In unison, the group began speaking all at once. Some tossing questions her way, others offering their sympathies, it was almost a bit too much for Alexis to handle. She’d been on her fair share of interrogations, mostly on the delivery end. This was the first time she’d been the one receiving.
Her head swung back and forth, not sure who to respond to first, confident she was going to get whiplash at the speed she moved from question to question.
A gentle hand landed on her lower back offering Alexis a solace she didn’t realize that she needed. Since walking into the room, she caught her breath for the first time. The relief was instantaneous and welcoming.
“Let’s get you some food, okay? Their questions can wait.”
“That sounds good. Thank you.”
Cliff guided her toward a small table fit for two that she hadn’t noticed this morning during her exploration.
“I thought I smelled pancakes,” she mentioned as the group started chatting amongst themselves again.
“You would be correct,” Cliff said as he strutted toward the kitchen, quickly returning with a stack of fluffy pancakes.
“Wow, I’m not sure I can eat all of this.” Alexis’ eyes widened at the amount of carb-filled goodness laid before her.
“Take it slow. You don’t have much in your stomach and I don’t want you to overdo it.” Cliff sat across from her, his weighted stare penetrating through every ounce of her skin.
Alexis only made it through a quarter of the stack, the three pancakes settling her hunger. Cliff cleaned her mess despite her arguments to do it herself. She wasn’t used to being waited on hand and foot, but she couldn’t deny that she could get used to it.
Cliff loomed over her at the table, his deep brown eyes roaming over her body. He was, by far, the most attractive man that she ever met. A few strands of his dark brown hair fell over his eyes and Alexis lifted her hand to swipe it back into place. She gasped at the contact as the back of her finger touched his forehead. Their eyes locked and the sounds in the next room fell away. It was just the two of them.
But Alexis wondered if she and Cliff were attracted by convenience. Would things be different for them if she wasn’t being chased by the cartel and needed his help?
Cliff reached up and gripped her wrist, tugging her hand close to his mouth. He pressed a gentle kiss on the palm of her hand and Alexis’ lips parted, wishing that his lips were settling against hers.
“Sorry we’re late, guys,” a delicate voice called out from the front door, adding to the large gathering. “We needed to drop the kids off with Poppy,” the new guest added, mentioning the Connelly’s youngest son’s wife.
“Now that Logan and Avery are here, we can’t keep them waiting much longer,” Cliff pointed out, breaking their moment.
The mood of the room shifted as Cliff pulled Alexis into the room, Mama Connelly moved from her seat on the couch and offered it to Alexis. Though she didn’t know many of the group that well, it warmed her heart to see Amy perch herself on the knee of her husband, Joseph. They were all there for her, to help protect her and catch her father.
She still struggled to come to terms with the fact that her father was the man she and her team have been tracking for years. The man that used to sing her lullabies as a baby and taught her how to tie her shoes before starting kindergarten.
“So,” Dylan addressed the group and they collectively turned their attention to him. “I’m sure by now you all know the gist of what happened and why Alexis is here. Because the mission is ongoing, I can’t divulge the background. But I will let Alexis tell you what she knows, and then we’ll devise a plan to keep her safe. But make no mistake, these men are notorious for tying up loose ends, they will come to find her. The question is when.”
Squaring her shoulders, Alexis adjusted herself in the seat, sitting straighter than a moment ago. But what gave her strength was the feeling of Cliff’s hands resting on her shoulders.
“Thanks, everyone, for dealing with all of this trouble I’ve caused,” Alexis began, then delved into what happened during the mission. She explained how she had to outrun some of the cartel’s henchmen, getting shot in the process. Had it not been for Heath, she would have died out in the field.
“How did you know that it was your father? Could you possibly have confused him with someone that merely resembled him? It seems like it has been a while since you have seen him.”
Instinctively Alexis reached toward her neck, mindlessly trying to grasp her locket which was missing.
“My locket,” she murmured, turning her attention toward Logan and Dylan, both leaning against the wall. “Did you find my locket when I arrived? It is um. . .important to me.”
Reaching into his pocket Logan stepped toward the couch, clasping the thin gold chain and heart in his hand.”
“I found it on the ground outside of Cliff’s shop. I assumed it was yours, so I held onto it.”
The heart dangled in front of Alexis’ face swinging back and forth like a pendulum. With a shaking hand, she clasped the delicate piece and held it close.
“Thank you,” she told him, unable to meet his eyes.
“How are you feeling?” Logan whispered.
“Good, tired.”