Chapter 25
Owen raced from the house, rushing toward Sebastian. The kid nearly tackled him to the ground as he latched onto him with an umph. Slowly, Caitlyn made her way toward him. The whine of approaching sirens cut through the crisp air.
Yeats weaved his way between the vehicles parked by the barn, making record time to get to Sebastian. “Caitlyn called. You good? Sam, okay?”
He looked at Caitlyn and lifted his chin. She waved. What was she waiting for? Owen clung to him, hugging him tighter.
“Yeah. All good. Thanks for checking on them,” Sebastian groaned, his injured shoulder sending a fresh ripple of pain down his chest. Two cop cars pulled up alongside the barn, and a plain SUV followed.
One officer got out of the car and approached Caitlyn. Two more headed toward Sebastian and he directed them toward Chris, still lying in the barn, and they waited for the ambulance before taking him into custody.
Sam stood a few paces away. The sun falling behind the fence line in the distance. Her face twisted in a mask of shock and betrayal. Across from her, Cole leaned against the weathered fence post of the horse corral, his gaze locked on Sam.
“I’m sorry.” Sebastian took a last fleeting look at Caitlyn before he went to see his sister, leaving Yeats to step up beside Owen.
“I envisioned this going an entirely different way,” he admitted. He planned to come here in the morning, but the security alarm changed how he imagined this going.
Instead, they stood here, surrounded by the flashing lights of cop cars and ambulances with law enforcers and EMTs gathered in front of their family’s stables.
She smiled through the tears. “I’m glad you are alright. I was so scared. I didn’t know it was you at first.” She leaned back, touched his brown locks of hair. “What happens now?” She glanced over at Cole.
“Are you pressing charges against this one?” Razek asked, gesturing toward Cole with a jerk of his chin.
His throat tightened as he looked at the pain etched in Sam’s face. He never wanted to bring his sister pain. “He’s an accessory to murder.”
The words were a bitter pill to swallow, but the gnawing disappointment toward the man who’d been watching over his sister deepened. Cole flinched at the words, his face twisted in disbelief.
“He’s been watching and waiting for me to come here,” Sebastian said, a mix of fury and a deep, churning sadness accosting him.
A gasp escaped Sam’s lips, a sound that shattered the tense silence.
The shock receded on Sam’s face, replaced by a dawning comprehension that drained her face of color.
“Is that true?” Sam asked, her voice trembling.
A wave of desperate longing washed over Sebastian.
He longed to reach out, offer comfort, and somehow erase the pain etched on her face.
But before he could move, Yeats, ever the guardian, stepped forward to offer his solace. Sam recoiled, her movement swift.
“Is it true?” she demanded again. “You knew?”
Cole’s shoulders slumped, his earlier bravado melting away. “I had no choice.” His voice came out as a croak. He reached out a hand toward Sam, but she retreated farther, her eyes hardening with a chilling mix of fear and fury. “Sam, I would have never let him hurt you.”
Another vehicle sped down the lane. Razek slid a pair of handcuffs into Sebastian’s hand. He watched Sam and Cole. It was his fault. The secrets, the lies. The hurt raging in Sam’s eyes.
“Sammy.” Sebastian reached out a tentative hand, unsure if she would let him touch her. Sam’s gaze met his, her expression giving him chills.
“Sam,” Cole pleaded. “Babe.” His voice cracked out the last word.
“Were you going to shoot my brother?” she asked quietly. Cole’s lips tightened as Sam took that as a reply. “All this time. You were waiting for him. Why? What about your job? The kids. What about me?”
Anger simmered beneath the surface, and Sebastian covered his mouth with a hand to keep his thoughts from becoming voiced. The devastation etched on his sister’s face raked him over a thousand hot coals.
Razek whispered something in Owen’s ear, and the boy scuffed his shoe on the ground before heading away with a waiting police officer.
Cole hung his head. “I’m good at my job.”
“And what exactly is your job?” Yeats moved closer to Sam.
“Killing people?” Sam accused, dismayed.
Cole lowered his chin. “I work in intelligence.”
“How did you know I was here?” Sebastian asked.
Cole smirked. Lifted his chin in Owen’s direction.
“Your mother found some new photos in a scrapbook from the attic and Samantha put them in frames a few weeks ago. The kid recognized you from one of the photos.” Cole’s jaw tightened.
He glanced around at the cops inside the barn.
Sirens sounded in the distance as the ambulance came down the farm lane.
“Cole.” Sam’s voice trembled. Tears glistened in her eyes. “You used me. All this time, I thought…” She broke off. Sebastian stepped forward, about to grab Cole, when Sam’s arm went out in front of him. “No.” She took the cuffs. “Let me.”
