Free Retaliation: An Alpha Billionaire Romance by Lauren Landish

daughter's got good taste in men.”
    Katrina's mouth tightens for a moment before relaxing, and she chuckles. “Okay. Maybe if you decide you want to talk about it, just remember Jackson and I run by a different set of rules than most people. I'm a decent ear, sometimes.”
    “I'll remember that. How about we see how everyone's settling in for the evening?” I ask, leading her to the barn door. “Then we can make plans about what to do tomorrow.”

    * * *
    T he next morning I wake up early when I hear movement around the house. I roll out of bed quickly, surprised by a couple of things. First, for the first time since seeing the news about Peter being released from prison, Melissa didn't wake me up in the night with her nightmares. Second, that I slept all the way to seven in the morning.
    Coming out of my room, I check quietly on 'Lissa, and find her sleeping peacefully, so I let her rest longer, and head downstairs. The first thing I find is Katrina and Jackson in the dooryard, pushing each other through a painful-looking workout that seems to be a cross between gymnastics, calisthenics, and yoga. They're both covered in sweat, Jackson shirtless while Katrina wears just a sports bra, both of them rocking lightweight black cotton pants and bare feet. I'd warn them about the fact that the dooryard isn't all smooth dirt, but they look like they're both into what they're doing, so I guess there's not much to do. They stub a toe or get a thorn, they can deal with it.
    The next thing I find is Nathan leading Maverick around the front of the house. I watch as he pushes the big dog's head down every once in a while, Maverick responding by hiking his leg and pissing. I step off the porch and approach. At least it looks more normal than what Katrina and Jackson are doing. “What're you doing?”
    “Good morning,” Nathan says, and I notice a bulge against his jacket under his left shoulder. A cross draw shoulder rig, sweet. “I am teaching Maverick his new territory. Great Danes were bred to be companions and protectors to nobility. While Maverick is not a trained guard dog, he is naturally protective, and I am showing him his new area to protect.”
    “Why?” I ask, curious. “No offense.”
    “None taken. It's simple, really. With Peter getting out of jail today, I cannot be here around the clock. Still, while I trust and have faith in Katrina and Jackson, I know the men that owe favors to Peter DeLaCoeur. Their resources are vast, and I cannot guarantee that someone wouldn't check of this place if the search goes on long enough. Especially since you called Andrea's phone. I know for a fact she kept that line on purpose, even though she should have changed it. Andrea, as focused and intelligent as she is, made some mistakes in disappearing. I found her quickly, and have been keeping an eye on her for weeks prior to contacting her with her brother and Katrina.”
    “So you're leaving Maverick to help.”
    Nathan nods and leads Maverick to our mailbox, where he pisses again. “He likes baby Andrea, and will protect that little girl with his life if need be. But I am going to help set him up in the meantime.”
    “Speaking of Andrea, where is she? The older one, not the baby.”
    Nathan gives me a knowing look, then points back to the house. “They are together, actually. She offered to watch the baby while her parents got a workout in together. From what I understand, it’s a rare treat for them, working out together during a decent hour. Since Andrea was born, they have been mostly swapping training times back and forth, making sure she is taken care of. Babies are stressful.”
    Later on, over lunch after Nathan leaves, I have a hard time not staring at Andrea—the woman, not the baby, although Baby Andrea is very cute in her own way. Watching her eat is poetry, the way her lips wrap around every forkful of her salad, and the way her eyes sparkle as we exchange glances. But it's those glances that worry me.