Leader: Book Three (Princes of Prophecy 3) (12 page)

I move to get up and he’s sitting up. I can’t do anything but laugh. He comes around and carries me to the bathroom. “I can manage this you know.”

He doesn’t say anything but sets me down and walks out. He doesn’t close the door all the way anymore. As soon as I turn the faucet on he’s back in holding the towel for me. I smile and wipe my hands. I’m not sure he’s even awake when he does this. He carries me back to bed and kisses my head. It’s always the same. I mouth the words as he says them. “Love you my Little Mamma.” I smile and settle my head on his chest. I love him too. I’ve spent years dreaming about my life with Little Ben. This is more than I ever dreamed. He carries me to the bathroom. I giggle snuggling closer.

“Babe where are you at today? Your schedule doesn’t have anything. How did I miss this?” He sounds like he’s baffled and I laugh. He watches my schedule that close?

“I took the day off to get some things I wanted done, done.” I smile at his expression.

He doesn’t say anything for a minute. Something’s weighing on his mind. “I have a Security meeting at the MC. Do you want to go up and see Brenda and Aubrey?”

Oh man. “I would love to, but I have too much to do. I only took one day to get it all done. Next one I will.”

“What do you need to get done? I can help.”

I laugh. “I’m running out of clothes. The only thing that fits me is panties my husband has delivered special for me. They have the cutest preggo panties I’ve ever seen, but I need clothes to cover them. I’m getting my hair trimmed and a pedicure because I can’t see my feet anymore to polish them. I have to go by the hospital and register for Lamaze classes and fill out their forms then pick up the pictures from the post office that Amanda sent for the boys’ room.”

He makes a noise that I think is a growl. “The hospital is done, the classes are a waste of time because you’re having a C-section, and a Prospect is getting the mail with the slip that came in. You should have told me about taking the day.”

I laugh. He’s not happy, but he’s cute. “Thanks for the paperwork, the Prospect and the news about classes. I didn’t think I needed them, but the speaker that came to the Center said I should take them just in case.”

He’s shaking his head no. “They’re going to be too big for you to have naturally.”

I can’t help smiling even though I know it’s pissing him off. “Okay no classes. Still getting clothes, a trim and my toes painted.”

“I’ll let Jessie know.” He walks away pulling his phone.

I love him to death and love that he spends so much time with me, but getting pissed about me having a day is a little out of character for him. I wonder if I should be worried. He’s always touching my stomach; I hope the boys are okay. He sees so much and we have freaky kids. Maybe they see my boys better than the doctor. Oh shit that’s not a good thought. I need to call Brenda. Shit.

Jeremy runs down the stairs. I forgot he was even here. “Jeremy can you tell me if my boys are good? If you can’t I understand.” Damn, my eyes are burning.

He nods then smiles. “Boys are good.” He touches my stomach and I feel them move toward his hands. He laughs making me smile.

I’m so relieved I kiss his cheek. “Thank you. Little Ben is a little stressed today. I was getting worked up for nothing.”

He nods and looks at my stomach still with his hands on me. “Strong, like Dakota.”

I’ve seen what he does for people. I’m not moving him until he’s finished. The babies seem to like him too. Little Ben comes in and stops short. I smile at him. “He says they’re strong like Dakota.”

He looks relieved and puts his hands over Jeremy’s. Holy shit that feels weird, but in a good way. I look at Little Ben. I see so much love in his eyes. He kisses me and Jeremy laughs. “Love you my Little Mamma.”

“Love you too Honey.” Jeremy lets me go and walks out the door. I look at Little Ben; he’s looking at the door. “Think he doesn’t like my breakfast?”

He laughs. “I made scrambled eggs and a bowl of fruit.”

He pulls me to the kitchen. “Eliza is with you today. I’m at the MC this morning then at the office. Call if you need me.”

“I will.” I’m looking at my plate. He always gets the eggs so fluffy. “Jeremy is missing out. Your eggs are better than mine.” He laughs handing me a glass of milk.

