Hearing that tone made every cell in my body ignite with possibilities, but once the doorbell rang, I knew every single dream shattered.
I laughed as his embrace fell away and I shrugged.
“Better luck next time,” I teased, taking the tray of drinks and setting them on the table.
“Did you know it’s our three-month anniversary next week?” he whispered as I started to the door.
I spun around with my hand on my hip as I stared at him.
“How do you figure?” I questioned.
“We met three months ago come the 8th of December. It’s not my fault you were slow to the game.”
“You’re counting the wink as a date?” I asked. “From what I heard, you were a serial winker. You could have had relationships all over the country based on that criteria.”
“A little more was involved than a wink,” he nearly growled, and I chuckled as I sprang to the door and looked out to see my dad.
I swung the door open, and my dad was smiling. He brought me into his arms and picked me up.
“Still have a turkey hangover.” My dad laughed, putting me back down on the ground. He glanced over my shoulder and his expression changed.
“Blake.” My dad gave a slight nod.
I saw Blake’s expression fall and my heart ached for him. I knew he understood the uphill battle we had to get through, but I think he hoped for a little more warmth.
Having two alpha males in my life was making it far more complicated than it needed to be, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world because I was sure of one thing—they’d both fight fiercely for me, and with Alfred on the loose, the thought wasn’t taken lightly. I only hoped my dad would let himself see that maybe they had things in common.
For starters, they both loved sports.
“I’ve got the game going in the living room,” I told my dad, and he smiled, following behind me.
Blake had made his way over to the tree and was drinking his latte.
“Should we put the lights on first?” my dad nearly grunted as he stood behind Blake.
“Blake brought you a latte,” I said, handing him the drink.
“Thank you.”
It was almost comical how stilted my dad was in this situation, but I carried on. He’d get it over it soon enough.
“I’ve got white lights and red lights. I thought I’d do the white twinkle lights on the tree and put the red ones around the front door.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Blake agreed, flashing a boyish grin in my direction. There was something that would come over him every now and then that just tickled me.
My dad’s gaze fell to the box of red lights by my feet. “I’ll take the reds ones and hang ‘em outside.”
“Nah.” I bent down and picked them up. “Why don’t you help Blake with the tree? You’re both tall and it would make more sense that way.”
My father nearly glared at me while nodding. “Fine.”
With two men stationed out front and two strong and capable men inside, I was fine to be outside stringing lights on my front porch. Besides, I think they needed any moment they could get of forced alone time.
Blake hid a grin as my dad bent over and grumbled as he picked up the first package of white lights and began opening it with his pocketknife. I held my latte and heard Blake initiate conversation as I wandered out of the room.
I grabbed a stepladder from the closet and a chill ran through me. I pushed the fear away and promised myself it would be over soon. Everything would be back to normal someday. My mind flashed to the photos of the woman and nausea spilled through me.
“You okay?” Blake asked, coming up behind me.
“Yeah. Sorry. I just went to grab a ladder and everything came—”
“You having nothing to be sorry for.” He kissed the top of my head and drew me into his arms. “We’ll get this son of a bitch. One way or another, you’ll never have to worry about him again. Your dad was just telling me that some of the detectives had found some interesting leads before he came over.”
I looked up into Blake’s eyes. “Really?”
He nodded and held me tighter. “I love you, Ava. We’re going to get through this.”
His words jolted me in place. He loved me?
“I know we will, and we’ll be stronger for it,” I muttered, pressing my head against his chest. Being in his arms provided a comfort I’d never experienced before, and I never wanted to lose it. In this moment, I realized I loved him too.
“I can’t imagine you any stronger than you already are,” he whispered, kissing my head again.
My father cleared his throat, and I moved back from Blake and glanced at my dad, who was attempting to untangle the lights.
“That’s his code?” Blake whispered, and I nodded. “Need any help with the ladder?”
“Nope. I’ve got this, but I think my dad could use an extra hand or two.” I gave him a wicked grin and he shook his head.
His striking blue eyes filled with determination as he turned around and made his way back in front of the Christmas tree. I hauled the ladder to the front porch and decided I should put some greenery around the door too. It was colder than I thought outside, so this whole thing was going to be a quick endeavor. I marched to one of the open Christmas boxes and pulled out a green garland with holly berries and draped it over my shoulders as I went back outside and climbed the ladder.
Every so often, I could hear a forced laugh and then voices go quiet. Considering the circumstances, I couldn’t ask for anything else. The fact that both men were standing in the same room without killing one another was a step in the right direction.
As I secured the greenery around the screws that already dotted the door trim, I glanced behind me and saw the security team sitting in their vehicle. I wondered what my neighbors thought about an SUV seemingly parked forever on their street. I let out a sigh and began weaving the red lights through the garland. It had gotten extremely quiet inside, and that worried me. Hopefully, they weren’t so angry they’d stopped talking completely.
