by Katie Reus
“Why are you here?” she blurted, finally finding her voice as she took a small step forward.
“To see you.” He said the words as if they should be obvious.
She wasn’t sure how he’d even known she was here, but her heart leapt. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, not sure what else to say. She wanted to get it tattooed on her. Because she was sorry. So very sorry. And she wasn’t sure she could ever make things right.
Sighing, he rubbed a hand over his face as he moved into the room, giving her distance as he sat in one of the cushioned chairs.
She perched on the edge of the couch, all her muscles pulled bowstring tight as she watched him. It was good to see him but confusing. She wanted to go to him, to pull him into her arms and apologize again, beg him to give her another chance, but she knew that would be foolish. Maybe he was here to get closure. If so, she was going to do her best to give it to him. She owed him that much at least.
“I’ve had time to think about what happened. About what you did,” he said.
She simply nodded, not sure what to say.
He rubbed a hand over his face again. “I know why you did what you did. I read about that takedown of Jensen and the human smuggling ring he was running through Miami. He was garbage and he deserved worse than what he got.”
The man had been killed in prison, far too easy a death as far as Evie was concerned. But he was dead and gone, and there was some justice in that. “In the beginning, when I was learning about who you were, I fell for you a little bit then. For the record, that’s never happened on a job before. And I didn’t sleep with you to get an introduction,” she said though she’d already told him virtually the same before. Now that he was sitting in front of her, she wanted to fully explain herself.
“Yeah, I know that. Samara came to see me.”
Evie jerked back in surprise.
His mouth lifted into a smile. “She said you didn’t know about her visit. I’d wondered if she was lying.”
“I didn’t know,” she rushed out. “And I’m sorry—”
“You’ve apologized enough. I don’t want you to keep doing it.”
“What do you want?” It was too much to hope that he might forgive her, want to be with her. But she was hanging on to that tiny, pathetic shred of it.
Sighing, he stood and moved around the little coffee table and sat next to her on the couch. “Maybe I’m a fool but I still want you in my life. Still care for you. More than care for you.”
Throat tight, she said, “I love you, Dylan. That was real—is real. I never faked anything with you… Except liking wine. I’m more of a beer kind of girl. But that was my only lie…other than who I worked for. And I won’t lie to you ever again. You know who I am now, and if I can’t tell you something, I’ll just be honest about it.”
His smile grew just the tiniest bit as he watched her, that familiar sexy look stealing over his expression.
Butterflies launched inside her at the sight of him softening. Could he really forgive her? Could they truly start fresh?
Reaching out, he took her hand in his. “I don’t want any more lies between us.”
“Can you forgive me?” she asked, even though he’d said he understood her reasoning. “Because I don’t want conditional forgiveness where I feel guilty for the rest of…” She wanted to say “for the rest of our lives” but that sounded ridiculous. He wasn’t really offering her a future even if she wanted one with him. He was here wanting answers from her. Answers he deserved.
“I forgive you. I understand why you did what you did. My ego is hurt that you targeted me when I fell hard for you the moment I met you.”
Her throat thickened. “I fell for you at the cocktail party too. We might have targeted you, but the attraction between us, that was real. My feelings, those are real.”
He gave her a long look. “You swear you didn’t sleep with me as part of the job?”
“I swear. I had already gotten the introduction to Jensen. I’m not sure if you even remember, but I had. And I was supposed to end things with you later that night.”
“I do remember.” He watched her carefully, his eyes searching hers.
She swallowed. “So where do we go from here?”
Dylan sighed. “How about I grab us lunch and then we go see your brother? And then…come home with me.”
She blinked in surprise, hope soaring inside her. “Really?”
He nodded, reaching up and cupping her cheek gently. “Really. I want to start over with you, build a life with you. I’m not walking away, Evie. The last two days without you have shown me that. And I’m not going to hold this over your head. My forgiveness is not conditional.” Tears sprang to her eyes, but he gently wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. “Don’t cry,” he murmured, leaning forward to kiss her. “I don’t like your tears.”
She leaned into the kiss, pressing her mouth to his and clinging to him as if she was afraid he would change his mind and run out the door. Evie couldn’t believe he was here, that he’d forgiven her. It had been too much to hope.
But here he was, Dylan Blackwood in the flesh, kissing her senseless. She just hoped this was real, that she wasn’t dreaming. That she wasn’t going to wake up soon and find out she’d imagined everything.
* * *
“Do you need to stop by your brother’s place to get the rest of your stuff?” Dylan asked as he pulled out of the hospital parking lot an hour later. Evie had taken a cab here so he was taking her back where she belonged. His house. And he wasn’t letting her go again.
She looked at him in surprise. “What do you mean?”
He was still reeling after everything he’d learned about her, but he knew one thing: he wasn’t letting her out of his life again. “I mean, how much stuff do you have left over there? If it’s a lot I can have someone move it to my place.” He felt her gaze on him as he pulled up to a stoplight. “What?”
“What are you even saying?” Her voice was tentative, very un-Evie.
