Chapter 12
Delaney tried to raise her mug to her lips, but her hand trembled so much she could barely lift it without splashing hot liquid everywhere. The sound of tree branches slapping against each other replaced the humming of the engine, causing her heart to skip a few beats.
“Why’d they stop?” she asked. “Where do you think they are, and what are they going to do?”
“I don’t know,” he said, “but be prepared.”
“For what?” she asked, not wanting to know the answer. Gripping the hot mug with two hands, she finally took one large gulp. Too bad it didn’t have some alcoholic courage in it.
“Relax.” Josh took a sip of his coffee with a steady hand, before scooping up the bowl of oatmeal then shoving a large spoonful into his mouth. “Take a bite.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“All right. Then just look at me and talk.”
She tilted her head, and he smiled.
“Remember, they think you’re still playing me,” he said.
“How could they think you’re that stupid?”
“It’s my blind spot and they know it, so even if they suspect you’ve told me anything, they know I will go to any lengths to protect you. So, focus on the fact that you only did this to save your brother. You’re a loving sister who—”
“It’s going to take a lot of self-restraint not to slap that bastard.”
“Think of it this way.” He patted her leg and squeezed gently, sending some comfort to her brain, but her body still shook. “The longer we can keep them talking, the more likely we won’t die.”
“That’s not even remotely…”
She gasped, jerking her arm, sloshing hot coffee on her skin as her phone buzzed. Grey Eyes number flashed on the screen.
“Answer it,” Josh whispered behind his bowl. “But don’t put it on speaker, and go along with whatever they want.”
She blinked a few times before pressing the phone against her ear. “Hello?”
“Are you with Josh?”
“I am, thanks. How are you?”
Grey Eyes laughed, but it wasn’t a funny sound. “Are you trying to tell me he has no idea what is going on?”
“I really don’t know.”
“I take it he’s close by.”
She swallowed bile. “I’d say that’s a reasonable deduction.”
“Is he armed?”
“Yes.”
“Does he have backup?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” she said, wondering if the fear in her voice gave her away.
“Can you manage to talk freely for a few minutes?”
“Hey, Josh,” she said, moving the phone away from her mouth. “Can you get me another cup of coffee and my tablet? It’s in the bedroom.”
He gave her a sideways glance, but took her mug and headed into the cabin. She hoped he understood to take his time, since his tablet was right by the front door.
“He’s inside.”
“Can he hear you?”
“No.” Her voice didn’t quiver, but the rest of her body rocked like an erupting volcano.
“Our boys are missing. Does he have anything to do with that?”
“Not sure what happened to them. They shot at us.”
“So, he knows we’re coming for him?”
Think fast. Don’t hesitate. “He believes someone is coming for me. I told him I owed some not-so-good people a ton of money.” The way the words eased out of her mouth frightened her. Lying had never been her strong suit.
Grey Eyes laughed again, sending a cold shiver across the back of her neck. “You’re smarter than you look.”
“Josh is going to step outside any minute.”
“In about ten minutes, we’re going to pull into the driveway and take care of Josh.”
She bit her tongue. “I did my part as best I could. I want my brother set free, and then he and I are going to walk away unharmed.”
The phone went dead.
Josh came out of the cabin, holding the tablet and a cup of coffee. She sucked in a deep breath, blowing it out in an attempt to calm her nerves. “Is that wire thing recording yet?”
“Yes,” he said, helping her settle into the outdoor sofa.
“Is it just recording, or can your friends hear us?”
“They can hear us.” He set the mug down. “What happened?”
“They’ll be here in ten minutes.” Blood raged through her body, echoing in her ears. “They’e going to kill us.”
“We’re not going to die today. What else did they say?”
“They wanted to know what you knew and where their men are. I told them you believe I owe some very bad men a large sum of money. That those men were after me.”
