Bourne to Love Emma (RED-Stone Operatives Book 1) (23 page)

~Jason~

            “There are almost 200 people with access to our
systems, John.  I’ve already run through a quarter of them without finding
anything, but this kind of sweep takes a lot of time and work.  I can’t do this
sh--, er, stuff overnight.  I’m working on it, I promise.”

            John and Tex give me shit about editing myself,
but Mia has started repeating almost everything since she turned two and I’ll
be damned if she’s going to get sent home from preschool in a few years because
she offended someone by saying ‘fuck.’  I could still hear her singing down the
hall, so editing it is.

            I listened as Tex went over his team’s preparations
for the mission they were working in the interim since we were all still on
hold in the case against Patzkowsky. 

            “Okay,” John took over.  “Tex, you’re a go.  Keep
me updated but you’re on point.  Bourne, keep digging.  If we don’t find this
mole, we close down.  I won’t run things if we can’t run it clean.”

            “Got it, boss.  I’ll call you at the end of the
week.”

            When I tossed my phone on my desk, I saw Emma
standing in the doorway.

            “Mia down for the night?”

            “Yep.  She only needed two books and one drink
and begged for a third story, but I told her two was my limit.”

            “Monkey,” I chuckled.  She could have gotten that
third story from me.  I can’t say no to that sweet face.  Mia has already
figured that out, too.  Barely two years old and I’m already in trouble,
finding myself wrapped around her tiny little finger.  Emma keeps telling me
that I have to put my foot down with her now or she’ll walk all over me as she
gets older – but she’s two.  I’ve got plenty of time to be the mean dad.  Right
now, I just want to revel in being a family – cherish how she looks at me when
I walk in the door….

            “So, no luck on your case?” she asked.

            “I am seriously searching for a fucking needle in
the king of all haystacks, baby.  It’s damn near impossible but, even if I can
find this fucker, it’s going to take forever.”  I ran my hands down my face and
shut off my computer.  I still had a lot to do, but Emma and I agreed that 12
hour days are the limit now that I have a family.  Plus, I definitely find
better ways to spend my time when I’m not at my desk.

            She walked around the desk and turned my chair
toward her so she could climb into my lap.  She looped her right around my neck
and ran her left down my chest before resting it over my heart.  I can’t help
but stare at the ring glinting on her hand and feeling my heart expand.  White
gold melded with diamonds and sapphires, it makes me think of her beautiful
blue eyes.  That ring sends a message loud and clear.  Unavailable.  Taken.  Loved. 
Back the fuck off.  MINE.

            I’ve got one, too.  Emma picked a tungsten ring
for me.  No matter what I do, it’s supposed to be impossible to scratch it up. 
I love it because she picked it out just for me – but I also liked that it’s
uncommon. 

            We talked about having a traditional ceremony.  I
told her we could do whatever she wanted as long as she and Mia shared my last
name in the next six months.  She told me she didn’t want to wait.  Within a
few weeks, we met Heather, John, Tex and Rio at the courthouse and got married
in front of a Justice of the Peace.  The same day, John’s attorney helped us
get started on the paperwork to officially adopt Mia.  Last month, we went
before a judge for the court’s approval of the adoption.  Now we’re just waiting
on the final approval by the State and Mia will be mine, too.

            I leaned down to kiss Em but she pulled back too
soon.  Instead, she wiggled and stood up. 

            “Stay here.  I have something for you.” 

            I knew the smile on my face had to come across as
a leer.  I just bet she’s got something for me.  She had steadily ditched her
inhibitions since I’ve known her.  I don’t know what the fuck her ex-husband
pulled while they were married, but it’s taken her a while to grow into the
confident, sexy woman I love today.  I plan on encouraging that for the rest of
her life. 

