Page 104

HARVEY

My head is pounding, and my nipples are chaffing under the Kevlar vest I’m wearing. I should probably go and put a t-shirt on. Lee had removed his vest and had a clean t-shirt on when he came back in. Murray has also removed his vest. I ask Guinevere to accompany Lizzie to the doctor’s examination given what I’d seen back at the house and now I just need to figure out what we’re going to do with the rest of these people who need our help. It’s a daunting task and I’m terrified but also know that Annika and I can handle this. Together. When I look up, she’s looking at me like she needs me. The feeling is too mutual for my heart to handle and despite us being in a room full of people and our relationship has very much been behind closed doors, the moment she moves to take a step, my arms are outstretched to welcome her in.

Her head rests on my shoulder as her arms wind around my waist and her face nuzzles into my neck. I see Stuart’s shock opposite me, but I canfeeleveryone else’s around me. I think Murray may have dropped something in surprise if his muttered curse is anything to go by.

“I need to grab a t-shirt,” I whisper into her hair, and she nods.

“I want to change,” she mumbles. “These trousers are polyester.”

I smile against her head. “The horror.”

Standing straight, she gives me a soft, sleepy smile and I want to kiss it. I would love nothing more than to take her upstairs and look after her, run her a bath, rub her aching muscles, and put her to bed so I could settle between her thighs for the night. But that isn’t happening until we have answers from these kids and a plan with what we can do with them moving forward. As much as Annika has embraced Mabel and Keeley, I believe nine kids would be a step too far.

As I gently stroke up and down Annika’s back, I’m actually keen to get into the detective work, interviewing the kids and trying to find where they’ve come from and where they can go to. I’m just about to suggest we head upstairs to change when the sound of the front door has me looking to the doorway. I can feel the tense anxiety coming from the kids who have sat on the floor with their plates. Lance and Brent come into the living room, both having changed into jeans and t-shirts.

Brent raises a brow as he sees Annika step away from my embrace, Lance does not seem surprised at all. He smirks when he sees me staring at him.

“Hayden had his suspicions,” he answers my unasked question.

“Everything go okay?” Annika asks, ignoring the fact that everyone now knows we’re…something.

“Perfectly,” Lance says coolly.

“It’s nothing but ashes,” Brent says, already digging into a sandwich.

“Did you kill them all?” one of the girls asks, the one who Brent had comforted before.

“All of them that were there tonight, love.” Brent says to her gently. “Anyone else who wasn’t there will be dealt with.”He doesn’t beat around the bush despite the fact that they are children. I guess since they have already been thrown into adulthood, treating them as children now would only be an insult. To prove that, the girl only nods as though that was exactly what she was expecting.

Lizzie comes back in, watery eyed and red cheeked, Guinevere has her arm around her waist and sits her down on the armchair, perching on the arm herself to keep talking to her. Reece is there by her side instantly, grabbing her hand and sitting on her other side. The doctor picks another one of the girls and they head off.

“We’re just going to get changed and we’ll be back,” I say, twining my fingers with Annika and pulling her upstairs. When we’re on the landing and out of sight, I pull her into my arms again, slanting my mouth over hers. Slender arms wrap around my neck, and she pushes against me but I can’t feel her through my tactical vest. She reaches for the Velcro at the shoulders while I rip the waist fastenings away and the whole thing falls to the ground. Pushing her tits into my bare chest, she deepens the kiss, moaning into my mouth and my dick nudges at her hip.

“I’m pretty sure they all think we’ve come up here to fuck,” I say against her mouth.

“I’m sorry,” she says pulling away and I’m instantly annoyed at her absence and confused by her apology.

“What?” I ask, pulling her back to me. “What on earth are you sorry for?”

“I shouldn’t have done that in front of everyone.” She rests her forehead on my shoulder.

I can’t help but chuckle because she absolutely should not have done that. Just as I absolutely should not have held her. We don’t even know what this is; we’re sleeping together but a tiny part of me is still trying to convince my heart that I’m doing this for the sake of my mission. But I know it’s not true. I know it’sbecause this woman who just a few short months ago I thought was the empress of all evil, has proven to me over and over that she is kind—in her own way—compassionate, intelligent, and weirdly funny.

“Well, you’ve made it official,rainha,” I laugh.

“What is it exactly that I’ve made official?”

I look at her with the best smoulder I can muster. “That I’m yourlover.” I bring my voice down an octave and wiggle my eyebrows.

She grimaces. “You’re fired.”

I freeze as a conversation from a few weeks ago flashes through my mind.That’s how I know she loves me. She may never find the words, but if she fires you and still expects you in the next day, you’re part of the family.

“Are you okay?” She looks at me with genuine concern.

“That’s the second time you’ve said that.” I swallow thickly. “I’m starting to think you mean it.” And not that I’m actually fired.

“You know I’m joking, right? I probably shouldn’t try humour, I’ve never been very good at it, but—”