Something was wrong.

MAX RETRACED HIS STEPS across the waiting room floor. They should have heard something by now. What was going on back there?

Braxton came into the waiting room carrying two cups of steaming coffee. "Here." He offered one to Max. "Drink this or I may have to shoot you to put you out of your misery."

Too worried to think about drinking coffee, he took the cup anyway, just to get Braxton off his back. Braxton seemed to have a lot of experience with waiting. He was too d.a.m.ned patient. Max was losing his mind.

"I checked on Cooper," Braxton commented as he took a seat. "He's fine. They'll be moving him from ICU to a private room later tonight."

"Thank G.o.d." At least they'd gotten some good news. Max dropped into the closest chair and tried to force himself to drink the coffee, but his stomach rebelled at the first taste. He suddenly felt the same queasiness he'd suffered the other morning. If he didn't know better, he'd swear he was the one with morning sickness.

"It's a good thing we put our own tracking device in that locket." Braxton waited until Max looked at him. "That was a good call."

Max shrugged. "I was afraid she'd try to give me the slip again. Especially when she heard our plan." He blew out a breath. The waiting was killing him. The gunshot wound to her thigh was superficial, but the sudden onset of abdominal cramping was another story.

"You should speak to Victoria about taking some time off," Braxton counseled. "You and Scout have some things to work out."

He nodded. "You're right about that."

What if she lost the baby? He closed his eyes and fought the burn of emotion in his eyes. His baby. He hadn't done enough to keep them safe. Doug had told them how Kimble had tracked her location via the call on the cellular phone. Crafty b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Max's only regret was that he hadn't been looking him in the eye when that shot ended his time on this earth.

"Drink up, Max," Braxton encouraged. "I have a feeling you're going to need your strength."

Before Max could respond a nurse stepped into the small waiting room. "Mr. Maxwell?"

Max handed the cup of coffee back to Braxton and stood. "Yes."

"Come with me, please."

Max followed her down a long white corridor. His gut clenched as the medicinal smell hit him all over again. Finally the nurse paused at one of the treatment room doors. "Go on in. The doctor's waiting for you."

When Max entered the room, he feared the worst. What he found was Scout lying on a table, her still-flat abdomen exposed and a wide smile on her face. The doctor was smoothing a small handheld device over her belly.

"Max!" Those gray eyes beamed at him. Her smile was so contagious he couldn't help smiling back. "Look, it's our baby."

Startled by her words, he moved nearer. She grabbed his hand and pulled him even closer. "Look at the screen."

He studied the screen and then realized what it was. A sonogram.

"See?" Scout urged, excitement in her voice.

Emotion grabbed Max by the heart and wouldn't let go. He could see the baby on the screen. Just a fuzzy outline ... but a baby. His baby. Something shifted in his chest and he felt suddenly lightheaded.

"Everything looks just fine, Miss Jackson," the doctor said. "Just a little scare from all the physical and emotional stress, I think. Now that we've got everything calmed down, all looks well. But we'd like to keep you overnight just to be sure."

"Okay." Her fingers tightened around Max's. "Isn't he something?"

Max looked from the screen to her and back. "Or she?" His heart was racing. He was going to be a father.

"Or she," Scout agreed.

"I'll have the nurse print some of these images for you to keep." The doctor smiled as he moved away from the table. "Just relax for a few moments while I see that you get moved to a private room." When the doctor had gone, Max finally tore his gaze away from the image frozen on the screen. "They're sure everything's okay?"

She nodded. "Staying the night is just a precaution. I'm fine. They tested my blood for the sedative Gage used. The doctor said the baby wouldn't be hurt by it."

Just the mention of the son of a b.i.t.c.h's name made Max stiffen with fury. "Good."

"Max, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." She stared at the image on the screen. "I had no right to keep this from you."

He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. He was so d.a.m.n thankful she and the baby were safe. "It's okay. We've both made mistakes."

She looked at him then, those gray eyes full of uncertainty. "What do we do now?"

"Biogenisis's activities will be frozen pending a full federal investigation, so I don't think we have anything to worry about there. Alexon has agreed to our terms. I'd say it's safe to a.s.sume you can have your life back now."

She nodded. "That's wonderful." She moistened those sweet lips and looked up at him, a vulnerability in her eyes he'd never seen before. "But what about us?"

He smiled then, his heart ready to burst with emotion. "I'd say we have a lot of plans to make." He shrugged. "You know, a wedding, a bigger house." It was his turn to feel uncertain then. "That is, if that's what you want. I hadn't thought about your business down in Houston."

She nibbled that lower lip, making him yearn to do the same. "I was thinking that I might just turn the business over to Donna and join the Colby Agency. That is," she qualified, echoing his words, "if they can use another good agent."

"I think I can guarantee that," Max a.s.sured her, then winked. "I have an inside track with the boss."

A smile bloomed on those lush lips. "But what if we can't get along? I mean, we both like being in charge. Who's going to be the boss?"

Max kissed the hand holding his and then kissed those tempting lips. "How about we take turns?"

