Though soon, every set of eyes felt like they landed on her.
Her heart began pounding in her ears and sweat coated her flesh when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the screen seeing an unknown number. It didn’t take much to know who was calling. “Hello,” she said, answering the phone.
“You brought the cops with you,” Joaquin said.
“No, I came alone,” she replied, glancing around the street as the cars slowly drove past here. “I swear, it’s just me.”
“Then you just don’t know they’re there,” Joaquin said. “Look down the street from where you are, they’re there.”
An icy shiver raced down Remy’s spine as she realized she was currently being watched by Joaquin from somewhere. She turned in the direction he indicated, and sure enough she spotted Boone. He leaned casually against a street post, looking down at his phone, with his sunglasses on, which obviously was a ruse and he was looking straight at her. “I told them not to come. I don’t want anyone else involved in this. But they love me and want to make sure I’m safe.”
“Ah, but that’s our problem, Ms. Brennan. They are involved in this now,” Joaquin said.
Remy cringed, her eyes scanning the crowd until she found Rhett. “Tell me what to do to keep them out of it,” she said.
“I’ve got a car coming up. Thirty seconds out. If you want to put this matter to bed, you’ll get into that car. Do not hesitate. Your new husband is close.”
Remy glanced around and couldn’t see Asher anywhere…and yet, she shut her eyes and concentrated. She could sense that electric pulse whenever Asher came near, and her body hummed with his closeness. “I’m ready,” she told Joaquin, opening her eyes. Because she’d made her bed, and now she had to unmake it, without somehow making everything even messier. Her happiness was so close, she could taste it. She’d have Asher and her shop, and nothing would get in the way of that. Not anymore.
“Five seconds,” Joaquin said.
Remy blinked once, and then a black SUV stopped next to her and the door swung open. Remy took the breath she needed for bravery and then jumped in. With a squeal of the tires, the SUV sped away. She couldn’t be certain, but she swore she heard Asher yell her name before she slammed the door behind her.
A quick look through the back windshield told her that she wasn’t wrong. Not only was Asher chasing the SUV, but so were Boone and Rhett. She turned back in her seat, realizing that both of Joaquin’s guards were in the front seat wearing bulletproof vests and earpieces. She swallowed deeply.
“We’ve got her,” the guard in the passenger seat said into his earpiece.
Remy noted the shaking of her hands while she fastened her seat belt. She kept the duffel bag on her lap, but then realized the seat belt was pointless considering the SUV pulled into an underground garage a few seconds later. The driver parked and then exited, so she followed. Before she could even shut the door, the taller bodyguard opened a door to a limousine next to them.
“Go,” he told her.
She hurried inside, not all that surprised to see Joaquin sitting across from her. He wore a tailored suit, the jacket unbuttoned, as were the first couple buttons of his white dress shirt. “Here’s your money,” she said, offering him the bag, ready to get the hell out of his limo.
“Good.” He knocked on the window.
The door across from Remy opened. Her muscles tightened and heart raced as Lars slid onto the leather seat next to her. She felt the weight of his stare and she looked him right in the eye.
“Ms. Brennan has cleared her debt with me,” Joaquin said, gesturing toward the bag. “That concludes our business, Mr. Violi.”
Lars smiled. “Excellent news.”
Joaquin’s cool and calm eyes flicked to Remy. “Now, before you go, I want you to understand that in a show of good faith, I am now offering you my protection.”
Remy had to force her mouth not to fall open.
“Her.” Lars snorted. “Why?”
Joaquin glared.
That’s it. No words. No sound. Just a single look had Lars hanging his head.
“I’m going to ask you a question, Mr. Violi,” Joaquin said. “Lie to me and you won’t leave this car alive.”
Remy felt the truth of his statement in the power of his voice. She forced herself to exhale through her nose when the car spun a little, reminding her she needed to breathe to get out of the car alive too.
“Are you planning on killing Ms. Brennan tonight?”
Remy jerked her gaze toward Lars, feeling the ground drop under her as Lars nodded and said, “Yes, sir. That was the plan.”
