by Cynthia Eden
Layla’s eyes narrowed.
“I just helped you solve a case.” James exhaled. “You’re welcome.”
Cole laughed, but it was an angry sound. “You are a twisted sonofabitch.”
True. “Takes one to know one.”
Cole raked him with a hard stare. “You were involved with Kat once.”
Ah yes, the good old days of his youth. “A life-altering involvement, I assure you.”
“Why protect her if she’s the reason you—”
Suddenly serious, he snapped out, “Kat put her body between me and a bullet when she was just seventeen years old.” His words were hard and flat and time was up. “You don’t forget shit like that. Maybe Gage and I aren’t so different. We both pay our debts.”
“Why would Kat’s father turn to you?” It was Kendrick’s first question since Layla and Cole had entered the room. He’d been watching in silence.
“Because he knew I would do the job.”
“He’s dead, though. Why don’t you just walk away?”
“Because that twenty million is only released in my account when Kat walks into the courthouse.” He smiled. “Kendrick Shaw recently let me know that Kat has made that final walk. So I am all clear now. Thanks so much for your help.” He stood up.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Cole barked. “I have more questions! I want to know who killed Kat’s father—who put out that hit on him—”
“Ah, you think I know that? Sorry to break it to you, but I’m not the all-knowing Oz.”
“That shooter went in that restaurant and only fired at Kat’s father. He could’ve killed her, too, but he didn’t.” Layla’s eyes glinted. “Does that mean it was Gage Hollow? Paying back his debts? Her father tried to kill him, so Gage took out the old man? And he let Kat live because he was still paying his debt to her?”
“That’s an interesting theory. You should run with that. See where it takes you.” It was a brilliant theory, but he wasn’t about to confirm or deny it. He wanted to keep living, after all. Gage looked pretty clean on paper. The guy was good at covering his tracks, but he never forgot or forgave those who targeted him. Never. James shot another glance at the clock. “And that ends our fun question and answer session.”
“We aren’t done,” Layla fired at him. “We’re only getting started. Until the FBI takes you out of—”
The door opened. A man and a woman stood there, both in boring, black suits, and flashing badges.
“We’re here to take him,” the lady announced.
James dropped his cuffs on the table. He flexed his now free hands. “Great. Thought you’d never arrive.”
Layla grabbed for one of the badges. “You’re not FBI.”
“No, we’re not,” the man agreed. “We work for an entirely different branch of the government.” A nod toward James. “So does he.”
“Well, I did,” James allowed, keeping his voice modest. “But I have recently come into a bit of retirement money, so I’ll be leaving my job with Uncle Sam. It’s been real.”
“What the fuck?” Cole burst out. “You’re a killer. You don’t walk away! You don’t get to—”
“My exploits have been way exaggerated.” Some had been exaggerated. Not all, though. “Sometimes, it’s hard to tell who the bad guys are and who the good guys are. I’m sure you understand.”
Layla was reading the paperwork she’d just been given by the female agent. “This is bullshit. Bullshit. I’m supposed to believe you were working undercover? That you are a government—”
“Shh…” James put one finger to his lips. “The door is open. And this intel isn’t for everyone.”
She looked up. Glared.
His grin stretched even more. “Time’s up. Like I said, it’s been real.” He motioned to the two agents in suits. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
***
A new home. A new city. A new state.
And a new name.
Weeks had passed since Kat first stepped foot into the courthouse. Rick had been at her side as she walked through the marble hallways.
Her fingers rubbed together as she stood before the front door of her new home. She could almost still feel his touch.
But Rick wasn’t there. He was back in Atlanta, and she was in Colorado. Far, far away from life on the East Coast.
The marshals were leaving. They’d just gone over the long list of rules they had for her.
Their list made her think of Rick and the rules he’d given her when they’d first met.
“Okay, that’s everything.” The female marshal cleared her throat. “You know how to reach us if there’s an emergency.”
Yes, she knew all the contact steps to take.
“You should be safe here.” The marshal smiled. “You can be happy, too.”
Happy? Kat just wanted the marshals to leave. She wanted to go inside her house and break down into tears while she was all alone. Was that too much to ask?
“You want us to come inside?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks.” Go, please go. Go now.
They finally left. Kat shoved the key into the lock. Opened the door. The place was freaking gorgeous, but she barely spared the surroundings or the killer view a glance because tears were already leaking from her eyes and—
“I think we need to make some new rules.”
Rick.
Rick was standing in front of the giant picture window that overlooked the mountains.
His arms were folded over his massive chest. His dark eyes were on her. He looked gorgeous and sexy and she was about to faint right then and there.
“Rule one…you don’t try to disappear from my life again because that shit rips out my heart, princess.”
He stepped toward her.
“Rule two…if you want me to be happy, then you need to be in my life. You make me happy, Kat. You. You’re the best thing I’ve got, and I sure as hell don’t intend to be living on the other side of the country while you are here.”
She was smiling. Hoping…
“Rule three…you understand that I’ll love you forever. You let me spoil you and love you and you—”
She threw herself against him. Held on as tightly as she could. “I love you!”
