by Dianna Love
She’d like to believe that, but any angel who took a look at Valene’s life would put in for hazardous duty pay.
Chapter 49
Twelve days later, Valene walked out of the hospital with her father’s doctor who was saying, “I’m surprised at Ronaldo’s improvement. I’d like to say it’s the new treatment we have him on, but I have to tell you this is hard to explain.”
“Thank you for going to bat for my dad.”
“After you called me on the mat in my own office, I had to face myself the next morning in the mirror. I asked myself the questions you asked me and decided to start looking for more options. I got excited when I found out about this new program, but I didn’t want to contact you until I knew for sure the money wouldn’t be an issue.”
“It’s not. I’ve got some new clients. I can handle this.” She might even write a book about how to stay trim living on ramen noodles.
Doctor Bowen stopped her. “Didn’t you get my email?”
“No.” She’d stopped looking at her personal email account once her dad went into the program and wasn’t online. Dingo hadn’t been in touch. Henri wasn’t speaking to her.
“The entire treatment plan is paid for.”
“What? How can that be? I just made arrangements for the payments four days ago.” Had Dingo sent the money? How would he have known?
“The money was received yesterday.”
“Who paid it?”
Doctor Bowen gave her a fatherly smile. “The message I got said to tell you your angel was watching out for you.”
She got chills. That was what the pope had told her. Tears blossomed in her eyes, but she didn’t have the capacity to feel embarrassed this time.
“I’d say your angel has had a hand in your dad’s care, too. I don’t want to give you false hopes, but he’s responding much better than I’d have ever imagined. The other doctors on his team are excited.”
She grinned. “Someone said a very special prayer for my father and I’m pretty sure it went right up the line to the top of the chain.”
“Your father is a very lucky man to have such a loyal daughter. Every man needs a woman like you in his life.”
Every man except Dingo.
She thanked the doctor and stepped out into the balmy afternoon air. She turned to walk along the sidewalk to the parking lot and almost ran into someone she couldn’t believe was waiting there.
“Hello, Valene.”
“Hi, Henri. What are you doing here?”
“I stopped by to see your father at the assisted living and heard he was in the hospital. I was worried about you.”
She’d been through so much that she thought she’d gotten over losing Henri as her friend, but she hadn’t. “Thank you.”
He stepped up to her and took her hands, ignoring the people passing them. “I almost lost Geoffrey.”
“I know and I’m so sorry. That was not my intention.”
“I realize that now. I got scared and fear made me angry so I lashed out at you. I was angry later with Geoffrey. I was angry in general. You and I never fought the way Geoffrey and I fight.”
“I’m sure this will pass, Henri.”
“I hope not.” He laughed.
She smiled at seeing him happy. “I don’t understand.”
“You and I never fought because we were close but we always gave each other a lot of room to do what we needed. Even when I packed up to leave, you were angry but that’s your normal operating level. We didn’t speak for a long time because you were hurt and I felt guilty over the whole thing. But Geoffrey and I fight because there is so much passion.”
The light bulb went off. “I know what you’re saying. I fight with someone else like that. Or I did.”
“The brooding Neanderthal you brought to my shop who found Geoffrey?”
“Yes.” If she called Dingo brooding he’d get pissed off.
If she got the chance again, she’d do it just for the makeup sex.
“He was the one you were with back before your dad got sick the first time, wasn’t he?”
“Yep. That was him.” See? It didn’t suffocate her to talk about it. In another ten years, she’d be downright casual when it came to discussing Dingo.
“You were so happy then. You should be with him.”
“It’s not always my choice, Henri.”
He frowned. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Was that enough money for you to make the move?”
“That’s another thing. Coming so close to losing Geoffrey made me think. When he returned from his harrowing mall experience, we both took a look at life and put it back into perspective. We’re selling our high-rise apartment and buying a location where we can have our business and our home in the same spot. We won’t be in a chic part of LA or Pasadena, but we are consultants at heart, and brokers. With our combined expertise, all we need to offer clients is a comfortable place to meet.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea, Henri.” And she meant it. He was clearly happy. No, he was more than happy. He was content and at peace. “As long as you feel like it will be okay.”
“It will be more than okay. We won’t have a building as a yoke around our necks. Geoffrey would like to travel for consulting. We realized we could do just as much business, maybe even more, by streamlining, and in doing so, we would finally have time together, which was number one on our list of priorities.”
Henri looked up and his eyes brightened.
She knew before she turned around that only one person could do that to Henri.
Geoffrey’s gaze went from Henri down to where he held Valene’s hand, then he seemed to brush it off with a long sigh and walked over to them.
Henri asked, “Did you get lost?”
Geoffrey scowled. “No. I was looking at a map print hanging in the hall.”
“Oh?” Henri said.
Geoffrey waved it off. “Nothing of value.”
Valene withdrew her hand from Henri’s and stuck it out to Geoffrey. “Thank you for all that you did to help on the scroll contract, and congratulations on what you two have planned. It sounds really terrific.” She swallowed how much she envied them, but in a good way.
