation and not break a sweat. Hearing the terror in Sunny's voice sent me spiraling. I was not the right person to give anyone advice. I could down a few beers, shoot tequila, or sip a whiskey depending on what a friend needed while they unloaded. I could buy Sophie a coffee with an extra shot and be a shoulder when she needed to blow off steam about her mother.

But actual advice? Wisdom? No.

And Sunny didn't need a few beers or a shot of tequila. She needed someone like Gordy or Riddle or better yet one of her brothers. They'd know what to say.

"How can I be a mom when I don't even know what one is?"

That was a good question.

One I didn't know how to answer since I no longer had a mom and my dad checked out when I was thirteen and never checked back in.

Oh, fuck yeah, panic had set in.

"What if I bail?—"

"Woman, what the hell are you talking about? You would never bail on your child."

"How do you know?"

"Shiloh, you're one of the best women I know. Fuck, one of the best people—man or woman—I know. There is no way in hell you'd abandon your child. Or your husband. Maybe instead of thinking about all the shit your mother didn't teach you, you should start thinking about the things she did."

She met my response with narrowed eyes and pinched brows.

I was terrible at this shit.

Where the hell was Gordy, goddammit? I was screwing this up and Sunny needed someone better than what I could give her.

"That woman taught me nothing," she seethed.

"Wrong, Shiloh. She taught you the most valuable lesson you could ever learn. She taught you everything you never wanted to be. Men look to their fathers and they either want to be them, so they idolize and emulate, or they want to be nothing like them and they make moves to change everything about themselves to make sure there's nothing left of their father inside of them. I suppose women are the same. You had a shit mother, but she gave you something. You won't be a damn thing like her because you aren't anything like her. I'd say Echo, River, and Phoenix had a hand in that, but even if you didn't have them, you'd still be you. You'd still be the woman you are today because, Sunny, that's just who you are. Grit and determination and good to your core."

When I was done, she was no longer frowning but her eyes were filled with tears.

Christ .

How much more could I fuck this up?

"Sunny—"

"You're right." She sucked in a breath and swiped at her eyes. "Sorry for freaking out on you. I don't know why I'm so emotional. I just…I was late and Luke was excited and so was I. Then…I don't know…I just freaked out."

"Honey, did you stop to think that you freaking out about what kind of mom you'd be was your first clue you'll be a damn good mom?"

Her mouth twisted into a smile and she shook her head.

"No. I didn't think of that at all."

Right.

Crisis adverted .

"Thank you, Valentine. I needed to hear that—all of it. And thank you for not blowing sunshine and saying it straight."

"Like I'd ever try to pull shit over on you," I teased.

"You know what I'm saying," she said softly.

I did know.

Sunny worked hard at being genderless. She didn't want to be treated like ‘the girl on the team.' She just wanted to be respected as a member of the team. Something that honestly was hard for the rest of us to get used to. Not because she wasn't skilled and could hold her own. She was the best on the range—that went for both our team and Bravo. She more than carried her weight on every callout. She earned respect as a cop then as a SWAT officer. The difficulty was fueled by instinct. Every man on our team shared a common belief—women and children were to be protected at all costs. We could pretend Shiloh wasn't a woman and just a valued teammate but the bottom-line truth was, any one of us would move to protect her if it came down to her or a man on the team. I would never forgive a teammate for saving me over her. And none of them would forgive me if I made the call to save them and let her swing. In no other way did any of us treat her differently. And she'd be pissed as shit if she knew we had an unspoken pact—Shiloh Kent, now Marcou, above all others.

"I know what you're saying," I confirmed. "Now, are you just gonna stand there the rest of the day holding that stick you pissed on, or are you gonna toss it and get home to your husband?"

"It is pretty gross, isn't it?" She laughed.

"Disgusting," I corrected.

"Luke's at work and if I go home I'll be tempted to call Echo and ream his ass, something I can't do because I know he's neck-deep in a case. Which means my next choice would be River to complain about what a loud-mouthed asshole his brother is. But I can't do that because he'll turn the tables and ream my ass for not telling him my period was late?—"

I held up my hand to stop her.

"Can you do me a favor and never again discuss your period with me?"

"Please tell me you're not one of those men who are afraid of tampons."

"Nope. I have a box in my locker. They make excellent barrel cleaners."

Speaking of lockers . I made my way to mine and started in on the combo while I added, "Now, those diapers with wings? Yeah, no."

"So you're saying if your wife needed you to go to the store to pick her up pads you wouldn't do it?"

There would never be a wife.

I yanked open my locker, grabbed my wallet, and slammed it shut.

"I just added a new line item on the dealbreaker list."

"I don't know if I should tell you you're dumb or you're an asshole. "

"How about you say nothing and instead throw the pee stick away, wash your hands, and follow me to TC? You can see your man, I'll talk to Dylan, then we'll throw a few down range and blow off some steam."

That was when Shiloh Marcou blew my mind.

She slowly made her way to me—with the piss stick still in her hand—and stopped in front of me. With a look I'd never in my life seen on her face—which was to say I now understood why Luke fell so fast and hard—she rolled up onto the toes of her boots and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"Thank you for knowing exactly the right thing to say and exactly the right thing I needed."

When she rolled back down she thankfully headed to the trash can. Then she disappeared back into the bathrooms, leaving me wishing all women were as simple as Sunny.

My mind went to Sophie and I wondered if she'd be down with straight talk followed by shooting high-powered weapons at mannequins.