“You did fine,” Josh said. “Craypo believes I’m naïve and you’re vulnerable.” He glanced at her with warm eyes. “They don’t know the woman sitting next to me. They’ve underestimated you, and they don’t even know it yet.”
She leaned into him, wanting to suck up his strength and power.
The roar of a car engine churning made her jerk in her seat.
The air filling her lungs burned cold.
“I’m going to go down to the driveway,” Josh said, releasing her hand. “Stay put, but if you do have to move, try to stay behind me. ”
“Works for me.”
As he stood, she noticed he held a gun behind his back. She wanted to scream when he took the three steps down the porch, leaving her behind.
A black SUV rolled to a stop only twenty feet from Josh. “Who’s there?” he yelled.
All four doors opened. The first man to show his face was the man she knew as Gray Eyes. She clenched her fists, and her face heated the moment Kirk rounded the back of the dark vehicle with a shitty grin plastered on his face. Liam, looking unharmed and slightly amused, stood behind the driver’s side door. Finally, Craypo emerged from the back seat.
“Liam?” she called, standing, staring at her brother’s unbruised face and palming her own swollen cheek. “Are you okay? You don’t look hurt.” Part of her prayed that everyone had been wrong about Liam, but deep down, she knew her brother had betrayed her in the worst way possible.
The jackass had the nerve to smile at her. “Thanks for helping us out with this problem.” He pointed to Josh. “We really couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You bastard,” she said under her breath. She hadn’t expected him to come right out and tell her what a fool she’d been. “You’re disgusting.”
Grey Eyes placed his hands on his hips. “Josh, I know you’ve got a gun behind your back. Toss it over.”
Delaney watched in horror as Josh dropped the weapon then kicked it across the gravel driveway.
The moment Kirk picked it up and pointed it at Josh, she bolted down the steps, clenching her fists.
“Stop, Delaney.” Josh held up his hand.
“Hi, baby,” Kirk said, blowing her a kiss. “Were you about to come running back to Daddy?”
Her stomach tightened. “What are you doing here?” she asked, narrowing her gaze, inching forward. Her body scorched as if her skin had been replaced by fire.
Josh looked over his shoulder. He cocked his head. She caught his gaze. They’d only spent days together, but days in close quarters, flirting, fighting, loving. His eyes narrowed, as if to speak to her. The way his mouth twitched, and the way he wrinkled his forehead, she knew exactly what he was trying to convey to her.
Calm down.
She nodded as he spoke the words. She loved him, and every one of these assholes threatened the one good thing she had left. A fist of anger curled in her gut, making her want blood. She embraced it.
The gun pressed against the small of her back, taunted her. She wanted to point it right at Kirk’s heart.
“What, baby?” Kirk stepped forward, opening his arms. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“I’m not your baby,” she said, behind gritted teeth.
Kirk laughed. “Hey, Josh. She get wet for you?” Kirk cocked the gun in her direction. Josh took two steps forward.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,” Kirk said. “You know I’ll kill her.”
Delaney held her breath, staring at the wrong end of a weapon, remembering the painful blows to her face when Kirk had backhanded her.
“Hello, Josh,” Craypo said as he sauntered a few steps from the SUV. “How have you been since you killed my family?”
“You put a bomb in my car, and you neglected to tell Nic-”
“Don’t you dare speak her name.” Craypo slammed the SUV door. “You’ve never made things easy for yourself, and this situation isn’t any different.”
“What does that mean?”
“That one over there.” Craypo pointed to Delaney. “I didn’t think she’d be able to do it, but as it turns out, she has a great deal of loyalty to her brother. I like loyalty. You, on the other hand, have no clue what the word means.”
“Neither do you, or you wouldn’t have whored out your own wife.”
Craypo laughed, but it sounded more like a wolf howling at the moon. “Oh, Josh. The entire thing was her idea. You disgusted her. Every time she came home, she’d shower to get your touch off her body. She only slept with you out of loyalty to me.”
