CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Seth
We flew back to Miami, and a few days later I left to go back to D.C. I needed to give my two-week notice. I had no other option—no other job to go to, but I didn’t care. My life was now complete with Cat back in it, and I didn’t want to put my job before her again. There would be another position for me to take. I didn’t care. What mattered was being with Cat. Life was too short to have my priorities mixed up. That came full frontal when I almost watched her head get blown off.
“I’ll call you every night before I go to bed,” I said. Cat was in my arms as we stood on the curb at the departure terminal.
“I’m going to miss you.”
I sighed, pulling her closer to me, and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll miss you too, Kitty Cat, but it’s only for two weeks, and then I’m moving in.” We smiled at each other. We hadn’t talked about where I’d live when I did move to Miami, but I wasn’t moving in with Grandma.
“Oh good. You can take out the trash.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, that’s all I’m good for.”
I felt her smile against my T-shirted chest. “I’m sure I can come up with a few more things.”
We hugged for a few more seconds until a security guy eyed me and, without speaking, told us we needed to move Cat’s car.
“I better go catch my flight. I’ll call you when I land.” I took her lips, taking as much as I could to last me two long weeks.
“Look what the cat dragged in.”
I looked into the next cubicle from me and laughed at Gibbs as he sat at his desk. We both had cubicles as desks for when we were actually at the station, but only a half-wall divided us, allowed us to talk which helped when we were on a case. Gibbs and I had only been partners together as detectives for a year. When we were on patrol, we were partners for two years, and then he got promoted to detective. I was promoted when his previous partner retired.
“Miss me?”
“Nah, man. I can do this job without you,” he teased.
“Well, good ’cause you’re gonna have to.”
He balked. “What does that mean?”
“I gave my notice.”
“What? Why? Transferring to the FBI or what?”
I chuckled. “No. I’m moving to Miami.”
He leaned forward. “This about Cat?” Gibbs knew Cat. He’d met her years ago when we went bowling, and he knew all about what happened when she saw me with his sister.
“So, Joss got married in Vegas.”
“What does that have to do with …” And then as if it all clicked into place. “Cat came to the wedding?”
I nodded. “She did.”
He leaned back in his chair. “And since you’re quitting your job and moving to Miami, I’m assuming you two hit it off?”
“Well,” I rubbed the back of my neck, “I actually proposed to her.” I wasn’t sure why I was nervous to mention that to him, but I was hoping he wouldn’t judge me for rushing in so fast. I didn’t feel that it was fast because this was Cat I was talking about.
“No shit?” Gibbs stood, knocking over his chair.
“Shit went down, bro.”
“Apparently.” He righted his chair and smoothed his tie before he sat down.
“You have no idea.” Gibbs was my best friend, and I knew I could trust him, so I told him about the wedding, the undercover case and how Cat got mixed up in it. When I was done, he stared at me, not saying anything. “You gonna say anything?”
“I can’t. I’m literally speechless.”
“It’s all good now. The perp is dead, Cat’s safe, and I got the girl.”
Gibbs blew out a breath. “Still, dude. That’s some crazy ass shit.”
“I know. I lived it.”
He stuck out his hand. “Congrats on finally getting your woman.”
I smiled and took his hand. “Thanks.”
The two weeks flew by. I was able to give my notice, put my condo on the market, and get most of my stuff packed. My last day on the job, Gibbs threw me a going away party at Lola’s. The entire station came to wish me luck. Even my folks.
“Son, I always thought you’d follow in my footsteps.”
Dad had spent twenty-five years on the force before he called it quits. In that time, he’d made detective, sergeant, and lieutenant. He retired before making captain because my mother had a hard time being married to a cop. Things got better between them once he made detective and started to work more at a desk than out in the streets.
“I am,” I clarified. A few days after I’d returned to D.C., I had dinner with my parents, told them about my time undercover and, of course, everything about Cat. My mom was sad I was leaving but excited to meet my future wife. Dad …
Well, I guess he wanted me to marry the job.
“Once you get settled, I’ll call my guy at Miami Dade and see what we can do.”
I smiled. “You don’t have a guy in Miami.”
He chuckled. “All I need to do is drop my title.”
“Your previous title,” I corrected.
“Troy, leave Seth alone. He’s a grown man.” My gaze flicked to my mom. “Maybe he doesn’t want to be a cop anymore.”
“Whoa.” I held up my palms in defense. “I’m only relocating. I ain’t quitting the force.” I had practiced being a cop practically my entire life. I didn’t just decide it one day when I was twenty-one. I lived and breathed it, and that was where I went wrong when it came to Cat.
That was no longer the case.
Mom smiled tightly. “A mother can dream.” My mother hadn’t wanted me to be a cop. However, she’d supported me when I went into the academy and ever since. That was what mothers did when their sons were no longer babies.
“Take care of Grandma, yeah?” Dad said, changing the subject.
“Harold is doing a bang-up job, Dad. I’ve never seen her so happy.”
“Your mom and I are visiting for Thanksgiving. I’ll be the judge of this Harold character.”
I shook my head, laughing. “I look forward to it.”
