Karsen
“I know you’re mad at me, and you have every right to be, but can you at least pretend you’re happy for us?” Race’s question startled me out of my thoughts.
I looked up at the stunningly handsome man I was supposed to be slow dancing with and realized at some point during the song my feet stopped moving and we were doing nothing more than standing in the center of the ornate dance floor. The rest of the wedding party and guests moved stealthily around us. I could see Dovie watching us over Bax’s shoulder as he spun her around. They both looked incredibly good in their formal wear. Bax’s star tattoo that hovered near his eye made him appear particularly rakish when he was decked out in a tux. There was concern on Dovie’s face, and I was pretty sure none of it was directed at me. She was worried I was going to ruin her big brother’s special day. I’d done a pretty spectacular job of avoiding Race during the days preceding the wedding, but there was no way I could turn him down when he asked me for this dance. It would have been rude and drawn even more attention to the fact I was mentally strung out and nowhere near present for my sister’s big day.
I started moving again, easily gliding back into the elegant rhythm Race set. He came from the kind of background that required him to attend cotillions. He was a good dancer and easy to follow, but my concentration was shot to hell and I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding the fact I wanted to be somewhere else.
“I’m so sorry, Karsen. I’m sorry you were hurt. I’m sorry I put you in danger when all I wanted to do was protect you. I fucked everything up when all I was trying to do was fix things for Brysen. I don’t admit to making many mistakes, but this was a huge one and I’m not sure what I can do to make it right.”
His jade gaze was full of honest remorse and his apology felt sincere. As with my sister, I understood his motivation, and all the reasons why he interfered. And maybe given enough time, I would be able to openly admit I needed those four years to figure things out, and I appreciated both of their devotion to putting me on a path that would ultimately lead me right back where I started. However, I wasn’t even close to being there yet.
“I am happy for you. Brysen is glowing. I know you will always put her first. She deserves nothing less. She always sacrificed herself to take care of everyone else. You were the first person in her life who always took care of her above all else. I know you will keep her safe and protect our family with everything you have in you.” I lifted an eyebrow. “Even if we don’t necessarily need protecting. Yeah, I’m pissed at you, Race, but I still love you. I always will.”
He gave me a little twirl and pulled me back with a flourish. He was wearing a navy blue tux jacket made out of velvet with black satin lapels. It was stylish and sharp, and totally him. He looked like one of the fairy-tale princes found in a Disney movie.
“You just happen to love Booker more.”
It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t bother to answer it. Instead, I met his glowing gaze and dipped my chin in a barely there nod of agreement. “If you want to make things right, you can start by offering him the same pretty apology you just gave me. He’s the one who deserves it most. You did him wrong, Race.”
A scowl slipped across his handsome face and I let my eyes drift to the bruise on his forehead that his golden hair didn’t quite cover. “I think Booker and I are as good as we’re going to get. He’s not going to forgive or forget, which is his right. I don’t know how I could come to terms with anyone who had a hand in keeping me from Brysen. I think the fact that we’ve agreed not to kill each other moving forward is as good as it’s going to get. He’s welcome here. This is his home. I won’t try and take it away from him.”
I snorted. Like he could take anything away from Booker again even if he wanted to. My man had learned his lesson about giving up without a fight, and there was no way he was going to let anyone railroad him ever again. I looked over Race’s shoulder to where Brysen was sitting at a table with our mother. She was having a good day, and she looked really, really happy for my sister. I wasn’t foolish enough to think they were having a sweet mother-daughter moment. The reception had an open bar and every single guest had a flute of champagne in their hand. Brysen was watching our mom like a hawk to make sure she didn’t relapse and grab a drink while no one was looking. I was keeping an eye on her until Race commandeered me for the dance.
I sighed and looked up at the man who had given me everything and had also taken it all away.
Before I could say anything, Race lifted his eyebrows and a frown tugged at his mouth. “You aren’t staying in the Point, are you?”
He was too observant for his own good. How he knew that when I’d only recently figured it out myself was scary. “I have to talk to Booker first, but no. I don’t think we’re going to stay here.”
He studied me for a long moment. When he spoke, there was nothing but patient understanding in his voice. “You’re worried you won’t ever have your own life here. You’re afraid your place in the Point is always going to be defined by me and the other people constantly looking out for you. Somewhere along the way, this city became claustrophobic and too small for all the things you’re meant to do.”
