Epilogue
Five days later…
Cassie did a last-minute check with the camera angle before her conference call with her bosses at the Guardian Agency. Lane had made himself scarce so she could speak candidly. Gamble and Swann knew injuries happened in the line of duty, but she didn’t want them to blame her current abrasions for her decision to walk away.
Nothing about the situation with Welker factored into her decision to resign. She was proud of her work. And she’d miss it.
But she had something new and special with Lane and she wanted to give their relationship a real chance. She couldn’t do that if she was on the mainland, busy with another assignment while he was here in Hawaii helping his friends.
Within minutes, however, it was clear Gamble and Swann had other plans for this call. They were clearly pleased with the outcome of the Welker case as they heaped praises on her. She should’ve known they would be on her side, but it made resigning that much tougher.
“You seem to like Hawaii,” Gamble observed.
“Yes, sir.” At the moment, Lane was the primary perk, but she couldn’t say that.
“We’ve been diversifying our services,” Swann said. “After your exemplary effort with the Knowles family, we reached out to the resort. Based on success at other hotels, we are currently negotiating a similar protection office with the resort. We’d like you to take the lead on that office.”
She wasn’t sure she’d heard him. This was a serious shift in job responsibility. “You’re serious.”
“Are we misinterpreting the situation?” Gamble asked. “Are you wanting to pursue something different? You’ve earned a break and the chance to name your terms.”
Absolutely not. One thing the Guardian Agency had taught her was that she wasn’t built for breaks. The idea of sitting around idly in Hawaii or anywhere else didn’t appeal to her. But leaving Lane, for the sake of a job, felt wrong too.
“In a perfect world? Yes, I want a challenging career. But you don’t have to create a position just for me.”
She was so glad she’d sent Lane out of the room. If he were here he’d be urging her to just accept the obvious gift without argument. He wasn’t exactly wrong. It just felt so strange that so many things were going right after the chaotic Welker situation.
Gamble smiled warmly. “When we get the right people in the right place, we like to keep them there.”
“You single-handedly protected not only the client but our business interests,” Swann said. “To say we appreciate that is an understatement. It’s hard to describe just how much damage control would ensue if Welker had succeeded. We believe in rewarding loyalty.”
“Hardly single-handedly,” she reminded them. “Without Lane and his teammates and the Brotherhood Protectors resources, things might’ve gone Welker’s way.”
She and Drake might both be dead now without all of that support.
“You’re making my point,” Gamble said. “You know how to rally the right people to your cause. As the lead there at the resort, you’ll have final say about the team you build.”
“You can take some time?—”
“I accept,” she said, thinking of Lane. She didn’t know if he would stay in Hawaii. They were too busy “dating” to discuss anything long term. But she had the sense that despite all the action, maybe because of it, Lane and his closest friends were thinking about staying. Either way, she trusted her intuition that this was the right move. “Thank you both.”
Gamble assured her that her new employment package would be arriving within a day or two and to take her time and ask plenty of questions. Above all, it seemed their first priority was making sure she was happy.
Ending the video call, Cassie sat back in her chair marveling at how much her life had changed in such a short time.
She’d lost a partner, a good man who would be missed.
She’d overcome significant threats to herself, her company, and her career. Thanks to Lane and his friends, she had survived.
More than that.
She’d fallen in love with Lane. Loving him didn’t feel scary or wrong. Just the opposite, every day with him felt perfect. Thrilled about the promotion and the possibilities on her horizon, she popped up out of the chair. She had to find him. Had to tell him exactly how she felt.
She couldn’t do anything less. How wild was it that she couldn’t wait to put her heart in his hands?
Something deep and important inside her understood that Lane was the right guy to trust with her deepest desires and vulnerabilities. With Lane, all of her old fears and issues seemed to fade away. Maybe not completely, but enough that she could see him for who and what he was.
More than her hero, he was her forever.
Body and soul, she knew staying with Lane was the best choice for her. The only choice. Building a life with him, here or anywhere else, would be exciting, occasionally outrageous, and definitely an adventure. And she couldn’t wait to get started.
In the hallway outside their hotel room, Lane paced back and forth.
Were her bosses giving her crap? Did she need backup? They had no right to challenge her decisions or critique how she’d handled herself. She’d been assertive and professional from the first moment to the last.
He walked up to the door, keycard at the ready, and caught himself before he barged in. Sure, he’d defend her to the grave, and call in every favor he was owed to help her.
And she wouldn’t accept any of that kind of help. Didn’t need it. She wasn’t just a grown woman. She was smart and more capable than most men he knew. Outside of his team, of course.
Stepping back from the door, he raked a hand through his hair. He just wanted her to be okay. More than okay. He wanted her to be happy. Truly happy. Because her smile was like sunlight breaking through the clouds. The world needed that smile.
He needed that smile.
He stalked down toward the elevators again and turned on his heel.