“If that’s how you need to spin it so you can sleep at night, feel free.”
“You must be wondering why I’m here.” Craypo’s voice cut through the dense fog.
“I suspect you’re here to kill me and you used Delaney to help that happen,” Josh said with a sense of eerie calmness.
“Killing you was plan B,” Craypo said. “I would have preferred to watch you suffer as they stripped away your medal and all your honor to your parents’ memory.”
“It’s not like you to murder someone without fucking with them first,” Josh said.
“Trust me. I’m going to have my fun with you.”
Josh shifted his stance. “Tell me something, then.”
“What’s that?” Craypo asked.
“I want you to admit to being an arms dealer. To selling machine guns that ended up killing twenty-five Marines, three years ago. I want to hear you admit to hiring a hitman to take out the competition.”
“You spent a year with me. Why do you need me to say it?”
“Because I have a feeling I’m going to be taking it to my grave today, and I want to go there hearing those words. That I had enough to put you away. That I did my job.”
Delaney swallowed her pulse
“Don’t do it,” Kirk said. “He’s buying time.”
“Josh just isn’t that bright.” Craypo grinned. “I sold illegal weapons. Even sold them from jail. I’ve conspired to commit murder. I know you had enough to put me away, which is why I wanted you dead. Can we get on with this?”
“Not until you tell me what this has to do with Delaney and her brother.”
“Baby, get one of those chairs,” Kirk said to Delaney.
Her heart tumbled to her gut. “Why?”
Grey Eyes tossed a roll of duct tape at her. “Tie him up.”
She froze, staring at Josh.
“It’s okay. Go ahead,” Josh said in a level tone. Any normal person in a situation like this would have freaked out, but not him. Not her Josh.
Josh sat in the chair, hands on the armrest. His green-gold eyes caught her gaze, and tears welled in her eyes. She stood there, mouth open, unable to say anything.
“Delaney, just do it.” He gave her that look again. That look that, in the chaos and danger assuaged her fear just enough to do as they told her.
“Wrap the tape around his arms and legs,” Kirk said.
She knelt in front of Josh, staring up at him as she fumbled, muscles twitching, with the corners of the tape. How could Josh sit with such composure while a man held a gun to him? She choked on her breath while she tried to wrap the tape around Josh’s ankles, then his hands, hoping she left enough wiggle room for him to escape. His forefinger stroked her wrist right before she bent to rip the tape with her teeth. The gun tucked in the back of her shorts shifted. She paused, hoping it hadn’t peeked out from under her sweatshirt.
“Step away,” Kirk commanded.
“What are you going to do now?” She stood next to Josh, not wanting to leave his side. Her fingers tingled. The desire to pull the gun out and shoot someone scared her.
“Josh is going to kill himself,” Craypo said with a twisted grin.
“Kind of hard to do that when I’m tied up,” Josh retorted. The cool timbre of his voice soothed her nerves, but didn’t settle the acid boiling in her stomach.
“We’ve got it all figured out,” Kirk said. “Your track record with the ladies and your inherent death wish threw you over the edge. You’ve been acting erratic lately.”
Josh actually cracked a smile, which sent Delaney’s pulse into overdrive. Never in her life would she have expected to be held at gunpoint. Arms dealers belonged in the news or the movies. Not in the mountains, chasing down a no-name girl and a cop. Her skin prickled as if thousands of spiders crawled up her body.
“You know I’m not going to do that,” Josh said.
“Oh, yes, you will.” Kirk continued to stare at her, taunting her with his ominous smile.
“People in town are talking about how you’ve been unraveling, and we got our hands on your medical records,” Grey Eyes said. “Your shrink mentions an inappropriate relationship with a suspect’s wife.”
“All documented.” Josh shrugged. “And my co-workers won’t accept that I up and shot myself. There will be an investigation, and in the end, my death will be ruled as a homicide, and you’ll be first on the suspect list.”
