Hours later, two exhausted little girls slept in the bedroom down the hallway, while Keeley waited for Cole to lock up for the night and join her in bed. She still couldn’t believe she was really here. That Cole really wanted her; wanted to be a family.
He came into the room and her heart rate tripled in speed. She sat up and watched him approach. Had she ever seen his eyes so heated and full of emotion? Months ago, when she’d met him, she had thought him expressionless and cold. And now, she realized that beneath the façade of uncaring was one of the most gallant and loving men ever placed on this earth.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he said, “I didn’t want to ask in front of Hailey and Hannah, but how’s Jenna doing?”
Her heart twisted as it always would when she thought about her friend. “She’s out of the Fairview hospital and is in a psychiatric hospital in Greenville until her trial.”
“Has she said anything yet?”
“Not since the first time I saw her in the hospital when she screamed at me to die.” Her lips trembled. “I guess our friendship is officially at an end.”
“I’m sorry, Keeley, I—”
Keeley leaned forward and put a finger on his mouth to stop his apology. “You have no reason to be sorry. My incredibly poor judgment brought this on … not you.”
“And you shouldn’t be blaming yourself either. She fooled people for years.”
Her voice shaking, she said, “You could have killed her … and you didn’t.”
“If it had come down to killing her to save you, I wouldn’t have hesitated … the choice would have been easy. But I couldn’t bear to see you lose someone else you loved … even if she was a maniac. And killing isn’t something I’ll do if there’s any way to avoid it. I’ve taken too many lives already.”
“You saved my life again. Thank you.”
“I’m sorry I walked out on you….” His mouth twisted. “I thought she was dying … I couldn’t bear to see the pain in your face.”
Keeley wiped impatiently at the tears pooling in her eyes. Damned if she would cry now. “If Jenna had died, it wouldn’t have been your fault. Just like you weren’t responsible for Stephen’s death. It was tragic and I hate that it happened, but Donald Rosemount is to blame, not you.”
“And Stephen’s mother,” Cole said softly.
Keeley nodded. She’d had a lot of time to think in the last couple of weeks. And as bizarre and crazy as it seemed, it made sense. Elizabeth would have seen that as a teaching lesson for Stephen. Unfortunately, it had gotten him killed.
“Jenna might be insane, but her comment got me to thinking about it all. Elizabeth saw an opportunity to scare the hell out of Stephen and make it look like I was responsible.”
“Unfortunately, Rosemount never revealed who hired him, so I don’t see it ever being proven that she was involved,” Cole said.
“Elizabeth will remain a vicious, embittered woman, but she’ll always have the knowledge that she was responsible for her son’s death.”
Cole’s beautiful eyes roamed her face; he looked so solemn. Hoping to break the tension a bit, she added, “A lot of things have changed in Fairview in the last two weeks.”
“Like what?”
“Let’s see. Hiram Mobley is officially out of office, along with two of his deputies. I think Honor had a lot to do with getting him fired. And, according to Miranda, who heard it from a reliable source, Elizabeth told her lawyers she no longer wants to contest Stephen’s will. And, wonder of all wonders, I saw Elizabeth at the courthouse three days ago and she asked how the girls were doing.”
Cole snorted. “Did she actually know their names?”
Keeley grinned. “Well, she called them Hilary and Holly, but I’m counting it as progress.” About to impart another bit of news, she became nervous again. “And, I, uh … I gave my house away.”
“You did what?”
Going to her knees, she placed her hands on his thighs, took a breath, and explained, “I gave my house to Miranda. You know you thought she was keeping secrets? Well, she was. Turns out, she’s been secretly working to find a place for unwed mothers to live. Working night and day on a small house about ten miles out of town. She and a couple of other people were trying to fix it up without anyone knowing about it. She knew Elizabeth would have a fit, so she told almost no one what she was doing. That’s why she was so evasive when you questioned her in front of Elizabeth. So, since my house was a gift from Stephen to appease his conscience and I was going to sell it anyway, I deeded it over to Miranda so she could use it.”
