by Sydney Logan
“What do you remember?”
She sighs and closes her eyes. “I remember gunfire. I remember Stavros being shot, and I remember taking his gun away from him.”
“And after that?”
“Just bits and pieces. None of it really makes sense.” She opens her eyes and gazes at me. “Did you shoot him?”
“I wish,” I mutter. “Listen, why don’t I get my dad to check you out before we get into all this?”
“Your dad’s here?”
“And Mom.”
“Why?”
“Because they love you, too.”
Her eyes fill with tears.
“No, I’m okay,” she says, tugging on my hand. “I’d be better if you’d crawl under the blanket and hold me.”
Such an easy wish to grant.
“You need a bigger bed.” I grin and climb in. Jenna giggles and nestles herself into my arms. The sound of her laughter instantly relaxes me. I’ve been on edge for so long. It feels good to finally take a deep breath without it hurting.
“You can ask Dad for that bigger bed. He knows I’m pregnant, by the way.”
“Everybody knows, except Minnie and Joe. We’ll have to call them soon. I’m sure we’re all over the news. I don’t want them to worry.”
Her fingers trail across my jaw.
“I missed you, Ethan.”
“I missed you, too.”
“I want you to tell me everything. Even the scary stuff. I can take it.”
I sigh and brush my lips across her forehead. “I know you can. I just don’t want you to have to.”
“Tell me.”
Pulling her close, I tell her everything. When she hears that Gabe was the one who killed Stavros, she buries her face in my neck and weeps.
“He did that to keep me from going to prison.”
I nod.
“What will happen to him?”
“I don’t know, Jenna.”
“Well, we need to find out,” she replies stubbornly, her voice no longer weak or fragile. “We have to help him. Find him a lawyer and—”
I hug her close. “Shh. We’ll help him. I promise.”
“We thought we heard voices up here.”
Jenna and I look up to find my father standing in the doorway.
“Welcome back, Jenna.”
She smiles. “Thanks.”
Dad grabs his bag from the dresser and pulls out a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope. He places both on her arm and listens carefully. I watch as his smile turns into a frown.
“Your blood pressure is still higher than I’d like, Jenna. It’s very important that you rest.”
“I’m fine. I just need to get out of bed, take a shower—”
Dad doesn’t let her finish. “Jenna, it’s not good for the baby for your blood pressure to be this high.”
Jenna York is probably the most stubborn woman I know, but with one mention of the baby, she’s nodding, cooperating, and snuggling back into my arms.
I glance up at Dad and smirk. Impressive. I’ll need to remember that. It might come in handy over the next eight months or so.
“I’ll tell Hank it’s important that Ethan’s allowed to stay with you,” Dad says with a grin. “Maybe he won’t mind too much.”
“If he does, we’ll get a room at the Strawberry Flatts Motel,” Jenna mutters.
“I heard that. My daughter and grandchild aren’t going anywhere,” Hank says as he walks into the room. If he’s surprised to find me in bed with his daughter, he hides it well. “I suppose that means Ethan’s welcome to stay, too.”
“You’re all heart, Dad.”
They share a smile, so I know it’s okay.
The room clears out when my mom arrives with two bowls of soup. She’s smiling, the relief evident on her face. She doesn’t say a word. Just hands us our lunch and kisses each of us on the forehead before closing the door behind her.
I help Jenna sit up against the headboard. “That smells good.”
“Mom makes the best chicken soup.”
I’m suddenly starving, too, and we lapse into a comfortable silence while we eat. From time to time, Jenna asks a question about what happened inside the church, and I answer the best I can while trying not to upset her. She then tells me about Shane and the deal with the FBI he’d been able to negotiate, which I’m pretty sure is off the table now. No way would they offer us immunity now that Stavros is dead.
Once the soup’s gone, I ask Jenna the question that’s been driving me crazy.
“Why did you go to the church, Jenna? Why didn’t you take Sebastian or your dad with you?”
She closes her eyes.
“He said you were there, and then I heard a man scream.”
That must have been Marcello.
“But you knew I was in Greece.”
“But you hadn’t been answering your phone, and when he called, the caller ID had your name on it. He said he had your phone . . . and you. What was I supposed to do? I panicked, Ethan. I’ve never been in love before, and I have no idea what I’m doing. All I knew was that he said he had you, and if I didn’t come alone he’d kill you. It wasn’t even a choice.”
She dissolves into tears, and I feel like a complete idiot for upsetting her.
“Shh,” I murmur against her hair as I pull her close to my chest. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I would have done the same thing. I did do the same thing. I thought I was going to lose my mind . . . knowing he had you, and I was thousands of miles away. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life.”
We cling to each other for the rest of the afternoon, talking and napping in between blood pressure checks with Dad. Each time, I can tell by the look on his face that the numbers aren’t improving.
“Shane would like to speak to both of you,” Dad says, placing the stethoscope into his bag, “but I’m not sure this is the best time.”
“Maybe he has news about Gabe.” Jenna’s voice is full of hope. “I’ll stay calm, I promise.”
Dad’s eyes shift to mine.
“No worries, Dad. If she gets upset, I’ll kick him out.”
