Claimed by Cipher - Lolita Lopez Page 0,88
wrist. “I’ve been getting tracking alerts for Terror’s new chip. He’s still restricted until the psych board clears him so anytime he gets near anything too critical or classified, I have to override the system or send one of Torment’s recruits after him.”
“He popped out of a heat sink vent outside the shooting range this morning,” Menace grumbled. “I almost shot him! Thought he was a stowaway or a Splinter assassin.”
Vicious grimaced. “He’s been spending hours in the hidden corridors of the ship. Savage is at his wit’s end, and Orion is threatening to confine him to quarters.”
Venom snorted. “Good luck with that.”
“It’s not the skulking around that’s the real problem,” Menace interjected. “The worst part is that he’s walking around with ballistic plugs in his ears so he can’t hear you when you yell at him for scaring you half to death,” Menace said with an aggravated shake of his head.
“Ear plugs?” Raze frowned. “Do you think he has sensory overload after being held captive?”
Before Menace could answer, Brook interrupted. “He’s just trying to be close to her again.”
Vicious frowned at Brook. “Her? Who?”
Brook nervously glanced at him, and Cipher smiled encouragingly at her to continue. “The night I visited him in the hospital, when I gave him that orange, he asked me about a girl. A deaf girl,” she added. “I got the feeling that she was important to him. I offered to go back to the mountain and ask around, see if anyone knew her, but he told me to drop it.” Her expression turned sad. “If she was a captive like him, she’s probably dead now or got sold by the same types of monsters who kidnapped me.”
“I had no idea,” Vicious admitted after a quiet moment. “He didn’t say anything.”
“He probably didn’t want to tell you because he knew you’d ask him questions that he wasn’t ready to answer yet,” Brook said carefully. “Telling your best friend about someone you cared for and lost makes it painfully real.”
Vicious’s face softened. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Suddenly, every man at the table tensed and lifted their wrists. Cipher glanced at his and felt relief when it wasn’t a call for SRU.
“Torment?” Raze asked, flashing his wrist.
Cipher and the rest of the men nodded.
“We haven’t even served dessert!” Ella protested as the men stood to leave.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” Raze apologized and bent down to kiss her. “Save me some cake?”
She blew a raspberry at him. “Fat chance! Me and the girls are going to sit here and eat our feelings after being abandoned by our husbands!”
Raze leaned in and whispered something that made her smile. She grabbed the front of his uniform and dragged him down for a kiss.
Cipher glanced away and noticed the others bidding farewell to their wives in similar fashion. He took Brook’s hand and pulled her closer. “Go straight back to our quarters when you’re done here.”
“I will.”
“I may be late coming home so don’t wait up for me.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I know you don’t.” He kissed her softly. “Don’t forget your treatment.”
She made a face and sighed. “I won’t.”
“And, if there really is cake, smuggle out a slice for me,” he requested with a playful grin.
She giggled and kissed him. “I’ll do my best, sir.”
He was still smiling as he fell into step behind Venom. He wasn’t happy about being called away from Brook, but he had something to look forward to at the end of a mission—coming home to his mate.
Chapter Eighteen
“You sure you don’t want to stay for a bit?” Ella asked as she sealed a slice of cake into a takeaway container.
“I have to do a breathing treatment every night,” Brook explained while loading the last plate into the dishwasher. “It’s a whole process, and it makes me feel like garbage after so I’d rather get it over with sooner rather than later.”
“I’ve got a bottle of wine chilling,” Ella wheedled. “Dizzy can’t drink, and Naya has already gone home so that just leaves me and Hallie to enjoy it.”
“Sorry,” Hallie piped up as she swept under the table. “No wine for me tonight.”
Ella narrowed her eyes. “And why is that?”
Hallie smiled and touched her belly. “The treatment worked.”
Dizzy and Ella squealed with excitement and ran to hug her.
“A baby!”
“I’m so happy for you!”
“Congratulations,” Brook said with genuine happiness.
“Thank you.” Hallie beamed at them. “We haven’t told anyone but Menace and Naya.” She bit her lower lip and then confessed, “And it’s not just a baby. We’re having twins.”
Another round of squeals