“I’ll bet Elizabeth will love that.”
Keeley giggled. “I have to admit, that was extra incentive.”
“So where are you and the girls planning to live?”
More vulnerable than she’d ever felt in her life, she whispered, “Wherever you are … if you’ll have us.”
“Keeley,” he said simply, his voice thick with emotion. Then he pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.
Keeley opened her mouth to his thrusting tongue. Never had she felt so blessed, so fortunate, as to have this remarkable man in her life.
He broke their kiss to breathe against her lips, “I don’t think I’ve told you yet … but I love you.”
Tears of joy swam in her eyes. The words sounded wonderful but hadn’t really been necessary. Everything this man had done for her showed his love. “And I love you … so much. I’m sorry I sent you away … sorry I treated you the way I did.”
“I should have told you about Stephen sooner … I just couldn’t allow anything else to happen to you. I figured if you knew, you’d send me away. I had to protect you … and then I fell in love with you.”
“Thank you for saving my girls … and for saving me.”
He placed another soft kiss on her lips and then asked, “How do you think Hailey and Hannah will feel about having a new daddy?”
“I think they’ll feel like the luckiest little girls in the world.”
“Where do you want to live?”
“Anywhere you are.”
Cole lowered his head to devour her mouth. Locking her arms around his neck, Keeley gave herself up to the absolute ecstasy that only this man could create inside her. How she’d gotten so fortunate, she didn’t dare question. She’d made so many mistakes. Had trusted the wrong people, made the wrong decisions. From now on she vowed, once and for all, to get it right. She had her angels back and the most amazing man in the world in her arms. No woman had ever been so blessed.
The night, velvet and warm, cocooned them in darkness. Cole held Keeley in his arms, listening to her soft, even breaths of sleep and reveled in the gift of her love. Three doors down, two precious little girls, who would soon be his daughters, slept deeply, knowing they were at last safe from harm.
He never believed he could love again, feel happiness or contentment. But because of this beautiful woman in his arms, Cole realized that he had been given something incredible, had been granted a miracle he’d never expected. He’d been given a second chance.
acknowledgments
Special thanks to my wonderful family for putting up with my crazy hours and nervous mutterings and ramblings the closer I get to deadlines.
Thank you, Kate Collins, my fantastic editor, for your insight and kindness. And thanks, also, to the entire Ballantine team, especially Beth Pearson and Kelli Fillingim.
My sincere and deep appreciation to my agent, Kim Whalen, for your support, encouragement, and wonderful words of wisdom.
And thank you to the readers of the Last Chance Rescue books, especially those who sent emails regarding Cole, insisting that he have a happy ever after. I do hope you enjoy his story.
Turn the page for a sneak peek at
LAST CHANCE
the third novel in
Christy Reece’s
romantic suspense trilogy!
Present day
London, England
He was tired of chasing a ghos
t. More than once he’d told himself she was a figment of his overactive imagination or a hallucination caused by too many blows to his head. That some three-hundred-pound bruiser by the name of Rudolph or Hans had rescued him, not a delicate-as-air blond angel named Ghost.
But she wasn’t a figment; he’d felt her, touched her, smelled her. And he couldn’t get her out of his head.
On his return from Brazil, he’d launched two investigations. One was to determine who else had been involved in his abduction other than Victor Lymes. The other was to find his mysterious rescuer.
The investigation into his abduction had taken less than a week. Lymes, working with two of the hotel employees where Lucas had been staying, had seen an opportunity and took it. The plan had been to ransom him and split the earnings. The two conspirators had confessed quickly when confronted by the authorities.
The second investigation hadn’t gone as well. It was as if the young woman who’d aided in his rescue didn’t even exist.
“Kane, do you agree?”
Lucas jerked his head around. Staring out the window like a new employee didn’t exactly inspire confidence. The twenty board members of Kane Industries stared at him as if he had a third eye.
