Chapter 15
Ace held the backpack over the edge of the cliff. Demopoulos had yet to prove Jasmine was still alive.
To Ace, that made him think Demopoulos had already killed her or she’d escaped.
He prayed she’d escaped and wouldn’t come anywhere near this house. She’d find Dmytro and Fearghas and be reunited with her son.
Ace, on the other hand, understood the risk he’d taken when he’d walked out among the two men, holding the backpack to his chest.
“I have the scroll,” he’d shouted over the gunfire, holding the backpack out in front of him with the box containing the scroll pulled halfway out for Demopoulos and Bertolli to see.
Immediately, Demopoulos and Bertolli had shouted for their men to cease fire.
Ace had marched to the edge of the patio, holding the backpack in front of him like a shield.
He’d counted four gunmen standing close by. Ace would bet the others lay dead inside the house or somewhere on the grounds.
He was still outnumbered. The only leverage he had was the copper scroll.
The time had come to make a decision. He wouldn’t give it to Demopoulos until he produced Jasmine alive.
Bertolli had no leverage other than the gun he held pointed at Ace.
“Last chance,” Ace said. “Show me Jasmine, and I’ll give you the scroll.”
“He can’t,” Bertolli said. “He doesn’t have her.”
“Shut up,” Demopoulos shouted. “You don’t have the boy. My men will find your lover. As soon as they do, they’ll bring her to me. And you will give me the scroll in exchange for the woman.”
Ace shook his head. “You don’t have her. Therefore, neither one of you will have the scroll.” He stared at the backpack for a moment, then released it.
The backpack disappeared over the edge of the patio.
Ace dove to the ground.
A shot rang out. Ace wasn’t sure from which direction.
Demopoulos jerked and cursed. He aimed at Bertolli and fired a round at the same time Bertolli fired one as well.
The two men on each side of the patio opened fire with their rifles at the same time.
All four of the gunmen fell.
Bertolli pressed a hand to his chest, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth to say something but dropped to the ground before he could. He lay still.
Demopoulos clutched at his groin and cursed in Greek. He sank to his knees and fell on his face, blood pooling beneath him from the shot to his groin.
Ace rose to his feet, dusted his hands off on his trousers and bent to roll Demopoulos onto his back.
The man’s face was white, the color completely drained.
As Ace straightened, he glanced toward the double doors he’d strode through minutes earlier.
Had he imagined it, or had he seen Jasmine?
A figure rose from the ground, stepped over a couple of bodies and came toward him.
“Jasmine,” he breathed. He opened his arms wide.
The woman he loved more than life itself ran into his embrace and buried her face in his shirt.
“They could have killed you,” she cried, tears soaking his shirt.
“But they didn’t,” he said and stroked her hair. He pressed a kiss to her temple, then gently lifted her chin to stare down into those beautiful green eyes.
“When Demopoulos arrived without you, I nearly lost my mind.” He kissed her eyelids, then the tip of her nose. “I looked for you since our affair in Athens. I’m not going to waste another minute without telling you I love you, Jasmine. I’ve loved you since you invited me to share your table at that little café in Athens.”
She smiled up at him through tear-filled eyes. “I fell in love with you that same day and haven’t stopped loving you throughout the last four years.”
Ace refused to remind her that she must have forgotten him a little if she’d gotten pregnant by another man. At that moment, he didn’t care. He loved this woman with all his heart.
“Mama,” a little voice called out.
Jasmine’s eyes widened, and a smile filled her face.
Ace released his hold on her.
Jasmine spun to face her son.
“Eli,” she said, her voice choking on a sob.
They ran toward each other.
Jasmine scooped the child up in her arms and hugged him to her chest, tears running down her cheeks. She kissed his hair and his cheek and finally stared down into his face. “Are you all right? Did that man hurt you?”
Eli looked over his mother’s arm at the man who’d taken him hostage. “No, mama. He didn’t hurt me. But he wouldn’t let me come home to you. I tried to be brave. I only cried a little.”
“Everything is okay now,” Jasmine said. “I love you, baby. Everything will be okay.”
Eli caught her face between his little hands and stared at her with a frown denting his forehead. “If everything is okay, why are you crying?”