And if her happiness required her moving on, if she needed to get back to work? He swore under his breath. Well, that would suck, but he would honor her decision.
He rubbed his knuckles against the sudden ache in his chest. His heart sure as hell didn’t want to accept a future without Cassie in it.
Too bad. This was about her.
“Lane?” Harlan was striding toward him. “Man, what’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” Lane said, completely locked in denial. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d be?—”
Harlan cut him off. “You haven’t looked this serious in… well, ever.”
“Thanks,” Lane grumbled. Sure, he was notoriously the most unserious guy in any situation. Unless they were running an op in the field or he was tucked into a sniper’s nest.
“Are you waiting on Cassie?”
He jerked his chin back toward the room. “She’s doing the debrief with her bosses.”
“Hope she’s less stressed than you,” Harlan observed.
“I’m fine,” Lane denied.
Harlan tapped the phone in his hand, his gaze always analyzing. “You weren’t picking up.”
Lane reached down, patting the cell phone in his pocket. “Sorry. I silenced it.” Because he just couldn’t cope with one more interruption and he didn’t want to risk being drawn away before he knew the outcome of Cassie’s video conference.
How much time did a couple of lawyers need to either give her a promotion or fire her? Then again, lawyers billed by the hour and plenty of them were addicted to their own voices.
“I get it,” Harlan said in the tone that had deescalated situations and saved lives around the world. “We’re heading over to the bar. I wanted to make sure you and Cassie knew where to find us.”
Lane rolled his tight shoulders. He really was too stressed. “Thanks. We’ll be there soon.”
They would be there, he vowed. Together. To celebrate whatever decision she’d made.
He soothed the erratic beat of his heart with the reminder that they had time. Even if she chose to move on, Cassie wouldn’t be leaving right away. The volcano was still causing havoc and disrupting travel in and around the islands.
He knew he was among the few people who were actually thankful for the eruption. The crisis had brought him into Cassie’s world. Teaming up with her had given him the purpose he’d been searching for these past six months.
A purpose that went beyond a case or a mission.
It was more than a little unsettling to find that his inner peace was tied so tightly to a woman he’d just met.
The door opened—finally—and for a second he couldn’t breathe. She looked so damn happy. Happier than the first time he’d seen her on the beach.
Crap. They must have offered her a promotion.
“Get in here,” she said.
He didn’t have to be told twice. He kicked the door shut and all the words he wanted to give her got tangled up in his throat and he just stared.
That happiness on her face clouded over with immediate concern. “Are you okay?”
He waved that off. “Yeah I’m fine. Did they give you hell?”
“No.”
“Good. Now I don’t have to hunt them down,” he said, smiling to soften the threat.
She stroked his jaw, her gaze soft and understanding. “I imagine my bosses could take care of themselves. If not, there’s plenty of protection between you and them.” She tapped her finger on his chest. “Starting with me. Gamble and Swann are two of the best people I know.”
“All right.” He held his hands up in surrender. The last thing he wanted to hear was her talking about other men. He didn’t care how far away they might be. “They gave you a chance when you needed one. I get that.” He tried to stay casual about it all, even with his heart thundering in his ears. “So spill. What’s the news?”
She nipped her lower lip. “Well, I’m just going to say it. I’m not expecting any specific response from you.” She peered up at him through her eyelashes.
He was pretty sure his heart stopped. “I’m listening.”
“They gave me a job here. At this resort. If I want it.”
It took him a second. The warning had made him think she was going to tell him something far more personal. “You’d have a permanent assignment here on the Big Island?” He wanted to be very specific about this.
“Yes. I’d be leading a personal security office here at the resort. I get to build my own team.”
He heard her list off the details and the benefits and the responsibilities, but her voice seemed to fade as if she wasn’t sure about taking the job. “You don’t look happy,” she finished.
“Do you really want this job?” he queried. “Because you seemed happy as hell a minute ago and now you don’t look so sure. I want you to be happy, Cass.”
She kissed him quickly. “Yes. I want this job. It’s more than I could’ve hoped for. Working in paradise, having stability, and backed by one of the best security agencies around.” She planted her hands on her hips. “You’re still scowling at me? I thought you would help me celebrate.”
“Of course I will. The guys invited us to the bar.” His voice felt stiff and cold. “We’ll all help you celebrate.”
“Thank you. I didn’t make the decision lightly.” She took a deep breath. “It doesn’t have to mean anything for you. They call it the Big Island for a reason. Not like we’ll trip over each other every day. And retirement or not, your vacation can’t last forever.”
He was screwing this up. “Maybe I should get Harlan in here,” he muttered.
“What?”
“The man can talk paint off a wall. And I suddenly can’t talk to you at all. I’m screwing this up.”
Her eyebrows arched. “Then you’d better figure it out.”
He stepped closer, breathing in the soft scent that was all her. It steadied him. Beat by beat, he felt his heart rate drop back to normal. This was the most important moment of the rest of his life. And, like looking at a target through a scope, everything was suddenly sharp and clear.
