by J. H. Croix
“You're an asshole. You know that, right?” Paisley responded, her voice tight. “What the hell is going on? I got that call from Todd, and I'm stressing about you.”
“Paisley, I couldn't tell you what was going on. I didn't want you to know everything. I sure as hell didn't think you were going to hop on a plane from Alaska and try to do something by yourself. What the fuck were you thinking?”
“What the hell, Ryder?” she countered. I could hear the tears in her voice, and my heart ached. “This whole thing is a mess, and I just want you to be okay. I'm not going to go back to the summer house. I’m starving, so I’ll eat here. After that, I'll go to the grocery store or something. What are you going to do?”
“Go talk to Todd.”
“Why don't you call Dad?”
“And let the police deal with us? Because Todd’s my friend,” Ryder replied quietly.
“Yeah, but you're both in over your head, I think,” Paisley replied, her voice softening. “Can you put me off speaker, Russell?”
I immediately did as she asked and lifted the phone to my ear. “You okay?” I asked immediately.
“Not really. I want to talk, but not right now.”
“Same here, but we're in the middle of a situation right now.”
“We are.”
“What do you want me to do?” I asked.
“Can you keep my brother from doing anything stupid?”
“You got it.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell Paisley I loved her, but now didn’t feel like the time.
“So let’s talk later after this whole thing is sorted out, okay?”
“Definitely. I’ll talk to you soon.”
After we ended the call, I slipped my phone into my pocket. I stared ahead at the highway, watching the lines as they rolled by while I gathered my thoughts. “Here's the thing. I'm not gonna let you call the shots tonight. Maybe I don't have all the details on how you ended up in this fucked-up situation, but for once, you need to do the right thing for Paisley, for yourself, for your father, and for your friend, even if he’s not thinking clearly. Call your father, figure out who you need to call, and then put a stop to this right now.”
Her brother was dead silent for a full two minutes before he finally said, “Okay.”
I was wound too tight with worry to relax. “I think I know Paisley pretty well, but obviously, you've known her longer than me. Do you think she’ll stay away from the summer house, or will she go back anyway?”
“Paisley’s sensible, so I think she’ll stay away until she hears otherwise from us. I don't think Todd would do anything to hurt her, but he might try to use her for leverage. It’s definitely best for her not to be there.”
He reached for his phone, where it was resting in the cup holder between the seats. I listened while he called his father and then called someone else. The car ride felt endless. I was annoyed, and my heart ached. I was mostly tied up in knots with worry for Paisley. Because until I knew she was okay, she wasn't okay. I also knew she was torn up over what was going on with her brother. I was relieved her brother was doing the right thing.
Until I heard him say, “Excuse me, what? Fuck. I'm going there.”
“What the fuck is going on?” I asked as his phone clattered into the cupholder.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Russell
An hour later, with my heart pounding and my stomach tied up in knots, I waited down the road while the police dealt with the situation at Paisley’s parents’ vacation home. As far as I knew, Todd was refusing to come out. As Paisley had predicted, he’d gotten suspicious when she didn’t return and found her at the pizza place. From what we understood, Paisley had played it cool and returned with him after alerting the staff at the pizza place to call the police when she went to the restroom.
The police had spoken to Paisley and said she was safe. I looked at her brother. “This is on you, you know.”
Ryder leaned his head back against the seat, letting out a ragged sigh. “I fucking know, dude.”
“What were you thinking?”
“I was young and stupid. Then I thought I could just keep it going and keep it controlled.”
“Look, I know something about doing dumb shit when you’re in college, but this is next level when you're committing crimes like this. All those people care about is the money. They're not going to protect you. They're going to protect the money. What made you and your friend think you could gracefully exit? Maybe he was your friend once, but right now, staying out of jail is more appealing to him.”
“Obviously, I see that now,” he muttered, leaning forward and running his hands roughly through his hair.
Rain ran down the windshield, blurring the view. We got sick of listening to the sound of the wipers, so we turned them off. It felt like forever before a police officer approached the car.
“We're still dealing with your friend, but Paisley’s safe,” the officer said through the window.
“Where is she?” I demanded.
“She's waiting up the road by her rental car.” He glanced at Ryder. “You need to come with me.”
“Can I talk to her?” I asked the officer.
At his nod, I stepped out in the rain, oblivious to it as it poured down over me. I followed where the officer pointed while he led Ryder over to a cluster of people standing near a police vehicle. Paisley was waiting beside a vehicle under an umbrella. She was talking to a police officer, and I didn't even notice. I ran to her, pulling her into my arms. She didn't hesitate, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist and burying her head against my chest.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Paisley
Russell’s arms closed around me, and I pressed my face to his chest. I breathed in his familiar scent and tried to calm the emotion rushing through me. It was pouring outside, and I couldn't tell if my face was wet from tears or the rain.
I heard the rumble of Russel’s voice, my name barely reaching me through the cacophony in my brain.
“Paisley,” he repeated.
