Quinn Family Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  He kissed her soundly, pulled away, and turned. He was really leaving. Scarlett felt like an elephant was sitting on her chest.

  Griff whirled back to her and clasped both of her hands. “Jane.” His voice was low and rough. “If I … don’t come back, move on. Be happy. Please.”

  Scarlett couldn’t move or breathe. She wanted to tell him to stop being stupid, call him all kinds of names. How could she move on and be happy without him? He stared at her, begging her to agree. Finally she was able to force out, “No. You come back.”

  Griff gave her a too-brief and very forced smile and a quick kiss. “Goodbye, Jane.”

  Then he released her and disappeared into the night. Scarlett stood there, hugging herself, listening to the waves crash. Goodbye, Jane, goodbye. How dare he say goodbye? It should be see you later, see you soon, I love you, anything but goodbye. She wanted to chase after him. She heard doors slamming and a vehicle pulling away out front, and she knew he was gone. Sinking to her knees in the spongy grass, she let herself cry.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Griff spent weeks tracking down busloads of missing people and working with his men to free them. He realized quickly that it was a Band-Aid fix. This group was too well-organized and effective. He needed to be on the inside. Sutton agreed, and Griff prepared to go deep undercover. The hardest thing to do was send Scarlett the text. He missed her nonstop. Only the knowledge that he was saving hundreds of people kept him from flying home to her each day.

  He knew he couldn’t get the words out if he heard her lovely voice, so he simply texted, “Going deep undercover. Possibly gone for a few months. Don’t plan on any contact. I love you. Be happy.”

  Her return text was sweet and simple as well. He loved how strong she was and that she didn’t demand he call her, or demand he didn’t go. She simply said, “I love you more than you know. Please be safe. Please come back to me when you can. Thank you for being the hero.”

  Griff memorized the words, then informed his parents he’d be out of contact for a while, powered his phone off, handed it to one of his buddies, and asked him to keep it safe.

  He’d been growing his hair out since he got to Peru. He got some dirty, ripped clothes, didn’t shower for a few days, and prepared himself to pretend to be with the filth of the earth, inside as much as outside. He acted like he was living on the streets of Lima, worked his way into friendship with some of the men he knew worked with the traffickers, and within a few more days he had a job.

  The next two months were so horrific that each night he prayed to forget what he’d seen that day. But he saved many, many lives, finding and feeding information on locations, movements, and traffickers’ IDs. He had to block out the things he saw, and sometimes even the things he was forced to do, to keep living the lie and saving the highest number of people he could.

  He was pretty sure it was the middle of May when he was deep in the slums of Lima. His men hadn’t been able to stop this pickup, and he was helping herd refugees into a warehouse where the traffickers would sort the people before shipping them to their most lucrative spot. Two of the men on this crew were as foul as anyone Griff had been around. Many of the girls they’d just brought in were beautiful, and Griff had worried that Joel and Nero would try something. Sure enough, he saw them grabbing two girls each and dragging them away from their families and toward a back room.

  Griff followed. This was not happening while he was around. He quietly opened the door. Joel and Nero were busy tying the girls up, but both their heads popped up to glare at Griff.

  “Get your own,” Joel muttered, standing over a girl who was whimpering.

  “No, I want these ones,” Griff said. He’d probably ruin his cover, but he couldn’t just stand by. He flung himself at Joel, knocking him easily to the floor and banging his head against the rough concrete surface several times. When he was certain the man was knocked out, Griff stood and whirled to take down Nero.

  Nero had a gun pointed straight at him. “I never like you, Señor.”

  Griff smiled and launched himself across the space. He saw Nero pull the trigger, felt the bullet rip through his abdomen, and heard the retort all at the same time. His momentum kept him going forward and he slammed into Nero. The man’s body cushioned his fall, but the agony in his abdomen and back was worse than if he’d hit the concrete at the speed he was going.

