“Caz.” The whisper drew his attention to the couch.
Sitting up slowly, JJ pushed her hair out of her face.
Now—now his world was complete.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“Hey,” he whispered back. Taking her hand, he pulled her gently to her feet. “Let’s go to bed.”
She looked at the children. “I shouldn’t stay. I can go home.”
“Mamita, this house is where you belong.” He didn’t release her hand as he took her upstairs and into the bedroom. Rather than turning on lights and running down the solar batteries, he lit a couple of candles. Odd, there wasn’t any debris anywhere. “You cleaned up the place?”
“The girls and I did. There wasn’t much mess, not compared to the places I visited today. Your cupboards didn’t fly open, no bookshelves toppled over. The fridge didn’t even move. Did you deliberately make the place earthquake-proof?”
“Of course.” He chuckled. “The sarge was a survivalist, remember? The Hermitage is prepared for anything, including earthquakes. Furniture that might topple over is strapped down. Nothing heavy is kept up high to fall down on a person. All our windows have shatterproof film on them. I tell you, that one cost a mint.”
“But it worked. One of Bull’s windows broke, and it was amazing how the glass broke into chunks, but nothing fell. Like auto windshields.”
“Excellent. I pulled more than enough glass out of flesh today.” Including from his girl’s arms and legs. “How are you doing?”
“Fine. Just tired.”
Considering all the scrapes and gashes and bruises he’d seen on her, he was guessing she felt a bit more than that. But she was here, watching over Regan and Delaney. “Did Bull ask you to babysit?”
“No.” She walked over to the window to look out. “Regan heard my car and ran over to ask me to stay with them until you got home.”
Contentment warmed his heart as he put his arms around his woman. “I know how she feels. I’m happier when you’re here, too.”
Hugging him, she whispered the words he needed to hear. “I love you.”
A while later, JJ sighed as she lay on Caz, damp skin melding them together. Rubbing her cheek against his chest, she listened to the slowing lub-dub of his heart.
“How are you doing?” Although exhausted, she couldn’t stop stroking his shoulders, his biceps. The way his velvety skin stretched tightly over rock-hard muscles was an endless fascination. “Whenever I returned to the station, there were more people waiting to see you.”
“It was a mess. No one died on my watch, but Hawk and the other pilot were busy ferrying people to the hospitals. Two were so unstable I kept them until an actual air ambulance could show up.”
Rescue was incredibly lucky to have Caz. But, from what she’d seen, the people here knew that.
“I don’t know if you heard”—he ran his fingers through her hair—“Sarah went into labor a couple of hours after the quake. She had a little boy.”
“Oh, wow.” JJ lifted her head. “Is she all right?”
“Both of them are fine. The midwife swung by afterward to get restocked with supplies. Mmm, probably around eleven.”
“Everybody had a long day, I guess.” A new baby. Nature’s miracle. She laid her head down again, loving how his arm tightened around her. “I wonder how long it’ll be before things return to normal. Dante’s store is a mess. A lot of the stuff on the shelves fell.”
“He’ll have an earthquake sale and get rid of anything that’s dented.” Caz made a grumbling noise. “Bull will want help to clean up all the broken glassware at the roadhouse.”
“I stopped by there. He’s going to need help all right.” Then she laughed.
“What?”
“All the cheap drinks kept beside the bar were broken, but Bull had tethered the more expensive bottles of alcohol to the wall.”
Caz chuckled. “He’s a careful guy.”
They all were. And amazingly generous, too. “Did you know he brought in food for the people sheltering in the municipal building?”
“Sí. He stopped in the clinic with sandwiches and sodas for my people. And extra cookies because he’d heard Regan was helping.” Caz stroked JJ’s back, managing to avoid the cuts and bandages. “Rescue will be all right, although it’ll take time to get the power back on everywhere, deal with propane tank problems. Fix windows.”
“I sure had no idea earthquakes were a thing around here.”
“Well, this was the Kenai’s biggest quake in a century or so. The peninsula isn’t on the big fault lines, like the ones in the gulf or north of Anchorage. Then again, nowhere in Alaska is truly safe.”
She sighed. “Really, there isn’t anywhere on Earth that is safe.”
“True enough. Which is why a person should live life and celebrate love when it comes.” He paused. “I want you to move in here.”
“What? Oh, my God, think of the gossip.”
“Think of all those people who have been committing the sin of lying about us.” He tugged on her hair, his lips curving up. “We should make the rumors a reality and save their souls. Truly, it’s our civic duty.”
Even as she laughed at his semi-serious tone, she softened.
Move in. He was right. Life was never long enough—and being together was what they all wanted. “Yes, if you’re sure, then”—tears prickled the backs of her eyes—“I’d love to live with you and Regan.”
“I am absolutely sure,” he murmured.
“Wait…” Remembering what Hawk had said earlier, she tilted her head. “If we make the rumors real, does that mean I’ll have sex with your brothers?”
A callused hand on each side of her face lifted her head. His dark eyes were implacable. “Absolutely not.”
“Oh, well, damn.” She snickered—and the stinging swat on her butt only made her laugh harder.
