Shelby's Secret (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 4) by Kori David Page A

shoulder. Jesse’s wife was unsuccessfully hiding her own grin. “Or I’ll pull out the video of you changing the twin’s diapers again. Zach loves that video.”
    “I think I’d like that,” Zach said. “The sounds of Jesse gagging, along with the faces he made, would brighten my day.”
    “Hey, when did I become the bad guy?”
    Lily laughed out loud and the gaiety made his Beth laugh as well.  
    Zach was possessive as hell, and didn’t like sharing his family. But Beth and Lily with their pretty heads together laughing was just about the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He even put up with his best friend making fun of him.
    “So what kind of trouble are we expecting?” Jesse asked.
    “And who is the woman Mike is bringing home?” Beth asked. “He never brings anyone to his cabin.”
    “And we’ve looked,” Lily said. Her grin was full of fun.
    Zach sighed. He’d been putting off this discussion for as long as he could, but since Mike was arriving with his cargo in a couple of hours, he couldn’t anymore. And the whole thing was going to be a pain in the ass. He really hoped this sick fuck followed them up, because then he’d have something interesting to do. And between him, Jesse, and Mike, there was no way in hell that asshole was leaving their mountain alive. End of story. End of problem.
    He addressed Jesse first because he knew he’d never get a word in after he told the ladies who, exactly, was coming. “Mike’s not really expecting any trouble. But just to be safe, we should make sure all the cameras are operational and put up a couple of perimeter trip wires for a bit of extra warning.
    “Great,” Beth said. “That means you’ll stick Xavier and me in the bunker if you see a scorpion, while you run around and play hero.”
    Jesse snorted, and Lily smiled. Then Jesse said, “How about Lily, the twins and I, go into the bunker with Xavier, and I give you my gun to help Zach?”
    “Over my dead body,” Zach growled. His heart did a flip at even the thought of his Beth being near another psycho. The first time it happened was enough to give him premature gray hair. Hence the bunker. But she was right, if he saw so much as a cross-eyed bear she and their son were going in. Nothing and no one was going near his family until he made sure it was safe.
    “Tell us about the woman,” Lily said. “What’s she like? Has Mike talked much about her?”
    Zach sighed. This was it. Time for the explosion. “He’s bringing up Shelby Lynn with her adopted daughter.”
    Beth and Lily gaped in a moment of stunned silence. He really wished his wife would close her mouth, it was giving him ideas. He grinned.  
    Jesse stood and moved away, as if he too expected something.  
    And then it happened. Lily let out a shriek, and Beth finally closed her mouth.
    “Shelby Lynn? The country singer?”
    “How does Mike know her? Oh my god, this is so exciting.”
    “I won’t even know what to say, she’s so famous. And what’s going on that Mike is expecting trouble?”
    “I have to get out my Shelby Lynn CD collection so she can sign them .”
    “The twins will go insane with they see her, she’s their favorite singer in the whole world.”
    The women were talking so fast to each other he wasn’t even sure who was asking the questions. Zach looked at his best friend and nodded toward the back patio door. “Time to retreat, Marine,” he said out of the side of his mouth.
    Jesse nodded, and they both backed away from the happy whirlwind.  
    “Think they’ll notice?”
    “Nope.”
    They stepped outside to the sounds of a game of hide and seek coming from the side of the house. Zach poked his head around and found all three kids easily. They knew better than to leave the yard.
    “So tell me the rest,” Jesse said.
    Zach filled him in on everything Mike had told him. He finished talking, and Jesse had a considering look on his face.
    “Damon and Dani are home in Louisiana for a couple of