“Yes, the takeover should go through without a hitch. Just make sure we have jobs for everyone.” He sent a pointed stare at Stanley Humphries. “If I hear that even one worker was displaced, heads will not be the only body parts rolling.”
The stiff nod of agreement was belied by the mutinous expression on Humphries’s face. Lucas noted it and added it to his growing list of concerns. The man had become increasingly belligerent and uncooperative over the past few months. Lucas knew he was going to have to do something about him soon.
Though Humphries wasn’t a member of the board, he’d been with Kane Industries for well over thirty years and had earned his spot in making decisions. However, Lucas had become aware of recent shortcuts and mismanagements that the man was directly responsible for.
When Lucas had taken over his family’s empire, he’d been determined to do a few things differently. That included making sure no one was adversely impacted as Kane Enterprises thrived. Humphries apparently didn’t like that concept.
Lucas needed to make a decision about the man’s involvement in future projects. Times like this, he wished for his father’s tough-minded decision making. Lucas could kick ass and kill with the best of them, but when it came to dealing with wayward employees, he was at somewhat of a loss.
Harbin Nickels, CFO of Kane Industries, stood. “I think that about wraps up everything we needed to review with you, Lucas. Anything else that comes up, we can go through your assistants. When do you leave for your trip?”
His mind occupied between finding a ghost and disciplining an employee, Lucas answered with a careless “A few hours” and then fell silent.
They stared at him for several seconds before they made their way out of the room. Being distracted wasn’t good for morale. A leader distracted led to uncertainty in his employees. He’d worry about that when he returned. Now he needed to get on his flight to Paris and talk with the one man he believed could help him.
Paris, France
Last Chance Rescue Headquarters
“Noah, did you give Micah another piece of chocolate?”
Before turning his gaze from the computer screen in front of him, Noah swallowed the remaining evidence. Turning to her, he gave his most innocent look. “Mara, why would you say that?”
Hands on her hips, amazing eyes flashing, Samara advanced toward him. “Because he’s as hyper as a wildcat. Angela’s with him in the conference room, chasing him around the table.”
Before he could proclaim his innocence of giving their two-year-old son chocolate, Samara added, “And because you have chocolate on your chin.”
He sighed. Nothing got past his Mara. “So, come over here and lick it off for me.”
Her eyes darkened and she got that look on her face that could heat his blood in an instant. She came toward him and then stopped. “Wait. What time is Lucas Kane supposed to be here?”
Noah groaned and looked at the clock. “Fifteen minutes. Not near enough time.”
“Here.” She handed him a tissue from a box on his desk. “Get the chocolate off for now and we’ll stop at the store on the way home.”
He grinned, already anticipating the night ahead. “Deal.”
Settling into a chair across from him, she returned to the topic of their upcoming meeting. “So, you really just want my observation on the man. Nothing more?”
“Right.”
“Are you planning on telling him you know McKenna?”
“No. Her association with LCR must remain private. But I want to meet with him before I mention his search to her. When she relayed the details of his rescue, it got me interested in him even more.”
“How so?”
“Hard to say, other than it sounds to me like he handled himself a little too well for a British billionaire. About as well as any LCR operative. There’s got to be more to him than just inherited wealth and a keen eye for the next money-making venture.”
“Think he has military training?”
Noah shook his head. “Records show that he spent most of his years collecting degrees and prepping himself to take over his family’s empire. Military training hasn’t been mentioned.”
“Perhaps he had someone train him. As high profile as he is, maybe he felt he needed to know how to defend himself.”
“Could be. That’s where you come in. I want your impression. I may be biased.”
She smiled. “That’s because you’re protective of McKenna.”
“I’m protective of all my operatives.”
“True, but whether you want to admit it or not, you have a special fondness for McKenna.”
