Chapter Thirty-Two
The trial had been easier than Skye had anticipated—thanks to the overwhelming evidence, Smith cut a plea deal at the last minute, keeping them off the stand. She and Robby returned to the safe house in Las Vegas for one last time.
“It’s up to you.” Mac split his attention between Skye and Robby. “I can tell you Smith is never going to get out. I can’t promise he won’t make a run at you. He might contact the cartel, give them your info. Revenge is a pretty powerful emotion.”
Mac had shown up at the safe house accompanied by a U.S. Marshal—a tight-lipped older man who introduced himself as Al Barton and had a handshake that would crush a bowling ball.
Mac continued. “He strikes me as a man who likes to hold a grudge.”
Robby cleared his throat. “He’s probably more upset with me than with her.” He glanced at Skye. “I mean, I’m the one who started all this.”
They were all very careful not to mention the Brotherhood, Skye noticed.
“I think you’re both in equal danger.” Mac studied Robby for a long moment. “Your sister put herself in the line of fire for you, and brought in Finn. That comes with a price.”
Barton pulled a folder out of his briefcase and placed it on the table. “I’m authorized to offer the two of you new identities and new lives, if you want them.” He turned his attention to Skye. “You’ll have to give up everything. I’m sure you’ve heard about it—it’s pretty well exactly what you think. We’ll place you somewhere else, someplace safe. But you won’t ever be able to return to Whispering Willows.”
“I can’t say I’ll miss that town but…” Robby scratched his ear. “How long do we have?”
“This isn’t an unlimited offer. The launch window’s closing, in a matter of speaking.” Barton ran his hand over the folder. “Can I ask what the problem is? I don’t mean to be blunt but it’s not like you’ve got anything holding you here or in Whispering Willows. No family and limited friends. They’ll understand if you disappear.”
“True.” Robby looked at Skye before turning back to Mac. “Give us an hour to talk it out.”
Mac cast a glance at Barton. The older man nodded. “Good enough.” The marshal slipped the folder into his briefcase and stood up. “You have any questions, ask one of your guards to call me, and I’ll be right over.” He shook their hands before heading for the door.
Mac hesitated, letting Barton leave first. He turned to the pair. “I don’t mean to pressure you two, but life doesn’t offer any guarantees. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and hope you land where you should.”
Skye frowned, taking in his words.
…
It’d been three long, miserable months without any contact from Skye. Finn had avoided any opportunity to see Mac, afraid he’d break down and ask for a chance to talk to her.
The knowledge he was doing the right thing didn’t help ease his aching heart.
It was early morning when the call came from Dylan’s office, summoning him away from helping unpack the daily food delivery.
Finn opened the door to see Jessie standing behind Dylan, looking out onto the empty dance floor. She turned and smiled at him.
“Smith took the plea. He won’t be out of jail until he’s a very old, cranky man in diapers,” Dylan said. “Mac called, confirming what we’d thought was going to happen. Now that the trial is over the U.S. Marshals have offered the Harrises witness protection.”
“Okay.” Finn’s chest ached as if Dylan had landed a solid blow. “What did they decide?”
“They haven’t. Asked for an hour’s grace to make up their minds.”
“So why are you telling me?”
“Because I figure you deserve to know. And if you’re going to do something about Skye, now is the time to do it.”
Finn sat down. “Damn it.” His head spun as he tried to gather his thoughts.
“What are you thinking?” Jessie prompted.
“I just…” He closed his eyes. “I don’t have anything to offer her. I mean, this is what I do. What I am.” He spread his arms, taking in the window behind Dylan. “She won’t leave Robby. And I don’t know if I can protect both of them.”
“We can try,” Dylan replied. “But it’s not your choice, is it? It’s hers. All you can do is tell her what you feel and see what she chooses.” He studied Finn. “Do you love her?”
“Yes.” The word came easily, surprising him. “I damned well do.”
“Enough to let her go if she decides to take Mac up on his offer?”
Jessie interrupted before Finn answered. “Hold it. She can’t make her mind up if she doesn’t know how you feel.” She stared at him. “You ever told her that you love her?”
“Yes. Before I left her place.”
She shook her head. “Does she know you meant it? Like, you’d do whatever it took to keep her by your side? The forever kind of love?”
“Um.”
“You men are so annoying.” She glared at Dylan. “Don’t even try to contradict me.”
He held up his hands and smiled.
“It’s not fair for you to let her make that decision without knowing how you feel,” she said.
“But…” Finn started, prepared to defend his position.