His arms closed around her. Rick lifted her up and held her against him. She felt the tremor that worked over his body. “I love you, Kat, so fucking much.”
He kissed her. She kissed him. She couldn’t believe he was there, and she never, ever wanted to let him go.
They didn’t talk about any other rules. Not right then. It wasn’t exactly talking time. He was yanking off her clothes. She was yanking off his. Her shirt hit the floor. His flew toward the couch. He pretty much tore off her bra, and his mouth locked around her nipple. He licked and kissed and need poured through her.
“I’ve missed you!” Kat cried out.
“God, baby, I was insane without you.” He lifted her higher, held her so easily. Her legs were curled around his hips, and Kat rocked against the thick erection she could feel shoving against the front of his jeans.
“Never leave me again,” Rick rasped.
Did she look crazy? “I tried…to do what was…right…” Her words were panted out.
He carried her into the bedroom. Stripped off the rest of her clothes. She sprawled on the bed while he stood there and stared hungrily down at her. His face was so tense and hard and sexy. “We’re right,” Rick told her. “We’re right together.”
He ditched his jeans and shoes and socks. He came back to her, and his cock shoved toward her. She reached out, curled her hand around his heavy length, and stroked him. Again and again.
He caught her hands and pushed them up on the pillow. “I missed the way you taste.”
“Rick—”
He put his mouth on her. Worked her with his tongue and fingers and lips, and she fisted her fingers around the pillow. Pleasure pulsed through her as Kat came on a scream.
She could s
cream now. No one else was listening. It was just them.
“Let me get a condom—”
“No.” She stared at him. Straight into his eyes. “I want you. Only you. Nothing between us.”
“Kat?”
“Forever. Me, you. And kids? God, yes, I want kids.” But she shivered. “Will…will they be safe? Will someone come after—”
“No one will ever hurt you or our kids. I’m with you. I’ll keep you safe. You’ll keep me safe. We’re a pretty fucking awesome team.” He kissed her. “I pity anyone who comes after us.”
She smiled at him.
He thrust into her.
Kat arched her body up against him. So good. So thick. So full. “I missed you.” She grabbed for him. Her nails bit into his shoulders.
“Baby, I was lost without you.”
He withdrew. Thrust. The rhythm was uncontrolled and savage, and she loved it. Loved him. They tore that new bed apart. The wooden posters shoved into the wall, pounding over and over again. Kat came, and she shouted his name as loudly as she could.
She felt his release inside of her. Kat squeezed him even tighter and knew she wasn’t going to let him go anytime soon. She’d found her forever. She’d found the man who would always stand with her.
The past was over. Their future waited.
His head lifted. His lips brushed over hers. Then…his eyes twinkled. “Something I should tell you…”
She stared up at him and couldn’t believe how happy she was. He’d chosen her. He’d given up everything else…for her.
“I came bearing gifts, sweetheart.” Another light kiss to her lips. “’Cause I didn’t want you to turn me away…”
As if she ever could.
One more soft kiss.
He slid away from her and headed back into the den. She sat up in bed and frowned. “Rick?
Naked, he walked back to her. He held a small, black box in his hand. He perched on the edge of the bed and offered it to her.
Her fingers shook a little as she opened the box. Earrings. Pearl earrings.
“Your mom’s,” he said gruffly. “I had them made into earrings for you.”
She looked up. Got caught in his eyes.
“I felt like shit the day I destroyed your necklace.”
Kat had to swallow the lump in her throat. “The tracking—”
“There’s nothing in those pearls. They’re real, they’re your mother’s, and I wanted to give them back to you. Hell, princess, I want to give you everything.”
“All I want is you.” She kissed him. Loved him. “Though the earrings are amazing,” she whispered against his lips.
He gave a soft laugh. “Well, I did come with a few other things, too.”
She eased back. Stared a little suspiciously at him.
“I also brought your two favorite things to you…”
He was her favorite thing, didn’t he get that?
“They are still in the den, but…” Rick kissed her again. A slow, sensual kiss. “I brought you…brownies,” he murmured. “And handcuffs.”
Laughter spilled from her. Real, happy laughter. She couldn’t remember when she’d laughed so freely. Curled with her lover, with the man she loved. Free and happy.
So happy.
Huh. It was unbelievable but…maybe mob princesses did get happy endings, too. Maybe everyone could get them.
If you fight for them. Rick had fought for her. She’d spend the rest of her life fighting for him.
“Get the cuffs,” she told him. “And the brownies…”
Epilogue
Eric Wilde was at his desk when his late-night visitor appeared. The guy didn’t follow the normal procedures for scheduling a meeting. He just waltzed his cocky ass in shortly after midnight.
Eric had been expecting the meeting, though. He’d known the fellow would show up sooner or later.
So Eric just lifted his brows when the man stepped out of the shadows. “Ghost, I presume?”
The man smiled.
“Not your first visit to my office, is it? You love to walk your ass in as if you own the place.”
Ghost lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Is it my fault that your security is a little lax?”
“Lax?” Eric jumped to his feet. I’ll show you lax. He waved his hand, and Cole surged from the darkness. They’d been waiting for this little meet-and-greet.
Cole aimed his weapon at the back of Ghost’s head. “Freeze, asshole.”