“I wouldn’t count on that,” Kirk said. “We spoke to a little blond spitfire who told us she couldn’t work with you because you’re so unstable.”
Delaney looked at Josh. He had that look again. The one where he spoke to her and she understood him. Understood the plan that he was forming in his head.
“Ever think my co-worker might have been giving you a line of crap?” Josh asked.
“Perhaps.” Kirk winked at Delaney, and she had half a mind to flip him off. “But, the clincher is, Delaney sent her brother a note saying she was concerned about her safety, and if anything happened to her, it was at your hand.”
“Who forged her handwriting?” Josh asked.
Craypo smiled like a cat who’d just caught a big, fat mouse. “No one, because she’s going to do it now.”
Kirk waggled his finger at her, smiling and winking. “Come to Daddy, baby.”
“If you don’t stop calling me that, I’m—”
“Going to do what?” Kirk aimed the gun at Josh.
She stepped between Josh and the gun.
“Get out of the way, Delaney,” Josh said in a deadly tone.
“Aww, that is so cute,” Liam said. “But you can’t save him, so move.” Her brother held up a pad of paper and a pen.
“I’m not going to be a part of this,” she snapped.
“You don’t have a choice,” Liam said.
“Get over here, baby, and write the note.” Kirk blew her a kiss.
“Do it,” Josh said. “Now.”
She craned her head in his direction, scrunching her face.
He arched his brows. “Delaney.”
“Fine.”
“Come here, baby,” Kirk cooed.
“I’m not your baby.” She felt her nose flare as she took in shallow breaths, taking small steps toward a man she loathed. A man who’d nearly stripped her of all dignity. A man who now pointed a gun at her.
Once on the other side, she turned and faced Josh. A tear stung in the corner of her eye.
“Did you fuck her?” Kirk asked.
“I did,” Josh said.
Delaney’s heart beat in one continuous pulse. She knew Josh was trying to get under their skin, but she was tired of her sex life being the topic of conversation.
“Shocking.” Kirk laughed. “She’s a frigid bitch.”
“You are so wrong,” Josh said. His eyes burning with something that looked like pride, and maybe something more. “She’s the best I’ve ever had. Mind-blowing.”
She glared at Josh.
“It’s true,” he said. “That asshole doesn’t know what a real woman looks like and—”
A hard yank of her hair cut the words short. “What the hell!” The handgun in her shorts shifted slightly. Her brother slammed her head against the hood of the SUV. Stabbing pain ricocheted through her brain.
“Let her go,” Josh said in a dark tone. “She has nothing to do with this anymore.”
“You don’t know shit.” Liam released his death grip on her arms, then shoved a piece of paper in front of her. “Listen carefully, and write these words.”
Delaney took the pen, rage gliding across her skin from her toes to her head.
“‘Liam,’” her brother started, “‘I’m scared. I met a man named Josh Burdette. He’s a State Trooper, but something is very off with him, and I’m afraid he’s going to hurt me. I’ve been trying to get away, but he won’t let me. If something happens to me, he did it. Please help. I’m in Lake George. Sis.’”
“Why would I send a letter?” She signed her name, and then slammed the pen down. “I would email you or leave you a text or voicemail.” She tried not to look around for Josh’s friends, wondering why in hell they hadn’t swooped in to save the day.
“You did both,” Kirk said. “But we need your prints on something to make sure this scenario sticks.”
Her brother tapped on her phone and then played a message that sounded like her, pleading with him to come get her.
“That’s not me,” she said.
“Oh, but it is. Got to love technology,” Kirk said. “Let’s get on with this.”
“What’s going to happen to Delaney after you kill me?” Josh demanded.
“You really are a sucker,” Craypo said. “You’re going to kill her before you shoot yourself.”
She stared at Josh as her heart rate slowed to a crawl. A wave of nausea hit her stomach. “Liam, why the hell are you doing this?”
