"You know the drill," I say, watching him carefully over the monitor.
Johnson is my most trusted man and my best friend, but I still watch for any sign that he has been compromised. I don’t give two fucks who he is when it comes to Erica’s safety.
"Alpha-Tango-Juliette-one-nine-eight-one," he confirms.
I press the button to open the gate, but it doesn’t budge.
"Erica." I turn my attention back to the phone. "You’re going to have to go let him in. I can’t open it. I’ll have someone come out in a few hours to fix it."
"It’s three a.m., Leo. You can’t find a repair man this time of night," she answers and I can hear her feet against the wooden steps on her porch as she hurries toward the gate.
"You okay, Mrs. Andrews?" Johnson’s voice echoes through the room both from the phone and the intercom I still haven’t turned off.
"I’m fine, Aiden," she replies.
I lean in close to watch the smile spread across her face. However, Erica flips a middle finger at the camera, forcing me to bark out a laugh.
"Get out now, Leo."
"You sure you’re okay?" I ask more for myself than for her.
"I’m sorry I scared you."
"It’s okay, babe. I’m glad I could help." My attention is suddenly pulled to one of my own interior cameras. I watch as Sarah tiptoes out of the bedroom with only a sheet pulled around her naked body.
"I love you," Erica says just like she always does just before we hang up.
And I know the exact second her words make their way down the hall when I watch Sarah throw her hands up to cover her face.
"Erica, hang on for a second," I ask then call out the door, "Sarah, get in here!"
Her eyes go wide as she stumbles backwards, tripping over the sheet and trying to drag it back up to cover her body.
"Don’t pull it up!" I yell with a smile. She begins looking around the hallway for the obvious camera. "Open door on the left."
I watch on the monitor as she takes a deep breath, seemingly weighing her options. Then she squares her shoulders and glances back at the bedroom only once before heading for the security room door.
"Leo?" Erica’s voice rings through the room.
"Shh. Just a second," I hush her. Glancing back down, I see Erica rolling her eyes as she locks her front door with Johnson in tow.
Finally, Sarah’s blue eyes peek into the room and I know immediately that she is flat-out pissed.
"Hey, ángel," I say with a huge smile, but her glare levels me.
Holy shit. Sarah’s not just pissed—she’s livid.
"Jesus Christ. What the hell, Leo?" she asks as she tries to contain her… Shit, is that disappointment? "What in the hell is wrong with you? I should have known you are too fucking smooth not to be up to some sort of bullshit. Fuck!" she screams.
"Uhhhh…" Erica says.
I try to stop her from freaking out but only come up with the most trite and incriminating sentence known to man. "It’s not what you think, Sarah."
"Oh really? You didn’t sneak out of bed with me at three a.m. to chat with another woman? All calling her babe and saying I love you." She says the last part in a ridiculous, deep voice that sounds nothing like mine. Suddenly, her attitude slips, her eyes sparkle with unshed tears, and her shoulders fall in defeat. "Of course this is happening to me. I’m not sure how I didn’t see this coming. Clearly, karma has finally caught up to me. I actually meet someone and…damn it!"
I was wrong. She’s not pissed—she’s hurt.
I know immediately that this is not a time for a joke. "Erica." I call out loud, never taking my eyes off Sarah.
"Shit. Yeah, I’m here," she answers uncomfortably over the speaker.
"Remember when I told you about that girl I was seeing?" I don’t pause to give her a single second to reply, fearful of what she might give away about the little secret I haven’t yet let Sarah in on. "Well, she spent the night tonight, and judging by the daggers she is shooting at me now, I’m reasonably sure she has gotten the wrong idea about our relationship."
"Shit!" Erica shrieks, looking up into her ceiling-mounted kitchen camera. "I need to see you, Leo."
"Yep. I’m definitely out of here," Sarah says, turning for the door.
"Switching now. Whoa, wait just a second, ángel." I grab Sarah’s arm to stop her retreat, all the while trying not to burst into flames under her relentless glare.
Erica forced me to install this two-way camera system as soon as I got back on my feet. She was worried about me back then. I can lie to her on the phone, but if she can see me, I don’t even bother trying. She can read my mannerisms like a book. She knew the only way to get honest answers about how I was doing was to be able to video chat with me.
I spin to the large flat-screen in the back of the room above my corner desk. When I click the icon, Erica’s living room flashes onto the screen. Not even a second later, she moves into the frame.
"Hi." Erica says, folding her obviously pregnant body onto her couch.