I swallowed past a rising lump of emotion in my throat. Once again, we stopped moving as people twisted and twirled around us. “You taught me well, Race. I watched all the good you and Nassir did for this city in the dark. Sometimes you have to play dirty in order to win the game. You’ve given so many people opportunities to thrive and succeed in a place that was failing. You brought this place back to life by breaking the law. Do you know how many other towns and cities are out there that could use the same tough love the Point’s been given?”
He reached out and pushed one of the curls currently twisted around my head in an artfully designed updo off my forehead. “I imagine there are too many to count. I know your man comes from one of them.”
I nodded. “He does. He has a lot of bad memories from his town. I want to wipe it off the map and rebuild it from the ground up. He deserves to have a complete reset on his past. He deserves to be a part of making that happen. He’s earned it.”
“Does he know you want to become the new Robin Hood?” Finally, Race’s normal, charming grin worked its way back to his face. “Taking from the rich and giving to the poor has been around long before either you or I thought about doing it.”
I couldn’t help but grin back at him. “I don’t think he knows what I have in mind, but he’ll follow me wherever I go. He proved that when he came to Colorado.”
Race grunted in begrudging agreement and his gaze finally shifted away from mine to scan the crowd. All our friends and family were there, with the notable exceptions of Stark and Booker. Noe rolled into the reception well after the first dance started and pulled me aside for a quick update. She was glued to her phone, even as Key talked her ear off about something, while Nassir stroked the bare length of his wife's back. Only Keelyn would show up to a wedding in a dress better suited to a burlesque show in Vegas.
“Is your missing date the reason you look like you’ve been sucking on lemons?” He had no idea his entire digital security system was down. Stark was keeping that information quiet, not wanting Race to take his attention away from his bride to deal with something the hacker felt was his failure and responsibility. Noe was keeping an eye on the hotel, just in case the breach had farther reaching consequences than the condo.
“Something came up. He promised to take care of it so I could be here. It’s hard when you want to be in two places at once. My body's here, but my mind is definitely elsewhere. I know that’s not fair to you and Brysen, but the harder I try to be present, the more my mind wanders.” He offered his arm and guided me off the dance floor. My mother and Brysen both smiled so big it was nearly blinding.
“Do you want to tell me what came up? I know you might not believe me, but I don’t want to see anything happen to Booker. Not when your happiness is tied so directly to him.” He grunted quietly when I dug my elbow into his ribs.
“Now isn’t the time for that. I trust Booker to handle it, and I don’t think he needs, or wants, your help.” In fact, I knew he would rather walk barefoot over glass than ask Race for anything. He wasn’t walking into the situation alone. Far from it. But he trusted the people he had at his back. The same could not be said for how he felt about my brother-in-law. I leaned up and kissed Race on the cheek. “Go dance with your wife. Whisk her away on a romantic honeymoon. Give her a week where she doesn’t have to worry about you every time you walk out the door. She needs that.”
Race pulled me into a hug and touched his lips to the center of my forehead. “Honestly, so do I. You know nothing is going to be the same with you gone, right?”
I rolled my eyes and slipped out of his embrace. “I’ve been gone for years. You and the Point survived. Don’t say anything to Brysen. I’ll talk to her when I’m ready.”
He nodded solemnly and strode over to Brysen. He claimed his bride with a possessive gleam in his eye. When they waltzed away, disappearing on the dance floor, I fell into Brysen’s abandoned seat and looked at my mother out of the corner of my eye. She had been so beautiful once, before addiction did its damage. After hearing Booker’s story, all things considered, Brysen and I were lucky she’d taken help when Race offered it.
“You look lovely, Karsen. So grown up.” She offered a tenuous smile and fiddled with her glass of water. “I’m so proud of both of you.” A wistful expression crossed her face. “I’m sorry your father isn’t here to see all you’ve both accomplished.”
Race wouldn’t let my old man anywhere near Brysen. And I couldn’t blame him. “It’s all right, Mom. I know Brysen is very excited you made it today. She was very happy to share her big day with her family.”
She smiled at me again and returned my side-eye look. “How about you? Is there anyone special in your life? Are you going to be walking down the aisle next?”
I bit back a laugh. The big, expensive dream wedding was always more up Brysen's alley than mine. Our images of happily ever after never really did line up with one another.