“This is beautiful,” Kirk said. “Sending you was Liam’s idea. He wanted you ruined just as much as we wanted to ruin Blondie, over there.”
“Why?” She looked at Liam, who stood two paces from her. Kirk still held a gun on Josh. “Tell me. I’m going to die anyway, so I think you owe it to me.”
“Dad always loved you more,” Liam said. “Daddy’s little princess. You had everything you ever wanted, and I had to work my ass off, and all he ever said to me was that I needed to learn to take care of myself and stop asking for handouts.”
“You always expected Mom and Dad to bail you out of trouble.”
“Why don’t you tell her what you know about their death.” Kirk stood next to her, looping his arm across her shoulders.
She shuddered in disgust as he licked her cheek. “Get the hell away from me.” She tried to shrug his bulky arm off her shoulders, but he held her tighter.
“I think you should tell her who really killed them,” Kirk said.
Either her adrenaline kicked in, or she’d lost her mind, but a crazy plan began to form in Delaney’s head. She eyed Kirk, who waltzed toward Josh, twenty-five paces away. “Tell me, Liam.”
“He had to prove his loyalty,” Craypo said.
Delaney’s vision blurred as she processed Craypo’s words.
“It’s all Dad’s fault,” Liam said. “Had he not pushed me away, none of this would have happened.”
“Did you kill our parents?”
Liam’s lips turned up in a menacing smile. “After Craypo’s man hit them, I raced in and strangled them.”
Delaney sucked in a deep breath, letting it ease out, but nothing could stop the hatred swarming in her gut, or the twitching need to feel gunmetal in her palm.
Kirk stood next to Josh, twisting his arm, trying to put the gun into Josh’s clenched fist.
“This is not happening,” she said sternly. Taking a few steps backward, keeping Josh in her peripheral vision, she pulled her weapon then pointed it at Craypo’s head.
“Jesus Christ,” Craypo yelled. “Put that thing down.”
“No.” The tremors in her hands had disappeared. “Kirk, get away from Josh, or I will shoot.” At that moment, she thought she heard the whistle Jake had made earlier. She prayed he and his buddies were about to swoop in, but she wasn’t going to let herself feel any sense of relief until Josh was safe.
“Give me the gun,” her brother said, holding out his hand, inching forward.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,” Josh said. “Trust me, she’ll shoot. Even if she doesn’t, you touch her, and I’ll kill you.”
“Scared, little pathetic Delaney isn’t going to shoot anyone,” Kirk said.
“Guess you don’t know her very well.” Josh kept his hands clenched.
“She shoots, and bullets start flying,” Kirk taunted. “We have men surrounding this shithole.”
A quick burst of heat rippled to her brain, her finger hovering over the trigger as she focused on the front window of the SUV.
Another whistle in the distance.
“Go ahead, babe. Show them what you’re made of,” Josh said.
Keeping the gun on Craypo, she cocked her head. “You made Liam kill my parents and turned him into a criminal.”
“Not exactly how that happened, little lady,” Craypo said. “Now put that gun down, and we can negotiate.”
Liam took two steps closer to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kirk staring at her with an amused grin, but he pointed his gun at her.
Now or never. Adjusting her aim, she squeezed the trigger. A loud pop and the sound of shattering glass echoed through her ears.
“Fuck!” Craypo ducked, throwing his hands over his face. “You crazy fucking bitch.” He dropped to the ground, his face bleeding from tiny pieces of glass. A shard had lodged itself in his biceps, Blood trickled steadily down his clothes.
She opened her mouth, but someone sngagged her hair, whipping her around. “Let me go!” Struggling to break free, gripping the gun, she stomped on her brother’s foot.
Liam pushed her to the ground.
“Fucking asshole.” She rolled, aiming the gun at her brother’s shoulder.
Bang!
“Bitch!” Her brother dropped to the ground. “You shot me!”
“That’s my girl,” Josh said. “Aim for Kirk. He’s coming for you.”