I hurriedly finished up and went inside to see Blake showing something on his phone. The lights had already been wrapped around the tree and were blazing brightly.
“Now, I didn’t expect to see that,” I teased, and Blake’s eyes connected with mine. I felt the familiar stir for him and dropped my gaze as my dad moved forward.
It wasn’t until I looked back at my dad that I realized whatever they were looking at didn’t have to do with crazy Christmas cats or DIY videos.
“What?” I asked, scanning my dad’s solemn expression.
“Nothing but the same old,” he said, sounding on the tip of defeat, which was quite unusual for him.
I looked at Blake and he shoved his phone in his back pocket.
“Blake mentioned the detectives were onto something?” I asked my dad.
His eyes filled with despair. “It seems that information is only as good as the sources it comes from.”
“You’ve always said that,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, but when it involves your daughter, it hurts a little more.” My dad took a sip of his latte, finishing it, before walking into the kitchen to toss away the cup.
“What happened?” I asked Blake.
“I showed him some of the things my men pulled on Alfred using . . .”
“Using what?”
Blake paused for a split second. “Using our own resources.”
I took my own advice and didn’t press for more information. Considering his family’s background, he probably had more access to the other side of life than the NYPD, and I’d need to leave it at that.
“Chin up,” Blake whispered, tilting my chin toward him.
“You’ve broken down walls I didn’t even know I’d erected.” I looked into Blake’s eyes and felt the love for this man swell deeply, and I knew he felt the same. “I never thought I was ready for a relationship, especially now, of all times . . .”
“L
ife isn’t always about perfect timing.” Blake smiled.
“I’m beginning to figure that out.” I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes, feeling Blake’s mouth come to mine and the sexual tension race between us.
I heard my father clear his throat in the kitchen, and Blake’s body shuddered, holding in laughter.
“I suppose I’d better get used to that?” he asked, and I nodded.
“Definitely.”
My father strolled into the living room and made his way over to the couch. He looked like he had something he wanted to say, but he kept it in as I began to hang ornaments on the tree, Blake helping every so often when the limb was out of reach.
“I just received word from the lead detective,” my dad said so quietly I almost didn’t hear him.
“What?” Blake asked, his gaze snapping to my father’s.
My dad drew in a breath and stood up. “I think we’re close this time.”
“I don’t want to get my hopes up.” I felt the tears sting my eyes, and I forced them down and turned my attention to the tree until they dried up. “But I want this man out of my life forever. I can’t keep doing this.” I turned around and saw Blake and my father trade glances, and I knew something bigger than me was going on.
“Doing what’s best for the people we love can be the most difficult thing in life.” My father’s gaze hardened on Blake. “When you truly love someone, doing what’s right can hurt the most, but it has to be done.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Blake
Watching Ava Dalton sleep was purely magnificent. The way her dark hair framed her face next to the pillow and the little puffs of air she breathed in a steady rhythm made me never want to let her go. After all these months, I still craved her, needed her, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage without her.
She made my world right, and I would never let anything happen to her.
No matter what it meant for us—even if it meant leaving her to protect her—Ava’s safety was my first priority.
Her pouty lips rested in a smile as she slept peacefully with all of her fears deeply tucked in the recesses of her mind. She’d once told me the only places she ever felt safe were in my arms or in her dreams. Ava’s chest moved up and down as I watched her and the ache of sorrow grew.
God, it was going to be hard to leave her.
I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath, willing myself to follow through with the plan.
She stirred, and the sheet edged down over her bare breast. My arousal pressed against the mattress, and I adjusted to take the pain away. Ava slid her arms down the sheet, tugging the fabric even lower, and I kept in a growl. I wanted to consume her, and it took everything I had not to wake her up, pin her underneath me, and taste her again.
Last night was the goodbye. I couldn’t afford the heartache twice, and I had a plane to catch.
I traced my finger along her collarbone and her eyes fluttered open.
She let out a little moan as her gaze connected with mine. A sweet smile touched her lips.
“Feels nice,” she whispered as my fingers moved lower.
“Does it?” I asked, seeing the desire thrum through her.
“Do I really need to go to work today?” She groaned, moving her leg in between mine.
I shrugged, taking in everything about her. The softness of her skin, the flecks of gold in her brown eyes, the shiny hair framing her porcelain skin. I’d miss it all and think about her often, but I needed to do this. I needed to make her world right and give her the life she deserved.
My throat went dry with regret as she rolled over and stared into my eyes, looping her arms around my neck and bringing me toward her.
“Take me,” she whispered.
My body betrayed me as I let myself experience one last time with the woman I loved more than life itself.
She’d changed me, and there was no going back to the man I used to be.
The way she looked at me with the same hunger I felt for her was something I’d never find again, but I knew she’d never be able to be with a man like me, a man who was about to do something she’d never understand. Every time she looked at me, she’d know I took a life to save hers.
