Sanctuary (Family Justice Book 3) (70 page)

M
EGHAN WAS STILL
pinching herself over the best wedding surprise of them all. When their limousine rolled up to the Boston Public Library, and she and Alex made their way up the beautiful grand staircase, she was sure they’d died and gone to heaven. With what had to be every twinkle light ever made and long, shimmery swaths of sheer fabric draped everywhere, the stately old library was transformed into a romantic wonderland.

Magnificent arrangements of red and white roses studded with sparkling crystal accents filled the air with their sweet scent and at each place setting, a small single serving bottle of Jameson’s was wrapped with a small tag that read:
Glenfiddich is for pussies
. Angie managed to take all of Meghan’s disjointed and sometimes fantastical visions for the reception and create something magical.

Wrapped in her husband’s loving embrace, Meghan swayed gracefully to the song they chose for their first dance together as husband and wife. With Parker and Angelina delivering a spine-tingling harmony that would get a nod from Nat King Cole himself, they sang “Unforgettable” as she and Alex gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes.

Not to be outdone, their wedding party hit the dance floor in a choreographed mini-flashdance that got her and Alex laughing their asses off. Dancing along to Bruno Mars, “I Think I’m Gonna Marry You,” Drae, Cam, and Parker held their own as Angie, Tori, and Lacey gave the performance of a lifetime.

Her new husband surprised the holy hell out of her when, after quite a few glasses of champagne, he’d formally escorted her to the center of the dance floor, whispered, “Bitches like romance, right?” then whirled her through a swoon-worthy waltz to the theme song from
Beauty and the Beast.

With her Alpha beats’s hand possessively caressing her ass despite the hundreds of eyes watching Meghan sighed from the happiness she could barely contain. She was Meghan Marquez now. An unexpected giggle got her husband’s attention.

“Think my dancing’s funny, do you?” His loveable smirk turned her knees to jelly.

Safe in Alex’s arms, his beautifyul eyes locked on hers, she snuggled closer as they slowed their dance to a deep sway. Meghan feathered her fingers through his hair and smiled. “I just realized my intials are MM.”

The adorable smirk shifted to a confused brow arch.

“Double M’s. Mrs. Marquez, Marilyn Monroe.” She said all this with serious intent but ended with another short giggle. “Sorry. Must be the champagne.” He chortled and gave her a body squeeze. “Or the seriously hot guy in the sexy-as-fuck vest. Thanks for wearing the pocket watch,” she added.

Alex pulled her close and murmured, “I was thinking we might consider the name Aidan for our first son.”

She stumbled but he held her tight enough that no one would notice. Aidan.
Dammit.
Her lip was trembling and tears were rushing into her eyes.

“Now, as for the double M thing. I kind of like that. Weirdly cowboy-ish if you think about it. Maybe we can call the new rec center the Double M—like it’s a ranch.”

Meghan could tell he was serious but the impulse to tease him a little was too great to ignore.

“Oh, for god’s sake, husband! Really? You’re making me into a friggin’ ranch? What happened to Marilyn? Dammit,” she groaned. “Couple weeks of abstinence and you’ve forgotten all about me.” The pout got her a pinch on the ass.

“Listen here, Double M,” he growled. “Your lord and master has to find some way to keep that wicked tongue of yours busy before that wise-ass mouth of yours gets you in trouble.”

With her most dazzling bridal smile, Meghan blew her man a puckered kiss then shimmied against him and chuckled, “Shut up.”

“What’s up with that?” Lacey asked Heather when she found her alone at the bar watching what appeared to be an intense conversation between Cam and Brody happening about fifty feet away.

“I have no idea.”

Lacey glanced back and forth between where her husband was engrossed in a frowning talk and at Heather, who knew her face was a mask of confusion.

“Ever since they talked on the phone earlier, Brody’s been quiet.”

“
Hmph.
Probably something about work then I suppose.”

Heather thought that at first too but what could possibly be important enough to make this happy occasion an instant downer? Brody wasn’t saying, and she didn’t know how to ask.

“Well, whatever it is, let’s go break it up. It’s time to party, and I, for one, intend to drink an ocean of champagne since the babies are well minded until tomorrow morning.”

Taking her by the hand, Lacey walked them right up to Brody and Cam. “That’s enough, fellas,” she chirped happily. “We’re at a wedding. Save the work talk for your next admin meeting.”

Heather noted that as they approached, both men were staring at something on Cam’s phone, but when Lacey made their presence known, he quickly exited the screen and shut the phone down.

Brody looked ashen. Like he’d just seen the ghost of his parents or something. She had an uneasy feeling about whatever was going on.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked.

He whisked her quickly away as if he knew what was coming next and didn’t want any witnesses. Finding a quiet out of the way place for them to talk took a few minutes but they were finally alone.

To Brody’s credit, he didn’t play dumb or wait for her to ask. She was a counselor and knew the significance of his actions. That part, at least, felt like a relief. He’d asked her to trust him and that trust came with an expectation of honesty, which he was willingly giving.

