by Jen Talty
She didn’t budge.
“They are safe, for now, but if my little girl and I don’t walk out of here, the entire house goes up in smoke.” George made a poof motion with his hand like a magician would.
“What do you want with me?” Destiny asked. “You ran out on me and Mom when I was little, and you never looked back. And now you show up out of the blue, in your fancy clothes, and if you think I’m going anywhere with you, you’re nuts.”
“I’m not nuts, and you are leaving with me. I had every intention of reconnecting with you when your mother died, but you ran off, and it took me a while to find you again.”
“If you wanted to get to know me, the funeral would have been a good place to make yourself known,” she said under her breath. “Tell me, Dad. Did you kill my dog first, or my mother?”
Mason’s pulse surged. He could tell by her tone that she’d about had enough of the little waltz he’d had all worked out.
But they didn’t have enough to go on, and without a confession of something, this man would get off.
“I think he killed the dog first because they make a lot of noise when their owners heads are shoved into an oven.” Mason had no idea if that were true or not. He was grasping at straws, and he knew how important it was to Destiny to find the truth.
A faint flash of light caught his attention from outside. He couldn’t see through the dirty windows to the darkness of early morning, but he did understand the message.
Get him to stand and end it.
Not until she got her answer. That was the least Mason could do for Destiny.
“You’re going to kill me and then eventually her anyway, so why not just tell us.”
“Cops. Always looking to buy time.” George shook his head. “If you must know, I had no intention of killing my wife. I wanted her back, but she shot me.” George unbuttoned his shirt, showing a scar on his chest. “But I didn’t kill her.” George’s smiled reminded Mason of the clown in all those freaky movies.
Made him shiver.
“You had one of your men do it,” Destiny said with snarl. “Admit it.”
George sighed. “Fine. I had her killed. Just like I’m going to have Mason’s family killed as well as him. Now, if you want to live, you’re going to follow Daddy’s orders.”
Mason raised his hands and slowly stood, taking Destiny with him. “It’s time we end this here and now,” Mason said.
“You really want to leave this place in a body bag, don’t you?” George said as he stood up, pointing the gun at Destiny.
“That’s not how it’s going to go down. You see, we knew you were too busy watching my family and all my cop friends that you forgot we don’t have to be in the same room to create a plan and a diversion.” Mason lifted his shirt, showing the wire.
“Oh, my God,” Destiny mumbled.
He’d purposely left her out of this part of the plan, and he knew he would pay for it later. “We got you on more than threatening an officer and killing a woman.”
“Like hell you do.”
Mason grabbed Destiny and tossed her to the ground, covering her body with his. A single shot rang out, hitting the glass, shattering it into a million pieces. Three or four pieces of glass grazed Mason’s back. He gritted his teeth, keeping Destiny protected as he heard someone race through the front door.
“FBI, don’t move,” a man’s voice rang out.
“Mason, you okay?” a familiar voice asked.
Sally.
“I think I’ll live,” he said, lifting his head and brushing Destiny’s hair from her face. “What about you?”
Her eyes went wide as she struggled to breathe.
“Get the paramedics,” he yelled, jumping to his knees, ignoring the tearing of his skin as he moved.
“You’re going to need some serious stitches,” Sally said, tucking her gun into her holster while some other agent cuffed George, holding a towel to his wound.
“Not for me,” he mumbled, checking over her body for wounds, but finding none.
She shook her head, trying to sit up.
“Stay still,” he whispered. “Where does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt,” she managed to say through a choppy breath. “Wind…knocked…”
“Shhhhh.” He pressed his finger against her lips. “Breath slowly. I’m still going to have the paramedics take you to the hospital, just to be sure.” He glanced over his shoulder. “My sister? Her kids? My folks? He said something about a possible explosion or fire at my parents’ house.”
“Fuck,” the other man said as he tapped an earpiece. “Do we have all of George’s men covered?”
Mason waved Sally and another agent over. “I need to make sure my family is okay. Can you stay with Destiny?”
“I’ve got another agent with your family. I’m Agent Sterling.”
Mason shook the man’s hand. “My family?”
“There was a small explosion at your parents’ house about fifteen minutes ago. Only person injured was one of my men. Everyone is being transported to the hospital.”
Mason sucked in a deep breath.
“Go,” Sally said. “I’ve got her.”
“I’ll see you at the hospital,” he said, giving Destiny a quick kiss before bolting to his feet.
“I’ll drive,” Agent Sterling said. “You’ve got some serious cuts on your back.”
“They aren’t life-threatening, so let’s roll,” Mason said, glancing one last time over his shoulder. He hated leaving Destiny like that, but he had to know his family was going to be okay. “The ambulance will take you to the hospital. I’ll see you there.”
“Thank you,” Destiny said.
“For what?”
“Making sure I got the truth behind my mother’s death,” Destiny said.
