Four Days Later
It’s a beautiful day. A gentle breeze stops the sun from being too hot, and buzzing bees tumble from one flower to another, their legs laden with pollen. I try to pay attention to the minister, but I find myself distracted by the beauty of the day. It’s the first time in twenty-eight years my mom has been outside, and I’m enjoying it for her. I talk to her in my heart, telling her I’m sorry for not being able to save her. That I wish I could have done more.
Harris sits on one side of me, Cruz on the other. The others have come as well to support me. The only other person here is her best friend from high school, Jenny, one of the ones that tried to warn her away from Vincenzo. I wish she would have listened.
When the minister finishes his speech, I walk up to the casket, pulling the locket from around my neck. Leaning over, I loop it over her hands, then place a kiss on her cheek. As I back away, a breeze lifts a strand of my hair and caresses my cheek in the barest of touches. Tears shroud my eyes, and I quickly dash them away.
As I watch the casket be lowered into the ground, a sense of peace washes over me. I stand a little straighter as the final vestiges of guilt lift from me and dissolve in the sun.
Once upon a time, I allowed an evil man to place the blame for my mother’s death on my young shoulders. It almost destroyed me. Whether from riding my bike dangerously, trying to outride my demons, or drinking so much I was able to be kidnapped, to hopping from bed to bed to try to feel something, anything.
But it didn’t destroy me, and now I’m stronger for it. Although the part of me that’s been trained to accept the guilt wants to clutch onto it for dear life, I won’t allow it. I won’t let the rest of my life be destroyed by another man’s actions. I won’t accept the guilt of my mother’s second death.
She wouldn’t want me to.
Cruz squeezes my hand, and I tilt my face upward. My gaze gets caught in his hazel orbs, the unconditional love, devotion, and obsession in them making me catch my breath. My eyes flutter closed as he kisses my forehead and brushes a strand of hair from my face.
There’s no wake, so after saying goodbye to my mom’s friend, I hug my uncle. “What are your plans now, kiddo?” he asks, his arm around my shoulders as he walks me to the limo.
I stop, fidgeting a little as I grasp the foreign purse in my hand. The dress didn’t have pockets, and I had to put my things somewhere. This is something I’ve talked to Cruz about, and we think it’s the right decision. Opening my purse, I pull out my badge and government-issued firearm.
My chest grows tight, but I’m doing the right thing. Handing them over, Uncle Harris doesn’t look surprised. “I suppose it might have been one step too far trying to hide an FBI agent dating a serial killer,” he jokes, and my lips curl up. “Will you join the Charon Group then?”
“I think so. There’s a lot of good we can do. There are children to save, traffickers to take down, kidnap victims to rescue.”
Uncle Harris chuckles. “What do you think we do at the FBI?”
I raise a brow and give him a sardonic look. “My hands are also tied as an agent. There are only so many times I can ask you to cover for me. I don’t want you to lose your job, you love it.”
He lowers his head in agreement, running his hand over my badge. “I understand. Just be careful out there, okay? You’re all the family I have left.”
“I will. And hey, now that Vincenzo’s dead, maybe you can start dating. A significant other wouldn’t be in danger from him anymore, and you deserve to be happy. Go, be happy.”
He gives me another hug and promises to think about it. We all climb into the limo and head back to the city, chatting along the way about future plans.
Nate, Eric, and Tessa have all agreed to combine their business with the Charon Group. After they spend some time on a honeymoon. It’s long overdue, and they want to travel for a while. It might be six months, it might be two years, but they will be coming back to join us.
Ryan is going to create a new, exclusive team for any of us that want to join. He’s going to turn it around, make it more about doing good. We’ll still cover assassinations, but only for the evil ones like my father. Traffickers, pedophiles, kidnapped victims, we’ll do them all. Anything that helps to make this world a better place for the innocents.
Rebecca and Trey are still deciding what they want to do. They’re also considering an extended honeymoon, but I’m sure we’ll see them again.
Susannah is staying on at the FBI. After her one and only attempt at revenge, I think it’s best. She’s a kickass agent, and I can picture her being the director someday. I overheard her asking Harris if he has any openings in the New York office, and with my resignation, I happen to know there’s one waiting for her. Hopefully, he can find two more for the twins too.
Having her in the city with me will be incredible. Because, you know, we’re BFFs and all that. And I don’t want to miss out on all the hot twin gossip. Plus, I have a perfectly good apartment I no longer need, and it’s rent-controlled. She can’t ask for more than that.
The Duke, well, she’s keeping quiet. She and Ryan have been attached at the hip since we destroyed the compound, and I have a feeling she’ll be sticking around. I don’t see her joining the Charon Group, but she might move her base of operations, which to my surprise is in Oregon, to the city. The two of them are made for each other.
Kian and Jase won’t be going anywhere, but Jase has requested no more fieldwork—unless he’s the one in the unmarked van running surveillance. With me and Cruz and the others joining, there are more than enough of us for the action.
The limo pulls into the underground garage, and it feels good to be home. Cruz takes my hand, pulling me along as I try to keep up in these fucking heels I was made to wear. I feel like Bambi trying to walk on ice, but Cruz seems to think they’re sexy.
Maybe I’ll wear them in the bedroom.Justin the bedroom.
Cruz proceeds to give me what I asked for days ago … sex so mind-numbingly good I scream his name over and over again, ensuring every person that works in this building does indeed, know his name.
Afterward, we sit in the Jacuzzi, sipping on a beer as I sit between Cruz’s legs, his hand lazily running over my body.
Setting the bottle down, I turn in his arms, facing him. I place a hand on his cheek and run my thumb over his beard. Fuck, he’s sexy. And hot. And mine. Meeting his eyes, my lips curve up at what I see in them. “You know I fucking love you, right?”