But Ghost laughed. “Is that anyway to talk to your new partner?” He glanced back at Cole. “Word on the street is that your old partner vanished. Just went poof and now you need someone to take his place.”
“Are you crazy?” Cole asked, sounding genuinely curious.
Eric was curious about the same thing.
“Some days.” Ghost nodded. “Other days, I’m boringly sane. Tonight, I think you hit me when my crazy was stirring.”
Cole swore. His gaze slid back to Eric. “Want me to call the cops?”
“Why?” Ghost asked before Eric could respond. “What will they do?”
“Uh, arrest you?” Eric supplied.
Ghost shook his head. “If you dig into my past now, you’ll see that I am nothing but an upstanding member of society. A former intelligence specialist for Uncle Sam, in fact. I mean, how does one get more upstanding than that?”
Eric’s eyes raked him. “You had your background scrubbed. Whatever. I don’t employ killers here. Get your ass out—”
“Don’t lie. You employ all kinds of people. Besides, we both know you could use a man with my skill set.”
Cole hadn’t lowered his weapon. “Don’t you have twenty million dollars to go spend?”
“Um, blood money.” Ghost seemed dismissive…of twenty million dollars. “Why would an upstanding guy like me want to use blood money? But don’t you worry, I’m sure most of that money was donated to a charity.”
Most of it?
“Think about my offer,” Ghost said, all encouraging and polite. “I’ll be around if you need me.” He turned on his heel and strode for the door.
“Should I stop him?” Cole still had his weapon at the ready.
Eric shook his head. “We both know all charges were dropped against him.” Mysteriously dropped because someone had pull high up in the government. Eric suspected Ghost had been working undercover for a very long time.
Yet now he wanted to come out of the shadows? He wanted to work for Wilde?
They’d see…
Eric did need a new agent. His head cocked as he slanted a glance at Cole. “You up for a training job?”
Cole blanched in horror. “No, no, tell me that you’re kidding! He’s wanted for murder—”
“Not anymore,” Eric pointed out. He’d been doing plenty of his own research on James Smith. After all, when someone was good enough to get past the alarm system at Wilde Securities…you get my attention.
“I need a drink,” Cole declared. “No, correction, I need a lot of drinks. He can’t work for Wilde. He’s an asshole. He’s—”
“I’m still here,” Ghost said from the doorway. “And I accept the job.”
Eric swept him with a stare. He still wasn’t so sure about Ghost. “It wasn’t offered yet.”
The guy grinned. “Not yet…but it will be.”
The End
Ready for another Cynthia Eden book? SLAY ALL DAY is coming soon.
Slay All Day
What happens when a monster hunter falls for his prey?
Harrison Key has one job—hunt and destroy monsters. He’s taken out vamps, shifters, demons…it’s all in a night’s work for him. He protects the innocent and destroys the wicked. Case closed. The job doesn’t pay much and the benefits are literally hell, but a hunter is born to the work. Gifted with super strength and speed, Harrison was created to fight monsters. There is nothing else for him in this world.
Then he meets her.
She looks like innocence but makes him think of the hotte
st sin. When Harrison first meets Elise Aine, she’s surrounded by vamps who are only too eager to take a bite. Harrison stakes the vamps and intends to walk away from Elise, but she has other plans. She says that she’s under supernatural attack. Elise desperately needs his protection, and she’ll pay any price. One look into her dark and gorgeous eyes, and Harrison can’t walk away. He doesn’t want to walk away. He wants her.
What Harrison doesn’t know…could just kill him.
Elise isn’t human. Not by a long shot. And she’s got big plans for Harrison. Sure, the guy may think he’s a hunter, he may believe that his job is to rid the world of the wicked, but he’s dead wrong. And with her help, Harrison may just turn out to be the wickedest one of them all. Because he’s not really a hunter. He’s something far, far more interesting. And hot. Smokin’, in fact.
He just needs to let his wild side out to play…
As the queen of the fairies, Elise was born to trick and deceive, and, with way too many enemies closing in, she needs the most powerful protector imaginable at her side. Harrison is her destined mate, if he’ll just stop fighting monsters long enough to see that deep inside…he is a beast. A beast like no other. One that can blast fire and soar into the skies. A beast who can only be bound and tamed by love.
Betrayal burns deep and cuts hard.
Can the queen of the fairies show a hunter that even monsters can love? Or when he finds out the truth about her, will rage be all that Harrison knows? Either way, things are about to get red-hot. Watch out for the flames and smoke.
Author’s Note: SLAY ALL DAY is a stand-alone with action, humor, and plenty of hot times ahead. Sit down, buckle up, and enjoy the ride!
Learn more about SLAY ALL DAY.
A Note From the Author
Thank you for reading FIGHTING FOR HER. I’ve had such an incredible time writing the “Wilde Ways” books. Just when I think I’ve completed the series, a new character appears, and I find myself wanting to do another book! As I was writing FIGHTING FOR HER, Ghost kept sneaking into my head. What do you think? Should I write a book for him? Let me know—drop me a line at [email protected]. I love hearing from my readers, and I’m always curious about the characters you enjoy.