by Karen Kirst
Her love for him refused to be confined to the deepest, most hidden part of herself. Tessa understood what that meant for her—a life of longing for something she could never have, a life of loneliness and heartache. No other man could take his place.
Tessa would do what was best for Mason and their daughter. Over time, she would come to accept that her role in his life was that of a co-parent and friend, nothing more.
“You’re a wonderful, thoughtful father, Mason.” Emotion leaked into her voice.
His rugged features were encased in multicolored light, allowing her to see his shy smile. “Thank you, Tess. That means a lot coming from you. You make parenting look easy.”
“I’ve had practice. You, on the other hand, know instinctively what to do. Glow sticks don’t impress me. You do.”
He rocked back on his heels. Before she added to her sentimental confession, she found a spot beside Lily.
“Sweet dreams.” His voice was a soft caress.
She closed her eyes and ordered the wishes and dreams inside her to die a swift death.
* * *
He checked his cell phone throughout the night. Every time, he was met with a no-service message. The temptation to turn on the sat phone was great.
Were the stables intact? The horses safe? His officers unharmed? Had Dante slipped through their grasp once again?
The continuous loop of his thoughts returned to Tessa. So much had changed since she’d stormed back into his life. He would do anything for her, including taking a bullet for her. That had been true four years ago, and it was true today.
He walked along the platform that linked the building to the gravel drive and greeted Scout and Iggy. Across the grassy expanse, faded neon lights could be seen through the window of the girls’ room. Was Tessa asleep? If not, was she thinking about him? About her and him together?
Absently rubbing his aching side, he studied the sky transforming from deep navy to shimmery lilac. She hadn’t indicated in the slightest that she wanted a do-over with him. All she wanted was his forgiveness and his promise they would raise Lily as a cohesive team. He was fine with that. Perfectly satisfied.
They couldn’t re-create what they used to have. To think they could was arrogant and foolish.
Why, then, did the thought of living on the fringes of her life make him want to put his fist through a wall?
Mason’s mind refused to rest as dawn broke. His gaze strayed often to the gravel drive in anticipation of Silver’s promised arrival. But his friend didn’t show, and the sun climbed ever higher. Lily emerged from the room shortly after eight o’clock. Bright-eyed and bursting with energy, she skipped through the grass and wrapped her arms around his legs.
“Morning, ladybug.” He smoothed her curls. Gazing into her precious face, he again thanked God for the opportunity to be a father. “How did you sleep?”
“Mommy said I had a dream about a ship.”
Tessa joined them, her smile edged with fatigue. “She rolled and thrashed as if she were on a ship’s deck.”
She pulled her hair into a ponytail and applied a fresh layer of lip balm. “No sign of Silver?”
“Not yet.” He stood as Lily bounced away.
Her hazel gaze swept him from head to toe. “Why don’t you lie down for a while? I’ll let Lily stretch her legs and keep an eye out for him.”
It was a tempting offer, especially since he hadn’t gotten his usual boost of caffeine. “If I go to sleep now, you may never pry me from the bunk. He should be here soon.”
Unless things had gone south...
“Hey.” She touched his arm, righting his focus. “I’m worried, too, but we can’t lose faith.”
“Mommy, I gotta go potty.” Lily danced around Tessa.
“Let’s go in those trees over there.”
While Tessa was taking care of things with Lily, Mason opened a new bottle of water, chugged half the contents and splashed the rest over his face. A sudden flurry of birds exiting the woods near the cafeteria had him reaching for his pistol.
Seconds later, the report of a rifle echoed through the camp and a high-velocity bullet hurtled straight for him. He dove to the ground as the fence railing above him exploded in a shower of splinters.
He saw Tessa and Lily walking back, oblivious to the danger. One of the building’s stairways stood between them.
“Get inside!” he yelled.
Another shot dug into the dirt near his boots, and he crawled away from the girls. Like he had during the river incident, he would draw the enemy in a different direction. How Dante had located them was a troubling mystery.
He heard Lily’s plaintive cry as Tessa scooped her up and pounded across the porch to safety. As soon as the door slammed shut, he continued his fast crawl through the grass. When he reached gravel, he got to his feet and sprinted for the octagonal ball pit on the far side of the lane, then leaped over the knee-high panels. Hitting the cement, he used the panels for cover as he surveyed the woods beyond the basketball court.
The crunch of tires on gravel distracted him. The familiar logo painted on the truck and trailer penetrated his adrenaline high, and he offered up a prayer of thanks.
He signaled to get Silver’s attention. The truck came under fire, so Silver stopped and opened his door. Raven was in the passenger seat. From this angle, he could see her prepping her service weapon and speaking into her radio.
Mason’s yell reached him, and Silver acknowledged the warning. There was a blur of movement in the woods. A man who looked like James left the trees, skirted the basketball courts and disappeared behind another dorm. He couldn’t be allowed to escape. His route would circle around the dorm, volleyball court and chapel, leading him to the dorm where Tessa and Lily were hiding.
Silver pursued the mustached man. Mason left the ball pit and returned to their dorm. No one answered his summons, so he kicked down the door and strode through the room, calling for Tessa.