Turning, she pointed the weapon at Kirk’s chest, but he didn’t stop. She aimed for the ground next to his shoe and pulled the trigger.
Kirk jumped. “You’re fucking nuts. I’m going to enjoy squeezing the life out of you with my bare hands.”
Behind Kirk, she saw Jake coming around the corner of the house with two men, their hands tied behind their backs.
“Drop the weapon,” Jake yelled. He shoved the two men to their knees before taking a knife from his pocket and freeing one of Josh’s hands.
“Pull the trigger if you have to,” Josh said as he shook out his hands.
Kirk raised his gun at Delaney, smiling.
She held hers steady on his chest, fear creeping back into her.
“Don’t do it, Kirk,” Josh said as he cut the tape off his last leg, taking the gun his buddy offered. He raised the gun, two-handed. “You’re surrounded, and we have your men. Put the fucking gun down. Last chance.”
“I don’t care. I want her dead.”
“Not today,” she whispered, pulling the trigger.
Bang!
Her body jerked as she watched the bullet rip through Kirk’s thigh. He screamed and twisted as he dropped to the ground.
“Asshole,” she muttered as she got to her feet and walked to Kirk. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a man.” She spat in his face before pressing her heel over his hands, which clutched his bleeding wound.
“Fucking bitch, get off me.”
“That’s enough,” Josh said, tugging at her arm.
Her chest heaved as she stared into Josh’s eyes.
“Step away,” Josh whispered. “It’s over.”
She nodded, swallowing her breath.
“It’s far from over,” Craypo said. “None of this will stick, and then I’ll hunt you down. No games. No bullshit. Just a bullet between the eyes.”
Josh hoisted Kirk up against the SUV, securing his wrists, then turned his attention to Delaney. He held her by the shoulders. “You gonna be okay?”
“I’m not dead,” she said, letting the words fall out in a big whoosh.
“That’s my girl.” He cupped her face, fanning his thumbs under her eyes. “That’s going to be a nasty bruise.”
“I’m going to bleed to death,” Liam whined.
“I shot you in the shoulder,” she said as she stood over him, her skin hot with rage. “And just barely.” As she looked down at her brother, any positive emotion she’d ever had for him left in one beat of her heart. “You’re a heartless bastard. I hope you rot in prison.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Craypo said.
“I’ve got you on conspiracy to commit murder, not to mention your past transgressions,” Josh said, pulling the wiretap out of his pocket. He knelt. “I recorded everything, and I did it legally, so you’re going away for a very long time.”
Sirens blared in the background
“Hear that?” Reese asked as he and Jake attended to everyone’s wounds. “And that’s not just the State Police.”
The fog lifted and the sun tried to punch through the clouds.
Delaney bit back a sob. No way was she going to lose it in front of her brother and Kirk now. She leaned against a large tree, struggling for air. She’d shot someone. Two people.
But she was alive.
Josh had been right, that if someone threatened the people she loved, she’d be able to pull the trigger.
Craypo laughed, a high pitch like fingernails screeched across a chalkboard. “Doesn’t matter if you brought down every alphabet agency on me. I will still bring you down.” He pointed up to Josh while he applied pressure to his wounds.
“Not happening
“Did you know I met your father once?” Craypo smiled. Blood squirted from his cheek where a larger piece of glass stuck out.
“What are you babbling about?” Josh asked as he tied his belt around Craypo’s arm.
“Your father died in the line of duty, three months and two days before you were born.” Craypo craned his neck, looking over his shoulder.
“Shut up,” Josh said as he pulled the belt tight. Maybe a little too tight, by the look on Craypo’s face.
“Your dad was involved in a stand-down with a couple of idiots who robbed a gas station, only it was all staged so I could carry out a hit, which was my loyalty—”
“You’re lying,” Josh said.
