Chapter THIRTY-FIVE ANDRES

Things had slowly changed since the night I confessed my feelings to Ellie.

It felt like we were more of a union now. More a family.

Pride burned in my eyes as I pictured them before I left for work that morning.

Ellie was wearing a pair of stretchy jeans and a fuzzy gray sweater, and Sammy was getting ready to visit the preschool we were looking to send him to starting that January since he missed the fall semester.

Ellie and I had spent a few days researching programs we felt would be good for him, and today was the first interview.

I was meeting them there at ten o’clock, but I had to handle some things first at work.

My phone buzzed, and I looked down, frowning when I saw the contact.

It was a message from the Sigma International bodyguard I’d enlisted to tail Gary Peters after our little meeting.

The motherfucker had given him the slip.

Fuck.

“Morning, cousin,” Marat said, walking into my office.

“Morning,” I replied, eyeing him warily.