Savage Ice (Ice Breaker Cold Case #10)

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

“I don’t like it when heroes turn out to be the bad guys.” Detective Lynn Baker glowered as she stood behind her desk. “Makes my job one major pain in the ass.”

Beau grunted. His stitches pulled but he wasn’t about to complain. He was finally out of the hospital. No charges were being filed against him. And Avalon was safe. One hundred percent safe. “What about when the bad guy turns out to be the hero? How do you feel about that situation?”

Avalon’s soft fingers slid down his arm. “We have been over this. You are not the bad guy.”

“Debatable,” Detective Cunningham muttered as he perched on the edge of Lynn’s desk. “Still not so sure you needed to fire four times.”

Ah, such a suspicious man. “I was out of my mind because of the horse tranquilizer that Wesley Vaughn had given me when he drugged and abducted me. I saw him coming at Avalon with the knife, and I reacted. I was afraid he’d stab her or try to pull her back into the flames.” Or do both because he was a crazy, murdering bastard. “I barely remember pulling the trigger.” Oh, yes, he did remember firing. Again and again.

Had to make sure he was dead.

“You have plenty of evidence to tie Wesley Vaughn to the crimes,” Avalon said. Voice crisp. “Frankly, you should be thanking Beau. It’s because of him that a dangerous predator was finally stopped. I know the cops and Feds have been able to tie Wesley with dozens of arsons now.”

Yeah, dozens. And they feared there were more. The man had been starting fires for years. Then he’d go in with the other firefighters and put out many of the fires he’d created. The guy had been a sick sonofabitch.

Just as sick as his buddy, Everett Thomas.

Wesley Vaughn. Not the man’s real name. Turned out, his dental records and his fingerprints had traced back to a Daniel Alexander. Kid who’d aged out of the foster care system in New Orleans and seemingly vanished. Only he hadn’t really vanished. He and Everett had just moved on.

Daniel Alexander had reinvented himself as Wesley Vaughn. He’d become a firefighter so he could get close to the flames that he loved so much. And he’d continued his killing ways.

What were the odds that two twisted killers had found each other when they were so young? The Feds seemed fascinated by their cases.

They’d grown up together, perfected their crimes together. Turned into monsters together. And now, they were both in hell together. Fitting. Or at least, Beau thought it was fitting.

“You really don’t remember seeing Everett and Wesley together when you were a teen?” Lynn asked Avalon. Her question brought Beau’s attention snapping back to her.

Avalon shook her head. “I had my birthday party at the country club that year. But no one…no one drowned.”

“Because you interrupted before they could kill her,” Beau growled.

“I don’t remember.” Her head turned toward him. Her gaze was stark. Sad. “And that’s one of the things that guts me. We just go through our lives and don’t even realize that there are victims out there—victims every single moment. They could be right in front of us, and we don’t see them.” A shake of her head. “I didn’t see her.” A tear twisted down her cheek. She swiped it away. “I barely recall that birthday at all.”

“We think we found her.” From Cunningham. “Or at least, found out who she could have been. A sixteen-year-old girl named Cassidy Gorgas was reported as a runaway around the time of Avalon’s house fire in New Orleans. She worked as a waitress at the country club. The Feds are going to talk to her family. Looks like she might have been an early victim of the Slasher.”

Back when he’d been trying to figure out how he liked to kill.

Water muted their screams.

Beau saw Avalon swipe away another tear from her cheek. He ached, but not from the stitches this time. He hated her pain. “Sweetheart…”

Her head turned toward him. “I wish that I could remember Cassidy. But when I think about that time, all I remember is fire and fear and you.” Her hand lifted to brush his cheek. “Always you. You saved me. No one saved her.”

His head turned. His lips pressed to her palm. “You saved me, sweetheart.” In ways she probably would never imagine.

“Yeah, she did.” A murmur from Cunningham. “Drove a damn Jag through a wall to save your ass. Almost hit me in the process.”

Avalon pressed another kiss to Beau’s palm. “You were clear, Detective Cunningham.” Prim. “You were busy fighting with Royal.”

“Thought he might be the bad guy. I rushed to the scene because Ophelia and Lane said it was an emergency situation. At the time, I didn’t know that Royal was the one who’d texted them to come to LeBlanc’s.” A sigh. “I got there and saw him banging on your car’s windshield like a maniac. I tried to help.”

The cop had helped. So Beau wasn’t using his nickname any longer. Or at least, not for the moment. The cop’s handcuff key and gun had come in mighty handy.

“So, are we free to go?” Beau asked. There were no charges against him. Douglas had already been clear on that score. The DA was currently trying to sort through every fire case that Wesley Vaughn had ever worked in the area. The DA and the Feds were unraveling a spider web of lies and secrets tied to both Everett and Wesley.

Two serial killers. Together for far too long.

“You’re free.” Cunningham slid off the edge of the desk. “Try to stay on the straight and narrow, would you?”

“I make no promises.” Especially not if trouble came looking for him.

Beau and Avalon left the station. As they walked down the steps, a limo slowed and pulled to the curb. Ah, their ride. Perfect timing.

Royal exited the vehicle. Sent him a big grin. “I’m assuming you’re a free man now?”

“You know it.”

Royal opened the side door. Avalon slid inside. Beau didn’t, not yet.

“There is no one hunting your lady any longer?” Royal asked quietly. “Since there is a fairly fresh body in the ground, courtesy of you?”

“She’s free.”

“Great. Then no more bodyguard duty.”

“You don’t even have to be driving the limo,” Beau muttered. “We could have driven ourselves.”

Royal slapped a hand on his shoulder. “Did it for old time’s sake. And because I wanted to make sure my friend was all right.” His gaze held Beau’s. “You are all right?”

