6. Vail

6

VAIL

“You look tired,” my sister said. My seven-month-old niece was on her chest, quietly sleeping, while my four-year-old nephew was outside playing in the snow with Oleander.

I didn’t doubt Oleander’s ability to protect me and my family while we were here. But since we still didn’t know where Gil was, Jordan doubled up my and Hartley’s detail. It was a toss-up who we got besides our regular guards when we left the building. Today, I had Sheldon, who was apparently bored and wanted to get some fresh air, so he offered to join us.

“I’m exhausted,” I told Cat. Her couch was so comfortable I couldn’t help but lie back and put my feet up, taking up the entire length of it.

Jordan, Hartley, and I had slept for a long time, but even after waking, I was still tired to my bones. I figured it would do me good to breathe in the cold air. I ended up on my sister’s couch while watching the snow lightly fall. It had started while we slept and was finally tapering off. The streets were plowed and treated so there weren’t any problems leaving the city.

Jordan wasn’t happy about me going to Cat’s. I had to remind him I could come and go as I pleased. This went back to me refusing to be caged. Jordan knew it, but his instinct was to keep me safe. I got it, I really did. What he needed to understand was I had to have my freedom. That didn’t mean I loved him any less, or that I wasn’t coming back. He wouldn’t admit it, but his insecurities ran deep.

“You could have brought them with you.” Cat itched to meet Jordan and see Hartley again.

“It’s not the right time. The dust should settle first. Besides, if I brought them with me today, I would feel the need to make sure everyone was happy.”

Cat cocked an eyebrow. It was light brown, her natural color, compared to her soft pink hair, which fell over her shoulders. “You know better than that. This is my house. There’s no people-pleasing in here. We’re honest and straight to the point. Hart already knows this about me, but Jordan doesn’t. Hey, when you finally bring them over, don’t tell him so I can see the look on his face when I say what I feel.” She grinned and meant it. Cat would love to get a rise out of my partner. Jordan wouldn’t appreciate it though.

“Stop picking fights before they even visit.”

She adjusted Ivy to smooth her fingers along her face. “This child is like a furnace. I’m sweating. Shelly, do you want to hold her?” I still couldn’t believe my sister had nicknamed Sheldon. When she first said it, I waited for the fallout. Sheldon with his quiet danger and soft words. Although, he got this wistful look on his face and told us that was what his mom used to call him. Cat apologized, not knowing the full backstory. She didn’t want to get overly personal and dig into his life. At least not yet. Given the chance, she would.

“As generous as that offer is, I’m going to have to pass,” he said from where he stood, looking out the front window.

“You don’t like babies?”

“I don’t like any children.”

I turned to face him. “I don’t mind them if they aren’t mine. Spoiling my niece and nephew and then leaving is the best of both worlds.”

“For you. After the shit I’ve been through… Nope.” I grimaced, forgetting how awful Sheldon’s childhood was. I could understand why he didn’t want kids.

Cat opened her mouth, but I lifted my foot and nudged her with it. Once I had her attention, I shook my head. She stopped for now. Sheldon didn’t see us, too busy making sure no one attacked us in the winter wonderland outside.

“Any word on dickbag?” Cat asked instead.

Sheldon peered at her over his shoulder. “Is that one word or two?”

“Not a clue, but if you need me to get more creative, all you have to do is ask. I can think up thousands of horrible names to call that motherfucker.”

He tsked. “Such language in front of your daughter.”

“She’s a baby and asleep. If her first word is dickbag, you can say I told you so.”

“Deal. To answer your question, no. It’s like he fell off the face of the earth. We have eyes and ears everywhere. Mr. Altair started calling in favors, but no one can seem to locate him.”

Chills spread out over my skin and not in a good way. Somewhere out there, Gil was dead or plotting. I went with my gut since leaving him and it told me he was alive, especially after trying to frame Jordan like he had. Gil was biding his time until he could strike. The more days that passed, the more he could amass. Weapons weren’t his go-to. No, he’d hit me where it hurt the worst. If I was down, he could swoop in when I didn’t see him coming. What would hurt me was going after those I loved.

Cat insisted she didn’t need protection. Gil was an asshole, but I couldn’t see him harming children. With Hartley and Jordan in my life, they were who he’d target. He’d already got Jordan locked up. Everything that happened was done on purpose. We didn’t get to see the photos of Gil’s home, but Lana said it was a clear path to Jordan.

Fucking Gil. Why couldn’t he crawl away and die somewhere? Yes, I could give Jordan the okay to have Gil killed. I didn’t want that. Jordan’s hands had to remain clean when it came to Gil. I didn’t ask for a lot. That was a hard rule though. Obviously, Jordan would be the person of interest if Gil turned up dead.