  Nero didn’t move, which was satisfying, but Griff quickly realized he couldn’t move his legs either. He struggled until he could push the panic button that was sewn into the hem of his pants, praying nobody would hurt these girls before his men came.

  Darkness crept around his vision, and he knew he would blessedly pass out soon. Scarlett’s face crossed his mind. He loved her, but he realized now why he’d had to say goodbye months ago. He wasn’t going to make it back.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Scarlett had kept herself very busy during the past few months. She accepted a part in a tragic love story, acting with Christian Ross. He was a great guy and had readily agreed to her request of no love scenes. Even if she hadn’t taken the stand to be moral in her movies, she would’ve made the request since reuniting with Griff. She loved him far too much to pretend to be intimate with another man.

  Late one night in May, she was sitting home, grateful that Sutton had set up her current security. She’d never felt so safe, except when Griff was by her side.

  A loud rap on her door startled her. She rushed to the cameras and saw Jasmine and Kaleb Quinn standing there. She’d met Kaleb a couple of times at events. Hurrying to open the door, excited to see some of Griff’s family, she greeted them with, “Hi! Come in … Jasmine?”

  Jasmine’s beautiful face was tear-stained, and she rushed into the entryway and hugged Scarlett tight. Scarlett’s stomach dropped. The tough lady would never act like this if something wasn’t horribly wrong.

  “Griff,” Scarlett croaked out.

  Kaleb wrapped his arms around both of them and held them tight.

  “Griff?” Scarlett could hardly stand to hear the details, but she had to know.

  “He’s alive,” Kaleb said. “He asked us to come.”

  He was alive. Relief rushed through her, but she knew something bad had happened or they wouldn’t be acting like this. “What happened?” Scarlett pulled back from their arms.

  Kaleb held on to Jasmine, who still hadn’t spoken. “He was shot.”

  The room spun, and Scarlett sank to the floor. Griff was alive, but he’d been shot. It must have been bad for Jasmine to be mute and looking so horrified.

  Jasmine knelt next to her and pulled Scarlett’s head into her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Scarlett. I’m so sorry.”

  Scarlett’s head lifted off Jasmine’s shoulder. “You said he’s alive,” she flung at Kaleb, who was still staring down at the two of them with compassion in his bright blue eyes. Those blue eyes looked far too much like Griff’s.

  “He is alive.” Kaleb cleared his throat and muttered, “They don’t dare transport him because … they think he’s paralyzed from the waist down.”

  Scarlett ripped herself from Jasmine and jumped to her feet. “I have to go to him. Is he still in Peru?” She didn’t care about the movie she was working on. She didn’t care about anything but Griff.

  Jasmine stood and nodded. “Yes, but he wanted us to come explain. He … doesn’t want you there,” she said bluntly.

  Scarlett backed away, stumbling into an entryway table. The sharp jab to her lower back was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. “Why doesn’t he want me?” she asked, the words ripping out of her.

  Jasmine shook her head. “Please understand. He loves you so much, but he’s a strong, independent man. Probably one of the reasons you love him so much.”

  Scarlett nodded.

  “He needs to work through this and be whole before he comes back to you.”

  “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!” Scarlett yelled. “I want to be th
ere for him and help him heal.”

  “I know it sounds stupid to you,” Jasmine said. “Kaleb feels the exact same way you do, but I understand Griff. He needs physical healing, he needs to come to grips with being paralyzed, but most of all, he needs emotional healing. He can’t be the man you need until he can work through his issues. You have to see that.” Jasmine’s dark eyes were full of begging.

  “I don’t understand that, at all.”

  Jasmine nodded. “I know. If you haven’t been where Griff and I have been, you couldn’t possibly understand it. It took months before I’d let Kaleb love me. It didn’t matter how desperately I loved him; I had to heal and know that the Lord could forgive me before I could give myself to Kaleb.”

  “But why can’t he heal with me there, with me helping him?”

  Jasmine shook her head. “He has to be strong on his own before he can be strong by your side.”

  “He’s the strongest man I know!”

