Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Two months later
V ander strode into the alley. Suddenly, a teenage boy came barreling down from the other direction, looking back behind him.
Vander stuck his foot out and the boy tripped, face planting into the dirty concrete. The handbag he was clutching flew out of his hand.
“What the fuck?” The boy looked up, saw Vander, and froze. The color leached out of his face. “Ah…Norcross.”
“You thought I wouldn’t catch you?” Vander crouched and grabbed the handbag. “Get up. You’re going to return this to the old lady you just mugged right in front of me. And apologize.”
The gangbanger-in-training rose, swallowing.
Footsteps.
Vander turned and saw two big silhouettes.
“That boy’s one of ours.” One man stepped forward. He was covered in tattoos with a shaved head.
“Yeah, we’re gonna make you pay, motherfucker,” the other gang member said. He was shorter, muscular, missing a front tooth, and had a hard look to his face. “You attack one Blade, you deal with all of us.”
“These guys with you?” Vander asked the kid.
The boy nodded. “Just came up from LA.”
“You don’t answer to him,” one of the men barked. “You want to be a Blade, you man up. No one orders us around.”
“I suggest not being a Blade,” Vander said to the boy.
“That’s it, asshole.” The man with the tattoos advanced.
“Tank, you shouldn’t—” the kid started.
Vander attacked.
He landed a kick, ducked, then slammed a punch into the gangbanger’s gut. The air rushed out of him. Vander grabbed the guy’s shirt, then slammed him against the brick wall.
He turned to face the second Blade. With a cry, the guy rushed him.
Vander sidestepped, and caught the man in a headlock. He hammered a punch into the guy’s face. The man’s body sagged and Vander tossed him on the ground beside the other groaning Blade member.
He turned to the teenager.
The boy was wiping his hands on his jeans, gaping at the two downed gang members.
He met Vander’s gaze. “I want to be like you.”
“Go to school, kid. Avoid the gangs. Join the military. Fight to protect people, not hurt them.”
Unhurried, sure footsteps echoed down the alley.
Vander and the kid looked up.
Brynn stepped out of the shadows wearing what he thought of as her cop uniform—dark jeans, boots, a white shirt, and a fitted, navy-blue jacket. Her badge glinted where it was hooked onto her belt, and her hair was up in a ponytail. He knew she’d been in court today.
“Cop,” the kid whispered. “Hot cop.”
“Hello, Detective,” Vander drawled.
It hit him in the chest every time he saw her—everything he felt for her. It never dimmed, only grew stronger.
“Norcross. Fighting in dark alleys with shady characters, I see.”
He smiled and handed the handbag to the boy. “Return it. Apologize.”
The teenager nodded rapidly, then took the bag. He skated around Brynn and jogged out of the alley.
She looked at the groaning men on the ground. “You have a present for me?”
“All yours.” He stepped closer and ran a hand down the lapel of her jacket.
“You know it gets me hot and bothered when you’re all badass,” she said.
“I know.” He lowered his head and kissed that mouth he loved.
He was so damn in love with her. She made every day a little brighter, a little easier.
And every night, he slept tangled up with her.
He would never give up the tangles for anything.
“What time will you be home?” she asked.
“I’ll try not to be late, but I have a meeting with Trucker.”
Trucker had pulled through, and Vander had convinced the man to retire. Some decent members of the Iron Wanderers had taken over, and were cleaning up the club.
“And one other thing I need to take care of,” he added.
“Remember we have the cook out at your parents’ place,” Brynn said.
“I know. Ma’s already told me that she’s making lasagna, even though Dad’s grilling.”
Brynn moaned. “I love your mother’s lasagna. I gain two pounds every time we eat there.”
He slid a hand down to her ass. “No complaints here.”
She nipped his jaw. “All right. If you’re late, I’ll meet you at your parents’ place. Now, let me call for some uniforms to pick up your two friends here.” She smiled. “Love you.”
Vander slid his nose down hers. “I love you too, Detective.”
* * *
Brynn sipped her beer and smiled.
Cook outs at Mr. and Mrs. Norcross’s were awesome. She’d been over here for dinner quite a few times.
Vander’s father was manning the grill, and Rhys was helping him. Mrs. Norcross was bustling in and out of the cute Edwardian house in Noe Valley. It was where Vander and his siblings grew up. Nearby, Brynn’s mom and sisters were sitting with Gia at a table, smiling and chatting.
God, Dad, I wish you were here . He’d love Vander, and his family.
Brynn absorbed the bittersweet grief. He knew. In her heart, she knew he was looking over them and that he was proud.
Lights were strung up, giving the small backyard a festive feel. She spotted Ace and Maggie, and smiled. The woman had a big baby bump now, and Ace was stroking it. The helicopter pilot was glowing.
Vander was due to arrive soon. His meeting with Trucker had run late.
The biker had retired, and Grill had left town for parts unknown.
There was a new president at the Iron Wanderers, and last she’d heard, he was making their fight nights safe and legal, and opening the bar to the public.
They were also going to ramp up the custom garage work.
Nomad and his goons hadn’t made it off the Reliance Express . They’d gone down in the Bay with the ship and their drugs. Brynn wasn’t very sorry about it.
She’d stopped the flood of Stardust into San Francisco. Satisfaction filled her. Far fewer young people were going to die from needless overdoses.
Anyway, enough work for tonight. She glanced over and saw Ryder talking with Sofie. Her cousin and the princess got on well. Sofie’s handsome man Rome was with them, nodding at whatever Ryder was saying.
Haven and Harlow were drinking cocktails at the edge of the deck with Mike Jankowski of all people.
The detective had healed up just fine, although he was still on light duties at work.
Bard was talking Easton’s ear off. No doubt getting investment tips.