“I love you, Cassie. I want to trip over you every day and make love to you every night. If you’re staying, I’m staying.”
“And your friends?”
“The guys and I will sort it out. You matter most to me. Wherever you are is the place I want to call home.” He cupped her cheek. “You’re my North Star.”
Her eyes glistened with tears. Happy tears, he hoped.
“You mean it?”
“Day and night, sweetheart, you’re it. I love you.” He kissed her softly, but pulled back. “Tell me you love me too.”
“I do, Lane!” She boosted herself into his arms. “I love you.” Holding him tightly, she kissed him.
He turned, pinning her to the wall so he could relax in the pure joy of it.
“Against my better judgment,” she teased. “You’re the best leap of faith ever.”
“I promise you won’t ever regret it,” he vowed.
“Same goes.” She cradled his face between her palms. “Did you hear me say my new job comes with a suite here at the resort?”
Huh. “No,” he admitted. “I didn’t catch that. I was a little preoccupied.”
She cocked her head. “Preoccupied or panicked?”
“A man is allowed to have a few secrets.”
Her hips rocked into his. “Not from his North Star.”
He nuzzled her neck, making her giggle. “In that case, I admit to panic. But if you try to tell anyone, I’ll deny it to my grave.”
“I promise to never divulge your secrets, Lane Benning.” Her hands glided over his shoulders, coming to rest over his heart. “And I promise to love you forever. In sunshine or rain, earthquakes or lava, I will always be yours.”
The words felt more significant than any vows they might exchange as part of a formal ceremony. Still, he discovered he wanted that traditional moment. Wanted to see her in a wedding dress and stand with her in front of friends and family to make his promises. He wanted to celebrate their commitment, wanted to create memories and a special day just for the two of them.
But there was time. Time to find a ring and the right place to propose, and time to plan an unforgettable day. Because they’d been through hell, and there were challenges ahead for sure. But he had more confidence than ever. With Cassie at his side, they could conquer whatever life aimed their way.
“The guys are waiting,” he remembered, before he let things go too far right here against the wall. “Harlan is going to give me crap. You may have to come to my defense.”
She laughed. “Why would he do that?”
“Because once we tell them all of this, he’ll make some bold claim about knowing the exact moment I fell in love with you.”
“You did say he was the best at reading people.”
“Uh huh.” He opened the door for her and they walked out. “That’s not for him to know. The man can’t be right about everything.”
“Are you sure?” She pressed the button for the elevator, then went up on her toes to give him another kiss. “You’d better tell me when it happened,” she suggested. “If you don’t, I might think your friend knows best.”
He stepped into the elevator, and thankfully they were alone. He pulled her close and smoothed her hair back from her face. Of course he’d tell her.
“Harlan would tell you I fell in love at first sight. The moment I saw you on the beach.” Had it been only a little over a week ago?
“You didn’t?”
He shook his head, delighted by the sparkle in her eyes. “That was lust.”
“Do go on.” She wound her arms around his neck, her body pressing in close. “I can’t wait to hear this.”
The woman was the best kind of distraction. He had to work to remember what they were talking about. “My heart fell at your feet, irrevocably, during that conversation about funerals and closure.” His hands slid up and down her back. “I’m surprised, offended even, that you didn’t hear the thud.”
“I probably wrote it off as an aftershock.”
“We’ve had our share of those,” he agreed. “Volcanoes, earthquakes, and a few wild goose chases. I’d say it’s the perfect start for you and me.”
“Perfect?”
The elevator doors opened and her laughter spilled out ahead of them. They walked through the lobby hand in hand, out into another balmy Hawaiian evening.
“You have to admit ours is an exciting love story.” One he hoped to share with his grandchildren someday. “Do you want kids?”
She laughed, then jerked to a stop. “You’re serious.”
He’d shocked her, but he didn’t believe for a second that he’d rushed anything. She knew him, knew he was hers no matter what.
Her smile faded as she moved closer. “You want kids.” It sounded more like an accusation, but her gaze had gone dreamy.
“With you, yes.” An image of her carrying their child nearly brought him to his knees. “How else would we get grandkids who will sit and listen to me tell them about winning your heart?”
“Kids aren’t an automatic grandkid metric.” Her fingertips traced his shirt buttons. “Look at you. I guess I finally peeled away enough of your layers to find a traditional gooey center.”
It surprised him too. Then again, he was only this way because of her. “Cassie.”
She looked up and he didn’t wait for an answer, it was shining in her eyes. “You are all the family I need,” she said. “Adding children would be the sweetest bonus. Growing old with you, that’s sure to be an adventure, grandkids or not.”
He agreed with every fiber of his being. Not trusting his words, he kissed her soundly.
There was no way to be sure what the future held, only that she was his true north and he was hers. Together, they could find their way through anything. Overcome any challenge. Together they could be in love for all the years ahead.