  “Not emotionally, he’s not.” Jasmine took her hand. “Give him this time, Scarlett.” She glanced at her husband. “Kaleb and I both went through agony before I healed enough to be worthy of him.”

  “Jaz.” Kaleb’s melodious voice broke into their conversation. “You’ve always been too good for me.”

  She gave him a brief smile and corrected, “Before I could believe I was worthy of him, worthy of forgiveness.” She squeezed Scarlett’s hand. “He’s got great doctors; the health care in Lima’s private sector is very good. Sutton also flew down a spine specialist and neurosurgeon to work with him. Plus, Cannon and his wife, Daisy, volunteered to go stay with him for spiritual support.” She stared intently at Scarlett. “Griff’s doing everything he can to return to you whole in mind and body. If you truly knew how hardened he’s become over the past few years, you’d know him trying to change so he can love you is a miracle in and of itself. Can you trust him and wait?”

  Scarlett shook her head and blinked quickly. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

  “Do it for him,” Jasmine requested.

  “You know I’d do anything for him.”

  “Good.” Jasmine’s voice lowered. “Because the next few weeks are going to be the worst of your life.”

  Scarlett thought that was the most accurate thing Jasmine had said tonight.

  Griff had known pain in so many forms that by now he simply accepted it as part of his life. The pain he went through in the weeks after his accident was horrific. The therapy to heal his back and bring life back into his legs hurt, which the doctors kept reassuring him was a “wonderful thing.” The pain of healing internally, without reaching for his phone and calling Scarlett, was worse.

  Cannon, a former Navy SEAL and their volunteer chaplain, arrived the day after he was shot. Griff scoffed when Cannon explained he and his wife, Daisy, had come to heal him inside, though deep down Griff knew it was what he needed.

  The person he really wanted at his side was Scarlett. He wanted to believe he was worthy of her and could have a great life with her, but how did he simply bury the agony of always remembering the people he had hurt, the lives he had taken?

  Being shot and thinking he was dying had changed him, but he was still a warrior inside and wanted more than anything to return to the battle. There were too many people who needed protecting for him to simply give it up. Yet if he didn’t put that life behind him, how could he be with Scarlett? How could he ask her to keep loving him if he wasn’t whole in mind and body and if he kept killing or ended up dead?

  He grew very close to Cannon and Daisy. Griff would have rejected anyone else, but Cannon had been there—killed people, was held captive, tortured, and had not only found his peace, but helped a few of Sutton’s other guys to do so. As Griff’s back healed and he pushed himself to regain movement and strength in his legs, Cannon worked with him to turn his heart to God and let him heal his insides, understand that he could be a warrior and a God-fearing man.

  At first he resisted, making it harder than the therapy for his lower body, but slowly he started listening, internalizing, and trusting. He felt more hope for his future than he ever had. He loved God and he loved Scarlett. She was his choice and his dream, yet still he hadn’t picked up the phone to call her. He determined he wanted to walk in her door and show her he was whole. He prayed that miracle would happen soon, but he was learning that the Lord’s timetable was much different from his. Patience was the roughest part of his healing process. Patience had never been his strength.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Griff flew into a small airport in San Diego at eight a.m. Someone told him it was June twentieth. He’d lost almost a month to therapy. Cannon and Daisy had stayed by his side through all of it, and they now exited the plane with him. He was walking, but slowly. Physically, he was a broken shell of himself. Emotionally, he’d never been stronger. All that mattered to him now was finding Scarlett and begging her to forgive and love him.

  He gave his close friends both a long hug. “Thank you” was so insufficient, but he didn’t know what else to say, so in true Griff fashion, he stayed silent. They walked away happily, hand in hand.

  Griff shuffled to the Escalade where Sutton was waiting. Sutton shook his hand and clasped his shoulder. “I’m proud of you, son.”

  “Sir.” He nodded his gratitude.

  “Where to?”

  “Scarlett Lily’s house.”

