being taken off the case, the department has decided it’s no longer worth their time to pursue.”
“Certain external pressures?” Victoria sets an espresso down in front of me, and I lift it. “I presume you mean the Cartel?”
He nods. “From the sounds of it.”
I take a sip. The bitter liquid is hot and burns my tongue. It tastes amazing though. Victoria does a good espresso.
“You don’t look happy, Silvano,” I muse. “Were you hoping to see me locked up?”
He shakes his head. “Of course not. It’s just that something doesn’t feel right about this. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
The air hisses and crackles with the sound of Victoria steaming milk. I meet Silvano’s silver gaze, and I know we’re both thinking about the same thing—the secret we learned. Felicity isn’t about to let this go so quickly.
“I don’t think we’ll have long to wait,” I tell him, taking another sip of my espresso. “I’d say we’re just about due for another calamity.”
Victoria slides the cappuccino in front of Silvano. He thanks her, and lifts his cup toward me. “Well, at least there’s good coffee.”
I go back to Alexis’ room after my coffee with Silvano. She wakes when I close the door behind me, long lashes blinking open.
“Hey.” She smiles. “Where’d you go?”
“I was just talking to Silvano,” I explain as I crawl up the bed, peppering her with kisses. “The police have dropped their investigation into me.”
“That’s great!” she exclaims. Then she frowns. “That is great, isn’t it? Why the sour mug?”
I chuckle and collapse next to her. “It is great, you’re right. I’m just nervous. I don’t like how Felicity just disappeared.”
“We can be vigilant but still take our wins when we can.” Alexis throws her arm around me, nuzzling against my chest. “Are you sure that’s all that’s bothering you?”
I consider telling her. If now isn’t a good time, then when is? But I just can’t face it. Not now. Not when she’s so happy, and when telling her what I know will break her heart.
“There’s something I want to show you,” I say instead. A distraction will be good for both of us.
David drops us off in front of a proud Victorian revival on a quiet street lined with maple trees, their burnished leaves waving weakly in the afternoon breeze. The air smells like freshly mown grass and mulch, and Alexis inhales deeply the second she steps out of the car.
“Can I take my blindfold off now?” she asks.
I smile. “Yes.”
Alexis rips aways the blindfold and blinks as her eyes adjust to the light. Her grin loosens just a little, and she looks at me in confusion.
“It’s our house,” she says. And then, scrunching her forehead. “Is this still our house?”
A few months ago, I purchased a house for Alexis and me. Something smaller than the mansion, where we could hopefully achieve a level of normalcy. We came here one time before Alexis published the article that tore us apart, and it has been waiting for us to return ever since.
“It’s still our house,” I say, wrapping my arm around her. “The surprise is actually inside.”
She brightens. “Show me.”
We climb the front porch, the wood squeaking softly under our weight. Inside, the house is just as we left it—empty rooms and bare walls. I gave Alexis carte blanche to decorate it, but she never got the chance. I figured she wouldn’t mind if I took the initiative to breathe life into one of the rooms.
I lead Alexis up the stairs and past the door to the master bedroom. Next to that room is a smaller one, currently painted a light seafoam. And the one next to that…
Alexis gasps. “Is this…” She trails off, spinning around to face me with a wide smile on her face. “Is this for the baby?”
I had the new nursery painted in a sunshine-yellow color and outfitted with sleek, white wooden furniture. It’s similar to Harry’s nursery at the mansion, but a little smaller. Homier. There is a fluffy armchair in the corner by the window, overlooking a tree in the backyard that I think would be perfect for a tree house.
“It is,” I reply. “But you’re going to have to start making plans now if you want the rest of the house to be finished by the time the baby arrives.”
Alexis leaps into my arms, legs tight around my hips. She giggles and kisses my forehead, then my cheek, then my lips.
“We’re going to be so happy here,” she