“What are boyfriends for?” He winked.
14
“Thank you, agent sterling.” Destiny hobbled up the porch stairs, her lower back still sore from being slammed to the floor by Mason in an effort to keep her from being hit by the bullet that ended up taking her father’s life.
She should feel something regarding her father’s death, but not even a pang of guilt. He wasn’t a good man, and he would have hurt innocent children to get what he wanted.
“I think after all this, you can call me Quinn.”
She let out a stiff breath, holding her ribs, also bruised from Mason. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. No. Quite the opposite, and she’d be forever grateful to him for that. “Quinn is a nice name.”
“Speaking of names,” he said, holding back the front door. “There is no reason for us to relocate you. Your father never once crossed paths with Lucas, and from what we’ve gathered, he never once tried to find you. This happened to be an odd coincidence.”
Destiny tossed her keys on the coffee table. “Can I get you some coffee or something?”
“No, thanks. I won’t be staying long.”
“I can go pack my bags. I don’t have much.”
“I don’t think you heard me. You can stay right here if you want,” Quinn said.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I like it here more than I thought I would.” She let out a chuckle. “I did exactly what you told me not to do. I got attached.”
“I had to warn you about that, but again, you don’t have to leave. Lucas has no idea where you are. If I didn’t think you were safe, I’d tell you. Besides, you’ve got a good police department here, and your landlord is taking good care of you.”
“Do I have to decide right this second?” When she’d snuck out of the hospital with Sterling, she had every intention of bolting. Mason spent most of his time with his family before getting a few stitches on his back. He was so good with his nieces and nephews it brought tears to her eyes.
“You can let me know one way or another whenever.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“For what it’s worth, you’re a brave woman.”
“I don’t know about that
.” The sound of Coop’s paws at the front door caught her attention.
“Hey.” Mason’s voice rang out as Coop jumped on the sofa and rested his head on her lap with his paw on her knee, whining.
“Is everything okay?” Mason asked.
“I was just leaving,” Quinn said.
“Wait,” Mason said. “Here are the NDAs. My entire department signed them. Destiny is safe here with us.”
“Good to know,” Quinn said.
“Everyone believes that the bomb was meant for me, including my family. They totally believe this was related to a case we were working on, and that the suspect was killed during his capture. Unfortunately, Destiny was caught in the cross fire. At least that is story the FBI spun.”
“It’s a good one,” Sterling said.
“What about Trip?” Destiny asked.
“Behind bars as are a dozen other people associated with George,” Mason said.
“Will I need to testify again?” Destiny hated the way her voice trembled.
“Nope,” Quinn said. “If you need anything, you know how to reach me.”
She wiped the tears from her face, trying to wrap her brain around the words exchanged between Quinn and Mason, but the realization that her mother had been murdered broke her heart in a million pieces, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to pick them up.
Scratching the back of Coop’s head, she glanced up just as Quinn left, leaving Mason standing in the middle of the room, by himself, with his hands on his hips.
“I would have brought you home,” he said, inching closer.
“You needed to be with your family.”
Mason sat next to her, cross-legged, cupping her chin. “I needed to be with both my family and you.”
“I’ve caused you and your family nothing but grief.”
“You didn’t do that, your father did.”
She blinked away the tears that blurred her vision. “I thought my mother was weak and hated her for leaving me alone, only he did it, and he killed my damn dog.”
He pulled her into his lap.
Coop sprawled out in front of them, letting out a big sigh.
“It’s a lot to take in,” he whispered. “But me and my family, we’re here for you.”
“Why? You should want me to leave.” She tried to resist his gentle touch and sweet kisses on her temple. She should jump up and race out the door, following Quinn to some other new secret life, one where she wouldn’t have to make connections to people.
Or dogs.
“I want you to stay so we can get to know one another,” he whispered.
“I don’t even know who I am anymore. Am I Heidi? Or am I Destiny? I feel like either choice I make I’m a fraud.” She shifted, facing him, staring into his forgiving eyes. Eyes she wanted to resent and forget they ever existed.
Only they burned her soul.
“You’re not defined by either name, but what you chose to do with your life. It’s like when I left the military and became a cop.”
She shook her head. “That is so not a good example.”
“Actually, it is. Being a Marine defined me. Coming home, back here, I felt like I somehow had failed. Then Renee left me, and I had no idea who I was. Fast forward to Julia, and I figured I was pretty much not worth a woman’s love—”
She cupped his face. “That’s not true. You’re one of the good ones. There is someone special for you.”
“Well, my mother seems to think that you’re the one, and my sister agrees,” he said with a slight smile and a playful arched brow.
“I lied to you.” She tried to push herself out of his lap, but he held her tighter. “Nothing I told you about my life is true.”
He tapped her chest with his index finger. “You’ve shown me who you really are and to me, you’re Destiny, owner of Destiny’s Dreams.”
