Shae’s eyes drifted shut. The hospital chair was distinctly uncomfortable, but she was exhausted. She had barely done anything. The whole mess with Damask had only taken a few minutes, but the stress of those few minutes combined with the frantic rush to get Hunter to a hospital and making sure Damask didn’t cut a deal with a dirty cop had taken its toll.

She and Tristan had dealt with the police while Toni, Hart, and Gage had made sure Hunter got to the hospital as soon as possible. It was only when the police got there that her suspicions were confirmed. Inside the barrel was a body. Everything inside was so old and worn away that Shae didn’t know how they’d be able to get anything useful, but Damask had been so determined to keep anyone from getting to it that it had to be important.

“Hey there, Tiger,” said Toni.

Shae’s eyes popped open. “Hey,” she said in an obviously drowsy voice. “How’s Hunter?”

Toni shrugged. “He’s seen better days, but he’s out of surgery and seems stable. What the fuck do I know about medicine. But it’s Hunter. I don’t want to overstate someone’s ability to survive, but who else do you know who could get shot there and have it not hit the heart? That’s some kind of talent.”

“You don’t think it was luck?”

Toni let out a little laugh as her head fell back against the wall. “Luck. That’s rich. I don’t believe in luck.”

“Not even a little bit?”

“What would’ve happened if you hadn’t been locked in that closet with Tristan? Hell, what would’ve happened if you hadn’t bought the house Damask used to own and killed his mistress in? What would’ve happened if Scott hadn’t blackmailed my brother-in-law to work for him?”

“Wait, what?” Shae shook her head, not even sure what she should be taking away from that. “Go back to the mistress part.”

“Well, that is my quick guess. Apparently they found his prints on the inside of the barrel. The woman was stuck in there with a journal and what do you want to bet that journal mentions him by name?”

“And he buried her with it?”

Toni shrugged. “I’m going to bet Damask was a very different man back then.”

“How do you even know all this?”

“You know how some people bite their nails when they’re stressed? I hacked into the police station.”

Shae had to laugh at that. Of course that was how Toni would handle stress. “He told me that he loved someone. When Hunter was driving me to Seaside Escape. He said he left her to protect her and never saw her again. I got.... It sounds stupid but when he was shot, I was so worried that he’d never see the woman he loved again.” Shae was trying to sound cool and collected, but the day must’ve caught up to her because she felt a tear roll down her cheek.

“Yeah,” said Toni. “It would be a shame to never tell someone you love them again. Even worse to never tell them at all.”

Shae realized that they suddenly weren’t talking about Hunter anymore. She sat up straighter and shook her head. “No. Tristan and I just—”

“Oh, please, honey. I put you both in the same room for a reason. I’m just saying, there’s an easy job in Tampa that I can assign Tristan. You know, if he asks.”

Her heart leapt at the thought of spending more time with him. She contained her excitement before it got out of hand. “Do you think he’d ask?”

“If he had something to stay for.”

Just then, Tristan rounded the corner and walked toward them. Toni gave Shae a little wink as she stood up. “I’m rooting for you two crazy kids,” she said as she started to walk away. She gave Tristan a naughty smile as she passed, and Shae could feel her cheeks getting red in embarrassment.

Tristan’s brows were furrowed in confusion. “What was that about?”

“Nothing.” Shae bolted up. “Did you see him?”

“The nurse outside his room said visiting hours were over.”

“So.... That’s a yes?”

“I needed to see him for myself, you know?”

She nodded in understanding. She’d only known Hunter for a few days and she was desperate to check on him. That feeling had to be amplified for Tristan. She knew they’d been working together for years.

“You don’t need to stay,” said Tristan.

Oddly enough, he said the words almost... hesitantly. She didn’t remember the last time he’d sounded hesitant about anything.

“You’re a liar,” she said abruptly.

He was silent for a minute as he absorbed the sudden subject change. “You’re not wrong.”

“I don’t really know anything about you. Everything you’ve said could be a lie.”

“I guess that’s just who I am.”

She tightened her lips. This wasn’t going how she wanted this to go. “So I’m right? Was everything a lie?”

“Shae....”

“I just want to know. I mean, everything is confusing and nothing makes sense and I don’t know if I’m losing my mind or not and you’re going to leave now and I really don’t know how I feel about that and—”

Tristan reached out and set his hands on her arms, rubbing them up and down. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Not yet. But—”

“I love the water. That’s true.”

She blinked, remembering the very personal reason for why he loved the water. That deeply personal story he had told her on the beach before everything had gone wrong. Before she had lost control of herself and kissed him.

“Really?”

He nodded, nudging in closer until he was nearly hugging her. “Yes. I love the water and I love you. You can bet your ass both of those things are true.”

A big grin covered her face and, just as though she were on the beach again, she couldn’t help from launching herself into his arms.

~~~THE END~~~