For the moment, yeah. But he’d meant what he just said. Avalon was free. She didn’t need the past holding her back any longer. She doesn’t need me. No more watching from the shadows. No more secret protection duty. It was time to back away. “Sure.” Beau flashed a wide, fake smile for Royal. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Try lying to someone else. Though I wouldn’t recommend you lie to her.” Royal’s voice had dropped even more. “I think she’ll see right through you, too.”

He wasn’t going to lie to Avalon. He was about to give her the truth. And a choice. But first, “Kai is good?”

“Good as ever. Knife missed his heart by a whole half-inch. The two of you are both our walking, talking miracles. A little more recovery time, and I plan to throw you guys the biggest party you’ve ever seen. Because I am an awesome friend like that.”

Beau studied him. “You are.”

“Damn straight.”

“You’re also an awesome brother. Thanks for being there for me.”

“Shit. Don’t you dare get emotional on me. If you make me cry, I will never, ever forgive you.” Royal backed away. “Get in the freaking limo. Tell Avalon you love her. Go get your happy ending.”

He wasn’t so sure it would be happy. Not for him. For her? Yes. She deserved everything good in the world. And that good might just mean that she walked away from him.

He eased into the limo. The door slammed shut behind him.

Avalon waited.

He sat across from her. Tried to figure out what to say. Where to start. The last two weeks had been a whirlwind. At first, he’d been trapped in the hospital. Hooked to tubes and monitors. The stitches would come out soon. He’d get the all clear from his doctor. His life could go on. But would it go on with Avalon? Or without her?

He clearly remembered shooting Wesley Vaughn. What wasn’t so clear? Sometimes, Beau thought he recalled Avalon saying…

I love you.

But maybe he’d imagined that part because he wanted it so badly. Wanted her so badly.

“You’re not the bad guy.” Her husky voice. “You’ve always been my hero.”

She’d always been his everything. He looked down. “You’re not in danger any longer.”

“Doesn’t seem that I am.”

“You…you still have to be careful when you interview criminals.” Like he’d ever be thrilled about that aspect of her life. “I can still get you protection. You can have?—”

She touched him. Stopped his words. She’d leaned forward and put her hand on his knee. “We need new ground rules.”

Ground rules? A distant memory rang. She’d wanted those before.

“Rule one. No more staying in the shadows for you. You don’t get to be my creepy but hot protector.”

Creepy. Wonderful. He winced.

“Instead, you get to be in my life. One hundred percent in. You get to be my hot and dangerous boyfriend or, maybe one day, my hot and dangerous husband.”

He could not move.

“Am I jumping ahead? I’m probably jumping ahead.” She snatched her hand back. That hand immediately fisted on her lap. “You said you loved me, and I love you, but I shouldn’t jump ahead. You just got out of the hospital. Your bar is gone. And I’m rambling and telling you things you don’t want to hear.”

He wanted to hear everything that she had to say. “I told you not to do that.” He reached over. Unfurled her fingers. Stroked lightly over the half-moon marks that she’d made in her palm. “I never want you hurt.”

“I don’t want you hurt, either.” Tears filled her eyes, but Avalon blinked them away. “There was fire all around you. I didn’t know how to get you out.”

He smiled at her. “Sweetheart, you drove a Jag through the wall.”

“I didn’t know if that would work or not. It didn’t the first time. I had to hit twice.”

“You got me out.”

“If you’d died…” Her gaze fell to their hands. “I would have been lost.”

That’s how I will be without you. “You should have a good life, Avalon. No, a great one. One without some messed-up guy like me dodging your steps.”

Her head whipped up. “Did you miss the part where I said I love you?”

His back teeth clenched.

Her lips parted. “You’re afraid to believe me.”

He was. Because he wanted her so badly. If he thought he had her love and he lost it…lost her…

“Oh, Beau.” She jumped to the seat beside him. Her body brushed against his. “I love you. I love every single part of you.”

No, she couldn’t. Some parts were dark and twisted. But he’d work on them. He’d tried before and he’d do it again.

“Every. Part.” Both of her hands rose so that her fingers pressed against his cheeks. “My dark protector. My badass, bar-owning boyfriend. I love you. When I think of my future, it’s you. You are what I want. What I need. You walked through fire for me.”

“You drove through it for me.”

Her lips curled. Those gorgeous dimples of hers winked.

He loved her smile. Loved her.

“Ground rule two.” Avalon cleared her throat. “We fight for what we want. What I want? It’s you. What do you want?”

“I’m staring at her.”

Her dimples flashed again. “Then nothing else matters. We’ll forget all the other rules. It’s you and it’s me. And we’re going to be together. Nothing will break us. Nothing. We’re stronger than fire.”

He needed her mouth. Needed her. “We’ll go slow,” he promised because he was still afraid to hope too much. “If I scare you, then?—”

Her laughter stopped him. “You can’t scare me. We’ve been over this, remember? You’re the one thing that doesn’t scare me.” But her laughter died away. “You didn’t ask for help.”

His brow furrowed.

“When the fire was around you, you didn’t yell for help. Anyone else would have. You told Royal and I to get out. That is not what you do in a fire.”

Beau shook his head. “If I’d called for help, you would have been hurt.” He’d wanted her out and away from the flames.

“Beau, life without you would hurt. I know. I lived without you before. And I was empty and cold. I never want life without you again. I want life with you. Wild, exciting, passionate life with you.”

“You have me.” Simple. Did she get that? From the moment they’d met, he’d belonged to her.

“And you have me.” Her lips came close. Barely an inch separated them. “My hero.”

He shook his head.

“My hero.” Her mouth pressed to his.

My everything. His arms wrapped around her. If she wanted him, if she was choosing him…then, hell, no, he would never, ever let her go.

My. Everything.