Epilogue
A couple of months later…
Laney poured a full cup of sugar into the bright blue pitcher, making the strawberry Kool-Aid extra sweet for today’s backyard barbecue. Life was sweet. She was still getting used to Riser’s kitchen, but she’d quickly learned her way around.
She stood there and stirred, listening to the sweet music of Lily and Riser’s laughter pouring through the open window behind her. They were playing their new favorite game, the princess and the knight.
Lily had insisted that Riser play the princess in need of rescue today, and he’d taken to the role. Heartily.
Laney picked up the pitcher and crossed to the sink. Looking out the window, she saw Riser lying on his back in the grass with his eyes closed, completely still. Lily came charging up in her pink princess dress with the cardboard sword Riser had made for her.
“I will save you!” Lily charged, not slowing down as she rushed headlong toward Riser.
Laney set the pitcher down on the counter. Oh, no, she was going to fall right over him.
“Lily—”
But Lily cut her off with a battle cry. She pulled up short when she was less than a foot from Riser’s head, twisted her tiny body midair, and dropped an elbow straight into his stomach.
Laney gasped and covered her mouth, every muscle in her body going tense.
Riser burst out laughing and grabbed Lily beneath her arms, holding her up in the air. She immediately straightened her legs and arms and began to imitate an airplane. “You learn fast, little princess. I’ll make a soldier out of you yet.”
Lily’s response was to make buzzing noises like an airplane motor. Laney lowered her trembling hands to the edge of the counter. Her fear had been real and instinctive, and it was something she would continue to battle. But every day, Riser reassured her that she and Lily were safe and protected, that she no longer had anything to fear.
Her heart swelling with pure happiness, she scooped up the pitcher and headed outside. Just as she stepped through the door, her cell phone rang from the table behind her. With a sigh, she went back and answered it, eager to get back to her family.
“Hello.”
“Laney, it’s Bo. Got a minute?”
Dear Lord, had something happened to Mark? Had he gotten off? Biting her lip, Laney spun and waved Riser over, wanting him to hear what Bo said. And also, because she needed him near her.
Riser scooped Lily up and came to her instantly, a questioning look in his eyes. She mouthed the word “Bo” and pressed the phone closer to her ear. “What’s wrong?”
There was a jostling sound in the background, and then Laney heard a very loud, yet very familiar curse. And then Cheri’s voice came on the phone, “What’s wrong? Nothing is wrong. The judge gave Mark the longest sentence possible and granted your petition for a divorce. Turns out your dumbass ex had been doing a bit of illegal drug activity on the side. I got enough evidence to put him away for twenty years.”
Laney sat there in shock, blinking up at Riser, not daring to believe her ears. She really didn’t have to worry about Mark? “Twenty years?”
“And that’s just for the charges for what he did to you. You can add in a few more on top of that for everything else. You’re free, honey. I know you’ve been holding back part of yourself. It’s time for you to let go and love that man you’ve got standing there with you right now.”
Tears stung Laney’s eyes and spilled over, winding hot, fast tracks down her cheeks. “Thank you.”
She ended the call and dropped the phone to the counter. She looked at Riser. “It’s over. Bo found evidence that Mark had been running illegal drugs while on the police force.”
With Lily planted on his right hip, Riser wrapped his free arm around Laney and tucked her close. He dropped a warm kiss on the top of her head. “So, you don’t have to worry about him again.”
The last thread of tension that had been clinging to Laney’s soul unwound and she rested her head against Riser’s chest. “You kept your promise.”
Riser squeezed her tight. “I did.”
Lily squealed and batted Riser’s cheek. “Time to play! Time to play!”
“Sounds like you have another princess to rescue,” Laney said.
Riser tilted her chin with his finger and kissed her breathless. Then hoisted Lily onto his shoulders and strode outside, laughing as Lily tugged his hair and urged him to move faster. Laney stood there with her fingers on her tingling lips and watched the two get back to playing, her heart near to bursting in her chest.
Today, she’d be able to sleep without worrying about her ex. She’d be able to relax when she went to work. Mark was gone. And Riser was steadily replacing all her bad memories with beautiful ones.
