SWNOVELS Acts of Grace: Part 1 – Chapter 4
It’s too damn early.
I make my way to the kitchen with one eye open, one year old Harper on my hip and the twins in tow. The kids are lucky I love them so much or I wouldn’t have agreed so readily.
Who am I kidding? William has always been there for me, acting more like a surrogate father than big brother. I’d never let him down.
Still. Coffee, then breakfast for the kids. Priorities.
I’m placing my mug under the built-in espresso machine, something I really appreciate about William’s gourmet kitchen, when I hear a yawn behind me.
“We must be on the same wavelength because I’m in desperate need of my java.”
Whirling around, I almost whack poor Harper’s head on the cabinet. “Oh my god, I thought it was just me and the kids.” My head jerks toward the twins sitting at the breakfast bar.
Bella chuckles, but her soft smile does nothing to hide her swollen red eyes, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you. I’m usually up before them so this is me sleeping in.” She shakes her head as her eyes go glassy. “Thank you for helping out. I’m still not sure how this is real life.”
My free hand reaches out to squeeze her shoulder. “Of course. Always. You’ve been so good to our family, the least I could do is be here for you when you needed it.”
Bella’s face flushes as she looks away. “Yes, anyway. Go sit. I’ll make us something quick to eat before we have to leave.”
She doesn’t have to ask me twice. I suck at cooking. My version of breakfast was going to be a toss-up between cereal and Pop Tarts.
Grabbing my coffee, I walk past her and plop myself and Harper right next to the boys. My niece, however, has a different idea. Wriggling out of my arms, she gets down and walks straight for Bella, holding up her arms.
“Mo-mma.” Her little blonde curls bounce as she hops up and down, reaching toward a blushing Bella.
“Morning, pumpkin.” She picks her up so effortlessly, like she was born to do this. “My name is Bella. B-e-l-l-a.”
“Mo-mma.” My niece giggles as she tugs on one of Bella’s long black tendrils of hair.
“She’s been doing that all week.” Six-year-old Max mumbles with his mouth full of banana.
“I don’t know where she got it from.” Bella’s cheeks are still a crimson shade and I can’t help but smile.
“It must come naturally to her. You’re the closest thing to an actual mother figure she has. Lord knows, her crackpot mother was never around, always handing her off to me whenever I was in town or pawning her off at that overpriced Mother’s Day out program.” I pull the mug to my lips with both hands as I stare on.
They really do look adorable together.
Too bad she’s too young for William. And, god, if she knew our family secrets, she’d never agree to be with him anyway.
Speaking of the devil, William walks in as Bella is placing Harper in her high-chair, and it doesn’t go unnoticed that his hand trails across her lower back as he walks by with his morning greetings.
Note to self, grill him later.
“Morning, Brother.”
William jumps at the sound of my voice. Uh-huh. Definitely grilling him later.
“Morning, Ashley. I didn’t see you there.”
“That’s funny, I’m right in the middle of the room. Guess your focus was elsewhere,” I snicker into my mug.
“Probably on the million things we need to do once we land. Do you have everything packed?”
“Yes, I had my stuff packed last night and I helped the kids with their things this morning. We’re ready.”
“Great, the guys are waiting at the hanger. So as soon as we’re done eating, we’ll be heading out.”
“The guys? They’re all coming too?” I nibble on my lower lip, suddenly very nervous of the prospect of seeing Titus again. So soon and on the very plane we tasted each other for the first time.
My brother’s face scrunches together, “Yes. It’s natural for the team to want to see Aiden. We’ve been through so much together. We weren’t about to let him go through this alone.”
“Of course.” My head repeatedly jerks up and down before I abruptly get up from my seat, heading to the sink, suddenly needing to do something with my hands in order to not self-combust.
I start washing the mug as I mentally psych myself up. Of course they’d want to see Aiden too. They’re like a packaged deal.
William is the brains and business behind WRATH Securities. Then there’s Aiden, the former Navy SEAL and head of Security. Ren is Aiden’s little brother—a hacker by day and ladies’ man by night. Fourth in their crew is Hudson, the money guy, he oversees the financials. And last but not least, Titus, who has investigative skills that could make the Pope shudder.
“Is there a problem with the men joining us?” William whispers behind me and I drop the mug that I’d been scrubbing this entire time.
The ceramic cracks inside the apron-front sink, sending shards of cream scattering in the basin.
“Damn, William. Way to sneak up on someone.” Bella’s soft chuckle comes from beside me and I can’t help but startle.
“What is this? The Hawthorne house of Ninjas?”
Bella’s slender arms reach into the sink, pulling out the broken mug piece by piece. “I guess I learn from the best.” Her eyes dart up to my brother and there’s no mistaking what I see there. It’s the same way I’ve looked at Titus since I was fifteen. “He used to catch me off-guard all the time when I first started working here.”
“Our security firm wouldn’t be what it is today if we walked around like a town crier, now would it.” William smiles down at her with a tenderness I’ve never seen before, other than for family, of course. That man dotes on his daughter like she’s the end all be all—and I suppose that’s how it should be.
Not that we learned that from our parents. Like William says, they’d make Peg and Al Bundy seem like parents of the year.
Breaking their bubble, I pat William on the back. “Nope. And while you guys do your ninja stuff down here, I’ll go get the kids’ bags and meet you out front. I’m not a breakfast person anyway.” Looking toward Bella, I thank her for helping me pick up the splattered shards and beeline it to the guest room, suddenly feeling the urge to freshen up a little more.
Gah. Were it any other man, I’d give a rat’s ass if they saw me in my sweats and bird-nest messy bun.
But this is Titus.
My Dark Knight in shining armor.
Now that I know he sees me, really sees me, I gotta make him drool a little.