A bell behind the bar rang, and I turned to see the bartender, Greg, who I also considered a friend, holding up a pint of amber colored beer. I looked around to see everyone in the bar was holding up their drinks.
“I’ve known you for a long time, Seth. I was here when you solved your first case, through all the nights you were stressed about solving more cases and I’ve watched your revolving door of women through the years.” Everyone chuckled, including me. “I was even here to make your pain go away when that girl, who oddly enough is the reason you’re leaving, broke your heart. I’m going to miss you, Detective McKenna. You’ll always be a brother to me. And if beer were an ocean, and I was a duck. I’d swim to the bottom to drink my way up. But the ocean is not beer, and I’m not a duck. So here’s to us, now let’s get fucked up.”
The entire bar erupted into cheers, and that was exactly what I did.
A month later, I still hadn’t found a job. It wasn’t for lack of trying, but the process was taking longer than I’d thought it would. I debated submitting an application for a patrol position, but I knew in time that I’d find a job. Even if I had to call my old man and have him put in a good word.
My cell rang, and I picked it up off the coffee table. “Hey, baby,” I answered.
“Autumn had her baby!” Cat screeched.
I smiled. “That’s awesome.”
“Want to go to Vegas this weekend?”
I chuckled. “Do you?”
I could tell that every day got better for her. When I was back in D.C., there were some nights I had to stay on the phone until she fell asleep. Then there were times I’d wake up to a call from her asking me to calm her after a nightmare. It tore me up inside each time, but they were slowly coming to an end. I could feel it.
“I do. Face my fears and all that. Plus, I want to see that baby!”
“Okay, then let’s go to Vegas this weekend.”
She squealed. “I’ll tell Joss we’re coming and book us a flight.”
“Cat—” I started to protest.
“Don’t start with me, 5-0. We live in modern times. I can afford a trip to Vegas. You can’t ’cause you aren’t working, and you aren’t working because of me.”
“Because of us,” I corrected. “I quit to make an us. You and me.”
“I know, and that’s why I’ve got this. Plus, you bought me a two-carat engagement ring and a trip to Fiji.”
And I’d spent most of my savings doing so, but I didn’t give a fuck. “All right. I’ll pack a bag.”
We arrived in Vegas a little before midnight. We rented a car because there was no way Cat would ever step foot in a stranger’s car again. I didn’t blame her. When Gibbs and I had gone into that house with all the doll heads, I’d had nightmares about them coming alive. To this day it’s hard for me to even look at a Barbie. When Cat and I have kids, I would be praying for boys. And if we have girls, they’ll be playing with G.I. Joes and Hot Wheels or having tea parties with teddy bears. Ain’t no headless doll making their way into my house.
The following morning, Cat and I stopped at Starbucks outside of Bally’s before heading to Gabe and Autumn’s. We’d upgraded to a suite like we had the first time we’d stayed in the hotel. I wasn’t sure if any other place on the strip offered a fifty dollar upgrade, but Cat insisted we stay by Starbucks. What I wanted to do was find the taxi she was put in and drove to her nightmare. If he was still out there, he needed to be put away too. I needed to talk to Joss and find out where the case was at. Surely she’d gotten the camera feed from the hotel and had found that fucker.
We pulled up to the address that Joss had texted to Cat. Paul’s Jeep was sitting at the curb, so I parked behind him. I stole a glance at Cat before we opened the doors to get out. She was beaming.
“Ready?”
“You’re excited?” I teased.
Cat chuckled. “I’m excited to see our friends again, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Well, let’s go!” She opened the door and then she was out of the car. I followed, grabbing her hand as we walked up the walkway to the front door and rang the bell. Gabe pulled the door open.
“Hey, Papa!” Cat greeted.
He smiled, dimples appearing in his cheeks. “Hey, guys. Thanks for coming.”
We shook hands, Cat hugged him, and then she skated around him to where Autumn, the baby, Joss, and Paul were sitting.
“So what’s it like?” I asked, looking at Autumn as she passed her baby to Cat.
“Being a father?” he asked, shutting the door behind me.
I nodded.
His grin widened. “It’s instant love. Practically the same feeling I had toward his mother.”
“His mother?” I asked, making sure I’d heard him correctly.
“Liam James Hastings.”
I clapped him on the back. “Congrats, dude.”
“Thanks.”
Paul stood and shook my hand, followed by Joss hugging me. I was still watching Cat as she held Liam with the biggest smile spread across her face.
“This kid right here,” Paul motioned to Liam as Autumn hugged me hello, “is named after me.”
Gabe groaned while both Joss and Autumn said, “Oh God,” with a sigh.
“Your name’s not Liam,” I corrected as if Paul didn’t know his own name.
“Don’t make me change my mind, PJ,” Gabe warned.
Paul smiled. “See. James is my middle name.”
“So what you’re sayin’ is you’re the father?” I joked.
“No, I’m not the father.” He rolled his eyes. “But I was in the next room when he was made.”
“Seriously!” Autumn snapped. “Do you have to go around telling everyone that you’ve heard Gabe and I having sex?”
