“Melissa?” I asked, realizing I’d never questioned that before.
“No, her name on her birth certificate was Missy, not short for Melissa. She was...maybe is eleven months younger than me. I’ll give you her birth date. Tell me you’ll look.”
I leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “Yes, sweetheart, I’ll look.”
A knock came to the door.
“Let’s not mention this yet to whoever is out there,” I suggested.
Lorna nodded as she walked to the door. When she opened it, Araneae and Laurel stood at the threshold with trays of food in their hands.
“I hope we’re not interrupting. I tried to text,” Araneae said.
“Oh,” Laurel said, talking to Lorna, “your hair is cute.”
Lorna stepped back, allowing the ladies to enter, and shrugged. “In hindsight, it was a rash decision. It’s short and brown, but thank you.”
“I always wanted purple,” Araneae said.
The ladies laughed.
“I was limited on my choices,” Lorna said, gesturing the other ladies inside our apartment. “You two didn’t need to bring this food down. I could have come up or made us something here.”
“You have to try these,” Laurel replied. “They’re really good. The vegetable one is my favorite.”
After placing the trays on the dining room table, Araneae and Laurel both turned their eyes on me. Araneae lifted her hand. “And I admit...the food was our excuse. We wanted to see Reid.”
I pushed off, using the sofa’s arm to stand.
“No,” Laurel said, “stay seated. You’re supposed to be resting. We just wanted to see for ourselves that you’re all right.”
“As all right as I can be.”
Laurel came close and lifted her arms, but stopped inches away. “Wait, can I hug you? I don’t want to hurt you.”
From across the room, I saw my wife’s smile. “I think I can take a hug.”
“Oh, then make it two,” Araneae said as she also wrapped me in a quick embrace. When they stepped back, Araneae’s tone turned stern. “Sterling said that you’re supposed to rest, and if he finds out otherwise, well, he said a lot of things, but I’ll paraphrase: he’ll be mad.”
Her warning made me grin. “How many times do you think worrying about Sparrow’s anger stopped me from doing what I do?”
She smiled. “Probably zero, although earlier today would have been a good time to start.”
“I deserve that.”
Araneae laid her hand on my arm. “Seriously, Reid, please give him a little time. Having anyone hurt affects him. Let him feel like he’s in control, at least for tonight.”
In reality, Sparrow was in control, more than just tonight. However, when it came to those of us in this tower, we took liberties—liberties that came with friendship.
I nodded. “Tonight.”
“Oh, before I forget,” Araneae said, “you may already know this, but before all hell broke loose, I messaged you.”
“I didn’t...” It was the first time I realized I didn’t have my phone. I looked at Lorna. “Text Mason and see if he has my phone.” I turned back to Araneae. “What happened?”
“There was some kind of attempt at breaching our security at the institute this afternoon. Patrick has Sparrows investigating. I figured you’d want to know.”
My thoughts raced. The security there was top-notch, much like the security at Mason and Laurel’s ranch. Maybe that wasn’t what she meant. “Physically breach?”
“No, it was all encrypted. Patrick called it malware. If left to do what it was supposed to do, it had the potential to work its way into not only our security but also protected files.”
“Including mine,” Laurel added. “I have all my research backed up, and I definitely don’t want it getting into the wrong hands. It’s taken me basically this long to get back to where I was on my research at the university.”
A million questions floated through my head. I wanted to get back to 2 and see what programs were being run. What information they had about the malware and how they think it was installed into the institute’s secure system.
“No,” Lorna said, shaking her head at me. “I know you, Reid Murray. I see the wheels turning, and don’t for a second think I can’t tell what you’re thinking. You just promised Araneae you wouldn’t leave this apartment tonight.”
“And tonight ends at tomorrow’s breakfast,” Araneae said.
“Breakfast? It seems unfair to change the definition of time without warning,” I said with a smile.
“I’ll keep him here if I have to tie him to the bed,” Lorna said.
Laurel and Araneae laughed. “No more information.”
After the two ladies left, I slowly made my way to the dining room table. Lorna looked up from her phone screen. “Mason said he doesn’t have your phone. He’ll check with the other Sparrows on the scene.” Her head tilted, making the ends of her new shorter hairstyle curl near her chin. “Missy?”
Though my thoughts were on my missing phone, I wouldn’t dash any hopes budding within Lorna’s thoughts and radiating through her shining gaze. “I will start looking when I can.”
Lorna took a step closer and lifted her arms to my shoulders. “I love you.”
“Sweetheart, I can’t promise we’ll find her. Don’t get your hopes up.”
Lorna’s smile returned. “They already are. Before I was kidnapped, we knew in our hearts she was dead. Over the years, I’ve had horrible thoughts of how she died and what she went through. Now, it’s taken two horrific events to give me hope.” Her lips brushed mine. “Madeline was right. Dark times don’t last forever. Eventually dawn comes.”
I tugged her body against mine, flattening her breasts as they pushed against my bruised chest. “If I hadn’t been shot today, I’d say forget dinner, and I’d take you to our bedroom just to keep that smile on your lips.”
“If you hadn’t been shot, I’d let you.”
Intertwining my fingers in her hair near the nape of her neck, I pulled it back, bringing her chin upward and taking in her grin. “I think I’d rather be the one tying the knots.”
Her head tilted. “What knots?”
“You told Araneae and Laurel you’d keep me here even if you had to tie me to the bed. If you are the one bound, I wouldn’t leave.”
“Keep that in mind for when you’re feeling better.” After another kiss, she stepped back and lifted a dome off of one of the plates. As she did, fantastic aromas floated through the air, yet my thoughts returned to the missing phone.
“What do you think?” Lorna asked.
I looked at what she’d revealed. “What are those?” I inhaled. “They smell great.”
“Mini-pies. I could try to tell you the Russian name, but I promise I’d butcher it.”
Reid
“What are you doing?” Patrick asked as I entered 2.
“Coming to work.”
“I told Sparrow we should change the scanner to keep you on the apartment level.”