“Pretty sure my meaning is crystal clear.” He’d forgiven her and he had been honest with her. He wasn’t going to hold this over her head. That was no way to start this relationship over. He truly understood why she’d done what she’d done, even if he hated that he’d been a pawn. But she’d proven herself to be an incredibly strong woman at her core, going above and beyond to help others.
Yes, his ego was hurt that she’d targeted him and that he’d been such an easy mark. But the chemistry between them was undeniable. His feelings for her were true. As she put it, he’d seen both versions of her and he loved all of her. Every single layer. The last week had proven that. He’d gotten to see the real Evie in action and he loved every bit of her. He couldn’t walk away from her, from them.
“You want me to move in with you?” she whispered.
“You are moving in with me.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Are you ordering me?”
“No. I’m simply stating a fact. You don’t have a home and I do. And I’m not going to spend one night away from you. I plan to go to bed with you every evening and wake up to your face every morning.” He was all in. And this was how he’d always done things. When he wanted something, he went for it. Now was no different.
She stared at him in surprise, her cheeks flushing pink. She cleared her throat. “I actually do have some things over there that I’d like to get. I can grab them tomorrow though.”
Good. He wanted to get her back to his place so he could bury himself inside her for hours. Sleeping without her for even one night had been torture. It had given him a lot of time alone with his thoughts, which ended up being a good thing. Life without her was torture—she was his.
His mother had always told him that when he met the woman who was meant to be his, he would know, and he did.
He and Evie Bishop belonged together.
Chapter 23
Evie zipped up her suitcase and tugged it off the guest bed. It felt a little weird to be leaving her brot
her’s house, but not weird to be going to Dylan’s house. Because that was exactly where she belonged.
After they’d returned to his place last night they hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other. The only reason she’d even left the house this morning was to meet with the FBI again for another wrap-up meeting, to go see Samara, who was staying in a condo now—and apparently dating Finn—and then Dylan had brought her here to grab her final belongings.
“Evie! You need to get down here.” There was a weird note in Dylan’s voice, making her leave her suitcase right where it was and pull out her weapon. Moving silently, she hurried down the stairs, pistol out.
When she reached the bottom stair, she froze for all of a second when she saw who was standing with her brother in the living room. She quickly tucked her weapon away. Dylan stepped back, giving them a little privacy, but didn’t leave the room. He knew exactly who her brother was so she didn’t need to introduce them.
“Ellis!” She rushed at him, wrapping her arms around him in a tackle hug. He was a lot taller than her—she was the only Bishop who hadn’t gotten all the height—so she was practically hanging on to him but she didn’t care. He was here. He was alive.
He squeezed back tight. “Little sister,” he rasped out. “I didn’t think you’d be here.”
When she stepped back, she realized she had tears on her cheeks so she quickly swept them away. “Where have you been?” She punched him in the shoulder for good measure. He had a beard now and he’d definitely lost weight, but he hadn’t lost his edge. She could see the steely determination in his blue eyes.
“Weak, Evie,” he murmured, even as his expression hardened. “I’ve been set up.”
“Yeah, no joke. We all know that. We’ve got an attorney on retainer ready to represent you. Just come in. We’ll make this better.”
He simply lifted an eyebrow. “That’s not going to happen. If I come in, I’ll be killed almost immediately.”
Fear for him grabbed her. “I have contacts in the FBI. And I’m sure you do too. They’ll help keep you protected. You’ll be treated—”
“No,” he snapped out. Then he softened his tone and continued, “I’ve got this. Just trust me. I’m working on something to clear my name. It’s all going to be okay. This is just something I have to do.”
She wanted to argue with him but held her tongue. Instead she nodded. “Mom and Dad are worried about you. So is Evan.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, his jaw tightening. “How is Evan?”
“He was just released from the hospital. We’re going over there tonight to see him. He’s…not doing good though. Even if he tries to pretend that he is. Physically he’ll be fine, I’m just worried about his emotional state.” She’d never seen Evan like this before—depressed and withdrawn.
“At least he has Isla.”
Evie shook her head. “He won’t see her, wouldn’t let her into the hospital room. He’s being a real dick.”
Ellis looked surprised but quickly shook his head. “Look, I can’t stay long. I just stopped by to grab something.”
“The Feds have combed over this place. And so have a couple guys who were killed in DEA custody.” She started to tell him all about it but he shook his head.
“I know. They didn’t get what I came for, trust me.” His expression was grim.
She wanted him to stay but didn’t want to risk him being caught because of her stubbornness. For all she knew the Feds were still watching the house. Though she kinda doubted it since no one had stormed the place. Whatever he’d come for, it must be important for him to risk it in the middle of the day. “Fine. But you have my number. Call me. I can help.”
“I promise I’ll stay in touch. I’m going to fix this. There’s an endgame to all this bullshit and I’m not going to lose.”
Lunging forward again, she wrapped him in a tight hug. “If for some reason you can’t, I’ll help you get out of the country. I’ll help you get set up somewhere else under a new ID.”