“That plan is aborted,” Joaquin said easily, like they were discussing the weather. “Ms. Brennan is under my protection now and cannot be touched. Call off your men.”
Lars reached into his pocket and had his phone to his ear. “The chick is under King’s protection. It’s over.” He ended the call, lifting his gaze to Joaquin.
“Let me make this very clear to you, Mr. Violi. I do not appreciate the heat you bring to me,” Joaquin said. “Had you succeeded with your plan and killed Ms. Brennan, you would have implicated me.”
“No, man—”
Joaquin narrowed his eyes. When Lars went silent, Joaquin continued, “Here is the only plan going forward. You’re going to get out of this car and forget my name. Do we understand each other?”
Lars’s skin lost all its color. “Yeah…ah, yeah.”
“Good.” Joaquin gestured at the door. “Get out.”
Remy stared with her mouth now hanging open. She watched Lars run away like a coward. Though, when she glanced back at Joaquin, she realized that now she sat alone in a car with a man who had scared the scariest guy she’d ever met.
Joaquin tapped the window again, then the bodyguards were driving them out of the parking garage and down the road. “Your debt is clear,” Joaquin said. “Our business here is done. When the limo stops, get out and go home, Ms. Brennan.”
She let out a nervous laugh. “You won’t hear me argue with you there.”
She could have sworn his mouth twitched.
“Boss, we’ve got a problem.”
Remy glanced out the front window and saw the exact problem.
Asher stood in the middle of the road. His weapon was aimed at the driver’s head.
* * *
Asher felt the slow steady beat of his heart as he stood in the middle of the street. Any pedestrians that were on the street were gone the second he pulled his weapon. But Asher could feel the cell phones trained on him, the watchful eyes of the public making sure they did their job right. He never minded an audience. They did good police work in Stoney Creek. He trained his weapon straight for the windshield, ready to take out the driver if he made a move.
Boone closed in from the back, weapon aimed at the car. Rhett had tackled Lars to the ground when he’d run out of the parking garage, and already had him in cuffs behind Asher. They’d stayed a step ahead of King. Asher had lost Remy once. That wouldn’t happen again.
He kept his weapon aimed at King’s bodyguard in case he hit the gas. “We have no business with you, King,” Asher called. “I want Remy. Let her exit and you can leave.”
A long moment passed as the breeze rushed across the street, swirling the leaves in front of the limo. The door closest to Boone opened and Remy jumped out, then hurried to Asher’s side. Everything that had been wrong was suddenly right again. Asher lowered his weapon, seeing Boone do the same. The limo drove away without further incident, and Asher hoped that was the last time he saw King and his men.
When they moved farther down the road, Asher holstered his weapon and took Remy by the shoulders, scanning her from head to toe. “Are you hurt at all?” he asked.
“You weren’t supposed to get involved!” she snapped, poking his chest. “I didn’t want you involved with King. This was my mess, my problem. You had a gun aimed at him!”
Asher dropped his face into her neck, inhaling the sweet scen
t of her. The one scent he could recognize anywhere. “I didn’t get involved with King. Rhett got Lars. That’s who the DA wanted. That’s who I needed to bring in to keep you out of trouble. As you saw, King drove off without any interference from us.”
“Oh.” She immediately softened and stepped into his arms.
He chuckled and then kissed her forehead. “So, now can we agree that we’re a team? From here on out, we do this together. I won’t get overly protective. And you won’t completely shut me out and jump into the bad guy’s SUV?”
“Okay, I can make that deal.” She laughed softly and then added, “You know, I actually don’t think he’s a bad guy at all.”
Asher leaned away. “What do you mean?”
“He saved my life,” she said, sending Asher reeling, and went on. “After Joaquin said my debt was clear to him, Lars got into the car. That’s when things got weird. He had Lars admit that he planned on killing me tonight after I paid the debt.” She paused to shake her head. “He must still believe that I was in on all this with Damon from the start.”