Craypo shook his head. “It was a hot day. One of the hottest days on record. Your father was parked in a lot across the street. I know because I tailed him for two days before I could get the plan right. I wanted to shoot him before it even started, but even back then, I was a patient man. Did it just like I was instructed.”
“You’re just fucking with me.”
Delaney inched closer as Josh continued to tug at the belt.
“Your dad had been doing paperwork when my buddies ran out of the gas station. My first bullet tore into his bulletproof vest, and it was enough to drop him to the pavement. I walked over to him, knelt, and shot him right here.” Craypo tapped Josh’s temple. “His brain—”
“Shut the fuck up.” Josh grabbed Craypo by his neck.
“Delaney, stop him,” Reese shouted.
“Don’t you ever say anything about my father.” Josh held Craypo’s neck, his face turned red, but he smiled like it was exactly what he wanted.
Delaney dropped to her knees next to Josh and tugged on his thick, hard biceps. “No! Josh. Don’t do this.” Josh didn’t seem to hear her. His eyes narrowed to tiny slits until she was barely able to able to see the green of his eyes. His lips drew into a tight line. “Josh! He’s messing with you, trying to get inside your head.”
“You’re wrong, little lady,” Craypo said in a snide tone. His voice strained under the pressure. “I kept something from that day.” Craypo gasped for air. “A picture of a beautiful pregnant woman wearing jeans, and a white shirt with a big Easter egg on the front.”
“You’re a dead man,” Josh said. He squeezed Craypo’s neck tighter. The man’s face turned blueish red.
Delaney twisted, doing her best to push Josh away, but his grip around Craypo was too tight. “Stop it, Josh. He’s not worth ruining your career. Look at me.” She touched Josh’s face. Fire poured out of every inch of his body. He blinked a few times, then nodded as he released his grip.
“Imagine my surprise when I found out you were his kid. Oh, my God. I nearly creamed my pants with the anticipation of putting you down, too.”
“You fucking bastard.” Josh punched him, the strike landing on Craypo’s nose with a loud crackle.
“Police brutality.” Craypo laughed, holding his bloody face.
Delaney quickly positioned herself between Josh and Craypo.
“You need to stop,” she whispered.
“He didn’t kill your fath—”
“No, he didn’t. He had my brother do it,” she said as Jake and Reese grabbed Josh’s arms, hoisting him to his feet.
“Go to the porch,” Reese said over the blaring sounds of sirens screaming down the road. “Let us handle the rest of this mess.”
Josh uttered a few curses as he stomped away, grabbing the chair he’d been tied to and hurling it at the house.
She took a couple of steps before Jake grabbed her arm. “I’ve never seen him that angry in the year I’ve known him.”
“Could Craypo have killed his father?” she asked.
Jake closed his eyes for a brief moment before blinking them open. “Josh has a picture of his mother in that outfit.”
A snapping noise drew her attention toward the cabin. Josh had kicked a post in the railing, breaking it, and he held half in his hand.
“Do you think you can calm him down before he destroys my cabin?”
“I’ll do my best,” she said, looking Jake in the eye. “I didn’t think you and Reese were coming.”
“We had some problems making sure Craypo’s men didn’t ambush you.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” Jake asked.
“Having my back and saving us.”
“You’re the one who saved yourself and Josh. I should be thanking you.” He smiled as the first police car rolled into the clearing. “We’re going to have a lot of company, so talk him down before any cops see him like that.” An ambulance and more police cars pulled in. Paramedics and people in uniform walked around, talking to Craypo and his men. They waved Jake over. “I need to go,” he said.
“I’ll take care of Josh.”
“Thanks,” Jake said.
Squaring her shoulders, she walked to the cabin. “Josh.”
He glared at her, the wooden spindle gripped in his hand, poised to do more damage.
“Beating down a building isn’t going to change things.”
“I know that,” he said. “But I want to hurt him… No, I want to kill him.”
“No, you don’t,” she said, inching closer, watching his fiery green eyes . “You’re hurting and grieving.”
