Read Online You Only Love Twice by Lexi Blake - Free Book Online Page B

little ankle
biters.” He stood and scooped up his son and Carys, hefting them easily and
with obvious affection. “Auntie Phoebe’s gotten herself into a mess, hasn’t
she? She thought she could be the big bad spy but she’s a softie.”
    He couldn’t know that. It might be true but she was going to
defend herself. “I’m not a softie.”
    “Really?” Li stared down at her. Tristan was still mauling
her ear in his sweet baby way. “You’re the super-tough spy who can’t even knock
a damn baby over to make herself more comfortable. You’ve been perfectly still
because you didn’t want to hurt any one of them. Face it, Phoebe. You got in
and we got to you. This is Jesse’s op. Tell him you care. This will go so much
easier for everyone if you drop any pretense of not caring. You love those kids
and I bet you love a few of us, too.”
    Tears threatened again and she tried to blame the drugs
still in her system. She kept her mouth shut.
    Li sighed and Avery picked up Tristan. She was alone again
and she felt it. Before she knew it, Li was gently hauling her up and she felt
her hands come free, though he kept her legs tied. He settled her on one of the
office chairs. Now she realized she was in the conference room with the big bay
windows and the view of downtown.
    He shouldn’t have showed her such kindness, but then he went
further. “Aidan needs a bottle. Do you want to feed him?”
    Stupid, stupid tears. She nodded and found her arms full of
baby boy. Avery passed her a bottle and Aidan cuddled right in her arms.
    God, she’d wanted a baby with Jamie. She’d been ready to
give up work and stay home and be the kind of mom she’d never had.
    Lately when she dreamed, her baby had blond hair and blue
eyes.
    The door opened and she heard Charlotte yelling at her
husband. “What? Are you going to execute her in front of the children?”
    Charlotte did have a flair for overstating her case.
    “No, baby. I was going to wait for their naps.” And that was
her boss.
    Not her boss. God, it had gotten so jumbled in her head.
    “Hey, are you all right?” Jesse walked through the open door
and her heart almost stopped.
    And it nearly broke because the way she felt about him was a
betrayal. She was Jamie’s wife. She could still feel him at night…except lately
she thought about him less and less. It had been two years since he’d died and
the world kept moving and she was the only one who could stop it. She had to do
that for him.
    She composed herself. “I’m fine. My legs hurt though. Could
you get the zip ties off me?”
    “Who do you work for?”
    “I work for Ian Taggart, though I suspect he’s going to fire
me.”
    “Phoebe, I need to know who you work for.” Jesse’s voice was
harder than she’d ever heard before. His jaw had tightened, and when he stood
in front of her she could have sworn he grew a couple of inches.
    “Phoebe Graham. Accountant. 1266745.” She held the bottle,
though Aidan’s hands came up over hers. She wasn’t sure how she could ever
thank Li and Avery for these last few moments of sweetness. When this was done
and she was back at whatever house she would live in from now on, she wouldn’t
be the same. If Ten allowed her, she would go back to China and bury herself
there. She wouldn’t make friends. She wouldn’t watch babies. She would do her
work and wait to join her husband again.
    She wouldn’t think about Jesse. She wouldn’t remember what
it felt like the first time his hand had found hers and for a minute she’d felt
safe again.
    “Do you work for Tennessee Smith?”
    Damn, but she always knew he was smarter than anyone gave
him credit for. She was fairly certain she didn’t react to it at all. “Who is
that? Are you talking about that guy who comes in from time to time? The one
with the Southern accent? Why would I work for him?”
    “Avery, would you please take the baby?” Jesse asked.
    Avery stepped up, giving Phoebe a little smile. “Sorry. Li
and