Noah couldn’t deny it. He did feel much more like McKenna’s big brother than he did her boss. Not that he was technically her boss, since she still wasn’t officially employed by LCR. Even though all active LCR operatives were freelance and could work when they wanted, he considered them full-fledged employees. McKenna not so much.
LCR’s first encounter with McKenna had been unusual. One day, during the middle of an op involving the rescue of a young teenager, McKenna had just shown up. One of his operatives had been injured, unable to assist. McKenna had gone after one of the kidnappers, jumping on his back and taking him to the ground. Dylan had been on the op, along with Shea and Ethan. All three had regaled him with accounts of her bravery. Problem was, she’d disappeared as soon as the rescue was complete.
She had assisted once more, this time in Paris. Noah had been on the op and had cornered her before she could disappear. She hadn’t liked being trapped. Had been almost feral in her fear, as if she thought he was going to hold her. They’d talked … at least, as much as McKenna would talk. Noah had learned enough to know that not only was she incredibly brave and surprisingly skilled, she was also the most alone person he’d ever met. And he’d met a lot of alone people since starting LCR.
Though McKenna had never officially become an LCR operative, most of his people thought she was. Noah gave her that support and allowed her the anonymity for one very important reason: McKenna needed to feel that she was part of this organization, whether she realized it or not. Even though she turned him down every time he asked her to become an operative, he had high hopes that someday she would change her mind.
Thanks to McKenna, Skylar Maddox, Gabe’s wife, had been rescued several months back. Since the same person who’d held Skylar had also abducted Lucas Kane, McKenna was able to rescue him as well.
No one knew where McKenna had come from or even where she lived. Though Noah was more than aware that he could do his own investigation, he continued to refrain from it. At some point, he might have to. For right now, he wanted to allow McKenna the anonymity she obviously needed.
Samara had gotten to know her better than anyone at LCR, which was one of the many r
easons he wanted his wife to meet Lucas Kane. The man had not stopped looking for McKenna from the moment he arrived home after his rescue. Noah wasn’t about to give up any secrets about McKenna, but he wanted Mara’s opinion on Kane. He trusted his wife’s judgment over anyone’s.
“So McKenna has no idea he’s looking for her?”
“She knows he’s looking. As you know, she got good instincts about that.” He and Samara both believed McKenna was hiding from someone. But until she was ready to ask for their help, all they could do was wait until she chose to trust them. “I just don’t think she knows how determined Kane is to find her.”
“Why do you think he is so determined?”
Noah shrugged. “Could be as simple as he wants to thank her, but somehow I think it’s more. With his contacting LCR, he either suspects we have an association with McKenna or he’s desperate and wants us to do something we don’t do as a rule. He knows we only search for people who are endangered in some way…. I’m interested in your observations. What you think he’s looking for.”
The buzzer sounded, alerting them that Kane was on his way. The man had called him three times before Noah had agreed to see him. That he was being allowed to come to LCR headquarters was almost unprecedented. Only LCR operatives, or those Noah knew he could trust, were aware of this location. But Noah had an instinct for people. He’d met Kane years ago at a social event and had never forgotten that meeting. There was more to Lucas Kane than the man allowed most people to see.
Noah didn’t worry that Kane knew where LCR headquarters were. What did concern him was the man’s unusual fixation on McKenna. He wasn’t known to be obsessive … so why this time?
McKenna had given Noah the barest of facts on her rescue of Kane. Just that all three men holding him were killed. She’d reported that Kane was shot but only slightly wounded, and that she’d left as soon as Dylan Savage, another LCR operative, had picked him up. She also indicated that Kane had assisted in his own rescue.
Noah hadn’t pressed McKenna for more details. If she were officially with LCR he would have. However, with McKenna he treaded softly. Yes, he wanted to hire her as a full-time operative when she was ready, but that wasn’t the biggest reason. If he pressed, he greatly feared she would just up and disappear. The young woman needed LCR even if she wasn’t aware of it.
Last Chance 05 - Second Chance Page 34