“God, what an awful name for a business.” She gave in to her desire and rested her head on his shoulder.
He pressed his lips against her temple. “Please tell me you and your business plan on staying. You owe me a few more dates.”
“You owe me a puppy.”
He cocked his head back. “How do you figure that?”
She shrugged. “I can’t keep Coop, and, well, Blaine took the other one.”
Coop barked as if that would be okay with him.
“My dog is a traitor,” he murmured, kissing her lips. “Tomorrow, go pick out a dog at the animal shelter. Consider it a housewarming gift.”
“Come with me. We’ll make it a date.”
Epilogue
One year later…
“Coop. Gunner. Come,” Mason commanded, holding the front door of the cottage open with one hand and juggling two small boxes in the other. “Let’s go, boys. Mama’s gonna be home soon, and I promised her that everything would ready by noon.”
Coop ran past him, Gunner following, skidding across the porch, nearly knocking him over. “Damn dogs.” Mason laughed as he pulled the door closed, locking it. The new renter would be here in a week. A young man from Tulsa who refurbished vintage cars. He seemed like a nice guy. But what really made Mason so happy on this particular day, was that in one hour’s time, his new wife, Destiny, and he would be heading on their honeymoon. He glanced at his watch. They’d been married almost twenty-four hours. Their ceremony at the town hall had been small, with mostly his family and a few close friends.
Blaine stood up as his best man, and Kaylee stood in as the maid of honor.
His little niece was a flower girl, and both his nephews gave Destiny away.
Lilly even attended, with a new man on her arm. She actually looked happy for a change.
Both shepherds bolted through the kitchen in the main house. They stopped at the treat door, their tails thumping wildly.
“Sit,” he said. As soon as both dogs did as commanded, he tossed them each a rawhide. “You two better behave for Grandma and Grandpa.”
Coop yelped.
Gunner gurgled, running in a circle, chasing his tail.
“Go to your beds.” Mason set the boxes on the counter. Two large suitcases stood next to the door. Two weeks in Hawaii. Life didn’t get any better than that.
“Hey, husband,” Destiny said as she waltzed through the doors.
“Husband? I’m a husband? When did that happen?” He took her in his arms, crashing his mouth against hers, tangling his tongue like a cowboy trying to rope a horse. He’d never be able to get enough of her. “How’d things go at the doctor?”
“Great,” she said, taking a step back, holding up a small bag. “He gave me something to help with the motion sickness when we go on the three-day cruise.”
“I’m glad.” The last time they’d gone out on a boat, just a week ago, she spent half of it hanging off the side. Wasn’t fun for either of them. She’d said she’d never been seasick before, and that day had been particularly rough. “What did he give you?”
“Prenatal vitamins.”
“Vitamins?” he asked, cocking his head. “How the hell will they help?”
“They won’t because I’m not getting seasick. I’m having morning sickness.”
“Morning what?” He blinked a few times.
Her smile just got wider and wider.
“Wait a minute. You’re pregnant?” He gripped the counter for support. They’d talked about having kids in like a year or two, but that conversation happened a few weeks before the wedding. “Is this some kind of April Fool’s joke?”
“It’s July, so no.”
“A baby?” he whispered.
“Yep. In about seven and a half months.”
“I think I need to sit down.” Instead, he took her in his arms and twirled her around.
Life just got a whole lot better.
THE END
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Books by Jen Talty
NY State Trooper Series
IN TWO WEEKS
DARK WATER
DEADLY SECRETS
MURDER IN PARADISE BAY
TO PROTECT HIS OWN
DEADLY SEDUCTION
WHEN A STRANGER CALLS
Brand New Novella for the First Responders series
A spin off from the NY State Troopers series
PLAYING WITH FIRE
PRIVATE CONVERSATION
Other novels
REKINDLED
JANE DOE’S RETURN
THE BUTTERFLY MURDERS
The Aegis Network
THE LIGHTHOUSE
HER LAST HOPE
THE LAST FLIGHT
THE RETURN HOME
Coming soon!
THE MATRIARCH
The Collective Order
THE LOST SISTER
THE LOST SOLDIER
THE LOST SOUL
Coming soon!
THE LOST CONNECTION
Special Forces Operation Alpha
BURNING DESIRE
BURNING KISS
BURNING SKIES
BURNING LIES
BURNING HEART
BURNING BED
The Brotherhood Protectors
ROUGH JUSTICE
ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES
ROUGH RIDE
The Twilight Crossing Series
THE BLIND DATE
SPRING FLING
SUMMER’S GONE
WINTER WEDDING
Witches and Werewolves
LADY SASS
ALL THAT SASS
Coming soon!
NEON SASS
PAINTING SASS
Boxsets
LOVE CHRISTMAS, MOVIES
UNFORGETABLE PASSION