“These are happy tears,” Jasmine said. “We’re together, and that’s all that matters.”
Eli smiled and laid his head on his mother’s shoulder. “Is it okay if I cry happy tears?”
She laughed. “Yes, sir.”
Ace stood back, letting the mother and son have their reunion.
Dmytro and Fearghas joined him on the patio.
“All clear,” Fearghas reported. “Bertolli and Demopoulos’s men all managed to kill each other. Either that or some ran away,” he shrugged. “Without their leaders, I’m sure they won’t be coming back.”
Dmytro smiled at Jasmine and Eli. Then he turned to Ace. “What happened to the copper scroll?”
Ace tipped his head toward the railing, overlooking the hills beyond. “I dropped it over the edge.”
Fearghas blinked. “After getting it this far?”
Ace laughed and strode to the railing, reached over and brought the backpack up by a strap. “There’s a ledge on the other side of the railing. I dropped it for effect.” His gaze went to the two men lying dead at his feet. “Dropping it served a purpose.”
“And that was?” Fearghas asked.
“Demopoulos and Bertolli were so set on each owning it that they blamed each other for allowing me to drop it over the side of a cliff. Once the first shot was fired, it was all over in minutes.” Ace’s brow dipped. “Only, I’m not sure either one of them fired that first round.” His gaze went to Jasmine.
Her eyes met his, and she smiled. “I figured once you released that bag, they’d start shooting anyway. I didn’t want them to aim at you, so I shot Demopoulos in the leg, banking on him assuming it was Bertolli. He shot Bertolli at the same time Bertolli shot him.” She hugged Eli close. “I’m glad they’re both gone. Hopefully, we won’t have to look over our shoulders anymore.”
“Mama, could that nice man hold me?” Eli asked.
Jasmine’s brow wrinkled. “Which nice man?”
Eli pointed to Ace. “That one.”
Jasmine met and held Ace’s gaze. “If he wants to hold you, yes.”
Ace opened his arms to the little boy.
Eli leaned out of his mother’s arms and into Ace’s. “Thank you.”
“For what?” Ace asked.
“For helping Mama find me.”
Jasmine smiled. “You’re a natural with children.”
“I could get used to this,” Ace said. “He’s a great little guy.”
“You think so?” Jasmine said, her eyes welling again with tears.
“Yup.” Ace glanced down at the little boy’s face. “Do you think he’d let me marry his mama? How about it, Eli—can I marry your mama?”
Eli smiled. “Would you be my daddy?”
Ace smiled. “Yes. If you want me to be.”
The boy smiled and wrapped his arms around Ace’s neck. “I always wanted a daddy.”
More tears spilled down Jasmine’s cheeks. “He’s a miniature version of you, Ace.”
“He could be. He has brown hair and brown eyes like me.” He grinned at Eli.
“Eli, tell the nice man how old you are,” Jasmine said.
Eli held up three fingers.
“Eli is three years and three months old,” Jasmine said.
Ace smiled at Eli. “You’re a big guy.”
Fearghas snorted. “How long has it been since you and Jasmine were together last?”
“Four years,” Ace said. “Why?”
Dmytro chuckled. “Do the math.”
Ace frowned. “What math—” He shot a glance toward Jasmine.
She nodded, a smile spreading across her face.
“He’s mine?” Ace stared down at the little boy’s face. “He has brown hair like mine, not black like yours, and he has brown eyes.”
“Like yours,” Jasmine concluded.
Ace felt like he’d been punched in the gut. In a good way.
Holding Eli on one arm, he gathered Jasmine close in the other. “I woke up not long ago alone, single and with no prospects of finding the woman who got away.” He kissed the top of Jasmine’s hair. “Now, not only have I found the woman I’ve loved all this time, but I also have a family.” He grinned. “Life doesn’t get much better than that.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Jasmine said, more tears spilling down her face.
“Mama, are those happy tears?” Eli yawned.
“Yes, baby,” she said. “They’re the happiest tears.”
“Then my daddy must be happy, too.” Eli stared up at Ace’s face.
Ace nodded, his heart so full it might bust out of his chest. “You and your mama are everything I could have dreamed of. Yes, sir, these are happy tears.”