Never Surrender

by Rosie Miles

  The warehouse crawled with police. What had been a deserted building minutes before was now a bustling crime scene. The only ones not wearing Kevlar were James and Cooper, still in jeans and T-shirts.

  Cooper strode to Maggie and helped her to her feet. “Ambulances are outside.”

  Paramedics jogged through the chaos as they pushed a gurney toward Quinn.

  “You should get them to check you over. You’ve some grazes on your face, and that’s one hell of a mark around your neck,” Cooper said.

  “I will. Later.” Maggie coughed again to ease the throbbing in her throat and watched as they dropped the gurney and huddled around Quinn, their movements frantic.

  “I think I need to sit.” Reaction stole the strength from Maggie’s legs.

  Cooper grabbed a crate, and she sank down. Two more paramedic crews ran in and started working on Conrad and Felice.

  “Are they going to survive?” Maggie asked. “Not that I care. I just don’t want Quinn in jail.”

  “They’ll live,” Cooper said. “I’m sorry it took so long for us to get here. When you got into that limo, your signal was blocked. I was a fair way back when I lost contact with Quinn. Then I lost sight of you. Once you got out of the car, we found your signal again, but we had to get the teams into place for the raid.”

  “I’m just grateful you found us.”

  Felice had regained consciousness and spit obscenities as two female officers cuffed her to her gurney and escorted her out.

  Maggie stood as James hurried toward her.

  “Zyker needs to talk to you.” James touched her shoulder.

  “I don’t care. I’m not leaving Quinn.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll sort it,” James said. He glanced at Quinn, shook his head, then stalked away.

  The paramedics had finished assessing Quinn, and he lay on the gurney with his eyes shut and his skin the color of ash.

  Maggie stood beside Quinn and pushed his blood-matted hair off his forehead. “Is he going to be okay?” Maggie heard the sob in her voice.

  The paramedic didn’t answer. “We need to move.”

  She snagged Quinn’s hand, which lay limp outside of the blankets, and kept pace with the paramedics as they rushed the gurney out to the ambulance.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Quinn struggled to open his eyes. Just breathing hurt, and his head pounded. All he wanted to do was slip back into the oblivion of sleep. Except he needed Maggie more. He forced his eyes open and looked around the room. He was alone. What did he expect, Maggie sitting waiting for him to wake up? He started to shake his head, but thought better of it the moment he moved. Fuck. You’ve lost her. You couldn’t be the man she wanted. He started to roll to his side and cursed as pain sliced through him again. He settled back into the mattress and closed his eyes. Maggie filled his head.

  The door squeaked open and a nurse entered, pushing a trolley. Quinn opened his eyes again.

  “Good to see you’re awake.” She walked over and lifted his arm, put on a blood pressure cuff, and pushed the button. She placed a thermometer in his ear and grabbed her pen. After finishing her notes, she turned to Quinn. “You are one tough man. Did they tell you about your five broken ribs?”

  She checked his chest tube was still taped in place. “This helps drain the fluid from your punctured lung, so try not to pull it out.” She grinned at him and patted his arm. “It’s going down to a bag by the bed, and it’s a mess if we have to clean it up.”

  Quinn moved his shoulders, at least as much as he could without the pain killing him.

  “If it helps, you look a lot worse than you are. And you look like a fast healer. Your doctor has prescribed some pretty good drugs for your pain, so you don’t have to be a hero.” She grinned again, and Quinn decided she must be one of the good ones. But she wasn’t Maggie.

  Quinn looked back to the door.

  “Don’t you like my company?” the nurse teased.

  He tried not to look too disappointed. She was only trying to be cheerful. “Sorry, I was hoping to see someone else.” He was a bit surprised that talking didn’t hurt.

  “Tall, blond, female?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You should have woken up five minutes earlier and you would have.”

  Quinn’s heart kicked into overdrive. “She’s been here?” He thought about sitting up but decided it might be a bad idea. Super nurse seemed to know what he was thinking and pushed the button to raise the bed into a more upright sitting position.