“I’ve been in love with the same man since I was sixteen. Do you remember Booker? The big guy who went with us when Race checked you into rehab?”
Her eyes widened and she slowly nodded. “He’s a very handsome man. Shame about what happened to his face. He would be a real heartbreaker without his scar.”
I sucked in a sharp retort and reached for one of the glasses of water on the table. “I love his scar. You would, too, if you knew what he went through to get it. He’s a special kind of man. One who is reliable and stronger than he knows. He’s taught me so much, and I can’t imagine a life without him.” I was saying this as much for my mother’s benefit as my own. I was ready to claim him in front of the entire world. Finally, I didn’t have to keep my feelings for Noah Booker tightly controlled and in check. I could throw them out into the world and watch them take flight.
My mother’s smile wavered and she reached out to brush the back of her finger over my cheek. Even after all these years of sobriety, they still had a tiny quiver. “Be careful putting any man on a pedestal, sweetheart. I thought your father was the answer to all my prayers, and he took us all down when he proved just how fallible he was.”
I took a drink to keep the harsh accusations on the tip of my tongue at bay. Dad didn’t fall off any pedestal; she didn’t do a thing to keep herself, or us, from going down with him. She hadn’t even tried to save us on the way down.
“Booker isn’t cut from the same cloth as Dad. In fact, he is his own unique fabric that is priceless and impossible to find anywhere else.” The weave he was made of didn’t rip or tear. It was practically indestructible.
Across the room, Noe’s head suddenly shot up from her phone. I only noticed because I’d been watching her, waiting for any change in her behavior. She was my only link to what was going on with Booker and Ari, and I wasn’t going to miss a thing. She turned and said something to Key, who turned to Nassir with a smile. The next thing I knew, the suave, dark-haired criminal had sidled up to my mother, asking her to dance. He was a dazzling man, but there was something in those amber eyes that warned of the dangers lurking beneath the expensive pinstripe suit. My mother hesitated until Key popped on the other side of her, promising that her husband didn't bite unless you asked him to. The blush on my mom’s face was priceless, and so was the expression on Nassir’s. He was the most formidable man I’d ever encountered, but his wife had clearly figured out a way to tame the wild beast. Once my mom was properly distracted, Key inclined her head toward the doorway where Noe was now standing.
“Go. We’ll ride herd on your mom and make sure she doesn’t get into anything she shouldn’t. Nassir will keep an eye on the bride and groom, as well.” She reached out and squeezed my shoulder in silent support as I slipped out of the ballroom as unobtrusively as possible.
As soon as I was in the hallway, Noe snatched my hand and started pulling me toward the bank of elevators. “I have a set up in one of the suites. Stark has us wired into everything happening in Denver. It’s not as good as being there, but we can get front row seats through the live feed.” She paused for a second and tilted her head to the side. “That means if anything goes wrong, you’re going to have to watch it knowing there is nothing you can do.”
“I understand.” It was going to be difficult to sit on my hands while Booker went in, guns blazing, but I believed in him. My problems were his problems, and he was better equipped to deal with this situation than I was. “Let’s go.”
I followed her to one of the suites on the top floor. The furniture in the room was moved around so she could make a command center that looked an awful lot like the one in the basement of the condo complex. She had several computers on the desk that were wired to multiple flat screen TVs.
She plopped down on the end of the bed and picked up a laptop that was thrown carelessly on the mattress. Her brow furrowed and her tongue poked out as she concentrated on the screen in front of her. A few seconds later, all the TVs burst to life and I couldn’t control a gasp when Booker’s unmistakable form filled the frame.
He was standing in front of a warehouse that would fit in perfectly with the crumbling buildings in the heart of the Point. He was dressed all in black, standing next to an impeccably dressed, dark-haired man who looked familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on where I recognized him from.
I was going to ask Noe who he was when Booker suddenly moved and I noticed he’d been blocking a woman.
I nearly choked as I pointed a finger at the screen closest to me and demanded, “Is that Taylor Fucking Swift?!”
Noe nearly fell off the bed, she was laughing so hard.
“No. But she looks enough like her to pass for her . . . or you. Just watch.”
Nodding, I settled in to watch my man do his thing. I braced for the worst but expected the best, because I knew Booker wasn’t going to let me down.