Glancing at Razek, the chief of police shrugged.
Sebastian handed his sister the cuffs. He reached for his gun, still nestled against his back.
Cole kept his eyes on the movement. Sebastian aimed his gun at Cole to ensure the man didn’t harm Sam, but his gut told him Cole cared about Sam.
He couldn’t, however, save her from this.
Sam walked up to Cole. With her back to Sebastian, he didn’t let her see the gun he kept pointed at her boyfriend.
“Sam,” Cole said again, in a way that made Sebastian feel bad for the dude. “I didn’t have a choice. You better than anyone should understand.”
“I understand,” Sam said, reaching for his hand. He held out his wrists for her. “This is why you never could commit to a wedding date. Did you even love me, Cole?”
“Sam...” Cole’s gaze lowered to the cuffs Sam wrapped around his wrists. Her shaking fingers worked to click each one in place. “When all this is straightened out, I’m coming back to you. All those plans we talked about—”
“Stop.” Sam squeezed his cuffed hands. “Don’t you dare use my hopes and dreams to manipulate me. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have tried to help end my brother’s life. I hope they lock you away for a long time.” She dropped his hands, turned on her heel and brushed between Sebastian and Yeats.
Cole moved to go forward, but Razek grabbed him, and Sebastian held him at gunpoint. “Let’s get this one out of here,” Razek shouted as two cops came forward to help.
Samantha kept walking. Sebastian heard her sniffles and went to go after her. Yeats put his hand out to stop Sebastian. He lifted his chin in the direction behind him.
Finally, Caitlyn made it the rest of the way from the yard, through the police, to get to them near the barn. Relief flooded her features as Owen raced toward her. “Mom! He’s okay! Dan’s okay!”
Owen clutched Caitlyn’s hand as she intercepted Sam. Caitlyn spoke, head bent, and Sam turned her head to glance at Sebastian. Sam listened, her expression unreadable.
A flicker of hope ignited in his chest. Caitlyn’s gaze flickered back toward him, a silent question hanging between them. Taking a deep breath, he met her eyes.
Caitlyn held his gaze for a long, searching moment. A slow smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Sam went with the police officer, who approached them. They would need her to give a statement like everyone else.
A warmth bloomed in Sebastian’s chest, despite the chaos swirling around them. With Owen’s hand in hers, Caitlyn strode over to him. Sebastian braced himself, unsure what to expect. Then she was there, right in front of him.
Razek took the gun from Sebastian’s hand. “I think I’ll hold on to this for you. When you’re ready, let me know, and I’ll give it back.” Sebastian nodded, not taking his eyes off Caitlyn.
“You were never off the force, but I’m glad to have you back. I hear there’s going to be a wedding here soon. Take your time,” Razek said, clicking on the gun safety. “I’ll see you back in Johnstown.”
Before Sebastian could argue, Caitlyn said, “We’ll be there.”
“We?” Sebastian asked as she cupped his cheek. Sebastian leaned into it, closing his eyes as she leaned closer.
“We,” she whispered.
“Me too,” Owen chimed in.
Sebastian looked at Owen. “Can’t argue with that.”
“Nope.” Owen said, “What Mom says goes.”
“Then what does Mom say about making all this official?” he asked.
Caitlyn’s eyes grew wide. “Daniels.”
“Sebastian.” His gaze lowered to her parted lips. “It’s okay if you’re afraid. We can wait. I got time. It’s your choice.”
Caitlyn glanced at Owen, then at Sebastian. “I know you are a good man, Sebastian Daniels, and Owen and I want to become part of your family.”
“Forever.” Owen bounced beside them.
“Okay,” Sebastian said.
“Okay?” Her brow lifted.
“I think I can handle that,” he said, watching Owen’s lips quirk as he teased Caitlyn.
She tugged him by the shirt. The world around them faded away. The flashing lights, the angry shouts, the weight of betrayal—all of it dissolved into the gentle press of her lips against his. Soft and tentative at first, then it brimmed with unspoken promise.
Owen pulled away as Sebastian pulled Caitlyn closer in his arms. After he left her breathless, he asked, “Can you handle being married to a landscaper?”
“No.” Caitlyn placed her hand over his heart. “Because my man is a law enforcer, and that’s what I love about him most.”
Sebastian covered her hand. “You love me?”
“Maybe.” She gave him another quick peck on the lips. “Come. We should check on Sam, and I think we need to tell her about us, don’t you think?” Her slender brow rose.
They walked toward where Sam stood talking with an officer. Sebastian’s hand in Caitlyn’s and Owen on the other side of him, they watched the ambulance leave with Chris inside.
“What happens now?” Owen asked.
“Now,” Sebastian said, “we get ready for a wedding.”