“But nothing.” Jessie cut him off. “You don’t like going into a fight without knowing the situation. You study the terrain, you do recon. Why the hell would you let the woman you love make a life-changing decision without knowing where she stands with you?” She continued, slashing the air with one hand. “It’s been three months, and you’re still hopelessly, fantastically in love with her. Don’t you think she deserves to know that?”
Finn looked at Dylan.
Dylan shrugged.
Finn stood up. “Can we find out where the safe house is?”
“Sure.” Dylan picked up the phone. “Give me a few minutes to get hold of Mac. If he won’t give it to me, I’ll get Trey to hack in.” He chuckled. “The threat should be enough to get Mac to cough up the info.”
“Her cell phone would have been cut off when she left Whispering Willows.” Finn said. “I can’t even call and tell her to wait until I get there before leaving.”
“Once she’s in the system it’ll be hard to get her out,” Jessie said. “The U.S. Marshals protect their charges zealously.”
“Go.” Dylan waved him off, the phone still to his ear. “Get to the garage, take the fastest car. Standby for my call. If we’re lucky, she’s within driving distance of Vegas. If not…”
“I need a location, not a cell number,” Finn shouted as he backed out. “I have to see her face-to-face.”
Finn sprinted for the elevator.
What he wanted to say to Skye wasn’t going to work with just a phone call.
…
Patrick, the Brotherhood mechanic, tossed Finn a set of keys as he came through the door.
“Jessie called ahead.” He pointed at the bright red Charger. “She’ll get you there.”
Finn climbed in and jammed the keys in the ignition.
His phone rang. He stabbed at the screen before throwing the car into gear.
“Mac can’t promise they’ll hold her until you arrive. The Marshals are on a tight schedule. If she says she doesn’t want to talk to you and wants to go, they’re gone,” Dylan said. “He’s already pushing his luck by telling you where she is and telling them not to shoot you on sight.”
Finn slammed his foot down on the gas pedal. “Tell me where she is—I don’t have time to waste.”
Rubber squealed, smoke filling the garage as the car leaped toward the exit and Dylan shouted the safe house location.
…
“Damn it.” Finn threw the phone onto the seat beside him. She’d been right around the damned corner, in a residential area a stone’s throw from the nightclub.
That had to have been Mac’s doing. Keep her close in case something happened—have the Brotherhood to fall back on if Smith made one last desperate move. It made sense in one way, but she’d been here, so close…
He growled as the car in front of him slowed for a yellow light, the driver not daring to race through the intersection.
Finn glanced at the digital clock and hit the gas as the light turned green. He swerved around a pair of slow cars, moving into the oncoming lane and back out again, ignoring angry horns and hand-waving.
Five more minutes…
He flew through another yellow light and spun the wheel, sliding onto the residential street and leaving a trail of smoke behind him.
The house was like a dozen, mass-produced for the expanding population. He drove by, scanning the numbers.
There.
Finn pulled up in front of the house and jumped out, checking his watch. It was still technically under the one-hour limit, but just barely.
There was no car in the driveway.
Finn charged up the lawn, noting the absence of any law enforcement personnel.
The door swung open at his touch.
“Skye,” Finn called out. “Skye!” He stepped into the living room and looked around, his stomach churning.
The smell of coffee was in the air. Two empty mugs sat on the table.
“Skye.” Finn walked down the hall, looking into each room.
Nothing. The bedroom was the last on his search, the sheets neatly tucked in and the pillows fluffed and ready for the day, as was her routine.
No suitcases. No Skye.
Finn returned to the living room and sat on the sofa, his head spinning.
I’ve lost her.
He scrubbed his face with both palms, trying to figure out what to do.
Trey can track them if I ask him to. He’s that good.
But it wouldn’t be right. It’d put them in danger and piss off the Marshals and Mac.
He bit the inside of his cheek, hard enough to draw blood.
“I should have told you,” he closed his eyes and whispered to the empty room. “I should have manned up and told you straight up I loved you and I wanted to be with you forever.”
“What?”
Finn’s eyes shot open.
Skye stood in the doorway, carrying her suitcase. She wore a light jacket and a familiar white blouse and jeans.
“Finn?” Her forehead furrowed as she took in the sight of him. “What are you doing here?”
He leaped off the sofa and lunged for her, pulling her into a tight hug. “You’re still here.”
“Yes,” she murmured into his shirt. “I am.”
He blinked, his vision blurry for some reason. “I was so afraid I’d missed my chance to tell you I love you.”
