Black Truth, White Lies (Black Hat Bureau 3)

“Good point.” He winked at her. “I knew I liked you for a reason.”

The flicker of flame out of the corner of my eye was all the heads-up I got before the daemon ripped out of Asa. His eyes lit on the pile of presents before him, and, unlike Asa, he didn’t hold back. He snapped the ribbons, tore the paper, crushed the boxes, and dumped his prizes in his lap to inspect when he was done. Only when he could find nothing else to shred did he turn his attention to the contents.

“This for Asa.” He tossed aside the set of ethically sourced unicorn horn knitting needles I bought for a small fortune from a mostly reputable rarities dealer, Hendricks, who sailed under the Black Hat radar by snitching on poachers and thieves for them. “This for Asa.” He dropped the six skeins of rainbow-hued Merino wool yarn Colby selected on the floor. “This for Asa.” He held up a hand-stamped leather wallet from Clay. “No present for me?”

Had I not planned for this contingency, my heart would have broken on the spot. Clay hadn’t believed the daemon would want to participate, since he never had during their solo years, but I had prepared for this moment.

“Your present is outside.” I took his large hand. “You have to promise to be careful, though.”

“Careful.” He dropped my hand to swing his arm around my shoulders and squish me against him. “Yes.”

“But first—” Clay rushed to get in front of us, “—protective gear.”

The daemon frowned, but he didn’t fuss as Clay put corks on the sharp ends of his horns. He was also outfitted with Kevlar-lined socks and Kevlar-lined gloves. His confusion was complete when we blindfolded him and led him to the backyard, which was lit by more of the solar lights we bought for Aedan, since Colby loved them so much.

“Are you ready?” I held tight to the piece of fabric over his eyes. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

“Ready.” He bounced on the balls of his feet. “I can handle.”

After I ripped away the blindfold, he emitted a noise dangerously close to a squee.

“For me?” He gazed at his present. “Not for Asa?”

“This is one hundred percent for you.” I gave him a shove. “Go on.” I nudged him again. “Go play.”

For the past several hours, Clay had been overseeing a crew paid triple time to come out on Christmas Eve and inflate a wonderland for the daemon to play in. I hadn’t been sure if it was too childish or just childish enough to appeal to him, but he couldn’t stop his grin from spreading as he took in the slides, one taller than the house, the bouncy castle, and the ball pit. It was the kind of thing Colby would turn her nose up at and tell me she wasn’t a baby. But with the daemon? She tossed all that out the window.

“Race you,” he yelled to Colby. “Readysetgo.”

“You’re on.” She laughed and took off like a shot. “First one to the ball pit wins.”

“You did good, Dollface.” Clay and I sat on the grass, shoulder to shoulder. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”

“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her so happy either,” I admitted. “She loves having you guys here.”

Her online friends were her mental age, and she loved them to bits, but she couldn’t meet up at cons or do any of the other IRL things the other kids did together. She was forever stuck behind a screen, and I had been her only point of contact. Until Clay and Asa showed up in Samford.

“She’s going to love being on the road more.” He scooped me against his side. “And my stomach will be so glad to have you back where you belong.”

“I hope she does. It will be a big change for her.”

“I’m almost as hungry for your cooking as that kid is for life.” He planted a smacking kiss on my cheek. “Plus, you have a home to come to between cases. You have roots here, and that makes all the difference.”

Before I could reassure him he also had a home, with us, I received a call.

Given the hour, and the day, I was too concerned not to answer. “Agent Hollis.”

“Two infants are missing,” Agent Marty Talbot, my old nemesis, barked. “Get your asses to Charleston.”

“Send me the details.” I stared at Colby and the daemon, who had moved on to water balloon fights, and mentally began our packing lists. “We’ll head out first thing in the morning.”

After I ended the call, I stared at my phone, hoping I had made the right choice in the director’s office.

“You never said why you chose to go active,” Clay said. “I’m not complaining, but I am curious. Do you miss me that much between cases? Have you developed separation anxiety? Afraid I’ll leave for a case and never come back?” He paused. “Oh, wait. That was me. After you left.”

I got the subtext, the concern I was doing this for Asa, to spend more time with him. That was a bonus, but I wouldn’t have upended my life—and Colby’s—for a romance.

“I’ve realized something.” I shoved him. “There are a lot of Colbys out there.”

“And not nearly enough Rues,” he agreed, sobering. “Or Asas. Or Aedans.”

“Or Clays.” I smiled at him. “Don’t forget the Clays.”

A pleased smile touched his mouth. “Should we bring in the kids?”

“Nah.” I opened an email from Marty packed with attachments. “Let them play.”

Tomorrow would come soon enough.

Tonight, the stars were brightly shining, and my weary heart rejoiced to be here, with my family.