“Maybe someday. We have a couple of things to take care of first.”
John choked out a laugh. “I’d say. By that, I’m guessing you mean a murder rap, and being technically dead.”
Colton laughed, too. A bit of an understatement.
“Yes. But aside from all that, I’m still figuring things out.” He gave another glance at Angel, and imagined what his life could be like if she would stay.
And really, really hoped he’d get the chance to find out.
Chapter Seventy-Four
Angel tossed the stick for the hundredth time so Pudge could chase it. She didn’t begrudge Colton’s time with his brother. Not a bit. She wanted to give him as much time as he needed. Though she should have thought to bring something to do.
With no internet access, it wasn’t as if she could monitor her situation or check in on Redgamer3.
She’d talked to Thorne this morning before Colton woke up. She’d shared what she’d done to prompt a response, and he’d warned her that her initiative had been a bit rash.
No shit. She knew she was getting desperate. Patience had never been one of her skills. But her life was suspended until this issue was resolved.
She still didn’t know what she would do when this situation was behind her, but she wanted to be free to move on with whatever she decided. Not wanted by the law.
None of this was fair to Colton, either. He was stuck, too.
Thorne did have some good news. FBI Special Agent Markel had made a play on Thorne in an attempt to connect him to her escape. He’d been greedy, and when it fell through, he’d been taken off the case. In fact, Task Force Phoenix had been cleared of being in collusion with her. No investigation ongoing.
With the federal watchdogs backing off, the team was now able to launch a deeper investigation of their own. Thorne shared what they’d come up with on the killer, which so far wasn’t much. She’d sent them the emails from Redgamer3 to run through crypo. Maybe there was some hidden message she’d missed. So far, nothing.
In the end, Thorne had made her promise she would contact him when she was ready to make a move on a target. With anyone else, she would have been able to evade his request, but Thorne knew her too well. He’d been the one to train her, so it was easy for him to ensnare her with words.
She was left with no other option but to lie to him. “I promise,” she’d assured him. It was the first time she’d ever lied to her friend and mentor, and guilt over it twisted in her stomach.
But this was her fight. If she couldn’t prove the other person was the killer, her whole team could be entangled in her mess. Her team was her only family. She wouldn’t risk their careers and futures until she was absolutely sure she had a way out of this for everyone.
Pudge came back and dropped the stick at her feet, then flopped over on his side to pant. He’d been running nonstop for the last half hour.
“Tired of running, boy?” she asked as she scratched him behind the ears in that place he loved. “Yeah, I am, too.”
If only she could drift off to a quiet life in the woods somewhere. She could order everything she needed online and have it delivered. She could live off the grid and out of sight.
It sounded appealing. Except for one missing piece.
Colton.
She had really enjoyed their time together. They had fun both in and out of the bedroom. And she liked talking to him and watching him cook. With him, everything was easy.
Except when he looked at her as he was looking at her now.
Even from across the park, she could tell he was talking to his brother and thinking about serious things. When John glanced her way, too, she knew they were talking about her.
She could just guess what they were discussing. Most likely Colton’s feelings for her, and her propensity for disappearing overnight. And all the things she wasn’t able to give him.
But, oh, how she wanted to.
Chapter Seventy-Five
Colton hung on every word his brother shared about the family. Even the most basic things, such as how Tyler had stuck a rock up his nose and they were in the ER for hours. This was real life. This was his family. Colton couldn’t get enough.
“So, tell me what you’re up to. At least the parts you’re able to share,” John said with a wry smile.
After hearing all the excitement of John’s life, Colton didn’t want the spotlight focused on him and the boredom of his own.
He puffed out a breath. “I’m a high school math teacher. Can you believe it?”
“Actually, I can. You were always a whiz at math.”
“It’s an anybody job,” Colton said, kicking at the dirt with the toe of his shoe.
“The hell it is. You sound like Dad now.” John seemed disgusted by the thought.
Colton studied his brother for a moment. “What’s wrong with sounding like Dad?” he finally asked when John didn’t elaborate.
His brother swiped a hand over his mouth. “Dad was a great detective and an honorable man, but now that I’m a dad myself, I can see some areas where he failed us.”
Colton was taken aback. No one had ever spoken ill of their father. He had always been a saint and a hero. “Like what?” he asked. He wasn’t a father, so maybe he couldn’t see what John saw.
“All five of us are in law enforcement. What are the odds of that?” John held out his hand as if that explained everything.
It didn’t. “And?”
“And he molded us into the thing he knew rather than get to know us as individuals and encourage each of us to be what we excelled at, or what we were passionate about. From the time we were able to understand, being a cop was the only acceptable thing to do if we wanted to be somebody instead of just anybody.”
Colton had never thought about it like that, but hearing it now, he realized it was true. He’d never been asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. It had always been assumed, so eventually he assumed it, too.
“Carson has high blood pressure and a stomach ulcer,” John said with a frown. “Brock and Rachel are getting divorced, and Kody is just plain miserable. Being a cop is hard enough if you love it, but if you get in and figure out it’s not for you, it will slowly destroy you.”