I lifted my head, peering up at him. His face was shadowed in the rainy darkness. “Let's get you in the car,” he said. “Is this your rental?”
In another moment, he had guided me into the car after saying something to one of the police officers nearby. I huddled in the passenger seat, my arms curled around my waist while he started the car and turned the heat on full blast.
“How long have you been waiting?” he asked.
I wiped my palms across my cheeks. He reached over and opened the glove box, fishing out some tissues. I dabbed at my face and blew my nose. When I finally looked at him, I promptly burst into tears again. He looked so concerned and worried, and this was all too much.
“I missed you,” I said, between sniffles and hiccups.
“I missed you too.”
The console was in the way. He slid his seat back as far as it would go before reaching over and pulling me onto his big, comforting lap. I savored that he was a tall, strong guy. I wasn’t usually weepy, but at this moment, I was. I rested against his chest and cried for a few minutes.
He held me quietly. His warmth and the warm air blowing from the heat vents eventually began to seep through me, and I stopped shivering.
“What are you crying about?” he finally asked.
“I missed you,” I whispered.
Apparently not loudly enough because he prompted, “You're crying because you missed me?”
I nodded against the curve of his neck. “That and the stupid mess my brother made.”
“They're arresting Todd,” he said.
“Are they arresting my brother?”
“I don't actually know,” Russell replied, and I finally lifted my head. “He called your father on the way here, and then he called the prosecutor your father told him to call.”
“Good,” I said firmly. The relief washing through me was so immense it felt as if I were hollow inside. The absence of the ball of tens
ion and worry I’d been carrying felt strange. “You have no idea how relieved I am,” I added fervently. I blinked and took a breath. “You probably think I should’ve turned him in.”
He shook his head slowly. “No, you love your brother. You stumbled into his secret, and you didn't know what to do with it. It was more complicated by the fact that your dad's the DA in your hometown.”
“Oh, it’s complicated all right,” I said, my voice cracking.
Russell's palm moved in slow circles on my back. “Why'd you message me?” he finally asked.
It took more nerve than I was prepared for to tell him how I felt. I'd gone and fallen in love with this man, and I absolutely hadn’t planned on it. Not even a little. “Because I’m in love with you.”
“You are?” His lips quirked in a self-deprecating smile.
“Yes. Maybe that's weird to tell you now, but I missed you, and then I got worried, and everything started to stress me right the hell out. How did you get down here so fast?”
Russell shrugged. “It helps to have the right friends. You know Alex Blake?”
“I think I met him.”
“He's an airplane mechanic and knows people at the airport in Anchorage. He happened to know there was a private business flight going from Anchorage to Seattle, and they let us hitch a ride,” he explained.
“How does that even work?”
“You don't need tickets or anything. We were in the back, and we minded our own business. It was quicker than taking a commercial flight because we didn’t have to wait.”
I nodded, thinking this night could’ve gone differently if they hadn’t gotten here so fast. “Where are you staying? I need to talk to my parents, but I don't want to stay there.” All I wanted was to be with Russell.
“Let’s stay at a hotel in Seattle,” Russell prompted.
“Let me find out what’s happening with my brother before we do anything.”
“We can try, but I don't know how much we can find out tonight. Let me get an update. You stay in here. You're still cold.”
We looked at each other for a minute. My heart was in my throat. He palmed my cheek and dipped his head for a kiss, claiming my mouth possessively and boldly. Another moment later, I was feeling breathless when he drew away.
“I'll be right back,” he murmured.
I shimmied across the console and back into the passenger seat, holding my hands out in front of the heaters. I watched as he dashed into the rain and conferred with a few people. I could see my brother standing there. A part of me wanted to talk to him, but I just wasn't ready. All I needed to know was that he was safe. We could handle the rest later.
A few minutes later, Russell climbed back into the car. “Your brother's going with the police. I don't think he's officially arrested, but something's happening. He said to tell you he's sorry and he's fine. Todd’s already cuffed.”
“Wow. All right.” Pausing, I took a slow breath as I absorbed the news. “Do you mind if I call my parents?”
“Of course not. Tell me a good hotel in Seattle first. That way, I can start driving.”
I thought for a minute and then gave him the name of a place. “I’ll put it in my maps and follow the friendly GPS voice, if you don’t mind,” he added.
“Go for it. We’ll figure out our flight back to Alaska tomorrow.”
Russell started driving, and once he was on the highway, I called my parents.
“Hi, Paisley,” my father answered. “I already know the status, and your mom’s right here.”
“Is she okay?”
“Let me put you on speaker.”
“Hey, Mom,” I said a moment later.
“Hello, Paisley. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Are you okay?” I pressed.
“Well, I’m a little shaken and rattled and really upset with your brother, but I’m glad you’re both safe.”
I could tell from her voice that she’d been crying, and my heart pinched. “Are you sure you’re okay, Mom?”
