Chapter Thirty-Two #3
“James, the shooter isn’t reloading.”
His face twisted in confusion. “How could you—” Realization dawned, and his dark eyes flared. “Stevens?”
There was hate laced in his voice, disgust masking his features. My chest felt heavy, and my bottom lip began to tremble. “Please, don’t hurt him,” I whispered.
His jaw flexed as he stared down at me. “Karina, I have a job to do.”
“He saved Haley,” I reminded him gently as fear peaked over my shoulder, sporting a nasty smile. How many things did Agent James Garner let slide? For Gwen? For Dean? How about a broken man raised by darkness, who did what he had to do to survive?
“One right doesn’t erase a lifetime of wrongs, Karina,” he said, his voice softer now. “You and I both know that.” My eyes burned with tears. I’d been so blind.
I was blinded by the hope that they would be able to accept him, just as I had.
My love for Collin would be the cause of my world flipping upside down.
Nothing would be the same, but everything would be better because I knew he loved me too.
We would fight for each other, for the right to love each other as James loved Haley and Dean loved Gwen.
Collin and I deserved a happy ending too and I’d be damned if anyone got in the way of that.
I pushed him off me and scrambled to my feet.
James was going to arrest him. My brother wanted to kill him. Haley and I wanted to save him, and Gwen—
I turned to find her rushing to me, tears in her eyes. “Kay! Kay! Oh God, oh God!”
Tears. Actual tears were falling from her ocean blue eyes. Emotion.
My best friend was alive again.
She crashed into me, and our arms wrapped around each other tightly, both of us trying to squeeze the air out of the other.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she cried into my ear. Gwen was a few inches taller than me, and I buried my head into her shoulder, a broken sob leaving me.
“It’s not your fault, G. None of it is!”
Her body trembled against mine as the last five years of emotions broke free. “I’m sorry for being scared,” I said to her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t brave enough to be the friend you needed me to be.”
She pulled back to look at me, tears shining against her cherry tinted cheeks. “What—”
“You turned off your heart, G. You shut everything down, out of fear,” I croaked, my throat tight. “I hid in a comfortable routine and stopped fighting for you. I should have fought for you.”
“I wasn’t the only one who lost love five years ago, Kay,” she said softly, pushing my hair back. I sucked in a harsh breath as her words sunk in. She gave me a small smile. “You fell in love with him.”
I shook my head. “I was already in love with him.”
Her features softened. “Love is a possession of the soul.”
Was she…? Was she accepting him?
“Gwen…what are you saying ?” My hands dropped to hers.
She looked back at her baseball player, yanking Romano up off the ground. “Love isn’t black and white. Love is a murky gray sea, and sometimes, we get lost in it.” Her eyes found mine. “And that’s not our fault.”
My face crumbled, and she kissed my head. “We have a lot to work out but know that I have your back. You love him, and I will stand beside you as you fight for him.”
“Thank you,” I breathed.
A throat cleared, and we both turned to find James staring at us, his dark eyes going back and forth between us.
Gwen gave me a squeeze and headed back to Dean.
I couldn’t handle James' stare any longer. My eyes drifted to Garner’s team moving in on the fallen mafia army.
I watched as they climbed up the steps and began checking for signs of life.
James began barking orders, and a handful of local police made their way onto the field.
I turned away to find Romano being dragged off the field by Dean, Gwen watching with a fury that clouded her features.
A hand landed on my shoulder, and I whipped around. James was holding his hands up in surrender. “Whoa. It’s just me, Kay,” he said softly.
“Sorry,” I said over the crowd. The city of St. Louis was finally free. James leaned in, his lips close to my ear.
“We are taking Romano upstairs for questioning. Prisoner transport is on the way. His men will be taken to the field office here, but a man of Romano’s reputation needs…”
I pulled away, shaking my head. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.” Because then, you'll start asking questions that I can’t answer.
His hands found my shoulder. “I need to thank you. Without you, we would have never found Haley,” he said, his jaw tightening.
Without Col, Haley would have been sold to monsters.
Before I could reply, I was spun around and greeted with the sight of my brother’s handsome face, crumbling with emotion. “Kay,” he croaked before wrapping me in his arms. I gladly returned the hug, jumping up slightly and clinging to his shoulders.
“Hi,” I sobbed into his neck, his familiar smell wrapping around me like a blanket, reminding me of home.
His hand pressed firmly on the back of my head. “You ever disappear on me again, I swear to God, I’ll kill you,” he growled, squeezing me tighter. My stomach twisted in knots, knowing my decision was already made.
“Boy, let go of my niece!” Sullie boomed. The knots suddenly seemed tighter at the sound of my uncle.
He was close, already waiting with open arms. Now, it was my turn to crumble. With a shattered cry, I launched myself into his arms. He grunted as I collided into him, and then I was wrapped in the best bear hug I’d ever received.
Would he still hold me like this when he found out the truth? Would Jer still have love in his eyes when he looked at me? Would my family still love me for loving the enemy?
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you more,” I sobbed, knowing this fight could break us all. A body hit my back, and I knew it was Jer. The three of us clung to each other, sobbing and apologizing.
“I hate to break up the family reunion, but we've got a bad guy upstairs.”
Haley’s voice had me scrambling away from the men and into her arms next. She hugged me back gently, and I murmured an apology. She was probably still in a little bit of pain. I pulled away to find her wearing a vest too. Her eyes met mine and she mouthed, “He is here.”
I mouthed back, “I know.”
At least my girls would have my back when the time came to fight for the man who had my heart.
She smiled and squeezed my hand. James was right behind her, talking into his earpiece as his eyes scanned the shadows.
“Copy that.”
He turned to us, lifting his chin to Jer. “We all set up for the pickup?”
“Absolutely. We shut down all four streets surrounding the stadium,” my brother answered, pulling out his cell. “Hey, have you seen Casey?”
Casey? The tech girl?
James’ brow furrowed. “She went back to the office hours ago.”
Jer grunted in response before taking my hand and looking at me. “Ready?”
Fuck yes, I was ready.