Finding Gary (The Romanovsky Brothers Book 4) Read Online Free
Author: Trevion Burns
gasped at the sound of a knock. Her burning eyes rose to the door, and she was only able to breathe again when she caught sight of Jessica Borgia in the entryway, giving her an uneasy smile. Feeling the slight sting to her eyes, just as swollen as her lips, Zoey sat tall. She could see in Jessica’s eyes how terrible she must look. She’d never seen Jessica emote much of anything, least of all pity, but alas, there it was.
Jessica leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
Zoey’s eyes fell to the gold badge clasped to Jessica’s hip. It caught the moonlight beaming in through the pediatric ward’s windows.
“Must be nice to be able to flaunt that thing now, huh?” Zoey asked, voice hoarse.
Jessica stood tall and snatched the badge from her waistband, shoving it in her back pocket. “Forgot I had it on,” she whispered. “It helps to get things done around here when it’s out in the open. Didn’t mean to shove it in your face.”
“You don’t have to hide it from me. A day ago, you might’ve. Back when I had no idea that the people I’ve called my family for the last ten years were never really my family at all.”
Jessica shifted, letting her crossed arms fall to her sides.
Zoey tried to smile, but all she managed was a strained chuckle. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it all along. Of course you’re a cop. It seems so obvious now.”
“I’m a federal agent—not a cop. Most days, that mix up would earn you a quick fist to the balls, but I’ll let it slide this time. Mostly because you don’t have balls. But also because you’ve already been through the fucking wringer.”
Zoey had the grace to try to smile, but couldn’t. Her eyes flew back to the incubator and, despite her fight; a sob escaped her lips the moment she got a look at Marcus. She buried her head in her hands, stunned that there was even a single tear left in her shattered body to shed.
The squeak of Jessica’s combat boots grew closer. When the sound passed her and proceeded towards the incubator, Zoey looked up, just in time to see Jessica place a gentle hand on the machine, taking in the tiny bundle, with gentle eyes.
“1 pound, 11 ounces,” Jessica breathed, her hand turning to a claw, scratching at the glass. She snuck a peek at Zoey. “He’s a soldier, I can already tell. Look at those fingernails. I bet the next time I’m in here; he’ll have clawed those giraffe-print bed sheets to shreds.”
Zoey didn’t smile, holding Jessica’s eyes. “I don’t want them anywhere near me or my baby. None of them.”
Jessica straightened, crossing her arms again. “My partner already has security at the doors downstairs, and at the entrance to the NICU. Nobody is getting near you without his or my express consent.”
“I haven’t seen or spoken to your partner.”
“His name is Chet, and he moves in silence. He works surveillance, so it’s his job to be invisible. But he gets shit done.”
That should have been good news, but it only sent Zoey exploding into tears again. They flowed like a faucet as she dropped her head. Jessica’s boots came into Zoey’s view, and then her knees as she bent down next to the chair.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, or Marcus,” Jessica whispered, rubbing Zoey’s back. “I know it might be hard to see it now, but I’ve been trying to protect you both this entire time.”
“You know what’s hard to see?” Zoey lifted her head just high enough to meet Jessica’s eyes. “It’s hard to see how I could’ve been such a fool.”
“Zoey…”
“It’s hard to see how I could’ve been so blind.” Zoey sniffled. “Did you know that Gary hated Angie on sight? He’s hated her from the very second she came into my life. Why? He could never give me a real reason.” Zoey’s voice broke. “He hated Angie because she’s been trying to find my parent’s killer since the
Jessica leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
Zoey’s eyes fell to the gold badge clasped to Jessica’s hip. It caught the moonlight beaming in through the pediatric ward’s windows.
“Must be nice to be able to flaunt that thing now, huh?” Zoey asked, voice hoarse.
Jessica stood tall and snatched the badge from her waistband, shoving it in her back pocket. “Forgot I had it on,” she whispered. “It helps to get things done around here when it’s out in the open. Didn’t mean to shove it in your face.”
“You don’t have to hide it from me. A day ago, you might’ve. Back when I had no idea that the people I’ve called my family for the last ten years were never really my family at all.”
Jessica shifted, letting her crossed arms fall to her sides.
Zoey tried to smile, but all she managed was a strained chuckle. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it all along. Of course you’re a cop. It seems so obvious now.”
“I’m a federal agent—not a cop. Most days, that mix up would earn you a quick fist to the balls, but I’ll let it slide this time. Mostly because you don’t have balls. But also because you’ve already been through the fucking wringer.”
Zoey had the grace to try to smile, but couldn’t. Her eyes flew back to the incubator and, despite her fight; a sob escaped her lips the moment she got a look at Marcus. She buried her head in her hands, stunned that there was even a single tear left in her shattered body to shed.
The squeak of Jessica’s combat boots grew closer. When the sound passed her and proceeded towards the incubator, Zoey looked up, just in time to see Jessica place a gentle hand on the machine, taking in the tiny bundle, with gentle eyes.
“1 pound, 11 ounces,” Jessica breathed, her hand turning to a claw, scratching at the glass. She snuck a peek at Zoey. “He’s a soldier, I can already tell. Look at those fingernails. I bet the next time I’m in here; he’ll have clawed those giraffe-print bed sheets to shreds.”
Zoey didn’t smile, holding Jessica’s eyes. “I don’t want them anywhere near me or my baby. None of them.”
Jessica straightened, crossing her arms again. “My partner already has security at the doors downstairs, and at the entrance to the NICU. Nobody is getting near you without his or my express consent.”
“I haven’t seen or spoken to your partner.”
“His name is Chet, and he moves in silence. He works surveillance, so it’s his job to be invisible. But he gets shit done.”
That should have been good news, but it only sent Zoey exploding into tears again. They flowed like a faucet as she dropped her head. Jessica’s boots came into Zoey’s view, and then her knees as she bent down next to the chair.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, or Marcus,” Jessica whispered, rubbing Zoey’s back. “I know it might be hard to see it now, but I’ve been trying to protect you both this entire time.”
“You know what’s hard to see?” Zoey lifted her head just high enough to meet Jessica’s eyes. “It’s hard to see how I could’ve been such a fool.”
“Zoey…”
“It’s hard to see how I could’ve been so blind.” Zoey sniffled. “Did you know that Gary hated Angie on sight? He’s hated her from the very second she came into my life. Why? He could never give me a real reason.” Zoey’s voice broke. “He hated Angie because she’s been trying to find my parent’s killer since the
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