Chapter 35 Faina
FAINA
Two days later, after floating ashore in Australian waters to the sneering grin of Richard Whittle, I walk out of the police station a free woman.
It feels… good.
Better than good.
It’s like everything that was weighing me down has finally been lifted and I can breathe properly for the first time in years. It’s a strange sensation as wariness still tingles at the back of my neck, like a nerve twitching while I wait for the other shoe to drop.
Maybe Hawk isn’t really dead. Maybe the rest of the Hexagon, not destroyed during the yacht’s sinking, are still out there looking for revenge. Or worse, maybe Cian hasn’t been as lucky as me.
Hands on my hips, I stand at the top of the staircase and gaze up to the perfectly blue sky.
There’s not a cloud in sight and the sun beats down without mercy, warming my skin to the point of uncomfortableness, but I don’t move.
There was no heat in my cell so I’m going to soak up every second of this.
Two birds burst into view. They fly together out of a tree and meet in the air above me, spinning and chirping while seemingly locked together in a bitter argument. Squinting, I watch them dart left and right, then up and down in circles until it clicks that they’re not fighting. They’re dancing.
How cute.
“Call for you,” barks a voice to my left. I glance away from the birds to face Richard and sourness warms the back of my tongue. I’d promised to never see him again when I left my cell and it’s already too soon.
He holds a cell phone in his hand and thrusts it toward me as we stare at one another. “Who is it?”
“Do I look like your fucking secretary?” he barks. “You’re lucky I even brought it to you.”
Cautiously, I take the device and press it to my ear while maintaining eye contact with Richard. “Hello?”
“Faina?” Anastasia’s warm tones flood my ear and that warmth seeps through my soul as relief blooms in my chest. “Faina, are you there?”
“Anastasia?” My voice cracks, despite my best efforts, and Richard sneers at me.
“Oh, thank fuck,” Anastasia groans. “You’re okay. I’m so glad you’re okay.”
I want to tell her the same. I want to tell her I agonized for weeks over her safety and had no idea if she was alive or if Hawk had made good on his threat and killed her, but in front of Richard, the words don’t come.
I refuse to show weakness in front of the asshole who tried to lock me up forever.
“I’m okay,” I say after a long silence. “Are you?”
“Yes. Yes. Rocky came to see me, and when he explained what you’d called him about, I knew something was happening. When we didn’t immediately hear from you afterward, I was scared that Hawk had… it doesn’t matter. You need to be on the first flight back to the States, understand?”
“Is it safe there?” Out of all the questions I want to ask her, this is the only one that makes it past my tight lips.
“Safer than they were. I’ll explain when you come home. Bring Cian too… and Faina?”
“Yes?”
“I’m so, so glad you’re alive. Come home to me in one piece, okay?” The line clicks before I can promise her that, then I hand the phone back to Richard.
“Thanks.”
“You’re lucky my boss won’t let me trace that call because I would have arrested whoever was on the other side.”
“You want to arrest my hairdresser?” I snort, amused.
“We both know that wasn’t your hairdresser.”
“Do we? Do we both know that? I guess you will never know, will you?” A light smirk warms my lips. It feels good to get one over on him after everything he forced me to do. “I’m a free woman, remember?”
“I hadn’t forgotten.” He spits out the words so fiercely that spittle glints in the air between us and shines on his lower lip. “Immunity. How the fuck did the two of you pull that off?”
“Weren’t you listening?” I glance back at the police station and jerk my thumb toward it.
“I suppose if you ask nicely, the captain will explain it to you again. Although he did seem kind of pissed at you. I guess conducting an Interpol Investigation on Australian soil without alerting the proper authorities is kind of a no-no. Maybe you’re the criminal here. ”
“I won’t forget what you are!” Richard surges forward and grabs my upper arm in a vise-like grip.
Pain flares through the bandaged bullet graze but I bite back my wince.
“My boss might think the sun shines out of your ass because you took down Hexagon, but I know the truth. You and your little boyfriend are criminals and I’m not going to let that go, you hear me?”
“I think you’ll have to.” Rather than struggling in his grip, I lean into Richard and narrow my eyes as my voice turns icy.
“Because I did what you couldn’t. I fucking did your job for you and I’m glad your boss appreciates just how big of a deal it is that we took such a major international criminal off the playing field.
Something you couldn’t do. Maybe rethink your strategy, Richard, because it sounds like you’re on the chopping block and not me.
If I remember correctly, it was something about the unsanctioned sale of weapons? ”
Richard’s eyes widen. “What did you do?”
“I told the truth. That you let Hawk go in favor of chasing the weapons rather than him. I suppose that wouldn’t be much of an issue if you didn’t have a track record of letting the big fish escape just to get a small win. Some would call that questionable.”
“Richard!” barks a deep voice behind us.
We both turn to see the other Interpol agent who arrived not long after we were apprehended, standing in the doorway to the station.
“What?” Richard yells back angrily.
“We’re not done here. Get back inside.”
“Looks like you’ve got your orders, dog,” I whisper, finally jerking my arm out of his grip. “Run along.”
“This isn’t over,” Richard snarls at me. “I’ll be watching you. And you know, one more thing. Your father would be disgusted.”
Soft laughter bubbles inside me. “Good!” I call after him as he stomps away. “I don’t aspire to be anything like him!”