She grabbed the pitcher once more and strode outside, her steps confident of the joy that lie ahead.
ALSO BY LINDSAY CROSS:
To find out what happens to Caroline Cotter…the one who got away…
Excerpt
Mayhem’s Warrior
Sweet Caroline…Good times never seemed so good, Sweet Caroline… I believe they never could…
Caroline Cotter fought her way through the grog and pried open her eyes, Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline playing on autorepeat somewhere in the room. Every time she woke, it was to his voice, but there was nothing sweet about her situation.
“She’s awake, General.”
Voices floated in and out of her conscious, strange figures in white lab coats and thick glasses. Caroline tried to move her arms, but they’d been strapped to the narrow hospital style bed, not that she enough strength to actually move.
She could barely lift her head.
Holding her eyes open took all her energy.
But it was worth the effort when a familiar figure appeared next to her, his uniform blurry at first, and then zooming into sharp contrast. She tried to speak, but her tongue felt heavy and dry, too thick to move. All she managed was a low moan. General Ranier, her spurned ex-fiancee.
Oh, God.
He smoothed a rough hand down her head and cheek, sending a shock of near pain at the abrasive contact on her sensitive skin. No one had touched her since she’d been here. The agony of the forced contact was more than she could process. He shouldn’t be touching her. Why was he here?
Why was she here?
Finally he drew his hand back to his side, letting it rest next to his snugly fitting uniform. “She seems really out of it.”
Another voice, this one was somehow familiar although Caroline couldn’t put a name to the soft feminine tone, “We’re keeping her heavily sedated. Her body can regenerate the blood and nutrients she needs better that way.”
“Ah, not what I expected but,” Ranier stroked his smooth chin and she could practically feel his gaze boring into her, “effective none the less. I’ve been informed you’ve hit a snag in the experiment.”
There was a slight pause and then the female spoke again, from somewhere behind Ranier. “Not a snag, sir. The subject can only give so much blood at one time without killing incurring death. We test each batch as quickly and efficiently as possible but so far all tests have failed. There is something we’re missing.”
“Something inside her,” Ranier gestured to Caroline.
She had no idea what they were talking about but a growing sense of dread enveloped her entire body.
“Yes, sir,” the female answered.
“How much blood have you taken?”
“More than we should.”
“Take more,” Ranier snapped out. “I’m on the clock. I need results.”
“Sir-“
Shuffling sounded somewhere in the room and then Ranier spoke, “If you don’t get me what I need then I’ll find someone who will. Do you understand?”
The female made a choking sound. Caroline focused all her energy on turning her head. Ranier had his hand around the female doctor’s throat, a deadly burning in his gaze. Caroline tried to call out for help, but again, only a moan penetrated her lips.
“Yes, sir,” the doctor croaked out.
Ranier released her instantly and smoothed out his uniform before turning back to Caroline. “This little beauty holds the key to my future. I don’t care if you have to put her on death’s door as long as you can bring her back. I need results. Now.”
He leaned down, and a face she’d once considered kind and almost fatherly was now contorted with malevolence. Her insides shrunk, instinctively straining away from the obvious predator. He wanted to cause her pain.
And there wasn’t anything she could do to escape.
His finger stroked her lips and dark terror gripped her insides. No! This couldn’t be happening.
“I tried to do this the easy way by marrying you. You chose the hard way.” Ranier straightened and turned to the doctor. “She can handle more. Get a new batch running, now. I want your report on my desk by morning.”
Ranier strode away, reaching out to crank the radio volume up just before he left the room. The lyrics pulsed through her veins, surrounded her mind and sucked her conscious. She could barely keep her eyes open.
“I’m sorry, Caroline. I didn’t want to do this again so soon,” the doctor held up a long needle. She stuck it into the large IV embedded in Caroline’s arm.
“No…”
“It will be okay.” The doctor’s hand smoothed down Caroline’s face, closing her eyes. “Just relax, you won’t feel a thing.”
Before you go…
From the author: I hope you enjoyed the Men of Mercy and thank you so much for joining the adventure. If you loved the story and want to help me out, I’d love for you to leave a review on or .
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–Lindsay Cross
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