Deadly Arrival (Hardy Brothers Security Book 16) (10 page)

“You’re planning on doing a lot of rubbing,” Emma teased. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll get spoiled?”

“You’re the least spoiled person I know, sweetie,” Finn replied. “I like taking care of you. After today, that sounds like the best thing in the world to me. I want to spend my night with my two favorite people and lock out the rest of the world.”

“Let’s do that,” Emma said. “Can we order pizza, though? I have a craving.”

“Absolutely,” Finn said. “In fact, why don’t you start the bath and I’ll order the pizza and tell Jake to get it and pay for it so we can lock everything down before dark. I think that will make everyone feel better.”

“Yay!” Emma said, clapping her hands. “Make sure you get pineapple on the pizza.”

Finn made a face. He hated pineapple. “Sure.”

“Get wings, breadsticks, and a salad, too.”

Finn smiled. Her appetite was a recent thing, and while he knew it wouldn’t last, he enjoyed her whims. “You’ve got it.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” Emma said, winking. “If you hurry into the bath, I might be convinced to rub something of yours so you won’t feel left out. Just because we can’t have sex, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself.”

“You are the love of my life,” Finn said.

“Right back at you.”

“Hey, my baby, what are you doing?”

James forced one eye open so he could watch Mandy climb out of bed the next morning. Her hair was a mess, robust making up after their fight the previous night taking a toll, but she was still adorable as she shuffled toward the bathroom.

“I thought you were still asleep,” Mandy grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and pushing her breasts up in a manner that had James considering picking a fight just so they could make up again.

“Is that why you’re sneaking into the bathroom?” James asked, propping his head up with one arm as he studied her. “You’re not going to work. If you think you are … .”

“Don’t tell me what I’m doing,” Mandy snapped. “I
am
going to work. I heard you on the phone with Peter last night. You’ve made sure I won’t even be in my office alone. We both know I’m going to work. That’s why you and Peter talked last night.”

James opened his mouth to argue and then snapped it shut. She was right. There was no sense trying to bully her.

“Peter didn’t kill that guy who was in the courtroom yesterday, did he?” Mandy asked, taking James by surprise.

“I don’t think so, baby.”

“Make sure he didn’t,” Mandy pressed. “I can’t live with the idea of killing someone.”

“You wouldn’t technically be the one killing him,” James pointed out. “Peter would have someone else do it.”

“You know what I mean,” Mandy said, her voice low. “I … had nightmares.”

James stilled. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“I wasn’t going to wake you up and admit to being worried about a mobster killing another mobster because he didn’t watch me properly,” Mandy replied. “I’m not joking, James. I can’t take it.”

“Mandy, don’t worry about that,” James chided. “Peter understands what happened. It was a flaw in our design. We didn’t think Pritchard would go to those lengths. It’s been fixed. You’re going to be safe. I promise.”

“I kept picturing him being killed because I was a dumbass.”

James opened his arms and gestured for Mandy to return to bed. “Come here, wife,” he said, tugging her to him and pulling the covers over their naked bodies so he could warm her. He was bothered by the idea she’d struggled during the night and he was unaware. “I promise Peter didn’t kill that guy. He was unhappy, but he understands what happened. We’ve plugged that hole.”

“As much as I want Pritchard dead – and seeing how bloodthirsty Sophie was the other day was a real eye-opener – the thought of someone dying because of me is too much.”

James smoothed Mandy’s hair down and kissed her forehead. “The thought of you dying is too much for me,” he said. “I’m going to bring you lunch at the courthouse today if I can. If I can’t, you have to promise to sit in your office and talk to Peter’s guy whether you like it or not. I won’t be able to focus if I don’t know you’re safe.”

“I promise.”

“I’m also driving you to work and picking you up,” James said, realizing his mistake and correcting it almost immediately. “If that’s okay with you, I mean.”

Mandy giggled. “You’re trying really hard not to be bossy, and I appreciate it,” she said. “I’m really sorry about yesterday. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Baby, you’re okay,” James said. “What happened yesterday was mostly my fault. Although, just for the record, arguing with Pritchard was absolutely stupid.”

“Oh, man, are we going to fight again?”

“No,” James replied, tickling her ribs. He wanted to eradicate her bad mood. “We are going to make up, though.”