“I’ll help too,” Dylan said, the first words he’d spoken since she’d come downstairs. “I’ve got properties around the world.”
Ellis gave her a soft smile, then looked at Dylan. “I don’t think it will come to that. I’m going to get my life back. Count on it. Blackwood, take care of my sister.”
“We’ll take care of each other.”
Ellis nodded, half-smiling. “Good answer.”
Though Evie didn’t want to go, she let Dylan grab her suitcase from upstairs and hurried out with him.
“I hate leaving him,” she said to Dylan once they were in his car, heading down the quiet residential street.
“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that he has help.”
She simply nodded, unsure what else to say. Leaving Ellis back there went against every instinct inside her.
“I gave him some addresses of a few properties I own that aren’t being used. If he needs safe houses, he’s got them.”
Surprised, she turned away from looking out the window to face him. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. He showed up while you were packing and we talked for a few minutes.”
“Dylan…if he gets caught, you could be in trouble for harboring a fugitive.”
Dylan shrugged. “I’m not worried. Besides, he’s your family, so that means he’s mine too.”
Throat tight, she managed to rasp out a “Thank you” even though it wasn’t nearly enough. Reaching over, she squeezed his hand in hers. She wasn’t ever letting this man go.
Chapter 24
Evie glanced up from the patio table when Leo stepped outside. She frowned at the sight of him. He wasn’t supposed to be working today—which was part of the reason she’d set this up today. Over the last week with Dylan, she’d come to the decision. He had forgiven her, yes, but he’d also put himself out there for her and her family. He’d made himself vulnerable before and she’d hurt him badly.
It didn’t matter that she hadn’t wanted to. Even though she knew they weren’t keeping score, she needed to be vulnerable in front of him, to be bold. And if this backfired, then… She was pretty sure she deserved the rejection, if so.
“This is a nice spread.” Leo’s tone was neutral. He’d been perfectly polite since she’d moved into Dylan’s place. Polite and reserved and nothing like the man she’d gotten to know before over the months she’d basically lived here.
She simply nodded and straightened the tablecloth. Then she moved over to the stepladder and climbed up it, positioning the twinkle lights. Cooper stood next to the ladder, his tail wagging as he watched her with a curious expression. He’d been her little helper—or more likely hoping to sneak any food if it fell off the table. She’d learned that he was a shameless beggar when it came to treats.
“Want some help?” Leo asked.
“Seriously?”
He shrugged and slid his jacket off, tossing it onto one of the chairs. Then he grabbed the other ladder leaning against one of the columns. He moved it to the opposite side of the patio and tightened the entire string so it wasn’t sagging.
“So what’s going on here tonight?” His tone was casual, but she didn’t believe it.
“Just dinner.”
He snorted, his dark eyes knowing. “Yeah, right.”
She shot him a sharp look, then sighed. “Look, I’m sorry I lied to you.”
“Are you?”
“I did what I had to do.” She stepped off the ladder then looked around at her handiwork. She would never be a designer but she thought the whole spread looked pretty good—Champagne, strawberries, cheeses and all sorts of other stuff that her mom had actually picked out. She wanted to do this right and had confessed her plan to her—and her mom had been more than happy to get all the little details right.
“I don’t know all the specifics. But I know that Dylan is happy to have you back in his life.”
“I’m happy to be here. More than happy. And I’m not going anywhe
re.” She shot him a challenging stare.
His mouth kicked up in a half-grin. “Good. I always liked you two together.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“What? I always liked you, Evie. I knew you loved him and weren’t after his money. But you broke his heart.”
“Yeah, I know. It was the last thing I wanted to do.”
“I know that now. By the way, I’ve been wanting to ask you… When I helped you with target practice…” He let the unspoken question hang in the air.
She inwardly winced. “I’m an expert shot. I just couldn’t let you know then.”
“We’ll see how expert you are. Next week, me and you at the range. A competition. Loser buys the winner a beer.”
“You’re on.” She knew she’d been officially forgiven by Leo too and that mattered. Because he mattered to Dylan. And she really liked the guy.
Leo cleared his throat as he stepped back to the patio doors. “Fair warning. His schedule changed. He’ll be home in twenty minutes.”
She jerked to attention. “Seriously? You couldn’t tell me that before?” She hadn’t even showered yet.
He simply grinned at her and headed back inside.
Evie followed, Cooper hot on her heels as she headed in the direction of Dylan’s bedroom. No, their bedroom. It was most definitely theirs now, something he kept reminding her of. Which was weird to say. She’d always traveled so much that she’d never considered her small condo in DC a home. Not a real one anyway. It had been a place she laid her head at night when she was in the country.
Luckily she was used to getting ready fast, so after a short shower and quickly running a blow dryer through her hair, she slid on a slinky little red dress with nothing underneath.
Then she grabbed the little box she’d been hiding in her nightstand and hurried to the patio, calling Dylan as she walked through the maze of hallways. “Where are you?” she asked when he picked up.