Chapter 11
“THANK YOU, AGENT STERLING.” Harmony hobbled up the porch stairs, her lower back still sore from being slammed to the floor by Mason in an effort to keep her from being hit by the bullet that ended up taking her father’s life.
She should feel something regarding her father’s death, but not even a pang of guilt. He wasn’t a good man, and he would have hurt innocent children to get what he wanted. Thank God the only injury had been Ricko, and that hadn’t been from the small bomb, but from getting everyone safely out of the house.
“I think after all this, you can call me Quinn.”
She let out a stiff breath, holding her ribs, also bruised from Mason. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. No. Quite the opposite and she’d be forever grateful to him for that. “Quinn is a nice name.”
“Speaking of names,” he said, holding back the front door. “There is no reason for us to relocate you, since Ricko had been working a sting operation to nail your father. I’m just sorry that we didn’t connect the dots sooner.”
“His name isn’t on my birth certificate,” Harmony said, tossing her keys on the coffee table. “Can I get you some coffee or something?”
“No, thanks. I won’t be staying long.”
She stared at the box on the mantel, the one she thought Anna had left behind. The one she figured was filled with memorabilia of her life with Lucas. She hadn’t even looked inside when she’d raced out of the house. All she could think about was making sure nothing happened to Mason’s niece and nephews.
“You haven’t told me what you want to do,” Quinn said.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I like it here more than I thought I would.” She let out a chuckle. “I did exactly what you told me not to do. I got attached.”
“I had to warn you about that, but again, you don’t have to leave. Lucas has no idea where you are, and your father was bluffing about his dealings with Lucas. They knew each other, but George was barely a blimp on your ex’s radar.”
“How did he find me?”
“Ricko said he had his sights on some woman by the name of Lilly to con and stumbled upon your website.”
“What are the chances?” she mumbled.
“Pretty slim, which is why I feel secure in your safety of you want to stay here.”
“Do I have to decide right this second?” If she had wanted to find out how Mason felt about her sticking around, then she shouldn’t have snuck out of the hospital.
“No, and for the record, I’m your handler. I’m not passing you off again.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” With a shaky hand, she lifted the box and tugged off the lid. Tears formed in her eyes as she stared at pictures of her parents when she’d been a baby, and their dog. She had cried more for the loss of that dog than her father leaving.
“One thing I can’t figure out,” Quinn said, leaning against the front door. “Why did your father steal a puppy and leave it here?”
“When I thought it was Anna, I figured she was messing with me over Lucas’s dog. I loved that dog and when I found out he’d been having an affair with our dog walker, I wanted to rip the man’s throat out, but I had to suck it up and pretend I didn’t know, only she knew about the affair as well and often rubbed it in my face.” She shifted through more pictures and came across a flyer for her missing dog. She swallowed a guttural sob when she read the word, DEAD, scribbled across it with red ink. Noticing words on the back, she flipped it over.
You fucked with the wrong man, Mary. You think you could steal from me and get away with it? I’m coming for you. What happened to Heidi-ho’s dog is going to happen to you.
“That cruel bastard,” she whispered, holding up the sign. “He killed my dog.”
“Let me see that.” Quinn took the paper in his hands. “What else is in that box?’
She dumped the contents of the box on the floor. Her mother’s missing necklace sparkled against the white carpet. Taking the pendant in her hand, she held it up to the light. “This has been missing since she killed herself.”
“Shit,” Quinn muttered. “Can I take the box and the contents back to the office?”
“My neighbor never believed my mom killed herself.” She dropped to her knees, covering her face, aware of Coop clawing at the front door, but she didn’t have the energy to get up.
“Hey.” Mason’s voice rang out as Coop rested his head on her lap with his paw on her knee, whining.
“What’s going on?” Mason asked.
“Harmony just got some disturbing news,” Quinn said. “I think I’ll leave you two alone.”
“Wait,” Mason said. “Here are the NDAs. Everyone in my family signed them. Harmony is safe here with us.”
“Good to know,” Quinn said.
“Everyone believes that the bomb was meant for me. Someone from my past life in the military, and that he was killed during his capture.”
“Not far from the truth,” Quinn said. “If you need anything, you know how to reach me.”
She wiped the tears from her face, trying to wrap her brain around the words exchanged between Quinn and Mason, but the realization that her mother had been murdered broke her heart in a million pieces, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to pick them up.
Scratching the back of Coop’s head, she glanced up just as Quinn left, leaving Mason standing in the middle of the room, by himself, with his hands on his hips.
“I would have brought you home,” he said, inching closer.
“You needed to be with your family.”
Mason sat on the floor, cross-legged, cupping her chin. “I needed to be with both my family and you.”
“I’ve caused you and your family nothing but grief.”
“You didn’t do that, your father did.”
“Quinn thinks he might have killed mother.” She blinked away the tears that blurred her vision. “I thought she was weak and hated her for what she’d done, only he did it.” She held out the flyer of her dog with trembling fingers.
He took it, setting it on the ground, and pulling her to his lap.
Coop sprawled out in front of them, letting out a big sigh.
“It’s a lot to take in,” he whispered. “But me, and my family, we’re here for you.”
“Why? You should want me to leave.” She tried to resist his gentle touch and sweet kisses on her temple. She should jump up and race out the door, following Quinn to some other new secret life, one where she wouldn’t have to make connections to people.
Or dogs.
“I want you to stay so we can get to know one another,” he whispered.
“I don’t even know who I am anymore. Am I Heidi? Or an I Harmony? I feel like either choice I make I’m a fraud.” She shifted, facing him, staring into his forgiving eyes. Eyes she wanted to resent and forget they ever existed.
Only they burned her soul.
“You’re not defined by either name, but what you chose to do with your life. It’s like when I left the military and became a cop.”
She shook her head. “That is so not a good example.”
“Actually, it is. Being a Marine defined me. Coming home, back here, I felt like I somehow had failed. Then Renee left me, and I had no idea who I was. Fast forward to Julia, and I figured I was pretty much not worth a woman’s love—”
She cupped his face. “That’s not true. You’re one of the good ones. There is someone special for you.”
“Well, my mother seems to think that you’re the one, and my sister agrees,” he said with a slight smile and a playful arched brow.
“I lied to you.” She tried to push herself out of his lap, but he held her tighter. “Nothing I told you about my life is true.”
He tapped her chest with his index finger. “You’ve show me who you really are and to me, you’re Harmony, owner of Harmony’s Mistake.”
“God, what an awful name for a business.” She gave into her desire and rested her head on his shoulder.
He pressed his lips against her temple. “Please tell me you and your business plan on staying. You owe me a second date.”
“You owe me a puppy.”
He cocked his head back. “How do you figure that?”
She shrugged. “I can’t keep Coop.”
The dog barked as if that would be okay with him.
“My dog is a traitor,” he murmured, kissing her lips. “Tomorrow, go pick out a dog at the animal shelter. Consider it a housewarming gift.”
“Come with me. It will be our second date.”