The sound of her shaky sigh was audible through the phone line. “I’ve known for a while something was off with your brother, but I didn’t know what. I suppose a mother’s intuition is a good indicator. I’m relieved, but I’m also furious. I’m not upset with you at all, and you need to know that. I understand why you didn’t know what to do.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely, honey. You’re not your brother’s keeper,” she said softly.
“Do you know anything else, Dad?” I asked.
“As you know, I’m no longer handling the case. If he helps the prosecution out with useful, verifiable information on the larger case, he’ll probably manage a decent deal with them. He has not committed any violent crimes, which will help him a lot. Todd has a little more to answer for, but that’s not our problem. Sometimes, people get in over their head, and it snowballs.”
“That’s one way to put it,” I said dryly. Now that my brother was okay and the weight of his secret was lifted, I was starting to feel normal inside.
“Are you coming here tonight?” my mother asked.
“No, I'm with Russell, my boyfriend. We’re going to stay at a hotel in Seattle and then fly back to Alaska. If you want, I can come by tomorrow. I just don’t have it in me to drive there tonight.”
“We understand. We’d love to see you soon, though,” my mother interjected.
“I was hoping we could do something for your anniversary, which is coming up soon.”
I felt my mother’s smile through the line. “It is, but you know we’re not big on big events.”
I smiled to myself. “I know you’re not, but it means a lot.”
“We’ll come up and visit soon, and you can take us out for dinner,” my father added.
“I’d love that. I love you both.”
“We love you too.”
I tapped to end the call and glanced over at Russell. “Boyfriend?” His tone had a subtle teasing hint to it, but his gaze sobered quickly.
“What do you think you are?” I teased in return, so relieved to be able to tease about anything.
“At least that,” he said.
My heart flipped over, and I felt a pull in the center of my chest.
He reached over to lace his fingers with mine as he kept one hand on the steering wheel and drove through the rainy darkness.
When we got to the hotel, my clothes were still damp, as were his. After we made it to the room, Russell dropped his bag on the floor and gestured to the bathroom. “Shower.”
“Just me?”
“Oh no, I’m coming too, but you’re still shivering, so get in there quick.”
Following instructions, I hurriedly peeled off my damp clothes, leaving them in a messy pile on the bathroom floor. A few minutes later, we had water raining down around us, but this time, it was hot and steamy.
Russell's hands lathered the soap over my body. Before I knew it, he was kissing me, and I forgot the tension and fear that had dominated the day and how much I’d missed him. I let myself get lost in his kisses and the way he knew my body so well. He coaxed me to a climax with his fingers, and then he lifted me in his arms and pressed my back to the tiled wall. When he filled me, he held still, saying, “Paisley.”
I dragged my eyes open. His dark gaze held mine. “Did I mention I missed you?” he murmured, his voice a husky whisper.
“You did,” I whispered in return. “I need to tell you something.”
“Can I go first?” he asked.
My heartbeat was thundering so hard I could barely hear over the blood rushing through my ears and the sound of the water falling around us in the shower. I nodded.
“I know things weren't supposed to get complicated, and we said no strings. I guess I lied. I fell in love with you.”
My chest felt like it was going to explode. I blinked away the sting of tears in my eyes.
“You did?” I whispered over the thundering beat of my heart.
He nodded solem
nly. “I didn't figure it out until you switched crews, and I got pissed. Then you left, and I panicked. Your brother figured it out before I did.”
“You told him?”
Russell’s lips curled in a self-deprecating smile. “He called me out on it, and I fessed up. Your brother might be stupid about some things, but apparently, he knows when someone loves you.”
I lifted a hand, tracing my fingertips along his jawline. “I love you too. I panicked, and I thought you would think I was awful for what I was covering up for Ryder.”
He shook his head. “Just like your dad said, it's not your job to keep your brother’s secrets. It's not your fault what your brother does either.”
“I know but—”
Russell cut me off with a quick kiss before lifting his head again. “I know you, Paisley. I’m sure this tore you up.”
Wordlessly, I nodded.
“Where are you going to stay when we get back to Alaska?”
“With you,” I replied, feeling my lips kick into a smile.
“It's a damn good thing you're going to stay with me.” My heart felt full as joy radiated inside. “Somebody's got to cook for you.”
“Hey, I might get better in the kitchen,” I protested with a laugh.
This man, who held my heart in his hands, smiled one of his dangerous grins, and my stomach flipped. “I think you're a lost cause, but that's okay. I'll cook for you every day.”
Then his mouth was on mine again, and he sent me flying.
Epilogue
Russell
I'd meant to make it a grand gesture, but that didn’t work out in Seattle. I made up for the grand gesture later. I tried to persuade Paisley to switch back to Graham’s crew with me when we got back to Alaska, but she flatly refused. Ward even backed up her logic.
Whatever. I wanted to have words with Ward about it, but I let it go.
Life stayed busy for both of us after we got back from our jaunt to help her brother. Paisley had spent far too much time worrying about him, and I was relieved he’d cooperated with the investigation after all was said and done. Since he hadn’t committed any violent crimes, he managed to work out a deal for monitored probation.