Geek finally has the information we need. Jason has been coming up for-fuckin’-ever. It will take the constant threat off the table. It’s not even the threat – it’s trying to keep ahead of the threat and how much money someone is willing to spend to end us. We’re just starting to build our money again after the hit from the satellite. It was worth every penny, but with the constant threat there’s a time limit on that relief. They’ll find a way into that one too if they have enough time. Pres comes in with Geek and my dad.

Jamie, Kevin and Jake are already sitting. “The head of NSA is our puppet master,” Pres says before Geek’s even sitting. Holy fuck. I knew it was someone high, but he’s supposed to be a friend of the Baxters.

“No fuckin’ way. He’s helped us for years,” Kevin says and I see he doesn’t believe it.

I look at my dad. He’s watching Jamie. Jake wants more information, but I watch Jamie too. He’s looking at Pres and finally nods. “Tell me how you got him.” Kevin’s mouth falls open and Jamie looks at him. “Why would he go out of his way to help us? Especially the last couple of years. He’s been MIA when we’ve actually needed him, but finds time for us after a big hit. He couldn’t help with the FAA, the ship offshore. Nothing he’s done has actually helped. The hologram was returned by John and he was reprimanded for bringing it back to us. It was under not following orders, but it was a reprimand that caused him to quit.”

Kevin closes his mouth and looks at Pres. “How did you get him?” I smile.

We get through all the shit that Geek, Mitch, my father and Jason did then Jamie starts planning. When everything is said and done, I have a chopper for transport, Jessie, Darren and Taylor committed to working to shut him down and expose all the shit he’s been doing – right down to financing human trafficking. It’s a huge operation, but one that needs to be done. Dakota will handle their reader and Chin right away. Everything else will be put on a timetable and I’ll get it at the next meeting. Dakota has been silent the whole meeting. I ask him if everything is okay in his head and he nods.

My dad looks at Pres. “We done?”

Pres nods. “It’s taken us years to get here. It feels good to have a name, direction and plan to end it.” We all agree. “Let’s start the end Brothers. Let me know when the reader and Chin are out of the way.”

I throw him chin and stand. Dakota follows me out. “Pres is right; it feels good to start the end.”

“It does Prez. Jamie and your father are diabolical in their planning.”

I laugh. “Yeah. They’re both a little crazy. I like using the holograms for sightings. It’s worked well the last couple of Ops with them.”

“Will they ever build one of me?”

I laugh. “You’re not easy Brother. No one ever knows when you’re kidding or serious and you still use the analogies.” I see he’s going to argue it. “Not like you were and only in conversations with family, but you use them. Building a hologram of you will take years.”

He smiles. “I have years Brother.” We climb in the chopper and he does his preflight.

On the way home I wonder where Lily is. I pull my phone and find her on tracking. She’s at the salon. I text her. ‘I hope they’re pink to match the pink room.’

She sends me back her pink toes.

Dakota drops me at Security. I meet with him, Darren and Jessie then get some paperwork done. Just after five I’m done and hitting the door. I need to see my girl.

She’s sound asleep on the couch with papers all over the place. I stand watching her for a while. When I realize what I’m doing, I shake it off and move to the kitchen to start dinner. Today has been unusually warm so I make a salad like the Deli does but use grilled chicken. Her arms go around me while I’m pulling the chicken off the grill top and I smile. “Hi Little Mamma. I didn’t want to wake you up.” I shut the grill off and turn bending to kiss her. “How was your day?”

She gives me a smile. “Tiring. Nancy’s is so much easier.”

“She’s sending you some clothes, they should be here tomorrow or the next day.”

She laughs. “I should have just went with you. I got two skirts and three shirts. Thank you for talking to Nancy. I did get my pink toes even if I can’t see them.”

I sit her on the counter and make a show of inspecting her toes. “They are beautiful like you my Little Mamma.”