“First,” he told her in a husky voice. Taking her hands, he squeezed and looked her in the eye. “In case I haven’t made this clear, I’m in love with you.”

“I love you too,” she blurted out in a rush. The words shocked her, but they needed to be said.

He nodded. “Please don’t freak out.”

What could he say to make her freak out? She was more confused now.

“Couple of months ago, Cameron started looking for my kid.”

She didn’t know the public library rooms could spin. Cold panic kept her standing, but the room was seriously wobbly.

“He thinks he found her.”

“What?” Was he speaking English? She wasn’t sure.

“Yeah, I know how you feel.”

No, he didn’t. Who the hell was he kidding? He had no idea how she felt.

“Uhhhh, what happens now?”

He pulled her into a fierce hug, but she felt like a block of wood as he hugged her. Free-falling panic was invading her senses.

“He thinks we have to act while we have the element of surprise on our side. I wasn’t sure until he told me that the kid’s mother is dead. Tracey. Died three years ago. Pneumonia.”

“And your, uh, daughter? Where’s she been?”

He sighed heavily. “Tracey went underground to avoid her gambling debts. Hooked up with a bunch of hard-core survivalists with a compound in the Montana mountains. Bunch of scary folks who stay far from the reach of the government and social services.”

“Oh, my god.” She shuddered. Kids kept far from prying eyes usually have a tough time surviving.

Brody fowned at her reaction but nodded his understanding. “I know. Tracey changed their names and tried her damnedest to erase any ties to a digital identity. Ever heard the expression going off grid?”

She nodded. Going off the grid was in no way a good thing in a child welfare case.

“Yeah, well, fucking Tracey left a pretty barren trail. Wouldn’t have found the kid at all if not for a DNA scan and a foster family who at some point took the girl to an emergency room.”

“So what are you going to do?”

He looked uncomfortable with the question. She really didn’t even know what to do or say.

“Sawyer’s going to be busy flying everyone home in the next couple of days, so Cam and I are going to …”

“I understand,” she quickly interjected. “You can’t swoop in on a private jet and expect anyone not to be suspicious.”

“Exactly. To find out what’s happening off the grid, you have to go there yourself. We’ll be traveling anonymously. Assumed names. Shitty motels. Nothing that draws attention.”

“You’ve done this before.”

He just looked at her. Of course, he had. Maybe not exactly like this but she knew damn well what sort of shit he’d done in the war. Surveilling some kid in a survival camp wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.

“When?”

“Tomorrow. Soon as Alex and Meghan take off.”

Whoa. She didn’t know what to say.

“Look, I know this isn’t what you expected, and it’s a lot to take on. Probably fucked up of me to ask you to trust me about this, but honestly, Heather. That’s all I can do right now.”

“Will you stay in touch while you’re gone?”

The long, anxious sigh did nothing to calm her fears. “Can’t. We’ll have to use burner phones to avoid tipping our hand. Justice has an encrypted way of communicating, but it’s all symbols and secure shorthand. Drae will keep Lacey informed, and I’ll make sure she keeps you in the loop.”

“So I’m leaving here alone? Going back to Maryland without you. What about work?”

“I’ll ask for emergency family leave, but it’s so late in the school year that they’ll have to replace me.”

“So you’re finished then? Being a teacher, I mean.”

“Looks that way.”

He wasn’t kidding. This was a lot to absorb.

“Don’t say anything to the others, okay? Cam and I agree. If Alex and Meghan knew, they’d cancel their honeymoon. Time enough to let everyone know what’s what after they’re gone.”

God. The last few days were the happiest she’d ever known. For the first time since her ordeal, she thought the future was in sight. And now? And now she didn’t know what to think.

“Come on,” he urged. “Let’s go celebrate. Tomorrow can wait. I want to dance with you in that magnificent room and then go back to our hotel and make love until the sun comes up.”

She had to know one thing before they went back to the reception. “Brody. How do you see this playing out?”

He looked at her long and hard.

“If Cam’s right, I want to go get my kid and take her to Arizona. That’s where she should grow up. Somewhere I can keep her safe and erase whatever fuckery her piece of shit mother brought into the poor kid’s life.”

“What about me?” She wished her voice didn’t sound so small, but there you have it.

“I’m not sure I get to call the shots in your life. Not yet, anyway. But if you’re asking what would make me happy, Heather, I’ll give it to you without any bullshit.”

“Go on.”

“I want you to pack up your shit and come to Arizona with me. I want you to be the last thing I see before I close my eyes every night and the first thing I see in the morning. I want you to meet my daughter and fall in love with her, and if all this turns out the way I hope it does, I want you to be the woman by my side who helps me raise her.”

“You want me to be her mom?” Heather thought she might be having a heart attack.

Brody cupped the side of her face. “I love you and you said you love me. Let’s just concentrate on that for now and take this one step at a time.”

God. She really wished it were as simple as that.