Chapter Thirty-Three
We come into this world head first and go out feet first; in between, it is all a matter of balance. ~ Paul Boese
* * *
“Popcorn hog,” Regan muttered, happily nudging Niko’s hand out of the bowl. On her other side, Delaney snickered.
“Shhh, this is the good part,” Niko whispered, petting Sirius, who was sprawled half across his lap and half across Regan’s. “I love this movie, and you have the greatest TV for it.”
Sitting farther down on the sectional, JJ and Audrey grinned.
Since Mom hadn’t liked science fiction or fantasy stuff, Regan hadn’t seen the Star Wars movies. When JJ found out, she told Papá it was marathon time…although the marathon would last a lot of nights since Papá didn’t let Regan watch more than one show or movie a day.
Even better, Papá and the uncles said Regan could invite her besties. Papá had to pick them up and take them home since the guys—especially Uncle Hawk—were weird about having anyone driving up to the Hermitage. But she had her friends here—that’s what was important.
On the television screen, Han Solo fired his blaster, and the bounty hunter’s head hit the table.
Regan gasped. “Friggers, he nailed him good.”
“See?” JJ crowed and bumped her shoulder against Audrey’s. “Han totally shot first.”
Audrey scowled. “He did not. Han’s a good guy.”
Regan heard Papá chuckle. He and the uncles were sitting at the kitchen island doing some sort of business paperwork. Or they were supposed to be doing paperwork. She turned.
Papá winked at her. “Han shot first.”
“Yeah, totally.” Grinning, Regan grabbed another handful of popcorn.
“Oh, darn,” Audrey said a few minutes later. “I need to go punch down the bread and get it rising again.”
“Not a problem.” JJ picked up the remote and paused the movie. “Break time.”
“Nooo,” Niko groaned. And Regan gave a loud sigh that made Delaney giggle.
JJ only laughed. “Too bad. We’ll restart when Audrey gets back.”
“S’okay.” Niko grinned. “We’ll work on the popcorn.”
It was why she liked Niko. Not much bothered him; he was a lot like Uncle Bull.
As JJ rose, Delaney raised her hand like she was still in school. “Miss—I mean Officer JJ?”
JJ stopped.
“Um, Grams got home yesterday. I guess people talked to her about stuff, and she’s really mad at Mom and wanted me to tell you a message.” Delaney turned pink. “And Mom gave me a note for you.”
JJ got her cop-face on—all cold and hard—and Delaney edged closer to Regan. Delaney’s mom was Giselle, who’d said nasty stuff about JJ. Was JJ going to be mean?
Regan put her arm around Delaney. What should she say?
But then JJ kinda smiled and sat down on the coffee table, so she didn’t look big or anything. “Sorry, you took me by surprise.”
She took the note Delaney was holding out and read it, and her face got soft. “I think your mama didn’t realize how much she loved you. She does now—and she wants me to teach her how to braid your hair like Regan’s.”
Delaney’d said her mama was being all lovey now. Regan grinned. “Maybe JJ can make our braids match?”
Delaney bounced. “Yes!”
JJ laughed a little, then stopped. “What did your Grams want to tell me?”
“She made me say everything a bunch of times to get it right.” Delaney sat up straight. “Grams said, ‘Please tell the officer that I apologize for my thoughtless words. I think all of us in Rescue are extremely lucky to have her here.’”
Looking away, JJ blinked fast. Then she said softly, “I’m not sure I remember your grandmother.”
“She’s Mrs. Hudson,” Regan offered.
“Ah, the woman with the broken hip. Is she all right, Delaney?”
Delaney nodded. “Uh-huh. She was in the hospital and the rehab place to learn to walk. She has to use a walker for a while.”
“I’m glad she’s better. Please tell her thank you, and it’s forgiven and forgotten.” JJ grinned and wrinkled her nose at Delaney. “Do I need to make you say it a bunch of times?”
Delaney broke into giggles, setting them all off.
“So, Niko, how’s school in the new place?” JJ asked.
After almost two weeks off, they’d started back to school yesterday in two houses that’d been bed & breakfasts a long time ago. Uncle Bull told the school they could use the houses until they could fix the portables or get something better. Where their old school and playground had been was covered by the slide.
A lot of the kids wouldn’t even go down that road now.
“It’s kinda weird. All the middle schoolers are in one house and us in the other one. But I like it,” Niko said. “Mrs. Wilner said this is like testing things out so they know what to fix during winter break.”
“Sounds smart.” JJ tilted her head. “Any more problems with your bullies?”
Regan shook her head. “Brayden wasn’t in school.”
“He’s not coming back.” Delaney’s mouth tilted up. “His mom was all upset about the earthquake. And Brayden didn’t want to come back to school cuz…”
Cuz he proved he was a wussy, like Papá said bullies were.
Regan said aloud, “Cuz he was all upset about the earthquake, too.”
“Anyway,” Delaney smiled. “They’re moving back to Indiana.”
Regan grinned. “Good.”
“What about Shelby?” JJ asked.
“I think she’ll be okay.” Niko rubbed Sirius’s ears, and the purr got louder. “She was always meaner when Brayden was around.”
