Striker (K19 Security Solutions 6)

She’d foolishly thought for a while that she and Striker might have a similar relationship. How naive she’d been.

“Do you want to feed him, or should I grab a bottle from downstairs?” she asked. Ava pumped enough milk every day that Sam could probably get by with nothing but bottles for at least a week.

“Go ahead,” said Ava, distracted with packing.

“Hey,” she said to Tabon when he walked in and found her sitting on the sofa, feeding Sam.

“There’s my boy,” he said, walking over to run his finger down Sam’s cheek.

“Can I ask you something?” she said.

“Always.”

“Do you get tired of me being around all the time?”

Tabon sat on the coffee table in front of her, leaned forward, and put his elbows on his knees.

“What’s this all about?” he asked.

“Just that. I’m always here. Maybe you’d like to come home and not find your wife’s sister in your house.”

“You’re not here all the time, Aine. If anything, I worry that Avarie and I are always imposing on you. I doubt you signed up to be a full-time nanny when your sister had this big guy.”

Sam reached for his father, and Tabon took him in his arms.

“Ava said you’re leaving for California.”

Tabon looked at her but didn’t say anything right away.

“What?” she said when he continued to stare at her.

“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say.”

“Oh.” Aine scooted forward on the sofa to stand, but Tabon put his hand on her arm.

“I know I just said that I feel like we’re always imposing on you, but I’m not sure your sister will want to go along if you don’t come too.”

“Won’t I be the imposition, though? I’ll go from being underfoot most of the time, to all of the time if I’m staying with you.”

Razor nipped at Sam’s hand when the baby put it near his mouth, and he giggled.

“There’s another solution.”

“What’s that?”

“You can stay in Gunner’s half of the duplex. He and Zary won’t be coming out between now and the first of the year, and maybe by then, either you’ll be sick of us and want to come back home, or we’ll all be back here.”

“Are you sure? It seems kind of big for just me.”

“Not an issue. You’ll have loads of privacy, and Ava will have you close. Your mom’s on a cruise, right?”

Aine nodded. “If you’re sure…”

“Positive.”

“I have one question, though.”

“Shoot.”