Page 14 (1/2)

Abby was pissed, but she chose to be angry about the truck because she couldn’t be er was easier than fear Even after I’d already elile one of them when I saw the photos in the vehicle that had run me off the road They had pictures of my wife, my kids, my nieces and nephews, my brothers and their wives Even Shepley, A to wipe out the Maddox fa farowing anger

"They can’t replace you," she said, turning with her ar?"

"To meet Liis when she lands?"

"You should She’ll need to see your black eye and the cut on your eyebrow, to see the danger is real and has extended to the rest of the fae" I sighed "I didn’t realize howgrin "You miss her, don’t you? She’s the little sister you never had"

I smiled but didn’t answer Abby already knew that I did Lena was a tiny thing, shorter than Abby She was an exotic beauty, as deadly as she was stunning, handpicked by the Bureau to protect our children before they were born Because my undercover position was atypical in that Benny kneho I here I lived, and that I had a family, the Bureau took extra precautions Lena quickly fit in and was a huge help to a new one She was like a little sister to Abby andup on me with Abby Like an aunt to the kids, she acco cars and Barbies, and teaching theht them how to defend themselves, which we learned wasn’t the best idea for Jessica I should’ve known no daughter of e if soo, Agent John Wren replaced Lena Suddenly reassigned, we didn’t knohere she was going, just that she was nervous as she packed her things and was devastated that she didn’t have tioodbye to the children

"I’estured over her shoulder to the

I didn’t need visual confirent Wren was outside in a black car, along with two ents in undisclosed locations Now that we knew our entire failant The Carlisis weren’t known for their patience; they typically attacked at the sn of weakness

Lena’s sudden departure deeply affected the children Jahtmares, and Jessica was depressed for h that kind of anguish again, so the Bureau sent an agent we thought the kids wouldn’t becoh that it was unnecessary for our new security to be handpicked because of his rapport with children; rather, he was chosen for the fact he was classified as hyper lethal To date, Wren was the only agent I’d met with that classification

"I still feel bad that he has to sit outside in this heat," Abby said

"His car is air conditioned, and you were right The kids were getting attached … and so was he"

As aloof as Wren was, the kids had grown on him We were just as surprised as he was the first ti They bea outside their school, and as each day passed, their acceptance of and love for him broke down his walls As it turned out, that only made Wren more determined to keep the Abby wasn’t happy about their growing attached He had to keep his distance, and for a second time, the kids were heartbroken

Abby nodded and turned away fro over to join me She looked down at her sto na to keep nancy made my wife even more unpredictable than usual, but I just rolled with it Pointing it out justin the truth I couldn’t hide "You don’t like it? I know it doesn’t start with a J like the twins, and that’s kind of the Maddox thing, but …"