She giggles making me smile. “I bought you something.” I put her down and she goes to the end of the counter for the bag Dakota said was for Lily. He must have dropped it off for her. She pulls a shirt out and I laugh. “Little Mamma’s baby daddy. It’s like it was made just for you.” She turns it and I crack up. The Princes logo is on the back. “Okay so Penny made it just for you but it’s perfect. How did she know you call me Little Mamma?”

“Maybe she asked Tess. I love it babe thank you.”

“I just asked her for a shirt for you and she said she had a good idea for one.”

“Love it. I’ll wear it tomorrow.”

She laughs. “They’re going to boot me out of the old ladies if you show for work in that. It’s not Badass enough for work.”

“Aren’t you like head princess or something? You can’t get booted out.” I keep the smile off my face and get the chicken cut up.

She makes that snort noise and I laugh. “I think I’m honorary. They help me more than I help them.”

“Every old lady is the same. You went to visit Hyde’s girl when she had her baby and made sure she had some help while he was at work. You take care of all the little shit I tell you about like the kids at the shop, the homeless houses and researching the little kids’ docks for the Activity Center. You even got the lunch thing handled for the summer.” I fill her plate and sit her down.

She waves it away. Fuckin’ old ladies never see what they do. She works full time on top of everything else she does. She reminds me of my mom. I think that’s a good thing so I just smile at her. “Thanks for making dinner.”

I nod. “What’s with all the paper? I thought Anita was taking care of your overflow.”

“She is, that’s for a kids’ program. Tess sent me the paperwork for Little Sisters.”

I laugh. “We don’t have enough kids for a program yet.”

She nods. “Yeah. I was just trying to have it ready for when we do. I loved growing up in it and want to make sure it’s ready when we are. Most of the activities we did are already in place here. Jess is going to help me come up with new ones.”

I don’t point it out, but she’s a perfect old lady. We eat and she cleans up using her, ‘I cooked, she cleans’ shit. Since she walked all over today we pick a movie. All I want to do is talk to her. I don’t even have anything to say really, I just feel like I need to be close. I shake it off and ask about the baby names while the movie starts.

We spend ten minutes throwing out names but she finds one that works. “I like Teller for one but don’t know about the second.”

Teller. Teller Knight. “I like Teller.” I get her smile. “Do you want to see this tonight?” She shakes her head no. I shut it off and lift her up carrying her to the bedroom. “I need to be in you babe.”

“I like this better than the movie.”

Me too, but I’m not doing the goggles tonight. I want just her. I get us undressed and lay her down loving her until she comes. “Love to see my pretty Little Mamma come for me.” She’s still dazed when I lift her up and slide her on me. I angle her out and fuck if it isn’t perfect with her eyes watching mine. I jump wanting that connection to last and she moans. “Just us Little Mamma, feel us in the wind. The whole world is around us while we’re one.”

“Yes.”

It’s an incredible feeling magnifying everything. I feel her heart, my boys, the wind. “Don’t let go baby.” I move her faster and she digs her nails in my arms. I’m not going to make it. “Come baby. With us as one come with me.” I feel her tightening.

“Little Ben,” she whispers, then moans squeezing me so fuckin’ hard. We spiral out of control as I come with her. Everything passes so fast, my thoughts, the wind, I feel it all. It’s love, like Jeremy says so easily. I flow with it.

Holy fuck. I tighten my hold on her and open my eyes kissing her head. I’m still on my knees and smile wondering how long we’ve been here. I move her slowly to the bed and try out my legs. Last time it took a while to move. I stretch them out smiling, the whole time thinking tampons will start falling any minute. With the jump our connection feels more somehow. I feel more settled and get us cleaned up. Kissing her head, I tell her I’ll be at the patio. She doesn’t open her eyes but grunts. I open her nightstand drawer and pull my note out. It tells her where I am and that I love her. I use the same one all the time.

I come in the back and see Jessie’s here watching the water. “Prez.”

“Hey Brother. Everything okay?” I see he’s worried.

“Dakota isn’t back yet.”

I look for him. ‘Brother,’ I call to him in my head.

‘On my way.’ He doesn’t give me anything else.