Colton stared in bewilderment into the trees around them, seeing nothing.
His brother had just turned his entire universe on its axis.
John shook his head. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to force Tyler into this life, or tell him he’s not somebody if he’s an artist or an engineer.” He grinned. “I got him this really cool set of blocks. He mostly knocks them over, but I’ve been building some kickass shit. Robin says I have a gift for design. She thinks I should look into some classes.” He acted like it was no big deal, but Colton saw the pride in his expression.
“I guess I never thought about it like that.” Colton laughed once. “To be honest, I do like teaching. I’m just not used to being so…well, bored.”
“Are you truly bored, or are you just lonely?” John looked past him to where Angel was playing with Pudge.
Colton followed his gaze. “Admittedly, I haven’t been bored since she showed up, that’s for sure.”
“Well, then. That’s what you want. Find yourself a wild woman and hold on tight.” John winked and waggled his eyebrows.
Colton covered his eyes and shook his head. “I do not want to hear this about the mother of my nephew. Stop.”
John laughed, the sound comfortingly familiar. “I bet you’re a damned good teacher. Kody would never have made it through the academy if you hadn’t patiently prepared him for the test.”
True. Colton had forgotten about that. Or rather, he’d never noticed. There had only ever been one path for him. “I do like making a difference in a kid’s life,” he admitted, thinking of Kenny and how he’d just needed someone to care about him and encourage him.
“I hate that you’re not able to be in our lives,” John said with a wistful expression, “but this might be the be
st thing that happened to you. A wake-up call. A chance to do what you want to do instead of what has been expected of you since you became the son of Detective Jack Williamson. Let yourself enjoy teaching. Don’t think of it as an anybody job. Because, trust me, nobody can do it the way you do it.”
Colton thought about that for a long moment. And admitted to himself that he did enjoy teaching. His new life wouldn’t be so bad if he had someone there with him. Someone to come home to every day. He liked helping kids, seeing their eyes light up when he explained something in a way that led them to understand. And yeah, he was good at it.
John had a point. It might not be the action and excitement he missed as much as having someone to share his life with. He looked over at Angel again, and hoped he wouldn’t have to let her go.
Because she was the one he wanted to be there with him.
Chapter Seventy-Six
It was almost dark when John looked up at the sky and let out a sigh of regret. Colton knew what he was going to say before he spoke, and not just because of their brotherly bond.
Angel was walking toward them. It was time to go.
“I guess we have to wrap this up, huh?” John said, watching her approach.
It was difficult not to be greedy. Colton had been given this enormous gift, but he wanted more. He wanted to be able to go grab a beer with his brothers—all of them. He wanted to be able to stop in to see his mother whenever he wanted, and snag a piece of whatever she’d baked that afternoon.
He missed his family desperately, and being with John had brought it all back to the surface. Angel had done a wonderful thing. But he’d never tell her how much her kind gesture had killed him inside.
“I guess we do. The park closes at dusk. Two-thirds of us shouldn’t be here when the park ranger comes by.” Colton kicked a stone with his foot, letting out some of his acute frustration.
“Do you think it would be okay to keep in contact through Messenger?” John asked.
Colton made a face. “I don’t know what that is, but I’ll ask Angel and my handler.” Whatever he had to do to keep in contact with his brother, he’d do it. Even if it meant touching a computer.
Angel came up to them. “I can make sure it’s a secure link on Colton’s end. As long as it isn’t a constant thing, and Colton uses an alias, it should be okay.”
Colton wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “That would be great.” She fit perfectly against him, and she smelled like his soap.
“I’m sorry, but we need to get going,” she said.
“John, this is my Angel.” That one extra word “my” made a world of difference.
She looked up at him in surprise. “You told him who I am?”
He gave a wry smile. “John’s a cop. He recognized you right away.”
She looked immediately uncomfortable. “There’s a very large bounty on my head, you know.”
She didn’t need to spell out what was worrying her.
“It’s fine,” Colton assured her.
As expected, John took offense at her hint. “I can’t be bought. My brother says you were set up, and I believe him. Which means you’re under my protection, the same as you’re under his. I don’t care if your whereabouts are worth a hundred thousand dollars, I’m not turning you in.”
“Ten million,” she said with her brow cocked. “I’m worth ten million dollars.”
John swallowed. “Holy shit,” he choked out.
Colton’s eyes widened. “Really?” He hadn’t realized it had gotten this bad. He knew his brother still wouldn’t be tempted, but anyone else was a wildcard. The stakes had really been raised.
Angel grimaced. “Yeah. Heath’s company put it up, thinking finding me will get the prototype back. The board sees it as a sound investment.”
“Idiots,” Colton muttered.
“I won’t say anything. I owe you more than that,” John said, and reached out to hug her.
She allowed it but Colton could tell she was still uncomfortable.
“My brother’s happiness is priceless,” John said, “so I scoff at the ten-million-dollar reward.”
