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Part of me obviously wants to ask if that’s also true for the contacts, but I’ve never been a fan of asking questions I know the answer to already.

“You know me, Sunny,” he says with feeling, and his warm eyes are finally back on me. “I swear you do. Yeah, I’m always going to keep some secrets, but I’m never going to hurt you. I’m always going to do everything I possibly can to keep you and my family safe.”

To be put in that category would be too much right now, I know, but I still feel butterflies at the fact that he’s basically grouping me together with everyone he loves.

July 8th

Norma makes her second surprise visit on Thursday, closer to dinnertime, but she obviously expects Tucker to still be out when she arrives.

She focuses on the boys, which is great for them since they don’t have any issues telling her how happy they are to be with Tucker. She asks them about what they did on the Fourth, and of course she raises her judgy eyebrow at me when they tell her I was sick and Tucker was very busy with the draft at the end of last week so they stayed with their big sister.

As far as I know, making sure the boys are well taken care of while he has the busiest days of the year—at least I’m pretty sure that’s what the draft is—and their nanny is sick, only shows how well Tucker is handling it, how good a support system he has, and that he can do this like any parent can.

I’m not worried. Totally not.

Maybe I am a bit relieved when Tucker comes through the door with Wes behind him half an hour earlier than normal—did Johnny call them?

Norma starts questioning him about how far away his office is, and who will take care of the boys in an emergency. Tucker gives her a list of ten people who could be here for the boys in less than half an hour if he can’t, but that obviously doesn’t impress the judgy eyebrow.

“In any case,” he finishes with the wave of a hand. “I’m having new offices for the management of my three teams moved to a building across from Barclay Arena, which is handily only seven blocks away. If something happens before then, I am a very fortunate man and can get a chopper to bring me to the city.”

I kind of like when he lets his cocky, rich-boy flag fly.

Maybe I only like it when he uses it to show how much he cares.

Norma is still unimpressed, and I’m sure she’s about to berate him, but three loud bangs sound on the front door.

Everyone freezes. Well, everyone except Wes who goes to the security panel then opens the door.

“Afternoon.” I hear a female voice. “We’re here for Tucker Barclay.”

“What is your business with him?” Wes asks, voice cold.

“Murder,” a male voice says, and everything inside me freezes.

What. The. Fuck.

I don’t hear anything else, my ears ringing, until a man and a woman in gray suits are walking into the living room ahead of Wes.

“Hello again,” Tucker says, sounding so bored I know it’s an act. “What can I do for you Detective Preet, Detective Fairway?”

So he knows them, he’s talked to them before.

Murder?

“We have a few questions about your father’s murder.”

The male detective steps forward like he’s going to take Tucker’s arm, but Wes steps firmly into his path.

“You want to bring him in for questioning. You’re not arresting him,” he reminds the detective in a tone that pretty clearly says he’ll regret it if he drags Tucker out of here by force. “I protect Mr. Barclay wherever he goes.”

“Even prison?” the detective asks with a sneer.

Wes shrugs.

I step back, suddenly very aware that the boys are in the room, behind me. I need to get them away from here. They have no reason to hear or see this, they don’t deserve it.

“I doubt that’ll ever be a situation I’ll have to fix, but for now, I either ride with him in the back of your cruiser, or I drive him myself.”