  “That better?”

  He nodded.

  “She hasn’t left your side all night. Someone named Lydia showed up and dragged her home for a shower and change of clothes. The blonde told me she’d be back in an hour.”

  Quinn smiled. He didn’t care that it hurt.

  “I can call her, tell her you’re awake.”

  “Not yet.” Quinn’s brain raced faster than his heart. “If I take your magic pill, would you be able to help me do something before she comes back.” He explained what he wanted.

  She grinned. “You’re lucky we aren’t too busy tonight.”

  “Thank you.”

  An hour later Quinn waited with the lights dimmed. He’d refused the pain pills for now, because he needed to think clearly. He couldn’t fall asleep before he’d seen her, talked to her, begged for another chance. Through the pain, negative thoughts plagued him. What if she just came back to make sure he was okay before leaving him forever? What if she didn’t want him anymore? Just breathe, Keller.

  He turned to look at the door when he heard the telltale squeak that announced someone entered. He drank her in as she paused and brushed her fingers through her hair.

  “Hi,” he said.

  She hurried to the bed, pulled up a chair, and sat. “Hi, yourself.”

  Quinn wanted to drag her onto the bed, hold her, kiss her until he forgot everything that had happened in the last year. He took a deep breath and realized why that wasn’t going to happen. He made do with looking at her. There was too much to talk about. He reached out and touched her throat. “You are so damned lucky.”

  She reached across and touched the plastic tube, dragging bloody fluid from his body. “As are you.”

  Quinn carried her hand to his mouth, turned it over, and placed a kiss on her palm. He heard her sharp intake of breath. He started to talk, keeping his voice low. “When I woke up earlier and you weren’t here. I thought you’d left for sure. I was gutted.” He sighed. “I wouldn’t have blamed you.” He stroked her arm.

  Maggie reached over and touched his shaved head. “Who did this?”

  “Super nurse.”

  “Why?” She stroked his scalp again.

  “A case of nostalgia.”

  “Really? Why?” Her eyes widened.

  “I wanted to take us back to the beginning. Give us a fresh start so I could show you I’ll support you in whatever career choices you make. That I will love and respect you, always and forever.”

  “Even if I choose to go back undercover?”

  “Yes. I’ll wait for you.” He pulled her hand away from his head and cradled it between his. “I know I blew that last time. I failed you. I took the one thing away from you that you needed most before going under: someone to come home to. I tried to force you to do things my way, the safe way, and I destroyed what we had in the process. I was wrong then, and I was wrong again when I tried to force you to deal with Conrad the safe way.”

  He raised her hand and kissed her fingers. “I lost you twelve months ago over my overprotective stubbornness, and I almost lost you again over the same stupidity. You’re one of the strongest women I know, Maggie. You don’t need my protection. If you did, you wouldn’t be the woman I love. But protecting is in my nature.” He’d been rehearsing this speech for the last hour and hoped like hell he was saying the right things.

  “I know.”

  “I can’t promise I won’t worry about you.”

  She studied him. He
saw her wince as she looked again at the tubing.

  “Can you get over me screwing Conrad?” She held his gaze.

  Quinn breathed as deeply as his broken ribs allowed. “I won’t lie to you. I’ve struggled with it, but it doesn’t matter. I love and I trust you.”

  She stood and walked to the window. “Thanks for being honest.” She leaned against the glass. “I want to tell you about Conrad.”

  “You don’t have to. It’s not important.”

  “It is to me.” Her voice trembled.

  He nodded.

  She stayed by the window, but Quinn didn’t take his eyes from her. He patted the bed. “Come sit here.”

  She perched on the corner, took a deep breath, then started. “I only had sex with Conrad once, and it wasn’t because I wanted to.” She looked at him and bit her lip. “I need you to know that. He makes my skin crawl.” Maggie shuddered. She sucked in another huge breath.

  Quinn took her hand and rubbed his thumb along the base of hers. He hoped she would recognize the gesture as one of support.