Geoffrey nodded and went to withdraw his hand, but she held tight, causing panic to flair in his face.
She stifled the urge to chuckle and added, “Henri will always be my friend. I love him as a friend, but I will never be a threat simply because you make him very happy, and I want Henri to be happy. When you’re both settled again, I’d like to meet for dinner so that I can get to know you, too, Geoffrey. I’ve learned that one can never have enough friends.”
Geoffrey’s gaze registered shock then his eyes watered and he showed his backbone. “Thank you. We’ll send you an invitation to our housewarming.”
She smiled and her heart no longer hurt when she looked at Henri. He’d been right. She’d loved him for so long as a friend, she’d confused that with being in love.
Now her heart only hurt when she looked at Dingo, which shouldn’t be an issue since he was gone forever.
Chapter 50
Valene packed her T-bird trunk with a blanket, food, iPod and candles. The FBI had helped her get her car out of impoundment after she’d spent days giving them everything they asked for, right down to working with an artist on a rendering of Rikker’s face. She’d also agreed to be a witness for the trials of Navarro and Perdido.
Charlie had been found dead in his apartment.
A bullet in each eye.
She drove to El Matador beach and hiked down to the sand, loaded down with all she needed. Staying alone in her apartment had been difficult. She couldn’t sleep if it was noisy or if it was quiet. Nothing worked.
But she’d been sleeping soundly in their cove.
Her cove.
No one had told her a word about Dingo. The FBI said it was confidential information. No one would give her a number for Nick, the Italian guy who was Dingo’s friend. The one who
’d helped her get the scroll from its hiding place and into her purse.
That guy had asked a lot of questions before he got the scroll for her, but he’d given her no information.
Every door she tried to open slammed shut.
Her snooping too far had almost gotten Dingo killed in the past. Lesson learned. She would not even type his name into her laptop.
It was time to let it go. Navarro and his people were going away for a long time, as was Perdido.
She put out her spread and had some cheese and wine, but didn’t listen to the music this time. The ocean put her to sleep.
Until something–a sound–brought her awake so fast she jerked upright.
A dark figure stood down the beach, silhouetted by the early morning glow across the water. No sunshine yet.
This was usually her favorite time, but she was too shocked to appreciate the setting.
He stepped forward slowly and kept coming until he knelt and kissed her.
It wasn’t a dream. Dingo was here.
She hugged him to her and trembled. “I thought–”
“I know,” he said. “That you’d never see me again.”
Words took too much effort, so she let him hold her and kiss her until he was sitting and she was in his lap. They stayed that way for long quiet moments. She nuzzled his neck, kissing him everywhere she could reach without moving out of his arms.
Catching her chin with his fingers, he drew her face away just enough for them to see each other. He said, “I’m sorry I was so distant before and left without telling you.”
She started, “It’s okay–”
“No, it’s not. If you had done that to me, I’d have lost my mind. I had some time to think while I was gone.”
“Where’d you go?”
“I spent some of it locked up.”
“You’re kidding. They aren’t hanging that killing on you. I told the FBI–”
“I know, love. I heard about it.”
Her skin tingled. He called her love.
Being stupid again, Valene?
Dingo was stroking her hair, studying her as if he needed to memorize her before he left again.
That took care of the stupids. She asked, “What happened?”
“The people I work for are my best friends and–”
“That woman you were talking to?”
“Yes. Sabrina.”
Her skin tingled more. Dingo had just shared the name of someone Valene doubted he would have normally told her. She was afraid to ask about it, so she said, “Uh huh.”
“Sabrina spent a lot of time getting into people’s faces and putting pressure in the right areas. She got me out yesterday.”
Valene smiled. “And you came to see me today. That’s so sweet.”
“Actually, I would have been here yesterday but I owed Sabrina a proper debriefing.” He raised one eyebrow. “Speaking of debriefings, you owe me one too. Nick said you returned the scroll to the pope. Why’d you let me think you gave Rikker the real one?”
Crap. Did he think she’d held back on him again? “There were so many people around, I didn’t know who I could trust. By that time I was afraid the wrong person would overhear if I said I’d hidden the real one. To be honest, when Nick got me the meeting with the Pope, I’d gone there thinking I would offer him a trade if he could pull some strings to get you released.” She shook her head hard. “But when I sat down in front of him, I knew I couldn’t ask him to trade for something that was not mine to barter with, so ... I’m sorry, Dingo. Maybe you would have gotten out sooner and I swear I wasn’t trying to hide anything from you. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust you--”
“Hey, stop. I don’t think that.” He stroked her face. “I didn’t care about the scroll really, but I knew you did. I’d just been worried about making sure you would not be accused of any wrongdoing so you’d be free to take care of your dad. Which brings me back to the other reason I had to see Sabrina yesterday. I had to tell her I’m taking the time off she’s been harping at me to take.”