Her brother was slowly coming around to the idea that his sister was living with Vander Norcross.
For a man who loved solitude, Vander was awesome to live with.
He brought her coffee in the mornings, called or messaged her a few times throughout the day, and did the lion’s share of the cooking.
They loved lying on the couch together watching a game—ice hockey, baseball, football, they liked them all.
He loved when she got riled up, shouting at the refs. He usually pounced on her afterward.
Lazy Sunday breakfast on his killer roof terrace had become their thing. Vander had a secret waffle and maple syrup obsession.
She fell more in love with him every day.
And every day, he spoke a little bit more about Ghost Ops with her. Not the classified details, but about the men and women he’d served with.
He was hers. Completely .
She saw Hunt walk in, loosening his tie. He had a rather impressive scowl on his face.
She snagged a bottle out of the ice-filled bucket on the deck and strode over. “Hey, need a beer?”
“Yeah.”
“You look tired.”
Her cousin’s scowl deepened. “Thanks to my new neighbor. They play their music too loud, at all hours of the day and night.”
“Oh.” Brynn smiled. “Surely a visit from the friendly neighborhood detective should sort that out.”
“She’s hard to pin down.” He sipped his beer. “Every time I knock, she’s not home or doesn’t answer.”
“She?” Interesting . Brynn narrowed her gaze on Hunt’s face. He seemed way more bent out of shape about this than her normally solid, in-control cousin should be.
“There’s something off about her. She sticks to herself. She’s cautious. There’s a story there, and I don’t trust her.”
“ Mmm .” Brynn saw the interest in her cousin’s eyes. This looked much deeper than just a curious cop who didn’t like loud music. “What’s she look like?”
“I don’t know. Five foot five, slim build, blonde hair with a bit of a curl.”
In other words, he knew in great detail. “Did you run her?”
“Of course, I did. Clean as a whistle. Too clean.”
Brynn raised a brow. “You think her ID is fake?”
He took another sip of his beer. “If it is, it’s good.”
Hunt was on the trail now. Her cousin was stubborn, and he wouldn’t give up until he had answers.
She hoped his new neighbor wasn’t a serial killer in hiding.
Two men stepped out of the house onto the deck and warmth filled her.
As always, her man looked hot. Vander was wearing jeans, and a button-down shirt in deep green that she’d bought for him. He scanned the crowd, and his gaze locked on her. He smiled.
Everything inside her fluttered.
Yes. More in love with him every day.
She glanced at the man beside him, and it took a second to recognize the tough, muscled man with buzzed brown hair.
“Camden!” she cried.
“What?” Hunt spun, his face lighting up. “Cam.”
Hunt hugged his brother and they slapped each other’s backs. Ryder cruised in for a hug as well.
“I thought you weren’t back until next week,” Hunt said.
Camden shrugged one broad shoulder. “Decided to ditch the beach and come home.”
Brynn stepped up to him. “Hey, there.”
“Brynn.” He gave her a faint smile and a quick hug.
His pale green eyes looked flat and he had a new scar that ran down his cheek. It was healing, but still looked a little raw. He had a hard, unforgiving edge to him that hadn’t been there before.
Her heart tripped. Oh, Cam, what did you survive?
“Can I have my woman, please?”
Camden released her and looked at Vander. “I don’t know. She smells real good.” Cam met her gaze. “I can’t believe you shacked up with Norcross.” A faint smile tried to break through.
“Best thing I ever did,” she said. “It took me a while to knock some sense into him so that he finally admitted that he was crazy about me.”
Vander grabbed her, snaked an arm around her waist, then kissed her until she was breathless.
“Trouble,” he said. “Knew it from the moment I first met you.” But he was smiling. “The best kind.”
“Let’s get you a beer, Cam,” Hunt said.
Brynn watched her cousins, worry worming through her. Cam seemed so…hard, grim.
Vander stroked a hand down her back. “We’ll take care of him.”
“I know.”
“He starts work at Norcross Security next week.”
She nodded. It would be the best place for him. Surrounded by people who’d done the same things he had and come home.
“Come with me.” Vander threaded his fingers through hers and led her down onto the grass, under the lights. “We used to lie out here when we were kids. We’d make a wish on any star that was bright enough to see.”
She smiled at the thought of Vander being that young and innocent.
“I never dreamed of a woman I’d love so much that sometimes I just watch her sleeping.”
Her insides turned to goo. “Vander—”
“Who makes me feel so damn much every day, especially when life had left me numb.” He cupped her cheek. “You woke me up, Brynn.”
“I love you so much, Vander.”
“I know. You show me every day.” He pulled something out of his pocket, then flicked open the lid of the small box.
She gasped, couldn’t breathe.
The ring was gorgeous. A large, sparkling diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller ones.
“You can’t tell out here, but the center diamond is a very pale blue. Like your eyes.”
A blue diamond. Rare, unique, and special. Her chest filled with warmth.
“I already warned you that I won’t ever let you go,” he continued. “So, what do you say about becoming Detective Brynn Norcross from now on?”
She looked away from the ring and locked her gaze on his. “I say yes.”
He slid the ring onto her finger and she was surprised to see his hand shake a little. Another little tell that showed her just how he felt about her.
Then he swept her up against him, lifting her off her feet. He kissed her under the lights, and shouts and whistles broke out from the deck.
Breathless, they turned their heads to see all their family and friends were at the deck railing, watching them and cheering.
“The dream I never knew I wanted came true,” he murmured.
“And we’ve got more dreams to make, Vander. And a lot more tangles and complications.”
“Bring it on, Detective.” Then he kissed her again under the lights and stars.
* * *
I hope you enjoyed Vander and Brynn’s story! I absolutely loved watching Vander take the fall.