I drew in a deep breath and inhaled everything about Ava. Her curves, softness, and sweet scent wrapped around me in the most intimate ways as I moved the sheet down and tasted the sweetness leading down her belly.
Ava tangled her fingers through my hair as I caged my body around hers and moved my lips up her body until I found her lips. The fierceness in her eyes made my body respond to her even more as she ran her nails down my back to my hips.
She spread her legs, and I nudged her knees open slightly as I moved deeper into her. Ava’s breath caught as she pushed her hips into me, tightening around me with every thrust.
Everything about this was bittersweet. Ava’s little moves, the tilt of her chin—the way her fingers curled and her back arched—all made this the happiest and saddest moment of my life. Her arms shot above her head, sinking into the pillow as her fingers balled into tiny fists, her body melding into mine as we both let our worlds join the way two people who loved one another did.
It was perfection.
Ava was perfection.
Which was why I needed to leave.
I needed to take care of business.
She let out a deep, shuddering breath as she kissed my bare chest.
“I guess I’d better get ready for work,” she murmured. “But there’ll be more of this later, right? We’ve got to make this an almost four-month anniversary to remember.”
It was like a million stabs to my heart. I rolled off her so she couldn’t see my face and walked into the bathroom. I could keep it together until she left and I took off to the airport.
I had no choice.
This had to be done.
Or her life would never be her own.
“I’ll shower after you,” I told her. “I’ll get the coffee going.”
“You really are my hero,” she teased, and my heart pulled a little more.
She swatted my bare ass, and I laughed before walking out of the bathroom. This was going to be a lot more difficult than I ever imagined, and I’d already imagined it to be the most difficult thing in my life.
I pulled on my pajama pants and a t-shirt before making my way down to Ava’s kitchen. I ground some beans and made the coffee, barely able to think of anything but getting to the airport. My flight left for Washington D.C. in three hours. The flight itself was a little over an hour.
My men had already been staking out where Alfred had been living. It was only a four-hour drive for Alfred to get back and forth. It also explained why the police had such a difficult time finding him in the city. He didn’t live there. He only stayed there long enough to strike terror in his victims or finish his kills.
Bile rose in my throat, and I went over to the sink to brace myself. I had to do this. I had to make things right for Ava and every other woman he tortured.
Every other woman he killed.
“You okay?” Ava’s voice brought me out of myself and I straightened up quickly.
“I think I just had a little too much action on an empty stomach,” I joked, and I could tell that made her smile.
She came up behind me and pressed her body into mine.
“I can’t wait until tonight,” she whispered.
I spun around slowly and held her, kissing the top of her head. “I love you, Ava Dalton. I love you more than life itself.”
I felt her hug tighten before she let go. “You certainly know how to send a psychiatrist off happy.”
She stood on her toes and gave me a quick kiss before pouring herself a cup of coffee in her travel mug.
Everything about today was going according to how it always did. The two men were outside, ready to take her to her job and keep her safe until this was finally finished.
And tomorrow, they’d no longer be here.
“
I’ll try to sneak out a little early.” Her eyes brightened with the possibility, and she gave a quick wave. “Love you, Player 11.”
“Love you too.” I watched her walk out of the kitchen and out of my life for the last time.
The moment I heard the door click shut, I quickly climbed the stairs and got dressed. My brothers wanted to join me, but I wanted this to be a simple exercise, a quiet one. There was more loss associated with what I was about to pull off than any of them could understand.
When I climbed out of the car at the airport, the adrenaline churning through me was nonstop. I needed to get this over with, but most of all, Ava needed to be able to live her life without worry, and by tomorrow, she would be able to do so.
But I knew I’d make it my mission in life to always make sure she was safe.
The woman I loved would never be made to hurt again.
I trudged my way through the security check and boarded my flight without delay. By the time my flight landed, I was beyond ready to meet Alfred face-to-face. My team had been watching him twenty-four hours a day from the moment we found him, and I knew they wouldn’t let him out of their sight. The end was coming for him.
Two of my guys picked me up at the airport, and nothing much was said because nothing much had changed since the last time I checked in. Alfred hadn’t left the house since the night before.
When we arrived outside the coffee shop two blocks down and across the street from where Alfred was living, I felt an almost crushing responsibility to make this go right. My men handed over the weapons I’d requested, and I took a deep breath as I secured the holster under my suit jacket. The plan was to begin this and end this as quickly as possible so I could get back on a flight to get home, but the problem was that it wouldn’t feel like home. Not with Ava not in my life any longer.
I walked into the coffee shop where T.J. and Paul were sitting, but a man in the corner caught my eye.
“Hold on one second,” I told my men, and they nodded, following my gaze to the Captain drinking a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper.
I walked over and took a seat at his table.
“What are you doing here?” I questioned.
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