  “It was just before we came back to Brisbane. He caught me in his office going through the desk and asked me what I was doing. I saw in his soulless eyes he already knew.”

  “Maggie, it’s okay.”

  She looked into his face. “You said you wouldn’t protect me anymore, so let me finish.”

  “Okay.”

  She gnawed on her lip. “I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, and ended up as that slime’s…” She closed her eyes. “I was so ashamed, so disgusted with myself, because despite all my training and how hard I worked, I froze. Knowing you did everything in your power to prevent me taking the assignment, and I was too damned stubborn to listen made it worse. I know physically it was only the once, but the memory still tortures me.” She stared at Quinn. “I know we weren’t a couple, and it shouldn’t matter. One day I’ll see it for what it was—a way of staying alive—and I’ll be able to forgive myself.” Her shoulders slumped.

  He opened his arms. “Come here, baby.” He pulled her toward him. She moved so she wasn’t lying across his chest, and he held her as she sobbed. “Let it go. It’s past. Gone.” He closed his eyes and swallowed. It was now or never. “It’s time for us now, if that’s what you want.”

  She nodded. Her hair was a caress against his shoulder.

  “It’s all I’ve ever wanted. I’ve burned for you since the night we met, and it scared me so much, I hid behind my career.”

  Quinn could have sworn he felt his blood pressure drop as he realized it was going to be all right.

  She shook her head. “When they dropped you at my feet earlier, I thought I’d die. Seeing you so injured because of me.” Her sobbing intensified. “It was more than I could take.” She hiccupped.

  “Maggie. Love. I’m here. Bruised and battered, but I’m here. I’m going to make a full recovery.”

  She sat up, wiped her eyes, and gave a watery smile. “How about I fill you in with what’s going on?” She stood up.

  “I’d rather you come back to bed,” he lied, hoping she didn’t see the grimace of pain he tried to hide as she slid off the bed. He only knew he needed to touch her, hold her, breathe her in.

  “Soon.” A smile lit her eyes. “I can’t think straight when I’m close to you. It’s all over. Conrad and Felice are in lockup with the rest of their goons.” She trailed her fingers across his brow.

  “Roberts?”

  “He was in it with them. Another scalp for Felice.”

  “Where is he? In lockup, too?”

  She shook her head, and more tears fell. “Coronary Care Unit. He’s not expected to live.”

  “Maggie.”

  She lifted her chin and met his eyes.

  He pushed the sheet down. “Come on. Come back to bed.”

  She walked to his side, kicked off her shoes, and stretched alongside him. “Go to sleep.”

  He lowered his lips to hers. Gently, she kissed him. Their lips clung, released, and touched again.

  “I love you, Quinn Keller,” escaped from Maggie in a rush. She gripped his hand.

  “I know.” Quinn reached out to touch her face. “I love you, too. Always have.”

  As she lay sleeping beside him, he wondered where they were heading. When he was fully recovered, he’d tell her he wanted to marry her and have kids. See how she responded to that bit of chauvinism. His lips curled into a smile. He trailed his fingers down her chest and rested them against her heart. He drew comfort from the steady bump. He settled back against the crisp cotton pillowcase, and as he watched her snuggled up against him, his heart lurched. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, clutched her hand, carried it to his chest, and pressed it against his heart. He was finally happy.

  Epilogue

  Three Months Later

  The whole gang showed up: Cooper, his wife and twins, James, Lydia, and Ollie. Tears flowed all around. Quinn stood beside Maggie when she drew Angel close for one final hug.

  It had taken reams of paperwork backed up by hours of negotiations, but eventually Angel was allowed to go home. She’d seen a counselor, and her self-esteem was much stronger. Maggie hoped that in time Angel would put this whole experience behind her and move on.

  The trial wouldn’t happen for quite a while, but with the statement Maggie had given, backed up with the USB evidence she’d made the day she’d taken Angel and Beth out of the club, Angel didn’t have to come back for it. They’d promised a video linkup instead.

  “It’s finally finished. For Angel, at least.” Maggie hiccupped as she wiped her damp eyes against the front of Quinn’s soft cotton T-shirt.