Satisfied with that answer, Dad nods and walks back downstairs. Moments later, Shane peeks around the corner and smiles.
“You both look better.”
“How’s Gabe?” Jenna asks.
Shane sits down in the chair next to the bed. “Well, that’s what I want to talk to you about. I have good news and bad news.”
My stomach drops. “Give us the bad first.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure your man will do some jail time. He’ll have a trial, of course, and unless you find him a kickass lawyer, I’m afraid it doesn’t look good. While the FBI is tickled shitless that Stavros Peri is dead, they can’t ignore the fact he was gunned down in cold blood in a room full of witnesses. There’s no way this isn’t going to trial.”
“He killed Stavros so that I wouldn’t have to,” Jenna says softly.
“I know. Hell, the Feds know it, too. But they can also argue that you weren’t in immediate danger. You had his gun, Jenna. Had it pointed right at him.”
“I should have just shot him.”
“I’m glad you didn’t,” I whisper against her ear.
“Me, too,” Shane says. “I highly suggest finding the guy a lawyer, if you know any.”
I nod. “I’ll ask Dad for some names.”
Jenna looks at the two of us.
“I want to see him,” she says.
“I figured as much. Dr. Summers says your blood pressure is too high to do anything except to lay right there.”
“Maybe tomorrow,” I offer in compromise, “if your numbers are better.”
“He’s not going anywhere,” Shane says. “The twins are locked up, too, incidentally. I don’t foresee them getting out of jail anytime soon.”
“Is that the good news?” I ask.
Shane’s face brightens. “Nope. The good news is that the FBI is still willing to make you a deal. There are some condit
ions, but I don’t think it’s anything you can’t live with.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“It’s a good deal. Awesome, actually, considering your long list of crimes.”
Jenna sighs tiredly. “Shane . . .”
“Sorry,” he mutters. “They are willing to grant you immunity in exchange for your testimonies regarding the explosion in New York. I understand you have a recording on your phone? From the church?”
Jenna nods.
“They’ll want that. They want every ounce of evidence they can get their hands on in order to put the twins away.”
“What about our international crimes?”
“Interpol is in agreement, as long as some conditions are met. Honestly, both agencies are just happy that Stavros is dead.”
There has to be a catch.
“Let’s hear these conditions.”
“Well, needless to say, your criminal careers are over,” Shane says.
We both nod.
“I’m serious, guys. Nine-to-five jobs. Normal lives. If you pull one heist, they will throw your asses into prison so fast it’ll make your heads spin. Model citizens. That’s what you are from this day forward.”
Jenna and I exchange a look. I have money stashed in accounts all over the world, so it’s not like we’ll have to find regular jobs. But I would. I’d do it in a heartbeat if it meant we could start a new life together.
“We can live anywhere we want?” Jenna asks.
“Interpol prefers you stay in the continental United States, but yeah, anywhere you want.” Shane’s face turns a little green. “Are you staying here? I mean, that’d be cool, and I know Hank would be happy, but I might need to hire more deputies.”
We laugh.
“No, we won’t stay here,” Jenna replies, looking at me with those big brown eyes I love so much. “Will we?”
Thank God she loves the cabin as much as I do.
“I go wherever you go, Miss York.”
“Well, I go wherever you go, Mr. Summers.”
With a groan, Shane heads for the door. “How sweet. Excuse me while I go puke.”
We can’t stop smiling at each other, not even when Shane leaves and Dad comes back to take another blood pressure reading.
“Better,” he says, nodding approvingly. “Not perfect, but better. I take it Shane brought good news?”
The news about Gabe isn’t the best, but the rest is phenomenal. We’ll be free to live boring, ordinary lives.
And we can do it in Tennessee.
For the first time in my life, boring sounds absolutely perfect to me.
Two days later—with my blood pressure still a bit elevated but decent enough for Dr. Summers to give his consent—Ethan and I drive to the police station. In the backseat are two lawyers from Nashville. Angela Ellis has curly blonde hair and an icy glare that intimidates all of us. Next to her is Nick Manning, another attorney in her firm. Both come highly recommended by Dr. Summers, but I’m really partial to Angela. I liked her immediately. She’s smart, feisty, and eager to kick someone’s ass in court.
Kicking someone’s ass is exactly what we need.
All we have to do is cooperate with the agents and we’ll walk. It’s a technicality at this point, and Angela assures us that Nick can handle our case. Gabe, on the other hand, needs a cut-throat attorney if he has any chance of making bail and avoiding jail time. Ethan promises to triple her fee if she can find a way for Gabe to walk. Is that even legal? I hope so. I’d hate to screw up our deal with the Feds before we even sign on the dotted line.
Shane is waiting for us when we arrive at the station. We introduce him to the attorneys before he leads us toward the interrogation room.
“That blonde is hot,” Shane whispers.
I nudge his shoulder. “Stop it. You’re a married man.”
“So?”
He walks on, leaving me speechless. Once again, I’m so grateful Shane cheated on me all those years ago. Is that what marriage does to you? You have a few good years and then your eyes begin to wander?
When everyone files into the interrogation room, Ethan tugs my hand.
