It had taken two weeks to get permission, but she’d finally laid her uncle to rest out on the cliffs behind her house. A stone table marked the burial place, and on the day of his funeral, she and his friends had covered it with a feast for the celebration, as he would have wanted it.
Malcolm had been by her side the entire time. He was always doing things behind the scenes, like making a meal when she forgot to eat. He’d been out front, cutting the bushes that needed tending, and out back, he’d cleared the trail to the cliffs.
At night—at night, he’d talk to her body without words, marking her his own, over and over.
But she was still scared.
Burying her uncle here meant one thing, and one thing only.
She couldn’t leave this place, her home.
But she didn’t want to stop this thing between her and Malcolm. He was right. They were meant to be together. Thank God. Thank…Uncle Bert. Thank her parents, for loving her and showing her what it meant to stick by each other. Thank Malcolm, for seeing more than the thief.
“Hawk’s here.”
Marie looked up from her seat on the floor in the attic, where she was going through old photo albums. The afternoon sun cut through the dust and hit Malcolm’s feet at the top of the steps. He had his serious face on, and as much as she loved his serious face, she missed seeing his rare smiles.
“I’ll be right down.”
He looked around, probably saw the chaos that was her life right now, and took a step toward her. “Wanna make out instead?”
And there it was…his grin.
She waggled her brows. “Yeah, baby,” she answered, putting the books down and getting up to meet him halfway. She jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. She felt the slow ache of arousal, and it brought a smile to her face as she put her lips to his. “God, Malcolm,” she whispered.
His hands crossed behind her back, holding her tightly against him. He buried his nose into her neck and breathed deeply. She let her head fall back, and he left enticing, warm kisses up to her ear, where he bit lightly on her lobe. He moaned, sending a tremor through her body, before he smacked her rear.
“Hawk’s waiting.”
She pouted. “Fine. But it was your idea.”
“I couldn’t help myself.”
“Ha!”
He led the way back down the stairs and turned into the dining room.
They were all there. Hawk and Stacy. John and Emily. Bobby. Craig. Jamie. Even Tancredo had flown out.
Hawk stood and came toward her, using his hand as a guide on the back of the chairs.
“You’re all here,” she said, as nerves raced through her. Was this it? Last call for Marie Feur? Well, she didn’t have to take it sitting down. “I’m glad you’re all here, actually. Because I have something to say.”
Malcolm lifted a brow her way, but she ignored it and cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry, baby,” she said to Malcolm. “Look. I’m staying here.” Her lip trembled. “I can’t—”
“Before you continue,” Hawk interrupted her.
She turned to him and saw a smile on Stacy’s face.
“Okay, what’s going on here?” Marie asked.
“We’re opening a West Coast office of Hawk Elite,” Hawk answered. “It’s been in the works for about six months. Dimitru was to have been our first client. He fell through—”
“Thank fuck,” Malcolm said.
Hawk whacked him on the back of the head. “Portland will the base of operations. Any volunteers willing to stay here and get the wheels turning?”
“Yes, sir,” Malcolm answered before Marie could even blink.
“I’ll second that,” Craig answered.
Marie stared at Malcolm, her brain grinding to a halt, every fear she’d had in the past two weeks sitting at the edge of oblivion. “Are you serious?”
“It’s what I came to tell you. But, your uncle died. You’ve been busy with funeral arrangements and working through your own things.” Malcolm rubbed a hand over his mouth and then scratched at the hair on his jaw. “You still want to quit? Fine. But see, here’s the deal. I’m not leaving you here. I made a promise to Uncle Bert. And I intend to keep it.”
She dropped to the nearest chair. She didn’t have to quit. She didn’t have to watch Malcolm walk away for Raleigh. Not permanently, anyway.
She had a chance to be a better person. “I’m staying with Hawk Elite.”
“Hooah.” Jamie’s deep voice sounded off.
Marie had eyes only for Malcolm, who was grinning.
Her lip trembled. “Fuck,” she whispered, her insides shaking from the will to not cry. A tear slipped out anyway.
“S’okay, folks. She’s just happy,” Malcolm said as he walked over and placed a hand at the nape of her neck. He crouched next to her and pulled her into his arms.
She started laughing. “I thought I was going to have to kidnap you to stay with me.”
“Even after you promised no more stealing?”
“Totally different,” she said. “Kidnapping is federal. Lots more jail time. I promised no more off-script stealing.”
Malcolm looked around at the others, who were all anxiously holding their breaths, then he looked into her eyes. “You won’t have to kidnap me…or steal anything.
“I’m all yours.”
The Fucking End
…or is it?
Though I don’t have the next book planned, you can count on another book or two from this series. After the new year, after some brain rest, I’ll wake up in the cold of January, ready to get back to work!!
If you want to hear about what’s coming next and when, sign up for my newsletter. Not only will you get a free, full length novel to tide you over, you’ll be first in line to hear about who is up next for a story in the Hawk Elite Security novels.
Will it be Craig?
Or Bobby?
Perhaps my second ‘older’ favorite, Jamie.
So many directions to take…
Stay tuned!