She kissed him back, a slow, lingering kiss.

When at last they came up for air, she countered, "Only if I can be the boss first."

"Anything you want, sweetheart. Anything you want."

"Deal," she murmured as his mouth claimed hers once more to seal the bargain that would last a lifetime.

Epilogue.

Doug Cooper sat in Victoria Colby's office, antic.i.p.ation mounting inside him. He'd been stuck on desk duty since taking that bullet six weeks ago. Lucky for him it hadn't hit anything vital, just put him out of commission temporarily.

But now he was ready to get back to work. Victoria had a.s.sured him that she would be a.s.signing him lead on his first case very soon, and that had been before the shooting. He hoped the meeting this morning would be to brief him on a new a.s.signment-one in which he would act as lead investigator. He was more than ready.

Scout Jackson-Scout Maxwell, he amended-was doing great, as well. Thankfully, one of Alexon's top scientists had discovered that a plant both Scout and Max had been exposed to long-term while living in Colombia had stimulated their immunity to K-141. With that knowledge, scientists could use the plant to create the antidote, eliminating the need to involve Scout or her child any further. Doug, as well as everyone at the Colby Agency, was immensely relieved. That nightmare was finally over.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting, Douglas,"

Victoria said as she breezed in, looking as elegant as ever. She settled behind her wide mahogany desk and smiled. "You look fit and ready to get back into the field."

He nodded. "I am. I'd like to start immediately."

She studied him a moment. "I've put a great deal of thought into who I would a.s.sign to this rather sensitive case, and I really do feel that you would be the right man for the job."

A smile stretched across Doug's face. "Thank you, Victoria. I can a.s.sure you that I won't let you down."

"Don't thank me yet, Douglas. You haven't heard the a.s.signment."

Uneasiness slid through him.

"I know that you prefer to keep your background out of your life these days."

The uneasiness turned to wariness. "That's correct."

"But this case demands someone with a polished, high-society background, I'm afraid. Unfortunately, Simon isn't available, since he's taken over Max's caseload while he honeymoons with his wife. That leaves only you."

Doug almost said no without even hearing the details, but the desire to make this next move up the ladder kept him silent. "What does the case involve?"

"Solange D'Martine was thought to be the final surviving heir to the D'Martine jewelry empire, an American-based company with international connections."

Doug knew the family name. If memory served him correctly, the D'Martines were of Martha's Vineyard, just as his family was. "I'm familiar with the name," he said dryly.

"Well, it seems that Solange D'Martine's son, who was kidnapped and murdered some twenty years ago, left behind an heir whose existence wasn't known about until recently."

Doug knew a little about the case. The son had been the sole heir to the empire, which had its roots in France. The son had been held for ransom and something had gone terribly wrong. His father had died shortly after the horrific event from a heart attack, brought on, most believed, by the tragedy.

"As you can well imagine, this would be a very high-profile case."

Doug nodded, more certain now than ever that he wanted no part of it.

"The heir, a young woman, needs a personal bodyguard while the technical issues are resolved. Mrs. D'Martine fears that if the media got wind of her existence, her safety would be in question. After what happened to the son, I can understand her feelings. She would like the young woman watched twenty-four-seven until she is ready to go public with the announcement."

Doug raised a skeptical eyebrow. "And when would that be? After DNA has proved the heir legitimate?"

Victoria shook her head. "They've already established that issue."

"What's the holdup then?"

"The young woman is unaware of her heritage."

Doug sat up straighter. "No one has spoken to her?" He shook his head. "I don't even want to know how they managed to establish paternity."

"Suffice to say that money can buy just about anything," Victoria commented sagely.

A truer statement had never been spoken. Doug knew firsthand. "So what does Mrs. D'Martine expect me to do?"

"You are to approach the young woman along with the family attorney. He will relay the details and you're to stay behind when he leaves."

"Let me get this straight." Doug almost laughed. "Once the attorney tells her that her whole life is a lie-that whoever she believes her father is ... isn't-I'm supposed to keep her company until they iron out all the issues?"

"Precisely."

Doug didn't miss the twinkle of amus.e.m.e.nt in Victoria's eyes. "This heiress," Doug ventured. "What exactly is her life like now?"

"Quite sedate, I'm told. She's a plumber in a small town in Maryland."

Startled, Doug could only manage a strained laugh. "A plumber?"

Victoria nodded. "This is why I need you for this a.s.signment, Doug. You of all people understand what this young woman is about to go through. She needs the kind of help only you can give."

Doug got it then. He might be a little slow on the uptake, but he was there now. "I see," he said knowingly. "The whole bodyguard thing is really just a sham-"

Victoria lifted a hand, cutting him off. "The security concern is real," she insisted. "There is always a risk when this kind of wealth is involved. That the son was kidnapped and murdered and the case remains unsolved only increases the risk."

Doug refused to relent. "Still, the bottom line is that while the 'technicalities' are being worked out, you want me to turn this plumber into a princess."

Victoria gave a succinct nod. "Precisely."

end.