An uneasy feeling hits me. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I will need to see Nick, but I will be fine.’

I stand up and pace. ‘Where are you?’

‘Just off the exit. I need to stop. I will go see Nick.’ I motion to Jessie and walk out.

‘I’m coming to get you; stay there.’ I call Nick and tell him to get to his office; I’m bringing Dakota to him. We get to the overpass and I feel he’s hurt. Jessie hasn’t said a word, but is out of the truck before I put it in park.

“Jesus-fuckin’-Christ! Give me your shirt Brother.” I hand him my shirt and grab Dakota’s hand.

“I will be fine Jessie. I will just need some stitches.”

I lift him up and carry him to the truck. Jessie is trying to keep up holding my shirt to his back. He’s a solid six foot and heavy as fuck and Jessie isn’t helping. “Let him go,” I tell him so I can put Dakota down without dropping him.

I get him in and he lays down on the back seat. Jessie gets in bitching about him calling for help. I smile. Dakota is right he just needs stitches, but he lost a lot of blood. I start driving and Jessie is quiet. “What happened Brother?”

“I did not block the camera coming out. A guard was shooting as I was riding away.” Fuck. “They were completely covered. Trip wires, cameras, alarms. I should have been blocking when I left. There is another planned attack. I was not thinking clearly. I will remember this lesson.”

I stop and we get him inside. Nick starts working on him and he’s quiet. Another attack. He’s throwing shit at me as I pace. They don’t get all the plans, but they have enough that I can see it will be bad. I watch him end them and walk out pulling my phone.

Pres will call Jamie and my father for a meeting and move the schedule up. I’ll get a call back when they have definite plans. I call into Security and get Dakota’s bike picked up, the women on HS, and add to Surveillance to watch the highway feeds. I call Darren to check the alternates in case they got into the second satellite.

Mitch calls asking about Dakota and I smile. She’s worried, but didn’t want to worry Jess. I tell her he’s getting stitches and will be fine and she laughs. He always says he will be fine.

Jeremy calls, but doesn’t say anything. I tell him the same thing and he says, “Yeah.”

Something feels off and I look at my phone to find him on tracking. He’s on the fuckin’ highway. “Tell me you have Security with you.”

“Yeah.”

“Give the phone to your Security.” I hear a muffled sound.

“Chet here.”

“It’s Little Ben, Chet. What the fuck is he doing out of the yard. He just went home today and I didn’t get a call.”

“I’ve been calling in, but don’t get anything back. I wasn’t stopping. My phone isn’t working to make a fuckin’ call. I don’t know how his is. He just stopped and called you.”

Fuck. A list forms in my head and I run through it. “Get him here. I’m sending Security to get you here safe. I’ll let Pres and Bob know what the fuck is going on. Jesus.”

“He’s leaving I gotta go.”

“Fuck!”

I call Pres. “You’re offline. Jeremy and Chet are on their way here. Chet couldn’t get through.”

“Fuckin’ kids. Tracking is down. Mitch is getting us back up. Let me know when you have him. Keep Chet there. Tess is concerned, but not talking.”

“I will Pres.”

I call into Security to get up the highway and bring him in. It was a good day for a while. I let Darren know what’s happening, but he’s watching the boards from home. I ask him to send Eliza to check on Lily and let her know I’m at Security.

“I’ll go.”

“No. It needs to be Eliza.” He’s pissed but doesn’t answer. “She is on my bed, bare assed – send Eliza.” Like I need to explain shit now.

“Roger Prez.”

I go back in with Dakota and Jessie. Nick is giving instructions on care and showering. Dakota stands up not listening, but Jessie is listening to every word. I want to laugh, but hold it in.

“Yes Prez, because I have never had stitches before. I will be healed in a day but will hear this for a year.” He’s smiling so I laugh.

“Let’s get you to Security. Chevy and Josiah will be there.”

Jessie’s pissed. “He should be home.”

“I am fine Jessie. Already healing and will be good by tomorrow,” Dakota says smiling at him.