  “There she goes.” Quinn pointed to the young girl as she showed her boarding pass and walked through the glass tunnel that led to the plane and, they hoped, a happy future.

  Maggie couldn’t help it. “Angel, Angel!” she screamed at the top of her lungs as they shut the doors. Angel shouldn’t have heard, but she turned, and even across the distance, her smile touched Maggie as she lifted her hand for a final salute.

  Quinn gave Maggie a lopsided grin that melted her heart. “Let’s get out of here.” He tugged on her fingers, and they strolled hand in hand to the car park.

  Maggie reveled in his touch. It seemed they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, and they were rarely apart. Quinn opened the car door, and before she climbed in, he bent his head and kissed her. Hard. Maggie held his head and sank against his body as she returned every ounce of passion he gave.

  He climbed in the driver’s side. “We have some unfinished business.”

  “Really?” Maggie was stumped. “I thought we’d worked it through.”

  “Not the case. Us.”

  “Oh.” Maggie fell silent. With Quinn’s convalescence, working on shutting down Conrad’s empire and siphoning out corrupt cops, their time together was always busy. They were a great investigative team.

  They’d promised each other when the case was over, it would be time for them. She gazed at Quinn through lowered lashes.

  “You cleared your schedule as of this morning. Right?”

  She nodded.

  “Me, too. As of now, it’s just you and me.” He gave her a wink. “And one huge spa.”

  “We’re going to Lydia’s pleasure palace?” Maggie reached across and rested her hand on his knee.

  “Right on,” he said.

  “As I remember, there’s a whole lot of spa for us to play in. I fancy seeing you in nothing but bubbles,” Maggie teased.

  Quinn laughed and started the Pajero. “That’s one of the items on my wicked agenda.”

  Her heart thudded faster, and she gave his knee another squeeze. “Have I thanked you for everything?”

  “Maggie.” He turned to face her. “Being with you is all I want, all I’ve ever wanted. I love you. Everything we’ve gone through has led us to this point. You know that, don’t you?”

  Maggie smiled and blinked the tears away. “I do. It’s you and me, alw
ays and forever. I love you, Quinn.”

  Quinn lifted her hand from his knee and pressed his lips against it. After releasing her, he put the car into gear and drove off.

  Now she was ready to live her life.

  With Quinn.

  And that was good.

  Hell had thawed.

  Did you love this Ignite? Check out more of our romantic mystery and suspense titles here!

  And for exclusive sneak peeks at our upcoming books, excerpts, contests, chats with our authors and editors, and more…

  Sign up for our Newsletter

  Be sure to like us on Facebook

  Follow us on Twitter

  Acknowledgments

  Hells Belles, my critique group. What can I say? You never gave up on me. You encouraged, taught, pushed, and prodded. You always believed in my ability, even when I didn’t believe in myself. You have all been pivotal in my journey. I admire and respect each and every one of you: Danielle Birch, EE Montgomery, Fiona Greene, Marilyn Carey, and Sharon Norris. Without you, this road to publication would have been a very boring trip. Thank you for everything.

  This journey has been crazy, and there have been many guiding hands. For those who have crossed my path, walked with me, worked with me, judged my competition entries, and offered support and encouragement, thanks. A special mention to Alison Leake for the midnight plotting sessions and the friendship we have forged—what ever happened to Francois?—and to Mickey Sanderson for your insight of how things could be and for taking the time to read for me. I also cannot forget The Bootcamp course, run by Romance Writers of Australia, which was one of the best learning experiences I have had. Bootcamper’s rock!

  Detective JB, thanks for taking the time to answer my endless questions regarding the police service. Your information was invaluable. How I applied that information to my book, blame my writer’s imagination.

  Finally, I’d like to thank Laura Stone, my editor. What else can I say but “Woohoo, we did it!”

  About the Author

  Rosie Miles has always been fascinated by cops. If she didn’t hate guns with such passion, she would have joined the force. Instead she writes about the cops behind the badges and the loves that challenge them.