Hero Ad Hoc - Chapter 1

Hero Ad Hoc comes out on Monday, April 15th. Consider it a little stress relief after you get your taxes done (for those of us in the U.S.).

In the meantime, here's a special preview!
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Aisha Franklin stared at her brand-new office carpet nearly a yard beneath her favorite Christian Louboutin stilettos. And the carpet was drifting farther away by the second.

“How the hell do I get down!”

Her best friend and legal partner Harri Winters stared up at her. “Honey, I don’t even know how you’re flying to begin with.”

“I’m not flying!” Aisha yelled. In her panic, she bounced up another foot. “I’m floating, and I can’t get down!”

Harri waved her hands. “Keep your voice down. We don’t need to freak out the neighborhood.”

Aisha glared at Harri. “I’m pregnant, I’m floating in mid-air, and we exclusively represent superheroes. Not to mention, our IT guy is a former supervillain. I doubt if this is the weirdest thing they’ve ever seen or heard.”

But Harri was right. Aisha glanced at her windows. She’d opened her office blinds when she came downstairs. Thankfully, their building was on the downtrodden Canyon Block, and no one was on the sidewalk this early in the morning.

“It is when you’re not a super.” Harri crossed her arms. “I can’t leave you like this, but I can’t reach you. Do you want me to call Rey?”

“No!” Aisha winced as her head bumped against the plaster medallion on her office ceiling, but it gave her an idea. She reached up and pushed hard against the ornamentation.

The floor rushed toward her, and she stumbled slightly on her leopard print stilettos when she landed. She straightened. So far, her feet remained in contact with the carpet.

Harri sagged. “Do I need to get a rope and tie you to your desk? Because I can’t stay here and babysit.”

When the weird light-headed feeling rushed through her again, Aisha grabbed the edge of her desk. Just in case. “What are you talking about? We’ve got a meeting with a new client this morning.”

“You can handle Screaming Orgasm. Rebranding her will be totally in your court anyway.” Harri dropped her arms to her sides. “I came in to let you know Patty’s in labor. I need to get to the hospital.”

“Why are you in here yakking with me?” Aisha made shooing motions. “You need to get her there before her water breaks. You’re her birthing coach.”

“It already broke, and Arthur already took her.”

At Harri’s grimace, Aisha realized the real problem. “He spent the night with her, and she didn’t tell you before they left for the hospital.”

“Keep your phone in your pocket.” Harri looked around the office, ignoring her own feelings as usual. “If you get into trouble again, call Tim. He’s downstairs tinkering.” She finally met Aisha’s gaze again. “We’ll talk about your situation as soon as I get back. I promise.”

“I know.” She gave Harri a wry smile. “Sorry, I freaked out on you.”

Harri chuckled. “It can’t be any worse than what Rey did.”

Aisha nibbled her lower lip.

Harri’s face fell. “You did tell him, didn’t you? Oh, God, please tell me he’s the father."

“Of course, he’s the father,” Aisha snapped. “Why do think I was freaking out? He doesn’t need this shit when he’s just getting his career off the ground!”

“Given the circumstances, I totally get why you’re upset, but I really need to go. I’ll call you once Patty has delivered.” Harri waggled the fingers of her right hand before she marched out of the office.

Aisha held her breath until she heard the side door shut, followed by the distinctive thud of the deadbolt and the beep of the security system. Was Harri that irritated about Aisha’s pregnancy she was abusing the building?

Aisha released her breath and her hold on the edge of her desk. No, Harri was probably freaking out about being Patty’s birthing coach, and half-afraid she would ask the same. Which she wouldn’t do because Rey would be there.

Wouldn’t he?

The panic from the six pregnancy tests reared its ugly head again.

And she immediately started floating upward again.

She dug her fingertips around the wooden lip of the desk and pulled herself down. She couldn’t lose it. Not today. Not with a new client coming in this morning.

Ah, who the hell was she kidding. She’d already lost it.

How the hell was she going to explain this to Rey? She’d told him she couldn’t get pregnant. That’s what all those damned expensive fertility experts had said after she’d already lost one ovary to an ectopic pregnancy. Calvin had left her because of what those doctors had said. The kicker had been last month when her doctor said she’d started perimenopause.

Her fingers twitched. God, she needed a cigarette. But she didn’t dare. Not now.

She rubbed her still flat belly. There was someone else she needed to worry about for the next eight months. And she knew exactly what she was going to tell Rey.

Because Captain Justice sure as hell couldn’t be seen with a family, no matter how she felt about the man behind the mask.