Like a petulant child, Richard flips me off before vanishing inside the building and a warm peace settles over my shoulders once more.
What an asshole.
Massaging my arm, I head down the steps and settle down on a black bench next to a low wall.
I need Cian.
I haven’t seen him since we were dragged out of that boat and worry is growing in my gut.
How is he faring in his cell? Will he get the same treatment as me?
They told me we were both free to go, but there’s no sign of him yet and my anxiety begins to grow.
If they’ve got him on some other, unrelated charge or if Richard has anything to do with this delay, then, immunity or not, I’ll kill him.
I’m not leaving Cian here alone. Not after everything we’ve been through.
The minutes drag by while the sun bakes me to the bench and anxiety churns my gut so ferociously that twice I hug the nearby trash can, expecting to throw up.
Although that might be the baby.
The first thing I need to do back in the States is make sure they’re okay. Stress can be killer, so I’ve heard, and this hasn’t been a walk in the park.
As my mind wanders through the panicked possibilities of what the past weeks could have done to my baby, the subtle creak of the door to the station finally catches my attention.
I glance up and my heart stops.
Cian.
He stands at the top of the steps wearing a fresh white tank top that’s almost blindingly white in the sun, kind of like his complexion. His hair drifts in the subtle warm breeze like flames licking across his skull, and his ink stands out on his neck like a proud brand.
This is the first time, I realize, that I’ve seen him in public like this with some of his scars on display. Usually, he’s hiding under long sleeves and jackets, but not now. He stands there with the warped skin of his shoulder and forearm out for anyone to see.
Pride swells in my chest.
Then his searching eyes land on me and the widest, most relieved smile spreads across his handsome face. He starts hurrying down the steps two at a time. I’m lightly concerned for his leg but it hardly seems to be an issue, and by the time he reaches me, I’m on my feet.
“Faina!” Cian throws his arms around me and just as I loop my arms around his neck, he draws me into a tight hug right up against his body.
His skin is warm to the touch and his smell, even under the strange bleach stink of those cells, is there for me to breathe in when I bury my face into his neck. His arms tighten around me and he hugs me so tightly that he almost picks me right up, but I wouldn’t care if he did.
He’s here.
And that’s all that matters.
I cradle the back of his head with one hand and lean back enough to see his face. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
He shakes his head. “I’m fine, I promise. But you?” Within seconds, his attention is on my shoulder and he delicately touches the bandage. “How bad was it?”
“It was a good shot. The bullet carved a neat line through my arm but it’s all just flesh. Nothing serious and not that deep. Hell of a bleeder though.”
“Being in the water didn’t make it worse?”
“No. If anything, the cold helped. But I’m okay. Stitched up and okay.”
Cian’s brow knits together and then he resumes hugging me so tightly that I almost can’t breathe. It’s a comfort restriction, though, like resting under a weighted blanket and feeling so utterly safe that nothing can possibly bother you.
“I was so worried,” Cian murmurs into my hair.
“Me too.” My fingers thread through his sun-warmed strands, winding around my knuckles. “I kept thinking about you locked in a cell like last time and I was scared.”
“This was different.” We part once more and he cradles my face with one hand. “I was in a decent room this time. It was bright. There was a window and I had space. I was more worried about you.”
“You realize if anyone hears us, then the damage to our reputation will be immense.”
Cian snorts softly. “I dunno. Taking down Hexagon puts us in the history books.”
My smile softens. “How do you feel about that? About it actually being… over?”
His thumb strokes over the swell of my cheek and then he sighs, shaking his head. “I don’t feel anything. Logically, I know we did it and Hawk is dead, but it doesn’t feel real. I feel like I’m still waiting for him to appear.”
Nodding, I slide my hand around to the side of his neck. “It’ll take time.”
“I know.”
“But he’s gone. You did it. And not only is he gone, but we took down everything he had. Whatever’s left is barely worth anything and I’m sure someone will stamp it out.”
“I know you’re saying important things,” Cian murmurs as his eyes flick down to my lips. “But all I’m hearing is how badly I want to kiss you and I need you to stop talking so I know you want to kiss me too.”
Another laugh warms my throat. “You really need to ask?”
Cian kisses me suddenly, firmly holding me against his body and sealing his lips over mine.
Warmth flushes through my body and my heart skips excitedly.
Both my hands return to his hair and I tug lightly as his lips slide against mine to adjust the angle, kissing me deeper.
There’s so much pressure that I dip backward slightly, but he holds me tight.
Then his hot, wet tongue darts out and strokes across the seam of my lips with a soft groan.
I open my mouth immediately, and his tongue slides alongside mine. Our heads shift subtly in opposite directions to align our mouths while our tongues dance together, and a deep sense of peace finally settles in my chest.
By the time we break apart, we’re both breathless and the truth about my pregnancy bubbles up inside me. But I hold back. Telling him now when I haven’t seen a doctor will ruin the moment. Waiting until we’re back in the States will be best.
“What are you thinking about?” Cian asks me softly, nudging his nose against mine.
“You mean other than how good it is to kiss you under the sun with your arms around me even though we’re in the middle of the street?” I tease softly.
“Yes.”
“I’m thinking about how it’s time for us to go home.”