Elaine watched Ellsa’s family keep vigil over her the sixth night in a row. They’d turned the safe house into their second home, abandoning their children with their parents and taking over the warehouse and Ellsa’s care. She had to seclude their side and make use of half the warehouse for other questionable characters in need of medical attention that couldn’t go to normal hospitals. Sure, the facility was set up for Ellsa, with the staff comprising of all the people that still breathed because she didn’t carry out her orders and hid them instead. They all owed her their lives and Elaine had made sure to drive that point home in case they forgot. After she’d recovered from her first surgery and the facility wasn’t needed anymore, Mike thought to make money off it. And considering how well their pockets were lined now, it wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Katarina.”
Elaine stilled for just a second. With her hand inching to her side for the Glock strapped to her thigh, she turned around slowly. With a smile, she’d been forced to learn, “Derek, long time no see. Is this visit personal or business?”
Derek stared at her thigh then back up at her face. He stepped forward and she stepped back until she back peddled right into a room. His plan all along apparently.
“Personal. Imagine my surprise to learn my cousins were getting medical help at a location we’ve been trying to find for months.”
She shrugged, “What can I say, we provide the best.”
“Do they know who else uses this makeshift hospital?”
“All they care about is Ellsa getting better.”
He nodded, “An experiment gone wrong. It was quite surprising to find out the White Widow is a part of my family.”
“A CIA agent and an assassin sharing a Thanksgiving meal? Something that only happens in the movies ha?”
He took another step towards her and this time she didn’t move, “You know what else only happens in the movies?”
Her arms went around his neck when he took that last step pressing himself against her. “A CIA agent and an assassin checking into a hotel for sexual delights in between missions?”
“I’m fucking Jackie the Ripper, a total hard on.” He lowered his head and brushed her lips with his, “Today is our anniversary, did you forget?”
She shook her head, “Three years, how could I? But you do understand why I can’t leave?”
“You do love her like a sister?”
She smiled softly, “Just like you love your cousins. Damien needs you. He’s going to lose it soon if she doesn’t—” her phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out. With a relieved chuckled she said, “She’s awake.”
He stepped away, “Time for a family reunion.”
They walked down the hallway to Ellsa’s half of the warehouse as she’d began to call it. She watched as Derek masterfully tilted his head away from the cameras and it made her wonder how exactly he knew where they were. As if reading her mind, he turned to her and gave her one of his smiles that had literally lost her, her panties after being hit by it a few times.
When she slide Ellsa’s door open, she was hit by laughter and crying all from Ellie. Damien was busy kissing Ellsa like she was a drop of water after enduring weeks of thirst. That could only mean one thing, the doctor had done his job right.
“Now that’s another sight from the movies,” Derek whispered in her ear before he pushed her into the room to join the celebration.
“That’s enough Damien,” Ellsa laughed weakly as she pushed him away, “I’m going to suffocate if you don’t stop.”
“We wouldn’t want that now would we?” Derek piped up drawing the attention of the room. The three cousins gravitated to each other. After a few hugs and poundings on the back they moved a few feet away to talk, but Damien’s eyes stayed trained on Ellsa. Cute.
Elaine took the chair Damien had vacated since Ellie had fitted herself on the bed next to Ellsa on her other side. “Well sis, you definitely know how to draw attention to yourself.”
With one of those scolding looks she gave DJ, she said, “Why didn’t you tell me I have a twin sister?”
Yup, everything was right in the world again.