Asher’s nostrils flared. “Lars would never have gotten close to you before his life ended.”
She gave him a sweet smile. “I have no doubt that’s very much true.”
He wrapped his arms around her, realizing himself how much they’d grown since he left her. Maybe that was the takeaway in all this. They fought for their happiness after coming from pasts that nearly drowned them. “Out of curiosity, what exactly did King say to Lars?”
“Joaquin said I was under his protection and not to be touched.” She stared at him for a long moment, probably at the confusion racking him, and then she shrugged. “Yeah, it surprised me too.”
“Under his protection?” Boone asked, sidling up next to Asher, his eyes wide with the same shock Asher felt rushing through him. “Why would he put you under his protection? That makes no sense.”
Again, she shrugged. “I don’t even know if I can explain it right, but through all this, I kind of got the feeling that he was looking out for me.”
“I think that’s just your kind heart, Remy,” Rhett said, closing in on Remy’s right. “This man is dirty.”
Remy considered that and then shook her head. “I know it seems that way, believe me, but that’s just how it felt. Even his bodyguards were almost…professional with me.” She hesitated, then laughed softly. “I know it sounds insane, but honestly, I felt like he was trying to keep me safe.”
Asher exchanged a long look with the guys. There was more to King, Asher would bet on it, but it also wasn’t his problem. And right now, all he cared about was Remy. Only her.
“And what of Lars?” Boone asked.
“I kind of…sort of…got the feeling that Lars was a giant pain in the ass,” Remy explained. “Like, he brought more annoyance than anything else.”
“That’s not surprising,” Asher muttered. “He’s been a royal pain in my ass and I’ve barely had to deal with him.”
“Good thing we got him into custody, then,” Rhett said. He turned to Asher. “DA confirmed Lars’s fingerprints matched the ones found in Remy’s house after the break-in, and without a doubt, he’ll serve time for harassing Remy. That will give the investigators in Whitby Falls time to get a case together on him for conspiracy and likely the murder of Fanning.”
“Damn glad to hear that.” Asher sighed a breath of relief.
So did Remy. “It’s over, then? All of this? It’s done?”
Asher gathered her in close, noting Boone and Rhett heading toward the awaiting cruiser, where Lars still sat in the back seat. “It’s over. All of this. It’s done.”
Chapter 24
One week later, life had actually become the dream Remy imagined for herself. Her shop was back open again and sales were climbing. And the best dream of all came true: She had Asher. She’d moved into his place the very night they’d taken Lars into custody.
And it felt good to be here. Damn good.
“There, you’re perfect,” Kinsley said, her minty breath brushing across Remy’s face as Kinsley applied makeup.
Remy opened her eyes, finding both Peyton and Kinsley smiling at her. Salem had found a place on her lap a half hour ago and clearly had no plans on leaving. “You know, the last time you were both in a bedroom with me,” she pointed out, “I was hiding under the blanket and refusing to leave.”
Kinsley laughed, reaching for the curling iron, then began to curl Remy’s hair. “I like you this way so much better.”
Peyton agreed with a nod. “I told you that everything would work out. Good things happen to good people.”
“Well, it’s nice to actually believe you,” Remy said, leaning away from the heat in the curling iron. Kinsley had a habit of forgetting how hot a curling iron was. And the last thing Remy wanted was a burn mark at her wedding.
Well, her real wedding.
A sudden knock on the door had them all glancing toward it. Asher peeked his head in and gave a soft smile. “Sorry to interrupt, ladies, but can I have a moment alone with the bride?”
“You should be sorry,” Kinsley snapped, holding the curling iron like it was a knife ready to gut Asher. “You’re not supposed to see the bride on the wedding day!”
Asher frowned. “Might I remind you that I woke up with the bride this morning.”
Remy smiled. He also gave the bride multiple orgasms.
Asher pushed the door open a little wider and then held up a dress bag. “I come with gifts. I won’t be long.”