“Sounds good.” JJ patted Regan’s knee and stood. “How do you guys feel about nachos for lunch?”
Regan laughed as her friends cheered.
As JJ headed toward the kitchen, Regan felt as if she had little happy bubbles in her chest. Because JJ had moved in, and Niko said that meant she and Papá would get married.
And that meant JJ would be a mamá. My mamá.
* * *
Sitting in the kitchen, Caz looked up as the children cheered about the food. That was a fine sound.
Across the island from him, Gabe grinned. “Nice to have kids around the place.”
“Yeah, it is.” Bull plunked down beers in front of Caz and Gabe.
Caz finished reading the profit and loss statement Bull had brought. The company had a name now—Sarge’s Investment Group. Hawk shortened the name to SIG…which was also a nickname for Sig Sauer firearms. The corporation was doing quite well. Because Mako’d bought properties for very little, SIG was able to offer incentives to new Rescue businesses and still make a profit. “Looks good, ’mano.”
Gabe tapped a finger on the document. “What’s the next step for the town? Are we going to continue pushing for growth? I’m for that, although the Patriot Zealots might push back.”
“Do we give a damn?” Hawk growled.
“The PZs are a problem, and with more than their aversion to the town’s growth.” Caz frowned. “The women and children I’ve seen in the clinic have an abnormal number of bruises in various stages of healing.”
Gabe’s gaze met his. “Knowing you, you pushed.”
“Sí. Even when alone, none of the patients”—victims—“will talk to me.” It frustrated the hell out of him.
“We’re going to have to do something about them, Gabe,” Bull said.
“We are. And soon.” Gabe’s mouth flattened. “I get the impression Parrish’s star is waning and Nabera’s is on the rise. Trouble is Nabera is a few miles past fanatic and heading straight for crazy.”
“Oh good. And here I thought I’d be bored.” Hawk’s eyes gleamed with cynical amusement.
Bull turned. “You back to stay now, bro?”
“Yeah. Who knows, maybe you’ll need a sniper.”
“What’s a sniper?” Regan put her glass on the island, her innocent brown eyes silencing all of them.
Hawk actually looked worried.
“Ah… A sniper is someone who shoots a rifle almost as well as I throw a knife.” Caz grinned as relief—and insult—swept over Hawk’s face. “What happened to Star Wars?”
“Audrey had to go do something with bread, so we’re on a break till she gets back.” Regan climbed onto the island stool beside Gabe. “When are you going to teach me to throw knives, Papá?”
Throw knives? His baby? “You’re too young.”
There was a husky laugh, and JJ leaned against him. “When, exactly, did you start playing with knives, Cazador?”
His brothers snickered—pinche pendejos—because he’d stabbed someone the first time he’d been on the streets. At seven.
“Seems like you fell in love with actually throwing knives the day Grayson took yours away and tossed it into a tree,” Bull said. “First time we met him, right?”
Gabe’s lips curved. “He busted up our fight and disarmed you faster than I thought possible.”
“Sí. I’d never seen a knife thrown before. It was…” There had been a stark beauty in how the blade flew through the air, turning over and over. He’d heard the loud thud as it embedded itself into the tree and stuck there, quivering. So very deadly. “It was glorious.”
“Who’s Grayson?” Regan leaned her forearms on the island. His curious child. No longer quiet or afraid to ask questions.
“Zachary Grayson, a friend of Mako’s. When we were kids, he’d visit to see how we were doing,” Bull answered.
The psychologist had made periodic trips from Florida to check on them. To do whatever counseling they needed at the time. He’d told them later that he’d been concerned about a paranoid survivalist raising four street kids.
Caz grinned. “The next day, Grayson saw me trying to throw like he had, but my knives just bounced off the trees. He picked one up and showed me that a throwing knife had to balance…and then talked about how a man’s life needed balance as well. If I wanted to get where I wanted to go, I must find the balance.”
Regan frowned.
“Balance in what?”
“In everything, mija.” Caz pulled JJ closer. “As a boy, I had to learn to balance anger and peace.” He winked at his daughter. “You know that one, sí?”
She grinned back.
“Later, he talked to me about the balance in taking lives…and saving lives.”
“Later?” Gabe’s eyes narrowed. “Like in another decade? Grayson was who talked you into returning to being a medic?”
And out of being an assassin. “He did. Mako sicced him on me.”
Bull snorted a laugh. “Sounds like the sarge.”
The sarge’s plan had worked…as they usually did.
Caz smiled at his daughter. Like the sarge, he’d be honored to pass to his child the skills he had learned. “After you learn the balance between fighting and walking away, I’ll teach you about knives.”
Regan gave him a happy nod.
He glanced at JJ. “Do you want to learn, too, mi corazón?”
“Knives? Seriously? No way.” Her eyebrows lifted. “I agree with Han. ‘Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side’. I’ll stick to my pistol, thanks.”
“That’s what I say.” Hawk gave a rusty laugh as he nodded his approval of JJ. “Keep this one longer than a night, bro.”
“I intend to, ’mano. I will keep her for all the nights.” Caz smiled as JJ’s laughing eyes met his.
Pulling his love closer, he kissed her once, then again, and whispered, “For forever.”
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