87

LINDEN

“I need to see my wife,” I informed my team as soon as we landed home. I was just glad that we all came back alive, even if Ilya’s powerful criminal empire might hunt us down one by one. Jasper went with Grace for a debriefing.

“Good luck with that. Estelle was actually the one who found the letter that led us to the coordinates. She’s furious.”

“I know.” My chest constricted. “I hurt her, but I’ll ask for her forgiveness for the rest of my life if I have to. Thank you for being there for her in my absence.”

“Now that sounds like my real brother, not the asshole who hurt his wife last night.”

When I finally arrived back at the house, the familiarity of being home came rushing back to me with the face of my wife in pain.

“Estelle?” I climbed upstairs, hoping to find her in our bedroom or the nursery room she was still working on. I admired her tenacity for not allowing me to get involved. I trusted her, and I had no doubt she could pull it off and make the room beautiful f