Kinsley’s eyes widened and gleamed. “Okay, well, since that looks like it has a dress in it, and since I was the one unhappy that Remy was wearing a white summer dress instead of a proper wedding dress, I’ll forgive you.”
Peyton laughed. Kinsley might have been bummed about the dress, but Remy was just excited to start her life with Asher. She didn’t need the fancy wedding she’d dreamed of all those years ago. “Just let us know when you’re done,” she said to Asher. “We need to finish her hair.”
Asher gave a firm nod. “I’ll be quick. Promise.” He wore jeans and a gray T-shirt, and Remy couldn’t wait to see him in the suit he’d bought. Asher rarely dressed up, but the man could pull off a suit like a big-time CEO when he wanted to.
Asher waited for Peyton to leave and shut the door behind her before he turned back and smiled. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
Remy studied the bag with a smile. “I like surprises.”
“I know you do.” He hung the bag on the long mirror on the wall, then gestured to it. “Well, your surprise is waiting for you to open.”
A short giggle burst from her chest as Remy jumped to her feet to place Salem on the bed and unzip it. Though the moment she got the dress free, she froze, sure she had to be seeing things wrong. She blinked. Twice. The dress didn’t change. The ivory bohemian wedding dress had delicate lace on the top, a flowy chiffon skirt, and a scallop open back. “How did you?” she barely managed, turning back to a grinning Asher, her voice all but a whisper.
“How did I buy you the wedding dress of your dreams?”
Speechless, she nodded.
His gaze filled with emotion, as did his voice. “I bought you this dress one week before my mother died. You didn’t know it then, but I had originally planned to propose to you on the day that we had Mom’s funeral.”
Remy moved to him immediately and pressed her hands against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her touch. “You never told me that.”
He placed his hands on top of hers. “I never told you a lot of things back then.”
God, this man! “You bought me my dream dress?” She couldn’t believe it.
“I remember when we walked by the shop and you showed me the dress. Your eyes lit up. The dress was meant to be yours.” He cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers. She melted into him. First there was love and then there was pain, and now there was something better. A happiness that had been fought for and earned.
When he broke the kiss, he kissed her nose. “I love you, Remy.”
“I love you too.” She smiled up at him, then turned back to the dress, running her fingers across the soft chiffon. “God, Asher,” she gasped, “I can’t believe you kept this all this time.”
“That’s not the only thing I kept.”
She turned back just in time to see Asher holding up a vintage square diamond ring surrounded by smaller diamonds. “This was my grandmother’s ring,” he told her gently, reaching for Remy’s hand. “And her mother’s before that. My mom gave this to me to propose to you. I had to size it to your finger, which is why I didn’t give it to you when I proposed…again.” He slid the ring on her finger. “You should have seen Mom that day, Remy, she was so very excited about you officially becoming her daughter. It had been a bright moment in her depression.”
Tears welled in Remy’s eyes and she fought them not to mess up her makeup. “It’s so beautiful, Asher.”
He glanced into her eyes. “It’s perfect on you.” He kissed her forehead, then hugged her so very tight. “I better let the girls back in here before they kill me.”
When he turned away, she grabbed his hand. “Your mom is with us today, you know. I dreamed of her last night.” Remy hadn’t wanted to say anything when they woke up this morning, thinking that maybe mentioning his mother would have been too hard for him.
“What did you dream?” he asked softly.
Remy smiled. “The dream was of her and two mourning doves. She looked so happy petting them. Peaceful.”
Asher returned the smile, but he looked full of emotion. “Thanks for telling me that, Remy. I hope you’re right.” He moved to the door, then glanced over his shoulder. “Did you know that mourning doves were her favorite birds?”
She shrugged. “No, but after last night’s dream, I figured as much.”
Asher laughed softly, then left. He may never believe in all the things Remy did, but he never discounted her either.
Kinsley entered the room again, with Peyton in tow. “Holy shit,” Kinsley said, rushing toward the dress. “That is…no, it can’t be.” She glanced over her shoulder at Remy, wide-eyed. “Is it?”
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