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Stella gazed up atme onder She’d woken up when I’d lifted her into my arms, and she scanned my face with curiosity while I cleaned her up and wrapped her in a dry diaper Trying not to wrinkle my nose, I spoke to her tenderly while I swaddled her in a soft, ivory blanket, telling her how glad ere that she’d finally arrived For a perfect being, Stella could certainly leave a disgusting mess

She stretched her neck, and I s her in my bare ar over the recliner A white undershirt and slacks weren’t appropriate for the office, but taking care of soain, wiping faces and asses and everything in between, barely able to keep et hole withthree days of scruff, gray sweatpants, andStones T-shirt

In the hall, I heard a short scuffle, and then a light commotion just outside the door Whispered voices hissed, unhappy and persistent I took a step to stand between Liis and the door and then turned, positioning hter

A nurse pushed through, looking disheveled and a bit shaken

“Everything okay?” I asked, re alert From the corner of my eye, I could see that Liis ake and ready to react

“U when she noticed our posture “Is everything okay in here?”

“What was the noise outside?” Liis asked

“Oh,” the nurse said, pulling on a pair of gloves as she stood by Liis’s bedside “It’s a fight to get into your rooents outside don’t play around”

Liis relaxed, and I walked over to the rocking recliner just a few feet away fro back Stella’s blanket to check that she was fine

“The director just wants ainst her pillow

“Not happening,” I said

In truth, if the director had his way, Liis would have given birth at the office We were at the end of our largest case, and Liis was the most trusted translator and analyst at Quantico I’d been the case lead for eleven years, which was est brother, Travis, had been undercover, but when the shit hit the fan and his as threatened, Travis executed Benny and a few of his men Abby handed over all the info she had on her father, Mick—another one of Benny’s pawns—getting us closer than we had ever been to finally wrapping up the case Benny’s underboss and eldest son, Angelo Carlisi, was just about to go down, and everyone wanted the investigation locked down tight

Liis and I had spent hours in the director’s office explaining to hiher, er for a conclusion

“I’ll just bring her to work The director can change diapers,” Liis joked

“He ht take you up on that,” I said with a smirk

The nurse wasn’t aents could … I don’t know … look at etting old”