            The week before we got married, I got a phone
call from John.  He had received a courtesy call since RED-Stone was listed as
the initial contact in the case against Dan Brock.  He was murdered in county
lockup.  Apparently, the guys he was moving money for were not fond of someone
who runs off with anything of theirs and they used a contact inside the jail to
take care of the final loose end.  When I told Emma, she was really quiet for a
while before finally asking if it made her a bad person to feel relieved.  We
never talked about it again after that day.  I know we’ll have to explain parts
of it to Mia when she gets older, but I don’t want to waste another minute
thinking about that asshole.  And I don’t want Emma to, either.

            A few minutes later, Emma walked back into the
room – still fully dressed – with her hands behind her back.  Her cheeks were
flushed and she was trying to hold back a smile.  She came around the desk and
pulled a legal sized envelope from behind her back and handed it to me.

            Part of me already knew what it was.  My hands
shook as I ripped it open and pulled out a sheaf of papers with an official
colored document on top.  It was a birth certificate for Mia Kathryn Davies –
Father’s Name:  Jason Michael Davies.  I dropped my chin to my chest and took a
shaky breath.  Holy God, it’s real.  Mia is mine, too.  My daughter.  I have a
daughter – WE have a daughter. 

            Emma made a place for herself on my lap again and
held me close when I pressed my face to her neck.  She stroked my neck and
kissed the top of my head.  I reveled in it.  We had worked for this and been
waiting for months for it to finally be REAL.  When I lifted my head and looked
into her eyes, she reached up and wiped the tears off my cheeks and kissed me
sweetly.  I held her against me and kissed her back, sliding my tongue along
her bottom lip before pulling it gently with my teeth.

            Emma pulled away from me after a moment and
stroked my face with her hands. 

            “Jason….”

            “Yeah, babe?”

            “You think you can finish digging through
RED-Stone in the next 8 months or so?”

            “Uh, probably, it depends….  Why?”

            She hugged me tighter and rested her head on my
shoulder, kissing my jawline.

            “I don’t want to worry about you being out of the
country on some mission when I go into labor.”

            “When you go into la-“ my breath froze in my
chest and time slowed to a crawl as I leaned back and shifted her so I could
see her face.

            She had tears running down her cheeks and a huge
smile on her face.  I stared at her in shock for several seconds.

            “Emma.  You’re pregnant?” my voice came out in a
whisper.

            She smiled and nodded, her eyes shining bright. 

            I slid my hand to her belly, still flat.  I could
already picture her round and glowing in my mind, big with my child, her belly
hard.  I imagine feeling him kicking from the inside.  My child.

A small voice from the hallway called,
“Daddy?” just before Mia walked inside.

            “Come here, baby girl,” my voice was gruff as my
throat squeezed tight with emotion.

            I pulled her into my lap with Emma and hugged
them tight. 

            I never knew it was possible to hold the whole
world in my arms before tonight.

THE END

            This is the first novel published by
MacKenzie
K. Paxton
.  She has written pieces of books for decades but never sat still
long enough to actually finish writing one.  A strange combination of free time
and unemployment allowed this one to make it from start to finish and the
completion of it has been a revelation.  Book 2 of the RED-Stone Operatives
series is already underway – it will tell Heather and John’s story.

            MacKenzie has spent the majority of her employed
years working for large companies analyzing, editing and creating contracts and
leases.  She has two incredibly bright children in elementary school and a
French bulldog her family loves to hate.  He is a hot mess.  Her husband
encouraged the completion of this book and has supported her throughout the
creative process – even when reading some parts of the book made him a tiny bit
uncomfortable.

            Please feel free to drop MacKenzie a note.  She
loves feedback and thoughts on her work!

            Email: 
[email protected]

            Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/MacKenzieKPaxton

            If you liked this book, please PLEASE take a
moment to post a review on Amazon.  MacKenzie knows from her own reading
tendencies that a book with good reviews will catch her attention before one
with no reviews.  Your reviews are the very best way to encourage MacKenzie to
spend more time writing!

            Thanks for reading Emma and Jason’s story!  Keep
an eye out for Heather and John’s story in the months to come!