She pulled back. “What?”
“I love you,” he repeated. “I need you in my life, Skye. I’ll keep you safe, keep Robby safe…” He stopped. “Where is he?”
“He left with the U.S. Marshals.” Skye’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Just now. I was outside in the back, saying good-bye. I told them I was going to stay, so the Marshals took him next door to leave.”
Finn drew back. “He went alone?”
“Yes.” Her lower lip quivered. “We talked about it and he told me it was time for him to be a man, step out on his own. Part of that was going off to create a new life for himself.”
“He left you here. Alone and vulnerable.” The anger bubbled up, overflowing into his words. “He walked out on you.”
“No.” Skye put her hand on his chest. “I turned him down. He was going to go, no matter what. It was up to me to decide what to do for myself, my life.”
“What…” He swallowed hard, past the lump in his throat. “What if I hadn’t come?”
She looked at him and smiled, despite the tears in her eyes. “Then I would have taken a cab to the Devil’s Playground, pounded on the front door, and demanded to see you.” Skye touched his cheek, covering the scar with her hand. “Because, damn it, it’s time for me to get what I want out of life. And I want you, Finn Storm. I’ll take the danger. I’ll take the Brotherhood because it’s who you are and what makes you the man I love. And if Smith comes back, I want the two of us to stand together to take him down again.”
He didn’t know what to say to that, so he kissed her long and hard, pressing her down into the sofa.
…
A month later, Finn stared down onto the dance floor, where every available space was filled. The live band was rocking it out tonight, and the crowd was pumped and ready to party.
They were in the right place for that.
He studied his watch. It was only midnight, and he was on duty until they closed.
Trey appeared next to him on the catwalk.
“Good to see you here.”
Finn didn’t take his eyes off the partiers, scanning for any signs of trouble. “Where did you think I’d be?”
Trey leaned on the thick metal rail. “Sneaking off early for a make-out session in your truck.”
Finn laughed. “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you.”
Trey shook his head. “Not jealous. Not in the least. Glad things are working out for you.” He nodded at the surging mob below them. “Heard she’s picking up the odd shift here with Faith. You okay with that?”
“Sure.” Finn frowned as he studied one table, the couple still working on their first round of drinks after an hour. “Skye’s down on the floor right now. She’s settled into her classes and could use the extra cash. Not that she needs my permission or anything.” He glanced at Trey. “Found her some scholarships, and Dylan’s helped settle her outstanding debts. Part of the reason why she’s determined to help here between classes. Paying it forward by keeping an eye open for anyone who needs the Brotherhood’s assistance.”
“And her brother?”
“Mac’s worked out a deal with the Marshals, called in a few favors of his own. They’ve arranged a drop-off spot for a letter exchange for Skye and Robby every three months. She still misses him, but at least she knows he’s safe and alive. He knows she’s getting on with her life and is safe and sound with me.” He touched his chest. “With us.”
“Good.” Trey followed his gaze down to the table. “Looks like it’s time to get to work. If you can get that smug smile off your face.”
Finn laughed and slapped him on the back as he touched the earpiece. “Finn here. Trey and I are going to drop in on table twelve and check them out.”
“Affirmative,” Dylan replied. “Time to get to work. And no sneaking off into a corner to make out while she’s working.”
Finn grinned and headed down the stairs. “Catch us if you can.” He spotted Skye at the bar picking up an order of drinks, and waved.
God, he loved that woman. Never in his life had he been so happy. Some days it didn’t feel real.
The ring box in his pocket felt light but carried the weight of a thousand kisses. Tucked inside the roof was a message from Mac, letting them know Robby could make it to the wedding in disguise as soon as they set the date.
Finn waved at Skye again, gesturing for her to come to him.
She said something to Faith and smiled before blowing him a kiss, setting his heart ablaze. She pointed to the couple in the corner and nodded, indicating that they were there for more than just drinks and dinner.
He laughed. Trust her to put business before pleasure.
“Let’s go,” he said to Trey. He took the last two steps as one, jumping down to land beside Skye.
His hand slipped inside his pocket, cradling the ring box. “Can I see you after your shift?”
“Sure.” She kissed him. “And for the rest of your life.”
Finn grinned. “We’ll talk about that later.” He gave her a hug before joining Trey, headed for the anxious-looking couple who needed their help.
Finn looked back once, seeing Skye standing by the bar, waiting and watching.
I’ll always come back to you, he thought.
And she’d always be there waiting for him.
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