“I’m going to be late for work.”

“We’ll do it in the shower and multitask,” James suggested. “I’m sending you to work with a smile on your face if it kills me.”

“Okay,” Mandy said. “You’d better be prepared to work fast, though. I don’t have time to dilly-dally.”

“I’ll show you dilly-dallying,” James muttered, laughing as she squealed and hopped out of bed. He chased her to the bathroom. “Turn the water on and prepare to be amazed.”

“You always amaze me.”

“You, too, baby,” James said, his expression softening. “We don’t have time to boost egos, though. You’re going to have to tell me how amazing I am during the drive. Now it’s time for magic.”

“Come and get me.”

“MY
water broke,” Emma announced, walking into James’ office in the middle of their morning meeting. “The baby is coming.”

It was as if a vacuum sucked all of the oxygen out of the room. Four faces paled in unison, and then absolute pandemonium broke out.

“Where is the hospital bag?” Finn asked, hopping to his feet. “Go upstairs and get it, Emma.”

“She can’t go upstairs,” Jake argued. “She’s in labor. You go upstairs.”

“Oh, right.” Finn didn’t move.

“Should we call an ambulance?” James asked, pushing himself to a standing position. “I … should we boil water?”

“Do you want to scald the baby?” Grady screeched. “Are we serving the baby for lunch with a side of tomato soup?”

“That’s what you see on television,” James charged.

“We’re not on television!”

“Emma should sit down,” Jake said. “Or, wait. Maybe Emma should get on the floor and relax. What’s the best position for delivering a baby?”

“Slaves used to squat in fields and then return to picking cotton,” Grady pointed out.

“Well, that sounds healthy,” Jake drawled. “Emma doesn’t have to pick cotton. She doesn’t need to squat.”

“Please don’t squat,” James said. “I’ll be traumatized for life if you squat.”

“I think I can see the head,” Grady said, staring at Emma’s ankle-length skirt. “Why aren’t you screaming?”

“You can’t see the head,” Finn hissed.

“Maybe I should look and see if I can see the head,” Grady suggested, reaching for the hem of Emma’s skirt.

“If you look under my fiancée’s skirt I’m going to have to kill you,” Finn yelled. “I will rip your hair out of your head. You won’t have to worry about Ally sneaking in to cut it off.”

“I don’t want to look,” Grady countered. “I think someone needs to look, though. What if the baby’s head is poking out and we have to pull him out? He could be there waving for all we know.”

Emma crossed her arms over her chest as she watched the mayhem, seemingly unperturbed. She didn’t move to interrupt them.

“I think we need to approach this in an orderly manner,” Jake said. “Finn, you look under Emma’s skirt and see if you can see a head.”

Finn did as instructed, and when he started to lift the skirt Emma finally reacted by slapping his hand away.

“Sweetie, I have to see if there’s a head in there,” Finn said.

“I’m not really in labor, you idiots,” Emma said. “That was a test.”

James furrowed his brow. “A test?”

“Do you have any idea how mean that was?” Grady bellowed. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”

“You all failed the test, in case you were wondering,” Emma said, her fingers rubbing her expansive belly. “Now, we’re going to keep doing this until you guys get it right.”

“I don’t perform tricks like I’m an animal at the circus,” Grady countered.

Emma grabbed a hank of his hair and tugged on it. “You’re going to do what you’re told,” she countered. “I’m sick of your mouth. We’re going to have a baby in this family very soon. Are you saying you’re too good to help the baby?”

Grady blanched. “I … of course not.”

“That’s good,” Emma said, releasing his hair. “Now, Finn and I have had a plan in place for some time for when I go into labor. The rest of you have an excuse for falling apart, although I’m going to drill that out of you. Finn, what happened?”

Finn lowered his gaze, mortified. “I … .”

“What was the plan, Finn?” Emma asked, her tone stern.

Despite his embarrassment over his reaction, Finn was thrilled to see her take charge. If this was what she needed to focus on to get her father out of her head, he was happy playing along with the game. “I was supposed to get your bag and drive you to the hospital without making a scene.”

“Did you do that?”

“No, he told you to get your own bag,” Jake said.

Finn shot Jake a dark look. “I owe you for what you did with Emma yesterday, but that won’t stop me from beating you.”

