Chapter 56 #2
I throw open the door, my shoulder pounding into the doorframe as I rush through, but again, I don’t feel it. I wouldn’t have even noticed if it hadn’t momentarily slowed me down.
“Get off me,” Keeley yells, the strength in her voice coming through loud and clear as I round the corner to the sunken lounge.
The first thing I see is a hooded figure hovering above Keeley on the couch, and without checking for weapons, I dive on top of him, both of us crashing into the coffee table seconds before loud voices fill the house.
“SFPD, don’t move.”
I jolt as relief fills me, silently thanking Austin for coming through.
But it’s not until my eyes lock with Keeley’s that I finally relax. She’s okay. We’re all okay. And this is almost over.
After the intruder’s taken away, Keeley and I give our statements to police, and as suspected, they’re not at all happy that we didn’t report our suspicions earlier. They take my phone as evidence, and I prepare myself for whatever consequences I have to face.
Despite having no intention of paying it, I offered Jill money, and I can’t exactly tell the police that I only did it to piss her off in the hope that she’d send someone after my girlfriend.
Since we’re in a wealthy neighborhood, it’s not long before a media van arrives and reporters are crowding our yard, forcing us to hide inside. Not that we were planning on venturing out anytime soon.
Keeley and I are kept mostly apart, so the second the detectives leave, I have her in my arms, assessing her for damage before I walk her back to the couch.
“I’m fine.” She giggles. “Like I told you I would be.”
My heart races and I wish I could focus on her happiness, only I have way too many questions to let her off the hook. “What if I hadn’t come home, Keels? Or what if I’d arrived five minutes later?”
“If you had, the police would have been here. And I knew you would. I’ll bet you were on a plane the second you received the gossip notification.” She smiles and I shake my head, an incredulous laugh bubbling out of me.
“You are trouble, you know that?”
“Did you or did you not rush to Paige’s defense without filling her in on what you were doing?”
“I did.”
“And did you or did you not disappear with Blair’s dad to help Zane without telling any of us what you were going to do?”
Fuck. “I did that too.”
“And do you trust me?”
“Of course. But?—”
“There are no buts, Sal.”
“Yes, there is. A huge one. You could have been seriously hurt. Or worse.”
“I wasn’t.”
I stifle a groan and Keeley smiles, standing up on her good foot to pull me into her. She presses a kiss to my lips, and a wave of calm washes over me. She’s okay. She’s okay. That’s all that matters.
“Fuck, Keeley. I understand why you did it, but it scared the hell out of me.”
“Ooh. You like me.” She grins and I have to hand it to her—after all that she’s been through, she doesn’t appear affected at all.
“How are you so calm? A man broke into our house and tried to attack you.”
“He didn’t break in. It’s a safe neighborhood; our door was unlocked.”
“Keel-ley.” I groan. That’s not the point and she knows it.
“Ugh, fine. I’m calm because I had to be. I had to trust it would work out, and when I saw Austin’s meeting request come through, I knew that it would. Clever idea, by the way. It’s like communicating without communicating.”
“Austin sent you a meeting request?”
“He did. It said call with Mr. D’Angelo and Austin Newman, ten forty-five tomorrow morning.
With the subject, ‘confirmation of resources.’ I took that to mean ten forty-five tonight, and that someone was on their way to help.
I’m assuming his contact came through to tell him the Mikklesons had sent someone. The nephew or whoever it was.”
“He must have, but... Jesus, Keels. I guess it doesn’t matter if you were wrong because it still gave you the confidence you needed.”
“It did. That and my faith in you as a protector.”
“I still don’t like it. I was supposed to get there before they sent someone. That was the plan.”
“Yeah, well, they were faster than I expected.” She voices my thoughts. “But luckily Austin got word when he did and it all worked out in the end. My plan worked. Feel free to say thank you.”
“Thank you.” I stare at her deadpan because while she’s right, the plan worked, it could have easily gone the other way. Austin’s contact could have been double-crossing us. Or the police could have taken longer.
Keeley laughs, undoubtedly at my sour expression, and I’m about to argue when she winces, her eyes flashing back to the couch. “I should sit down.”
“Jesus. Yes. Sit. Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’m fine. Please sit with me.”
We both sit and silence falls between us. It’s then that her confidence wavers. “In all seriousness, I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to help.” She sighs, her throat bobbing as she grabs my hand.
“You helped. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you did for my family.”
“Our family.” She hides a smile and my heart jolts. Our family. She’s right. And it’s not just because her brother married into my family, it’s her. She’s my family. And God, I love her.
No, it’s more than that. I don’t love her. I’m in love with her.
It’s beyond infatuation, beyond love, beyond anything I’ve ever felt.
The feeling wraps around me, swirling through my veins until it’s ingrained into who I am.
Plain and simple, like it’s the most obvious notion in the world.
I’m in love with Keeley Reynolds, and I’ve never felt this strongly before.
I shift slightly on the couch, angling my body to face her, an overwhelming tightness in my chest. “Keeley.” I draw her attention, my voice raspy as emotion clogs my throat. “There’s something I have to say.”
Her brow furrows, and I itch to massage the crease there, to wipe away her concern, but instead, I reach for her hand, intertwining our fingers as I speak.
“I’ve never believed in happily ever afters, or soulmates and the meant to be.
Even while I was married, that all fell into the fairy-tale category, something I’d read about to Paige.
Or at least, something her nanny would have read to her.
I never understood how anyone could get wrapped up in giddy feelings and what-ifs.
I was too practical for that. That’s why business always had my heart.
It made sense. Ideas are presented, decisions are made, and they either work or they don’t.
Of course, it’s a lot more complicated than that, but it was easier to handle than uncontrollable emotions and ideals. ”
Keeley’s lips part, her burning gaze locked on mine as though she’s captivated by my every word. And God, I hope that’s true because I’m captivated by her. She’s making me question all the beliefs I had in the past.
“With you, I can see a future, I can see past the day-to-day, and I know with absolute certainty that I never want to be without you. Not today, not ten years from now. You understand me in a way no one ever has before. We’re in sync, a team, two halves of the same whole.
And yes, I realize that sounds a hell of a lot like soulmates, and I’m more than happy to have been proven wrong.
The point is… Fuck.” I run a hand through my hair, my palms clammy.
I can talk to a room full of thousands of people, I can argue my point, fire people without so much as a flinch, but telling my girl that I love her makes my stomach fraught with tension.
“Who would have thought this would be so hard? The point is that I’m in love with you, Keeley. And I think it’s been building for a really long time. Even before our first kiss.”
Keeley’s breath hitches as her eyes well with emotion, the hint of tears shining brightly as she stares my way.
“It’s scary how alike we are.” She giggles, covering her face with her hands.
“If someone had asked me two years ago if I believed in all that, I would have laughed in their face, and yet now, with you sitting in front of me, declaring your love, it’s safe to say I’ve changed my mind.
I had faith I’d be okay today because I had faith in you.
I’ve always had faith in you.” She smiles as my love pounds inside me, the beating so hard it hurts my heart.
“So what you’re saying is…” I trail off, my patience paper-thin now that she’s close to admitting she feels the same.
“As hard as I tried to fight it, I’ve fallen in love with you too. And while I have no clue what the future will bring, I know I want you in it. Always.”
“Thank fuck.” I cup her neck and slam my lips to hers, feeling her pulse spike beneath my fingertips. This is it. She’s the reason I threw myself into work, the reason I packed up and moved to San Francisco, the reason for everything.
My life has been leading me here. I just didn’t know it.