“Don’t go there.” He raised the spindle. “You have no idea what I’m going through.”
“Are you serious?” She stepped closer. “My own brother killed our parents. Kirk used me to hurt you. I wanted to kill them both, and I had that power in my hands, but that wouldn’t make me any better than they are, and I damn well know you’re better than that.”
Josh stared at her, his mouth tight.
“What I did was terrifying. I’m not a mean person, nor do I like violence,” she said, choking on the words. “I’m doing a lot of things I had no idea I was capable of. But seeing you like this is far worse. This isn’t the man I lo- I’ve come to know. Don’t let Craypo get the best of you.” She looked over her shoulder at all the men, either bleeding or in handcuffs. Craypo smiled like they were best friends, then blew her a kiss.
Josh stopped forward, looking over her head, but she pressed both hands on his chest.
“Get out of my way,” he barked.
“No.” She cupped his face. “Look at me.”
“I’m going to fucking kill him, so move, or I’ll move you.”
“Damn it, Josh. Look at me.” She rose up on tiptoe, forcing him to see her. His green eyes snapped to her. “You’re giving him what he wants. He’s getting off on this right now. Is that what you want?”
“It felt so good to have my fingers around his neck.”
“That’s rage, and it’s not who you are. You can’t kill him.”
“I could have.” He dropped the wooden stick. “I wanted to.”
“I know,” she whispered, sliding her hands down his shoulders. His muscles relaxed a little. “I keep thinking how easy it would have been to hit Kirk in the chest, but that would change me in ways I don’t think I could have recovered from.”
“I’ve killed men.” Josh rested his hands on her hips, looking deep into her eyes.
“Not because you wanted to, but because you had to. There is big difference.”
He dropped his forehead to hers, his body still vibrating with anger.
“Breathe,” she said.
She continued to stare into his eyes, taking big, calming breaths with him, conveying to him with every fiber of her being that it was all going to be okay. “Come on, Josh, let it go.”
“This isn’t over!” Craypo yelled from across the yard.
Josh’s muscles tightened.
“Don’t. If you act on this rage, you’ll be going to prison for murder.”
“I don’t like it when you’re logical,” he said, stepping back and shaking out his arms. “Come on.” He took her by the hand, pulling her around the side of the porch.
“Where are we going?”
“Just around the side of the cabin. Out of the way, so we can have a moment alone.”
“Don’t we need to talk to all those people or something?”
“Eventually.” He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight, dropping his head to her shoulder. “I’m sorry about your parents, and that you had to find out about your brother this way.”
“It’s not your fault,” she whispered, reaching under his arms. His muscles twitched as she rested her hands on the small of his back. “I feel like a fool, though.”
“You’re trusting, but not a fool,” he said, kissing her neck. “You’re trembling.”
“I’m having a hard time believing all this happened. The moment I saw Kirk, it was like I was having an out-of-body experience. The part of me that wasn’t really here is coming back.”
“That’s a good way to describe it.” He kissed her cheek.
“You’ve felt like that?”
“Many times. Otherwise, I might not be able to do what’s necessary.”
An ambulance blipped, causing her to jerk back.
“The next few days are going to be rough.”
“I think it will be longer than that.” She let him draw her back into his arms. Saying goodbye to him would be damn near impossible. “How did all these people get here so fast?”
“Once the wiretap became legal, backup headed this way, placing themselves at a safe distance. I’m glad Craypo’s people didn’t see them. Things might have ended differently.”
She shivered at the thought. Rising up on tiptoe, she kissed his cheek, even though she would rather have felt their mouths come together one last time.
“That’s all I get?” He circled his arms tightly around her waist. “You can do better than that.”
Her body warmed with a mix of fear and pure love. She dropped her hands to her sides. “I don’t think we could ever—”
“Josh,” Jake yelled. “We need you and Delaney over here.”
Josh tilted his head. “This conversation isn’t over.”