The bathroom stalls were vacant. He walked down the line of showers, yanking open the curtain dividers one by one, his heart sinking like a stone when he failed to find them and there was no response to his calls.
“Mason?”
He whirled, expecting to see Tessa. In his rising panic, he’d mistaken the owner of the voice.
Raven stood beside the sinks in full gear, her weapon ready and her expression a mixture of fierce determination and compassion.
“They’re not here,” he rasped.
Dante had gotten to them. He’d taken the two people on this planet that he couldn’t live without. His lungs squeezed, and he felt like he was going to suffocate.
“I lost the love of my life,” she said. “I won’t let that happen to you.” Stalking to the exit door, she ripped it open. “Let’s go get them back.”
TWENTY-ONE
“Cat got your tongue, sis?”
Tessa didn’t waste her breath begging for mercy. Tenderness and compassion had been drilled out of her brother. She held Lily close and sent her desperate pleas to God.
They’d left the dorm behind and, with Bruno bringing up the rear, marched beneath the shade trees that separated the dorm and chapel. A Suburban was parked near the chapel’s rear exit and rusted air-conditioning unit. There were three of them here—Dante, Bruno and a third man tasked with killing Mason. What did that mean for the mounted police officers?
“What happened last night? Did you burn down the stables?”
Dante’s answer was a scowl and flaring of his nostrils, which gave her hope. Maybe the fire department had arrived in time. Maybe the others had defended their headquarters until Dante and his crew had been forced to give up.
“How did you find us?”
“Social media can be a useful tool. You and Sergeant Reed captured the attention of a group of kids playing soccer. They took photos and posted them on
line. We got a map of the area and checked several places before coming here.” He leaned in and spoke to Lily. His signature citrusy cologne enveloped them. “I’m your Uncle Dante. Do you remember me talking to you through your video system in Georgia?”
Lily’s arms tightened around her neck. Tessa would’ve put distance between them, but Bruno was behind her, a large gun pointed at her spine. The humidity and intensifying heat from the sun weren’t responsible for the sweat popping up on her skin. She was trying not to reveal her terror to her daughter, but it was growing more difficult by the minute.
“I heard you like horses. I have lots of horses at my home in New Jersey, and I’m going to take you to see them. You can learn to ride. Your Aunt Francesca also loves horses and will be your teacher. What do you think about that?”
When Lily didn’t respond, he touched her shoulder. Tessa flinched. Fire ignited in his eyes, and he held out his arms.
“Give her to me.”
Tessa shook her head. Her insides were quaking. This couldn’t be the outcome. Dante couldn’t win.
“Don’t make this difficult for her,” he growled. He wasn’t thinking of her, though. He was worried about having to handle a toddler-sized meltdown.
Tessa glanced around. The chapel blocked her view of the wooded recreational area in the middle of the inner circle. There was no sign of Mason. Was he unconscious somewhere, felled by a bullet?
Would this abandoned campground be her final resting place?
She took a trembling breath. “Ladybug, I want you to go with Uncle Dante for a little while.”
Lily burrowed closer. Tessa smoothed her hair and kissed the top of her head.
“I love you, Lily.”
“Enough.” Dante rolled his eyes and took her daughter from her.
Her heart shattered as Lily arched her body to try and reach Tessa.
“Calm down,” Dante commanded. He opened the rear door while trying to corral Lily. “Why don’t you sit in here—”
“Daddy!”
Dante spun around and Lily wiggled free. She ran to Mason, her short legs pumping with all their might. He had left the cover of the trees between the dorm and chapel, his rifle trained on Dante.
Time slowed. Tessa’s frantic mind couldn’t decide between fight or flight. Just as Lily reached Mason, Raven strode out of the trees. Holstering her pistol, she caught the toddler and hustled her along the chapel’s long exterior.
Dante lunged for Tessa and shoved a gun to her temple. “Now we have a problem.”
Mason’s stance didn’t falter. “There’s a simple solution.” He held the rifle steady, and his body was locked into offensive mode. “Free Tessa and turn yourself in.”
Bruno inched closer to his boss. “What’s the plan?”
Speaking loudly enough for Mason to hear, he said, “Tessa is my ticket out of here. I’m not giving her to you.” His fingers dug into her upper arm, and she whimpered. “I’m going to do what I should’ve done long ago—rid the Vitale family of its black sheep. Mark my words, Sergeant Reed, I’ll be back for my niece. Next time, you won’t see me coming.”
Mason’s gaze didn’t stray to her once. His expression remained shuttered. How could he be so calm?
“I can’t let you leave, Dante. You’re going to serve time for your crimes.”
Dante began to laugh his cruel, self-satisfied laugh, the one that instilled fear in her, the one that signaled he’d won.
There was a sharp report, and his laughter was cut off. He grunted and fell to his knees. A second gunshot, this one much closer, hit Bruno. The large man slumped against the Suburban and would’ve fired at Mason if he hadn’t received another bullet in the arm.
Mason and Silver descended on the injured men and gathered up their weapons, then flipped them on their stomachs and slapped on restraints.
