Code Name: Genesis (Jameson Force Security #1)(65)

“Sure you don’t want a little champagne?” Lynn asks from the couch, interrupting my internal musings. Lynn had rushed in once my mother vacated her seat.

“I’m good.” I’d had half a glass a little earlier. If I had more, I’d probably be passed out given all I’d been through today.

Lynn wrinkles her nose at my denial of such a good bubbly, but moves to refill her own glass from an opened bottle of champagne on the coffee table. Because she is tipsy, she over pours, and it froths all over her. We both laugh. Rachel, who sees the mishap, comes running with some paper towels to clean her up.

I glance into the kitchen where the men are congregated. Jerico, Kynan, Saint, and Cruce. They make a damn fine-looking team, and I’m not just talking about their abilities. They are just damn good-looking men.

Kynan’s gaze drifts over to me, which he’s done about every two minutes or so since we came home, I suppose just to check to make sure I’m alive and breathing. When he smiles, I return it before giving my attention back to Lynn. She raises her champagne glass, not to toast me but to point an accusing finger.

“I cannot believe you got in that man’s car because you thought he had me,” she mutters.

“I didn’t know it was a fake photo.” My exasperation comes out clearly.

“I’m not talking about that,” she says with a dismissive wave. “I’m talking about risking your life for mine. You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Do you how hard it is to find a good manager? I mean, come on, Lynn, I was not about to let you go.”

She snorts and rolls her eyes before taking another healthy glug of champagne. I expect she’s going to be sleeping in one of the guest rooms tonight.

Bebe comes walking into the living room, carrying a bottle of water. She’s the only one who did not partake of the alcohol, and I wonder why.

I don’t know her well enough to ask, so I let it go.

She takes a seat on the opposite end of the couch from Lynn, then settles into it. Shooting me a wry smile, she says, “I honestly think prison may have been preferable to the stress you put me under today, Joslyn. I think I’d like to go back.”

I burst out laughing, and she chuckles along with me.

Shaking her head, she says, “Seriously… This whole experience shaved a couple of years off my life.”

“If I didn’t have gashes in my feet, I’d get up right now to hug you.” My words are sincere. “Thanks to you, I’m alive.”

Bebe waves her hand, shaking her head again. “It was a definite team effort.”

Tilting my head, I study this woman who’s been pretty much locked away for the past seven years without any real human contact because she was in solitary. She is so kind, loyal, and empathetic. She’s gone above and beyond to work to save a woman she doesn’t even know. And I have to think there are remarkable things coming down the line for a woman such as this.

“Thank you, Bebe.” There’s no mistaking the gratefulness in my voice. “You are a true treasure to Kynan and Jameson Force Security. I can never repay you for what you did for me.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Kynan says as he walks up to my chair. He bends, scoops me up in his arms, then positions himself to sit in my place, settling me squarely on his lap. He nods at Bebe. “She’s getting a huge bonus.”

Bebe holds up her water bottle in salute. “I am not going to say no to that.”

I swear the cue could not have been any more perfect, because at that moment, my doorbell rings. I can’t help but smile at what I know is on the other side. It’s better than any bonus Bebe could get.

Today is the day her mom and son are coming to visit. Of course, Kynan did not account for the fact she would hop on a jet plane with Jerico and Rachel and screw up his glorious plans for an emotional, heartfelt reunion. When he saw Bebe in the emergency room lobby, he immediately got busy changing plans.

Kynan worked his magic, managing to get Bebe’s family on the next private plane out of Las Vegas to Santa Barbara.

Cruce must be in on what is going on because he immediately goes to the front door, just out of sight from where I’m sitting. Bebe doesn’t even know anything is going on. She and Lynn are casually chatting. I see Cruce walking into the great room. He comes up behind Bebe, followed by a woman who looks exactly like her daughter. Raven-black hair worn in a shoulder-length bob with the same high cheekbones and delicate nose as Bebe. And right behind her is a miniature duplicate of Bebe herself. Her son has the same bluish-black hair and crystal blue eyes as his mother.

My own eyes immediately fill up with tears, knowing what an emotional reunion this is going to be. Unfortunately, Bebe happens to glance at me as I start crying and becomes alarmed.

“Are you okay, Joslyn?” she asks, starting to rise from the couch.

Kynan just chuckles, and Bebe glares at him for his supposed insensitivity.

I can’t help myself, so I nod toward her mom and son who are standing just behind the couch. “You have someone here to see you.”

Bebe turns around slowly. The minute her eyes land on her mom and son, she falls to her knees and starts sobbing. Of course, I lose my shit and do the same. Lynn also starts crying. Kynan just groans, hugging me tightly.

Bebe doesn’t stay down, though. Her excitement has her immediately popping up with tears streaming down her face. She rushes around the couch where she scoops her son into her arms. Holding him tight, she buries her face in his neck. Her mother approaches, then works her way into the family embrace. They hug each other for the longest time while plenty of tears are shed. I turn sideways to cuddle against Kynan, and he squeezes me sweetly.