“You will do nothing of the sort,” Emma instructed. “The truth is, given our circumstances, everyone here needs to be ready and know what to do in case I go into labor when Finn isn’t here.”

“And boiling water isn’t a part of that, right?” Grady asked.

Emma rolled her eyes. “You’re going to be the first one I test,” she said. “With my luck, you’re going to be the one I’m stuck with when it finally happens.”

“Am I going to be graded on this test?” Grady asked. “I’ve found that I do better when I’m rewarded with grades.”

“Sure,” Emma replied, nonplussed. “Right now you’re getting a Z because of that whole ‘look up her skirt to see if there’s a head’ thing. You need a lot of improvement.”

“Fine,” Grady said, resigned. “You’d better name this kid after me when this is all said and done.”

“What
are
you going to name the baby?” James asked, curious. “Have you decided yet?”

“No,” Emma replied. “I want to see him first. I think I’ll know his name when I see him.”

James pursed his lips. That was such a female way of looking at things. “Do you think he’s going to tell you his name?”

“Yes,” Emma answered, not embarrassed in the least. “If you think that’s funny, we’re going to be testing you second.”

James frowned. “I’m not sure how this happened to me,” he said. “I decided I didn’t want kids and now I’m being run through a birthing plan. How does that work?”

“I guess you’re just lucky,” Emma said, pinching his cheek. “If you don’t do what I say I’m going to call Mandy and have her make you do what I want.”

James scowled. “Fine. I’m second.”

“Good boy,” Emma said, patting his cheek. “Shall we get started?”

“THAT
was better this time, Grady, but you’re still taking too long going up and down the stairs,” Emma said later that afternoon. She’d drilled the four men so many times everyone had lost count. “You need to do it again.”

“I’m tired,” Grady whined. “I’ve done so much work today I feel as if I’m the one about to give birth.”

“What’s going on here?” Sophie asked, walking into the office with a quizzical look on her face. Rodrigo, one of Peter’s top men, trailed behind her.

“Emma announced her water broke and then watched us panic,” James explained, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling with a dejected look on his face. “We failed her test, so she’s been running us through drills for hours.”

Sophie barked out a laugh. “Oh, fun! Can I play?”

“Sure,” Emma said, patting the spot on the couch next to her. “You can motivate Grady. He’s doing the worst.”

“Oh, my poor man,” Sophie cooed. “Is the mean pregnant woman terrorizing you?”

“You have no idea,” Grady said.

“Grady suggested looking up my skirt to see if he could see a head,” Emma volunteered, causing Sophie to narrow her eyes.

“That’s all I could think about,” Grady protested. “I was sure there was a head down there.”

“You’re sick,” Sophie sniped.

“Hey, James suggested boiling the kid,” Grady said, throwing his brother under the bus to save himself.

“I suggested boiling water, not the kid,” James argued. “I saw that on television. I’m sorry if I offended everyone.”

“This poor baby is in for a world of hurt,” Rodrigo said. “I think this is a hilarious way to spend an afternoon, though.”

“How did your day go, sugar?” Grady asked. “Did you find anything?”

“There have been multiple sightings of Pritchard, but not one of them can be verified,” Sophie replied. “He’s out there, but people are seeing him every time they turn around because they’re terrified. The good news is that every school district in the county has organized male escorts for kids so they can safely walk home from bus stops.”

“That’s good,” Emma said. “That’s … I feel better about that.”

“Every school is on lockdown, too,” Sophie said. “No one can go in and out, and the kids are playing in the gyms instead of playgrounds until Pritchard is caught.”

“It’s good they’re not messing around,” James said. “Speaking of that … .” He glanced at the wall clock. “My baby needs to be picked up. She’s bound to be in a foul mood because I had her shadowed all day – including in her office – so I’m going to have to beg her to forgive me. I have to pick her up.”

“You haven’t passed yet,” Emma reminded him.

“I’ll run through the drill again tomorrow,” James said. “My baby is more demanding than your baby. I don’t want her even considering walking out of that office without me.”

“Okay,” Emma said, giving in. “Take care of your wife.”

“I’m going to take her out for seafood to spoil her,” James said, getting to his feet. “I figure crab legs and lobster will wear her down.”