SEVEN MONTHS LATER

Victoria leaned against the doorway of the baby’s nursery, watching Tristan settle their little boy in his crib. Eli would be two months old in a couple of days.

This entire thing was almost Norman Rockwell-esque. Except upon closer examination, the fairies on the walls rode boards and blades, courtesy of Mischa. Every time she looked, she found something new in the artwork.

She never imagined this kind of life. Vicky next door had neighbors like this, but those weren’t real people.

Tristan looked up and caught her gaze. “What’s up?” he asked.

“Just enjoying the view. And you need to come see the news.” She was saving that bit for last. It would catch him off-guard in a good way, but there was no reason to interrupt bedtime for it.

He frowned. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not spoiling the surprise. You need to see this for yourself.”

He followed her into the bedroom. They’d converted the adjoining office into the baby’s room.

She grabbed the remote from the bed and pointed at the TV. There was no reason to unmute the cable news station—the scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen said it all.

Ralph Wolfram, founder of the Wolfram Angel Investor Group, was being indicted on several counts of fraud. Among other charges. A handful of his employees were being charged with him.

“Fuck me.” Tristan sank onto the bed. “I’m a little torn about this.”

She sat next to him, and tangled her fingers with his. “Why?”

“I helped do that to him, and most of me wants to pop the champagne and celebrate, but there’s a teensy bit of me that doesn’t think it’s appropriate to cheer for someone losing their freedom.”

“He did this to himself.”

“I know.” Tristan grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. “I’m only a little torn. Consider me ninety-nine-point-nine percent cheering.”

They watched as different channels talked to analyst, colleagues, and clients. Some were stunned about the news, some not so much.

The official statement from his law team was, “There is no basis to these claims. Justice will prevail.”

“Let me know how that works out for you,” Tristan said to the screen.

Victoria scooted back on the bed until she sat propped up against the headboard. “Something like this destroys the reputation of a firm.”

“Ralph was always big on appearance.” Tristan joined her. “He told me once that he wasn’t a comic book super villain, but this is playing out like some Netflix exclusive kind of thing.”

“Real life is stranger than fiction.”

Tristan seemed to consider this. “If he’s the villain, what does that make us? Besides stunning in tights?”

Victoria laughed. “I think that makes me Lois Lane.”

“I did the investigating. That makes me Lois Lane. Unless you’re saying I’m Superman...” He waggled his eyebrows.

She loved everything about this. “You’re more like Jimmy Olsen.”

“Really.” Tristan’s tone was flat, but amusement still danced behind his eyes.

“Lois doesn’t want a guy like Superman. Not long-term.” Victoria was making this up as she went along, but it sounded good. “He’s all flash-bang, and set on saving the world. He’s not going to have time for her. The needs of many and all that.”

“That’s Star Trek, not Superman.”

She twisted her mouth. “It’s a universal concept. I think Superman would live it if he were familiar with it. But you’re ruining my story.”

“I swear to God, if you compare Mischa to Superman—”

“I’m not, and I wasn’t going to.” Victoria stuck her tongue out.

He moved his hands to her hips and tugged her to sit in his lap. She rested her head against his chest. “At least let me be Perry White.” When he spoke, his words rumbled through her cheek. “Tough. In charge. Practical but fatherly.”

“You should write fan fiction. I’m just saying...” She scrambled for a way to finish the sentence. “I forgot what I was saying. I think there was a the real heroes kind of point in there, but short version is, you’re the guy who gets the girl.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist. “Damn straight I am. And I’m never letting you go.”

She smiled into his embrace, and snuggled closer. “You’d better not.” This was better than perfect. It was whatever was one step above that. And Victoria was going to enjoy it for all she was worth.

THE END

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Spencer and Trina have their own story. Riding the Wave takes place at the same time as Hard Pack, but can be read as a stand-alone novel. To check out what kind of geeky, sexy fun Trina and Spencer get up to,

Keep reading for a free sneak peek of Riding the Wave chapter one.

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