The Commander (Men of Hidden Justice 3)

“Yes. For now.”

“Oh?”

“We’ll need a house. With a yard. She’ll need a swing set.”

“She’s too young for that. And I’m not staying.”

He ignored me.

“I got a crib and other items you need for her. They’ll be in place when we arrive. Whatever else you need, we can get tomorrow.”

“There is no—”

He cut me off, leaning close and gripping my chin. He held it firmly but not tight—he controlled the pressure so as not to hurt me. He stared into my eyes.

“You aren’t going anywhere, Tally. Not without me. Whatever life you were living, whatever you left behind, is your past. You are my wife, and Julianna is my daughter. You are staying with me. Do you understand?” He released his hold on my chin, running his knuckles over my cheek and tucking a curl behind my ear the way he always used to.

“You can’t force me,” I protested, even as I tried not to luxuriate in the feel of his touch. I had missed it so much. I had missed him.

“It won’t be force.”

“You’re forcing me now,” I pointed out.

“You need persuasion. We need time to talk, to forgive, and move forward.”

“What if I can’t forgive?”

He lifted his eyebrows, his gaze serious. “Then I will fight you for our daughter. I have a feeling I know who would win.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. He was right. I had nothing to fight with. And I had run away, keeping her birth a secret. My past wasn’t great either, and I had no steady income. Nor did I have the contacts he did.

“You would take my daughter away from me?” I managed to get out.

“I would fight to keep you. Both of you.”

I had to turn away before he saw how his words affected me.

He spoke, his voice weary. “I believe you have had your own secrets, Tally—Julianna being among them. I think it’s time we both bared our souls and let the dust settle.”

I didn’t reply.

The apartment looked the exact same as it did the day I left. Nothing had been moved or changed. I was certain my coffee cup was still waiting for me beside the Nespresso machine. Julian carried Julianna, her little face scrunched against his shoulder, his large hand splayed across her back and head. I followed in silence, the only noise the wheels of my suitcase I pulled behind me. He walked past the master bedroom and into the guest room.

The bed was pushed against the far wall, and a crib and changing table were set up along the wall closest to the door. On the bed was a pile of baby clothes—used but in perfect condition. There were diapers, blankets, even a cheerful mobile hanging over the freshly made bed. A Diaper Genie sat ready beside the changing table, and bottles of baby products were lined up.

I shook my head. “I can’t believe the head of a dangerous organization has people who shop for baby stuff at the drop of a hat.”

That earned me a chuckle. “Leo and his wife had this stuff. I had heard him telling Anne they were going to put it up for sale. I called him from the helicopter and made him a deal. A bunch of the guys went and picked it up and brought it here. Leo’s wife helped set it up.”

I remembered Leo fondly. He was a soft-spoken man who did some security work on occasion for Julian and ran the building for him. I recalled Julian saying he’d been hurt once on a job gone wrong, and it was Julian’s responsibility to make sure Leo was taken care of.

“Who is Anne?”

“My new secretary.” He flashed me a grin that almost made me laugh. “She’s terrible.”

“Does she knit?”

“Needlepoint.”

“Ah. Well, that’s what you get for hiring old ladies.”

“I had the best,” he declared. “Nowhere to go but down.”

I ignored him.

“You shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble.” I took Julianna from his arms when she began to fuss, and he looked upset.

“She’s hungry. I have to feed her,” I explained, wanting him to know he hadn’t done anything wrong for some reason.

“Right.” For the first time, he looked unsure. “What can I do? I have no baby food. Leo’s wife, Gwen, didn’t say anything about baby food.”

“She’s still breastfeeding. I need some water if possible. And some privacy.”

I was shocked to see his cheeks flush. “Right. Water. I can do that. I’ll be right back.”

He bolted, and I sat down on the chair in the corner, settling Julianna at my breast. I stared down at her, trying not to cry. It wasn’t good for her when I got upset. I had to stay calm and figure this out.

I had no other choice. Julian made that very clear. I just had to figure out how we settled this. Losing my daughter wasn’t an option.