“We’re not all like that, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
He smiles and presses his forehead against mine.
“I heard what Shane said. Not all guys are like that.”
It’s official. The man is now a mind reader.
I shake my head. “You don’t know that, Ethan. I’m pregnant. I’m going to get fat.”
“Won’t matter.”
“I’m going to be cranky and sensitive and irrational.”
“Won’t matter.”
“And I’ll probably still be all those things even after the baby comes.”
He bows his head to hide his grin.
“Ethan, I’m serious.”
I wipe away a tear as it threatens to spill down my cheek. Stupid hormones.
“So am I.” He pulls me close and kisses my temple. “We’ll talk about this later. Are you calm?”
I nod and take long, cleansing breaths. Nothing’s keeping me from seeing Gabe today.
Ethan takes my hand and leads me into the interrogation room. Gabe’s already there, seated and talking to the lawyers. He looks ragged and tired in his orange, county-issued jumpsuit, but his face morphs into a megawatt smile when he sees us walk through the door.
My hormonal heart can’t take it, and I promptly burst into tears.
“He’s okay, sweetheart.”
“He’s right, Jenna,” Gabe says softly. “Now, you can’t get upset or Ethan won’t let you stay.”
With a nod, I sniffle quietly and sit down in one of the chairs. I want to hug him, but Shane already warned us that contact with the prisoner is forbidden.
Being a law-abiding citizen really sucks.
Angela smiles kindly at me and hands me a tissue. “How far along?”
“Not far enough.”
Everyone laughs.
Am I going to be a gigantic crybaby throughout this entire pregnancy?
It’s suddenly all business as the lawyers talk to us about the day inside the church. We tell them everything, and they take pages of notes—Angela on her legal pad and Nicholas on his laptop.
Angela turns to Gabe. “So you felt that Jenna was in danger?”
“But I was holding the gun,” I remind her.
Angela tilts her head toward me.
“Work with me here, Jenna.”
Shit.
“Sorry.”
Gabe’s face turns grave. “Look, I appreciate the help, but I understand how bad this is. Jenna was in no condition to shoot anyone, but I could see it in her eyes. She was determined to end it once and for all.” He then turns toward me. “I couldn’t let you do it, sweetheart. If you’d pulled the trigger, you’d be having your baby in prison. I couldn’t let that happen. You deserve better. You both do.”
“What about you?” I ask.
He shrugs. “What about me? I have no family.”
“You have us,” Ethan says.
“I know, and it will make me happy knowing that the two of you are in your house in Tennessee—happy and healthy and raising your baby. Ethan, you and I have been together a long time. You’re like a brother to me. Maybe even a son. I saw how devastated you were when Coop was killed, and I saw the change in you when you fell in love with Jenna. You’re a good man, and you deserve a good life. You can have that now. You can have it together.”
Ethan squeezes my hand.
“And you,” Gabe says, smiling softly at me, “you were an absolute breath of fresh air. You challenge him. You understand him. You’ll take care of him. Now, I’m not going to lie, taking care of him can be a full-time job . . .”
We all laugh. Ethan smirks and nods in agreement.
“But you can do it, Jenna. You’re really the only one who can.”
A brief look passes between us, and it breaks my heart.
“You sound like you’re g
iving up.”
Ethan nods. “Yes, it does. Don’t you want to fight at all?”
Gabe looks at his lawyer. “Is there a reason to fight?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think so,” Angela says firmly. “I’ll talk to the agents. Maybe they’ll be in the mood to negotiate some kind of deal—even one with minimal jail time.”
I’m heartbroken. Even Angela thinks Gabe will have to spend some time in prison.
As we begin to leave, I watch as Ethan and Shane share a look. I can’t read it, but then Shane turns his back on all of us and pretends to search through a filing cabinet.
“Hug him,” Ethan whispers. “I know you want to.”
I chance a glance at Shane before rushing around the table and throwing my arms around Gabe.
“Thank you.”
“Take care of that baby,” Gabe says, hugging me tightly.
I nod and step away, unable to control my tears any longer. Ethan then pulls Gabe into a hug. They whisper something, but I can’t hear a thing. I’m crying too hard. Angela hands me another tissue.
“Please try to help him.”
Angela smiles.
“I promise to try,” she says.
It’s just past midnight, and the house is finally quiet. Naturally, my visit with Gabe upset me so much that my blood pressure spiked, and Dr. Summers sent me straight to bed. My dad and Mrs. Summers hovered all night long, too.
I’m not used to so much parental attention. It’s beginning to get to me.
“What are you thinking?” Ethan whispers in the darkness.
“Thinking I want to go home.”
“Me, too. Nick said we’ll meet with the agents within the next couple days. They’ll finish taking our statements, and then we can sign off on the deal. Once that’s done, we’re free to go, if Dad says it’s okay . . . and if that’s what you want to do.”
“Don’t you?”
“Yeah. I just thought you might like more time with your father.”
I nuzzle his chest. “I’m ready to go home. The great thing is we can come back to visit whenever we want. No more looking over our shoulders.”
“That’s right.”
Ethan smiles down at me and kisses me softly. Sighing contently, I rest my head against his chest.