“No, it’s absolutely not a problem. I wouldn’t have brought you all into this case if I didn’t trust you to handle yourselves.”
Ronan nodded but stayed in his seat.
“Something else on your mind, Ronan?” Cisco leaned forward in his chair.
“It’s good to be back.” A ghost of a smile appeared and was gone.
“But?” Cisco prodded.
“But Ten is hating this. I’ve never seen him so irritable on a case before. He says it’s the people we’re dealing with, but I’m not so sure.” Ronan knew his husband well enough to know he was hating every second of working on a murder case again.
“We all know how spouses of law enforcement officers worry about us when we’re on the job. I’ve gotten an earful from Luca from time to time over my own close calls in the line of duty.” Cisco rubbed his thumb over his wedding ring. “You’ve been out of the game for eighteen months. Tennyson has gotten used to not worrying about you when you leave the house every day. Now, all of a sudden, you’re back in the thick of things. Witnesses are being murdered, and you’re gearing up for some kind of final confrontation tomorrow night.”
“Then there’s Everly,” Ronan half-whispered.
Cisco’s eyes flicked to the framed picture on his desk. It wasn’t of him with Luca, it was him and Everly. “With both of you working this case, this puts her in jeopardy of losing both parents.”
Ronan nodded. He wanted to go back to work in the worst way, but not if it meant Ten was on edge and put his little girl in danger of growing up without him. That was the reason he’d retired in the first place. “Jude and Fitzgibbon mentioned starting our own P.I. firm.”
“That’s interesting. I know it’s Jude’s thing, and I think it would work out well for you and Fitz.”
Ronan nodded. “I’d been on the fence about it before you called about the Washington case. I figured the hours would be better, and it wouldn’t be as dangerous as working with the Salem PD.”
“As much as I’d love to have you working with me, I understand where you’re coming from. Luca has been reading up on the adoption process, and he’s waiting for me to give him the go-ahead to get the ball rolling.”
“What? Cisco, that’s great news. I think the two of you would be amazing fathers. Everly is crazy about both of you.”
Cisco’s eyes went back to the picture. He picked it up and turned it to Ronan. “I’m good at being Uncle Cisco. When she shits herself or gets crabby, I just hand her back to you and Ten. What if I can’t soothe my own child? What if he or she won’t love me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. All of the kids love you. I do too.” Ronan shrugged when Cisco’s eyes widened. “I like to give you shit because we’re so much alike. Brothers from another mother, as Greeley would say. You’re going to be a great father because you’ll be all in.”
“I appreciate you saying that. All of it. I know we’re friends, but sometimes I think we’re rivals too. I’m a jerk. I admit it.” Cisco looked truly repentant.
“I don’t want your job, Cisco. I’m not going to lie, I miss being a detective, but I love my family too much to put them in danger like this.” It was all true. No matter how much gratification he found in locking up murderers, it wasn’t worth not being home to tuck Everly into bed.
“Do you want me to put a car on your house too?”
Ronan sighed. He knew Tennyson would hate this. “Maybe on the neighborhood. With Wolf across the street and Aurora half a block down, I want to make sure everyone is protected. Who knows what lengths this killer is willing to go to in order to keep their secret?”
“You got it. If there’s anything else you need, let me know.”
“Same goes for you and Luca. If you need references for the adoption, Ten and I would be happy to help in any way we can.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Cisco’s dark eyes were glassy with unshed tears.
“That’s my cue to leave.” Ronan grinned. He was fine dealing with Tennyson’s emotions and sometimes his own, but watching Cisco dissolve into a puddle of goo over the thought of becoming a father was too much. He waved to the police chief on his way out the door.
The minute the door shut behind him, Ronan turned his mind back to the case. He had none of Tennyson’s psychic gifts, but something told him the Washington case was going to come to a head tomorrow night at the gala.
32
Tennyson
Ronan looked amazing in his tuxedo. Good enough to eat, Tennyson would say, if his mother wasn’t sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by Everly, Aurora, and Wolf.
“I don’t want to worry you, Kaye, but there will be a patrol car outside the house all night. Keep all of the windows and doors locked and do not open the door for anyone. Call the police if anything seems suspicious. Oh, and last but not least, do not take cookies to the officer sitting outside.”
Kaye rolled her eyes. “For goodness sake, Ronan. We’ve been over this a dozen times. I won’t leave the house or let anyone in. You’d think I was a rookie at having a crime-solving son-in-law.”
Ronan’s chest puffed out. “If that’s true, then why are your baking supplies out?” Ronan pointed to the canisters sitting in the middle of the kitchen island.
“I was going to bake muffins for breakfast.” Kaye shrugged and grabbed the tallest canister holding the flour. “But if you don’t want fresh blueberry muffins for breakfast, I won’t bother.”
“Blueberry muffins are my favorite.” Ronan gave Kaye a big hug.
Tennyson couldn’t believe his eyes. Not only was Ronan hugging Kaye, but the dragon queen was hugging him back. Would miracles never cease? “I don’t know how late we’ll be, Mom.” Ten knew this wasn’t going to be the fun night out the gala invitation said it would be. Something was going to happen. Something big. Knowing Kaye was here with the babies would take a big weight off his mind.
“I’ll be here, no matter what. You go and have a good time. Try to have a little fun before the fireworks start.”
“Fireworks?” Ronan asked. “Do you have a bit of the sight, Kaye?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Ronan. I’ve been around the two of you long enough to know things rarely go to plan when you’re working on a case.” Kaye looked Tennyson up and down before moving on to Ronan. She reached up to straighten his bow tie. “There, you’re both perfect. Now scram, you’re already running late.”
“Thanks, Mom. We’ll call later.” Ten grabbed Ronan’s arm and steered him toward the living room. His husband was looking a little shell shocked.
“What the hell just happened?” Ronan asked when he’d pulled the car onto the street.
“What do you mean?” Tennyson knew what Ronan meant. He just wanted to hear his husband say the words.
“Kaye was…” Ronan paused. “Nice. I mean what the hell was that? She’s been a prickly thorn in my side from the minute we met, and now she’s gone soft. Is she dying? Am I dying?”
Laughing, Ten set a hand on Ronan’s thigh. “No one’s dying, Ronan. I think Mom’s just reached the point where she’s thankful for this new life. We made her a grandmother and invited her into our lives with no bad blood or guilt trips.”