  Sutton smiled. “I actually have intel that she’s about to go live on the daytime talk show, Jessie. She’s doing the segment after your little brother, Mack, and his fiancé, Sariah Udy.”

  Griff processed this. “Can you get me in the audience, sir?”

  “I’ll make some phone calls on the way.” Sutton swung open his door.

  Griff climbed inside. Sitting was the most uncomfortable position for him, but he didn’t care. He was going to see Scarlett soon. He prayed she wouldn’t hate him for waiting so long. He’d needed this time to heal, to strengthen himself from the inside out, and to know he was worthy of Scarlett. He smiled to himself. No one was worthy of his Jane, but he would do all he could to care for her like she should be cared for.

  Sutton climbed in and smiled at him. “It’s great to have you back.”

  “I don’t know that I’ll ever be back, sir.” His injury was going to take a lot of time to heal, and even with all the therapy he’d been through, he still didn’t trust himself not to rush at the gun rather than duck like any sane person would do. If Scarlett would marry him, he would shift his focus. He would find a way to right wrongs without being in the middle of the battle.

  “I’ve been thinking about you a lot, Griff. I have so many men and women working for me, all with different skill sets. You and River are the best at combat of anyone I know, and with Ally expecting …”

  “Congrats. You’ll be a grandpa.”

  Sutton grinned. “Liz and I are thrilled.” He went on. “River wants to step out of combat, and I expect your Scarlett Lily might like you doing the same.”

  Griff’s heart thumped faster. If Scarlett forgave him for ditching her and going dark these past few months. He worried that she’d be angry and not want him anymore. “She’d never ask it of me, but I think it might be the right path.”

  “Would you consider training for me?”

  Griff nodded. “I would, sir.”

  “Cheers.” Sutton put the vehicle into gear and pushed the button to make a call. Griff listened as Sutton was quickly patched through to the executive of the television studio. Of course he found the top man. Sutton could move mountains with his connections.

  Griff shifted, trying to get comfortable in the seat. He was almost to Scarlett. Relying on the faith of his youth, the faith he’d rediscovered the past month, he bowed his head and prayed she still loved him.

  Scarlett waited for her part on Jessie’s show. She’d talked with Mack Quinn and Sariah Udy briefly before they walked hand in hand onto the stage. They were such a beautiful couple, and as she watc
hed their sweet love from offstage, she couldn’t help but ache for Griff. Not that the ache was new, but it seemed stronger watching this man, who looked like a larger, younger version of Griff, holding his fiancée’s hand and beaming at her.

  Looking over the audience from next to the stage, Scarlett saw many of the Quinn family were there supporting the couple. If only she’d blink and Griff would be there. Was he still in Peru? Was he in a wheelchair, or had he healed? She’d gone to Kaleb and Jasmine, to Sutton, begging for information about him, especially the address to go find him. They all repeatedly told her he was progressing well and to just give him time. Her heart kept breaking over and over again.

  “It’s time,” the assistant next to her whispered.

  Scarlett nodded, put her actor shutter on, and strode onto the stage. She waved to the audience, smiling as they clapped ecstatically for her.

  A man was slowly walking down the aisle—a well-built man in a button-down shirt and slacks with short dark blond hair and the most handsome face she’d ever seen. Griff! Scarlett paused a few feet from Jessie and gaped at him. He met her gaze and smiled. His smile was so brilliant, so perfect, and his eyes were warm.

  He was here! Happiness burst from her, but immediately doubts crept in. If he was in America, why hadn’t he come directly to her? He wasn’t in a wheelchair, but he was obviously in pain judging by the way he moved.

  “Come sit.” Jessie had a hold of her hand and was tugging her toward the side-by-side chairs.

  Scarlett snapped back to reality of being on live national television. The things she needed to hear from Griff would have to wait … unless he stormed the stage and took her in his arms. She was still living in her dream world. Griff was an undercover op specialist. He couldn’t just walk onto stage and proclaim he loved her, no matter how much she wanted him to.