Aleki nodded and followed them out, leaving the door open so he could hear her if she got upset. When he reached the living room, Caleb was standing. Wolfe sat on the armchair, while Aleki sprawled out on the couch.
“We need to update a few things in her file,” Wolfe said. “The rules need to state that she cannot leave our side when we are out of the house.”
Caleb nodded. “Seems we need another chat around safety. She put herself at risk today. I know she was trying to help a child. But she can’t just act impulsively like that.”
“I’ll deal with it,” Aleki told them.
They both stared at him. “You sure?” Caleb asked.
“I’ve got this.”
Caleb nodded. “It was on your watch.”
Aleki winced. “I should never have taken my eyes off her. I just thought she’d stick close by.”
“Perhaps we need some sort of safety harness,” Wolfe suggested. “Don’t parents use that with children who run off?”
Oh. He could just imagine Vivi’s reaction if Wolfe tried to put a leash . . . on her.
“Perhaps we’ll hold off on that,” Caleb said calmly. “Although it wouldn’t hurt to mention it so she gets an idea of what’s in her future if she does any more running off from us.”
“She was trying to save a child,” Aleki pointed out.
“I know,” Caleb said. “But she still could have yelled for you. Or for help from someone else. If that little boy hadn’t come and found you . . .”
Aleki had panicked when he found her gone. He’d been searching for her and had been about to call Wolfe to track her when the young boy and his sister had found him and explained what happened, showing him to the alleyway where Marilyn was holding his girl at knifepoint.
“Did anyone find those kids?” he asked.
Wolfe shook his head. “Beta team has been asking around, but so far nothing.”
“And Marilyn?” Caleb asked.
“Locked up nice and tight,” Wolfe said. “If she wasn’t a woman . . .”
“I know,” Caleb said. “But we’ll let a judge decide her fate.”
“I don’t like what she was saying about getting revenge,” Aleki said with a frown.
“They could have been idle threats,” Caleb suggested.
“Yeah, but she said she’d seen to it, as though she’d done something.”
“We’ll have to be extra vigilant,” Caleb told them both. “Let’s get back to our girl. If we leave her too long, she might have a nightmare. Who’s sleeping with her tonight?”
Both he and Wolfe called it at the same time then glared at each other.
Caleb sighed. “Let’s all sleep with her tonight. There’s enough room, and I don’t think any of us can be away from her.”
* * *
She awoke to the scent of sandalwood and sugar, the ocean, bergamot and mint. An interesting mix. Her men.
She attempted to open her eyes. She felt kind of sluggish and slow.
“You awake, jelly bean?”
A smile crossed her lips at his words. “Yum, Caleb.”