Valene fought to find the right words and finally gave up. Better to speak her mind. “What are you going to do with those days?”
“That depends.”
She would not allow him to back away from her again with the excuse that he put her at risk. “Argh! You have got to stop taking responsibility for everyone. I’m the reason I was in danger, not you.”
“Not true.”
She needed to convince him that he could be with her even if only on occasion. She’d suffer through the alone time if she knew he was coming back. “Okay, yes, your job is dangerous, but I’ve learned my lesson about being careful when I research and listening to my instincts when they try to tell me my client is not who he seems to be. I’ve also learned not to dig where I shouldn’t. I haven’t even typed your name into a computer. Honest. Please don’t let the past dictate the future.”
“You’re not the only who has to learn from the past. I made mistakes and–”
She shook her head. “This sounds like we’re back to maybe, possibly, don’t know, can’t tell you–”
He kissed her, tenderly at first, but then it turned hot with the promise of sex. When he pulled back, he said, “Give me a chance to explain. I’d planned to spend my time off here with you. And I’d like to meet your dad if he’s able to have visitors.”
“Really?” Could she sound any more like a pitiful little kid?
“As I said, all that depends on whether you really meant it when you said–”
“What? When I said what?” she demanded.
“You wanted to keep me.”
She hugged him. “I might not know you, but you should know me by now and that if I say I’m keeping you, I mean it. You’re mine, Dingo Paddock, forever. Do you hear me?” She unfolded herself from his lap and held his face so that she could let her forehead touch his. “Tell me you really mean this.”
He cupped her face. “I’ve never said this to any woman, but I love you, Valene. I love you so much it scares me, but if you’ll hold my hand I’m yours.”
“Good. Just don’t ever leave me without saying goodbye again.”
“Never. I’d rather cut off an arm than hurt you, and I’m sorry I did before. I just ... still have a hard time worrying about the danger I might bring to your door.”
“I’m in danger any time I walk outside that door, regardless. You know I’m trained, but you can teach me more about how to watch for threats, and you can teach me about the dangers inherent in my research. I’ll add security cameras and I’ll never blow you off again when you tell me there’s a problem. I’ll be safer with you in my life.”
“I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re safe. And I’ll do my best to make you happy, but you should know up front, I have no idea how to be in a long-term relationship.”
She whispered, “I never realized what you went through as a kid.”
Dingo shrugged. “That’s life.”
That riled her up. She grabbed his cheeks. “That is not life. Not the way we’re going to live it. I will never let you go. So get used to belonging to me because I’m a possessive bitch who does not share. You’d better think twice about pissing me off if you expect to live in any kind of peace.” She stopped. “What are you smiling about?”
He started laughing and hugged her to him. “I don’t want to live in peace. I like how you destroyed my calm. The way you took my world and turned it upside down. And I love when you get pissed at me.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Absolutely. Crazy about you. The best part of pissing you off is makeup sex. You make love with as much passion as you fight.”
She smiled again. “I’ll make you pay.”
“I sure as hell hope so.” Then he kissed her and she felt his heart touch hers.
She couldn’t believe he was here with her. But she needed him to know he wasn’t going to be trapped. She said, “I know your work is in Atlanta, but just please call me somet
imes while you’re gone so that I’ll know you’re okay.”
“Babe, you don’t understand. I’m moving in with you and it’s not going to be in that crummy apartment. I’ve never had a home, but we’ll make one and I’ll call you every day or you’ll know why I can’t. And you’re going to meet the people on my team, my best friends. I want you to go to a wedding with me in Miami next week.”
“Whose?”
“My friends Josh and Trish.” He kissed her cheeks and her lips. “That will be good practice.”
“For traveling together?” She smiled.
“For a wedding.” He stared at her with a hint of fear, but he added, “How much do you want to keep me?”
“If that’s a question, you’re going to have to do a better job.”
That threw him off for a moment, but Dingo had that look in his eye. The one she saw when he came for her when Rikker had her. He said, “Will you marry me?”
Telling her he loved her was enough. She didn’t need him to ask her to marry him. But now she understood that he needed to hear her answer. To know that he would always be loved and wanted.
“Yes, Dingo Paddock, I will marry you and love you forever.”
“I love you, babe.”
“I love you more.”
“Not possible.”
She started laughing. “We’ll see. I’m going to plan a wedding that’ll make you crazy.”
He sighed. “I was worried about that.”
She nipped his lips. “But look at all the makeup sex we’ll have while planning it.”
Flipping her onto her back, he said, “You should start paying now.”
The End.
FATAL PROMISE
Slye Temp Book 7
Sabrina and Gage’s story
Coming in 2016. Be sure to sign up for Dianna’s newsletter at her website – www.AuthorDiannaLove.com – to receive news of the release date for Fatal Promise, special book deals, events and…information on the new series that will spin off this one.
Yes, many of your favorite Slye Temp characters will be around in the new series. More on all of that coming soon.