Lies(67)

“He’s never going to need to do something like that again. You’re totally missing the point,” I say, somewhat exasperated. “I’m fine, Henry and Jen are fine, everyone’s fine. And you’re alive—what a surprise. Why don’t we talk about that for a minute, huh? That and how fucking furious I am at you.”

He sighs. “I did it for your own protection.”

“You do not get to make major decisions that impact both of us on your own. That is not love and togetherness. It is just assholishness!”

He just looks at me.

“I’m serious, Thom. You broke my fucking heart.”

“I know and I’m sorry. But Scorpion may not be the last person who ever comes after me.”

“Then we’ll deal with it together.”

“You don’t understand,” he says. “I’m working again. Consulting only at this stage. Low threat level and lets me stay close to home. But it’s still dangerous.”

“Crossing the street is dangerous. Riding in a car is dangerous. I never needed you to retire. It was just another decision you made assuming you knew what I needed.”

Still, he doesn’t look convinced. Idiot. “How’d you get in contact with Henry? I’ve been keeping a pretty close eye on you. Didn’t see that one coming.”

“Those couple of girly weekends at Jen’s. I left my cell there and borrowed her neighbor’s car to go searching up north. Took me a while to remember the right trail to his place, actually. It’s pretty well hidden.”

“That is super sneaky.”

“Thank you.”

Then he just looks at me. And it’s all there in his gaze. All of the love I want from this man. “This isn’t a good idea, babe. For lots of reasons.”

“Let me ask you one question, Thom. Just one,” I say. “Do you love me?”

And there’s no hesitation. “You know I do.”

“There you go, then.” I nod. “We’re having a baby and we’re staying together. I’ve already made my mind up. Besides, who the hell knows what I’d do next if you try to disappear again? You’d never get another good night’s sleep from worrying about what shenanigans I might be up to.”

“A baby?” he asks, face frozen.

“Yes.”

For a long moment, he says nothing. “A baby. Wow.”

“Turns out dealing with all the organization required for a wedding and having your fiancé supposedly up and die on you plays havoc with remembering to take the contraception pill.”

“From when we had sex before the wedding?” He comes over and stands in front of me. “Holy shit.”

“That’s right. In approximately five months’ time.”

“You’re pregnant.”

“I’ll probably be insanely pissed at you for at least half of that. But then I guess I’ll let it go. If you’re lucky.”

“We’re going to be parents.”

“Though I’ll warn you now, Thom. After this, I automatically win every fight ever. It doesn’t even matter if I’m wrong. Is that understood?”

He reaches out and touches my belly, almost in wonder, though I’m barely showing.

“Are you all right? You’re not going to puke or faint or something, are you?” I ask.

“No.” He shakes his head. “Just need a minute.”

“Okay.”

At long last, he raises his gaze to meet mine. “I love you, Elizabeth.”

“I know. I love you too. But if you ever pull this sort of shit again I will kill you myself.”

“You will, huh?”

I shrug a shoulder. “Well…not kill you exactly, I suppose. But I’ll at least shoot you. Somewhere none lethal, but quite painful just the same. Am I understood, Wolf? Are you reading me and all of my threats loud and clear?”

He smiles and it’s perfect. “Roger that.”





EPILOGUE


“Oh.”

“Oh, what?” I ask, stacking the last of the dirty glasses in the dishwasher. Dinner was tacos because everything is better with tacos. Not that life isn’t awesome already.

Thom stands behind me with a baby in hand. A baby with a bare ass, actually.

“It fell off again?” I ask, incredulous.

Lines crease his forehead. Fatherhood and marriage have taught him how to express himself fully and often in lots of different ways. “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

“A man with your skillset and you can’t work a diaper? For real?”

“Thought I got it right this time. Not too tight, not too loose.”

“Wow. Seriously. I mean, you can defuse a bomb, but your small child’s pants situation is somehow beyond your capabilities. I am officially amazed.”

“In my defense, nobody’s managed to provide me with a circuit diagram for this one.”

Six-month-old Henry takes his fist out of his mouth long enough to giggle and smile at me before peeing down the front of his father’s shirt. I try not to laugh. I really do.

“Well, I guess that was inevitable,” I say. “I’ll go get some wipes and a towel.”