Through it all, Tessa stood immobile, afraid to move or even breathe. Was the danger truly over?
“James?” Mason barked at Silver.
Breathing heavily, his gray hair sliding into his eyes, he gave a thumbs-up sign. “Trussed up like a Christmas goose.”
“Where’s the fourth one? Baldy?”
“In the county jail. Snagged him last night before the others bolted,” Silver replied. “We didn’t suffer any losses.”
Mason’s gaze found Tessa. The almost predatory fierceness in the brown depths slowly faded as he acknowledged she was unharmed.
“Is it over?” she whispered.
His throat convulsed. “It’s over.”
Dante thrashed and spewed threats, reclaiming Mason’s attention.
“I’m going to find Raven and Lily,” Tessa told him.
She needed to be far away from her deranged brother. More than that, she needed to be with her daughter.
He merely nodded, effectively dismissing her. Tessa understood that he had to be in police mode right now, but she craved his reassuring embrace. She’d almost lost Lily forever. She’d had a gun shoved at her head. She’d stood between two men who’d been taken down by officers.
She wanted his arms around her and his reassurances that everything would be okay, that their renewed friendship would remain strong. She wanted much more than that, but wanting more made her feel greedy.
Mason had forgiven her and had let her back into his life. Wasn’t that enough?
As she reunited with Raven and Lily, her mind turned to the future. How long would Silver let her and Lily stay in the cabin? Where would Mason stay? Would he expect her to leave Lily with him while she retrieved her belongings from Georgia?
Would he expect to have a say in where she and Lily lived? Would he put in a good word for her wherever she applied for a job?
As soon as backup arrived, Raven drove them to the cabin, where Gia awaited. While Lily greeted her grandmother, the officer took Tessa aside.
“Want my advice? Eat something, take a long bubble bath and try to relax. Mason will be tied up for a while.”
She took a deep breath and nodded. Her pulse wouldn’t settle, despite the knowledge they weren’t in danger anymore.
“Thank you again for everything.”
Her gaze turned assessing. “You don’t look relieved.”
“I am.”
Raven obviously wasn’t convinced. “You and Mason will figure things out. Don’t waste the second chance you’ve been given.” Her smile was sad. “Not everyone gets a second chance.”
With that, she climbed into the vehicle and left. Tessa spent part of the morning doing as Raven had suggested, indulging in a full breakfast prepared by Gia and taking a restorative bath in the luxurious master suite. They had lunch on the covered deck overlooking the mountain ridges dancing into the horizon. By midafternoon, she was wondering if Mason even planned on returning to the cabin. When Gia offered to put Lily down for a nap, Tessa gratefully accepted. She took a stack of magazines from the living room out to the deck and got comfortable on the bench.
Sometime later, the glass door slid open and Mason emerged.
“Mason.”
Tessa jumped up, not caring about the magazine fluttering to her feet. Judging by his clean clothes and freshly washed hair, he’d been here long enough to shower and change. Or maybe he’d done that at the stables, which, Raven had informed her, had not suffered any damage. Fire crews and a sheriff’s deputy had arrived in time to save the day.
He closed the door and strode toward her with purpose. He was wearing yellow again, one of her favorite colors on him because it paired perfectly with his tan skin, and dark hair and eyes. As usual, his handsome, rugged appearance had a devastating effect on her equilibrium. How was she supposed to pretend that friendship would satisfy her?
“I didn’t hear you arrive—”
He framed her face with his calloused hands and brought his mouth down on hers, stealing her
words and wiping rational thought from her mind.
Tessa wrapped her arms around his waist and locked her hands behind him, both to keep him close and to maintain her balance. His lips were firm and searching, his fingertips gentle as they slid into her hair and cupped her head. It had always been like this between them—instant connection, a heady combination of emotion and attraction. Mason was her normal, her safety net, her family.
Beneath her hands, his back muscles quivered. He lifted his head and gazed at her with hope-brightened eyes. “I still love you, Tess.”
Happiness bloomed inside her, chasing away the darkness of the past four years.
“Oh, Mason, I never stopped loving you,” she whispered, her smile stretching from ear to ear.
His mouth curved into a dazzling, teeth-flashing smile that weakened her knees. He was looking at her with unabashed love and acceptance, not like before. Better than before. There were no more secrets between them. Mason knew the true her, Tessa Lenore Vitale.
He removed something from his pocket and, swallowing hard, placed it in the palm of her hand. “I bought this for you a week before things blew up in our faces.”
Tessa stared at the tiny velvet bag. “You kept it all this time?”
“I couldn’t bring myself to part with it.”
Her fingers trembling, she removed the hard, round object and blinked at the gold band topped with a shiny diamond.
“It’s lovely.”
He took her hand and went down on one knee. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted for my wife,” he said gruffly. “What do you say, Tess? Will you give us another chance? Will you marry me?”
“I say try and stop me!” As soon as he slid the ring into place, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
When she lifted her head, he grinned and got to his feet. “We’ve got a lot to do before we can get married. Clear out your house in Georgia—”