His brother’s joke made them all laugh and diffused the tense situation.
“You’re scoffing at ten million dollars, huh?” She smiled crookedly as John nodded. “Okay. I trust you.” She stepped back from him as quickly as possible without seeming rude.
Colton grinned. No doubt, there hadn’t been a lot of brotherly hugging in the Larson family when she was growing up. The only physical contact she’d had with her brother was of the painful variety.
“Good. And I hope you get this mess cleared up so the two of you can be happy together.” John gave him a wink and a hug. “I love you, man. I’m so fucking glad you’re okay.” He patted the dog on the head, gave the two of them one last look with misty eyes, then jumped in the truck. With a wave, he backed out and left the park.
Seeing him drive off brought tears to Colton’s own eyes, but he gazed up at the darkening sky to keep them from falling.
“I don’t know what to say.” Colton turned to her when he was able to speak. He held her face in his hands and tilted it up when she tried to look away. “You did an amazing thing. I can’t thank you enough for this.”
She said nothing, so he kissed her with all the emotions he wished he could share in words. When he came up for air they smiled at one another.
“You’re welcome.”
He linked his fingers with hers as they walked to his truck. This woman was in the middle of her own shit storm. She was being hunted by the FBI and provoked by a killer. Yet, she’d taken the time to do this for him. To give him time with the brother he’d thought he’d never see again.
“I envy you,” she said, completely throwing him for a loop when they were back on the highway.
“Envy me? Why?”
“Seeing you with your brother, it makes me wonder what it would have been like to have a real brother. A normal one, who loved me and protected me like John does for you.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just so glad your brother didn’t kill you, I guess I didn’t realize how much he still hurts you.” He squeezed her hand, wishing there was a place to pull over without the chance of police involvement. “I have four brothers, and while we weren’t always the best of friends, we never hurt one another. Not on purpose, anyway.”
He thought about the scars on her body. They were part of her. He’d grown used to seeing them. He’d kissed them and did his best to take the pain of them away. Unfortunately, the pain went deeper than he would ever be able to reach.
“Family isn’t supposed to hurt you,” he said sympathetically. “They should always have your back. And even when you’re wrong, they should help you through whatever comes. I’m sorry you never had that, but I hope someday you will know what it’s like.”
“I do kind of have that now,” she said softly.
For a silent, joyful moment, he thought she’d meant him.
Then she clarified. “Thorne and the other marshals are my family now. I trust them all with my life. I’ve even tested it, and they never failed.”
Maybe. But they weren’t blood. They couldn’t tell stories from when they were six. They didn’t know what it was like to grow up with Angel. It wasn’t the same as a real brother or sister. Trust was one thing. Sibling bonds were another. And a lot stronger.
“If that’s true, why do you always insist on doing everything alone?” he asked. After all, she was hiding with him instead of any of them.
She stared out the window for a long moment, then glanced over at him. “Have you ever felt like a burden to your family? Like you’re not worth the hassle?” Her voice was so quiet he had to strain to hear her over the tires on the road.
“No. Not once. Ever.”
“Oh.” She frowned and looked back out the window. “We’re not going to make it home tonight. Let’s get a motel room.”
He nodded, wanting to be with her near a bed where
he could show her his gratitude, his loyalty, and his love.
And that last word didn’t even surprise him.
Yes, damn it, he loved her.
Chapter Seventy-Seven
Angel waited in the truck while Colton ran into the motel to secure a pet-friendly room. The building was four stories high, and each room had its own tiny balcony. Many had beach towels draped over them, waving in the breeze. They weren’t far from Cannon Beach.
Maybe in the morning they could stop and walk along the shore. She could get a big floppy sun hat and huge sunglasses as a disguise. She smiled at the thought.
Pudge pushed his head between the truck seats and let out a whine.
“Okay. Come on.” While she didn’t want to risk being seen, she couldn’t let the dog suffer if he had to go. “Let’s be quick about it, okay?”
He was as quick as a dog in a new territory could be. He stopped a few places until he found the spot that should be his, then he lifted his leg at each place, anyway. The motel was well and thoroughly his now.
As they went back to the truck, Pudge became alert when a car pulled in next to theirs. She should have had a leash on him. She wondered if Colton even had a leash in the truck. She’d never seen one.
She opened the door and Pudge jumped in without complaint. The window was down partway for some air, and Pudge stepped over her lap to growl at the newcomers.
“No,” she said, wishing she’d learned a few of the important commands in Hawaiian.
She glanced out the window to apologize to the three college-aged boys who all seemed drunk. She wasn’t sure which of them had been driving, but it was clear none of them were legally up for the task.
Deciding they didn’t deserve an apology, she turned back toward the main entrance. Colton was walking out tapping a keycard against his palm and looking sexy as hell.
How had she gotten so lucky to have this amazing and hot man want to help her?
College boys forgotten, she waited for him to slide into the driver’s seat, then leaned over and kissed him.
“What was that?” He laughed.
Wanted for Life Page 19