I took a seat next to Cat. Joss followed me and rolled her eyes as we watched Autumn and Paul argue.
“I was just statin’ facts.”
“PJ,” Gabe warned again.
“All I’m sayin’ is the boy was named after me.”
Autumn looked to Gabe. “I think we made a mistake. Obviously, he can’t handle this.”
“Auttie,” Paul snapped. “I’m fuckin’ delighted and bragging to my boy Seth that my two best friends in the entire world named their kid after me. Of course I can handle it.”
“Why did you name Liam after Paul?” Cat asked.
All eyes shot to her, but Autumn spoke. “Because if it weren’t for this jackass, we’d be dead.”
The room fell silent.
“What she means is that PJ has had my back more times than I can count. He’s saved my ass numerous times, and if it weren’t for him, none of this would be happening,” Gabe corrected.
Thoughts of Paul having my back during the undercover mission floated into my mind. He’d never batted an eye when Joss told him that he needed to be my bodyguard. Paul just did it. He risked his life to help protect mine, and then he did the same when Cat was in danger. He could have easily gone outside and let the police and FBI handle Tony and the pimp who bought Cat, but he didn’t. He was rushing ahead of me ready to take a bullet for everyone I loved, especially in the name of his wife. Joss had found a man to continue protecting her like I’d tried to do. I knew, however, that he was going to do a better job than I had.
“Holy shit!” Joss gasped, looking at Cat. “What the fuck is that on your hand?”
I looked down to Cat’s left hand, and a smile instantly split my face. Cat held up her hand and asked, “This thing?”
I chuckled. “So, yeah. We have some news too.”
I left Cat to sleep while I went downstairs to meet Joss at Starbucks. The night before, Cat and I had all but recreated our first time together in one of those suites. This time there was no handcuffs or champagne involved. For one, I didn’t think Cat was ready for the cuffs, and two, we didn’t stop to get a bottle of champagne. I just wanted my girl.
When I arrived at Starbucks, Joss was already there, sitting at the top of the stone seats in the middle of the store. When she saw me, she stood and smiled.
“Marriage looks good on you, kid.”
“It does, doesn’t it?”
“You never told me where you went on your honeymoon after the case was over.”
Joss beamed and handed me a cup of coffee. “Italy.”
My eyes widened. “Italy? Wow!”
“Paul has a thing about the beach and sand. I guess it reminds him of home and Afghanistan so we went to Rome.”
“That’s amazing.” I took a sip of the warm coffee.
“It was.”
“I’m glad you’re happy.”
“And I’m glad you’re happy.”
“Should have fought harder for her. We would have beat you to the altar.”
“Now you know to never keep anything from me. I would have helped you.”
I took another sip of the coffee. “Things have a way of working out in the end.”
“They do,” she agreed.
“Speaking of, what’s been going on with the case?”
“DA struck a deal with Bryce. He was sentenced to five years. I visit him almost every weekend.”
“Is that safe? I mean, you’re FBI. Do the inmates think he’s a narc?”
“Don’t think so. I don’t go in carrying my badge or weapon or anything. I go as his sister.”
“True. So is he getting out of the game?”
“Says he is,” she sighed. “I mean, he better.”
“Did he confess why he killed Tony?”
“I asked him when I went to visit a few weekends ago.”
“And?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Well—I guess, but it was still crazy. That was his father.”
Joss took a deep breath and stared out the window as she spoke. “It was the only way to get out from under him.”
“Yeah, but that was his dad. His blood.”
She turned back to me. “And so am I. So was my mom.”
“I get it.” I remembered what Bryce had said when he shot Tony.
“This is for my sister!” Bryce roared.
Pop.
“This is for my mother!”
Pop.
“And this is for me!”
Pop.
“How is he handling killing his own father, though?” I continued.
“You know … He doesn’t look sad at all when I see him. I think he’s relieved to not have to live under his thumb.”
I nodded. I’d probably feel the same way. “When are you going back to D.C.?”
“I’m not.”
My eyes widened. “So you really are transferring?”
“Already did. I’m back to working sex crimes, which leads me to what I need to talk to you about.”
“Oh, God … Do I need to go undercover again?” I didn’t mind going undercover, but I’d just got my girl back, and we needed to plan our wedding. I didn’t want to take any chances.
Joss chuckled. “No. Have you found a job in Miami yet?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Not for lack of trying. Just a lot of fish in that pond with being so close to Cuba and the drug cartel.” I had no desire to work for the DEA.
“Good. Want to move out here and work for VICE? Help me out on more trafficking and prostitution cases?”
“Seriously?”
Joss grinned. “They saw you takedown Tony. They’re all for having you onboard.”
A pain in my heart started to cause it to ache. “But … Cat.”
“She wouldn’t move?”
“She wants to take over her dad’s practice.”
Joss nodded. “I get it’s a lot. You just moved from D.C. to be with her. Why don’t you talk to her and see what she says? The job offer is an open offer. It will be here whenever you need it.”
I wanted to make sex crimes my passion. Because I wanted to stop them given what I’d learned about Joss’s past and what had happened to Cat.
I just needed to convince Cat it was okay to move to a place that held bad memories.