“Hey,” Cat said, her turn to nudge me with her foot. “They’re going to find him and when they do, he’s going to wish he was dead.”

“You know how I feel.”

“I do and don’t give a shit. I will do anything for you, but in this, nature should take its course. And by nature, I mean Jordan and his weapon of choice.”

“I like your sister, Vail,” Sheldon said.

Cat answered before I could, “I’m taken. Since babies aren’t your thing, I doubt you’re over there lusting after me.”

“I’m gay, Cat. While I appreciate your beauty and attitude, you don’t do it for me.”

“Good to know. Does that mean you have a thing for Ollie? Not that I know if he’s into you, but you two would make a cute pair.”

He chuckled. “I’m not sure anyone has ever called me cute. Ollie’s my best friend and nothing more. We went there once, and it nearly ended our friendship. We’re not meant to be together like that.” His last sentence was quiet, barely able to be heard.

My sister, never one to let anyone feel unloved in her house, got to her feet with Ivy in her arms and walked to Sheldon. “I don’t care that you work for Jordan or what other bad things you do. There’s someone out there for you. Now, take this baby before I take off my shirt. I’m sweating to death.” She held a still sleeping Ivy out to Sheldon who backed up until he ran into the small table Cat had near the door, catching it before it toppled over.

“No babies. I already told you that.”

“Are you seriously getting flustered? She’s a tiny thing who can’t even speak.”

“Vail, help me,” he panicked, eyes wide.

“Can’t,” I said and closed my eyes, leaving them open in small slits so I could watch the scene before me unfold. “Too tired to move.”

“This is ridiculous,” Cat muttered and pushed Ivy toward Sheldon, until he had no choice but to take her. Ivy whimpered, turning her head toward Sheldon.

“Jesus fuck,” he whispered. Before he could hand her back, Cat bolted down the hallway. I heard a door shut a second later. “Vail,” he tried to yell softly. “Come get this baby.” Poor Sheldon was frozen on the spot. The man was skilled in so many areas and completely deadly, yet a baby rendered him useless.

Before he could say anything else, the back sliding door opened. Oleander and Carson entered, along with a burst of cold air pouring through the kitchen. I caught the edge of it where I was on the couch. I heard the rustling of clothes, no doubt Carson taking off his snowsuit and Oleander shedding his coat.

Oleander was the first into the room. He stopped the second his eyes landed on Sheldon. A slow smile spread over his lips. “Whatcha doing?”

“Shut up,” Sheldon growled.

“I don’t think I will.” Reaching into his pocket, Oleander pulled out his phone to take a quick photo of Sheldon. “This is going to look so nice on the family Christmas card. Or maybe I’ll create a profile for you on a dating site and use this as the picture. The possibilities are endless.” It was heartwarming to see the way Sheldon and Oleander interacted. The more time I spent with them, the more their true selves came out. Together, they really brought the other one out of their deadly shell.

“I’m going to kill you in your sleep,” Sheldon hissed. “Set any trap you want. I’ll still get to you.”

“What’s that? You want me to print this out and put it up in the gym for others to see?”

“Bully.”

That got a full belly laugh from Oleander. “Not once in my life have I ever been called that, and you know it.” He turned to me. “I was the scrawny one until junior year in high school. That was when I started to fill out. Before that, Shel was my protector. Every time someone messed with me, all he had to do was stare them down. It didn’t matter that he was leaner than most of the football team. One fight and he got a reputation.”

“What did you do?” I asked Sheldon.

“Found the biggest bully in school and put him on his knees.”

“That’s more than I wanted to know.”

“Not like that. I got him on his knees, fisted his hair, wrenched his head back until he howled in pain, and told him if he ever messed with Ollie again, I’d take out his kneecaps. He couldn’t tell on me. What would he say? He regularly threatened half the school while I had an impeccable record.”

“You have a heart, after all.”

“No, I just didn’t want anyone screwing with my best friend.”

“That’s so sweet,” I heard from behind me. Cat had returned.

“Take the baby back,” Sheldon pleaded.

“No, I’m going to get Carson a snack.” Fortunately, Carson was too involved with a video on his tablet and didn’t care about the conversation in the living room. My sister and Dana had figured out early on they could say just about anything, and he didn’t hear them if he was on that.

The bickering between my sister, Sheldon, and Oleander continued while I closed my eyes and let the sound of family and friends soothe me. It wasn’t the same as having Hartley and Jordan with me, but it was close. I could relax and, for a little while, forget about the hell that awaited me. Gil was still out there, and I had no clue what he was planning.