“Chivalrous, a modern-day knight.” Lynée cocked her head. “That’s what I thought when I saw him. So if you say he was DEA, with the official badge and everything, that makes a lot of sense.”
“What are you talking about? None of what happened at his cabin makes sense.”
“Sure it does.” The librarian grabbed her phone and pulled up a few articles. Then flipped her screen for Skye to read. “While you were sleeping, I did a little research after what you said, and found this.”
She scanned the article, her eyes widening with every sentence. A listing of graduates from the DEA’s Basic Agent Trainee class in Virginia several years ago, including one Reed Monroe. While there was no picture, it clearly stated his name. The next page she pulled up was a year-old article in the El Paso Times. It mentioned how a DEA agent was found deceased in a warehouse on the south side of town, believed to be a part of an investigation in a cartel’s drug distribution operation. The murderer was still on the loose.
“It could be Reed’s partner, but they didn’t release the deceased’s name.” She handed back the phone.
“True, but then I looked up the truck he’s driving. The license plate belonged to a man in New Mexico, who owns a tow-truck company right off Interstate-25. Straight up from El Paso.”
“Your research skills are legendary.”
“Librarians have more tricks up their sleeves than people realize. Combined with the internet, it’s scary how much information I can uncover on someone. I’m just saying, his claims are not outside the realm of possibility.” Wiggling her phone in the air, she added, “And do you know how many agents in this line of work are falsely accused of a crime?”
She bit her lip to keep it from trembling. “He shot and killed two people in front of me.”
“In self-defense, and to protect you,” Lynée whispered.
“What if he’s a killer? One of those hired assassins?”
“He’s law enforcement, Skye. A crusader.”
Nerves amped up her heartbeat again. “Even if he really is, and every word he said was true…I can’t do this. How could I possibly do this? It’s too much.”
Her friend’s face was so calm. So collected, it was almost enraging to her. “You love him, Skye.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but the words died on her tongue.
“You are the bravest woman I know. You’re also the kindest. And more adventurous than this sleepy little town can offer.”
“This sleepy little town is safe. And it’s home.”
“Sure it is. As long as you’re not hiding here.”
“I’m not hiding.”
Lynée turned her body to face her more head-on. “What I’m saying is that life has dropped an adventure in your lap. Yes, it’s way more than you were expecting, and it’s scary. But what are you going to do about it? Sit in your house and hide?”
“It’s shit-my-pants scary. Gunfights and cartels.”
“That’s not what I was talking about. I was talking about love. Nothing scarier than that.”
Her mind became frazzled all over again, the same uneasy feeling as a hangover with no painkillers in sight. Her hands felt rough as she buried her face in them.
“All I’m saying is you will regret not putting yourself out there for him. For taking the safe road. You won’t know for certain unless you try. If it doesn’t work out, then you know we’re always here. At least you tried. But you have to be willing to take that leap.”
“A leap into fighting organized crime. With real bullets.”
Lynée leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “Something he’s been fighting alone. Are you willing to let the man you love continue all by himself? While you sit here, safe in your living room?”
Skye bit her lip. Hell no, she was raised better than that. But this was truly next-level stuff and way over her head.
Her best friend took her hand. “Your self-defense course taught you how to prepare for situations that are unimaginable to most. They showed you different techniques and maneuvers, all of them urging you to fight. Fight back. Fight for what you love. Now’s your chance to fight for what you love.”
* * *
Skye slept like shit. Well, if she could call those last few hours sleep. Her head swam with images of Guy—Reed—fighting assassins at his home by himself. But not just that. Thoughts of his kisses, his arms wrapped around her, his playful teasing—God, she loved his playful side—filled her head until it ached.
She didn’t know what she was going to do about him—them. But she had to talk to him. No doubt, he’d already left his cabin. He was probably on the road, hundreds of miles from this town. As he should be…
Thin wisps of sunrise teased the horizon, though much of the sky outside her window was dark.
She sat up suddenly. Her insides filled with warmth. She knew exactly where he was. No clue how she knew, she just did.
Reed opened his eyes, burning from a dead sleep. He’d be lucky if he slept for two hours. His whole body ached. Probably from all the adrenaline yesterday. He’d chastised himself all night about not telling Skye the truth sooner. But it had never been a question. He was never in one place long enough nor allowed himself to get close enough to anyone where he’d ever had to face this situation.
In the past, he wouldn’t have thought twice about leaving and not looking back without an ounce of guilt. Hell, with anyone else he might’ve lied, just hightailed it out of there without a trace. It would’ve been easy to pretend not to care that she hated him.
But Skye was different. She was real and genuine, vivacious and compassionate, and she deserved the complete truth.
Dammit, she’d changed him. For the first time in a long time, he believed there was goodness in the world. He needed to believe that. Somehow she’d broken through his carefully erected walls. Made him believe anything was possible. Even living a regular life.
He never knew how empty his heart was until Skye. He’d just been a shell of a man living off the fumes of humanity long enough to finish his job. She reminded him he had a soul. A soul that now craved her blonde locks, blue eyes, and infectious optimism. Craved her touch.
The clock on the wall showed just before six a.m. He needed to get on the road before anyone found him here. The last thing he wanted to do was endanger anyone else. The sooner he solved this case, the sooner he could put all this chaos behind him. Retire this part of his dark life. Then, maybe… just maybe…
His thumb and index finger rubbed at his tired eyes. He was kidding himself. There was no way in hell she’d ever speak to him again, let alone consider being with him. This was the only thing his life was any good for. He just needed to suck it up and cut his losses. Even if that meant sacrificing his heart along with it.
The bell chimed over the front door.
Reed pulled his pistol from under the flimsy mattress, surged up from the cot, and hid behind the office door. He held his breath, waiting to hear the footsteps.
“Reed, it’s me.”
The sweetest voice in his totally fucked-up-world made his heart stop. He almost didn’t want to turn the corner. Just in case he was dreaming. He couldn’t bear that heartbreak, feeling her loss all over again.
He peered around the door.
Skye stood there in the diner’s entryway, her mauve knit cardigan wrapped around her, held in place by her arms across her midsection.
“Hi.” It was the only word that could manage past his dry throat.
She just stood there. Silent.
“How did you know I was here?” he asked.
A delicate shoulder lifted ever so slightly. “I just…knew.”
He continued to hold his breath. A hundred more questions flashed through his brain, but he didn’t dare speak. Too afraid that if he said more, she’d run.
“G—Reed, I was hurt. I mean, I know why you did what you did, why you came here, kept your identity a secret.” She licked her lips. “But I still feel betrayed,” she
said softly. Her gaze dropped to the floor.
The remorse almost crippled him.
“I talked to Lynée.” She took a step forward.
He figured she would. Hopefully, the librarian would know to keep their secrets. At least until after these cartel men were taken care of.
“What did she say?”
“She said not to let you go through this alone. That if I loved you, I should be by your side.”
He swallowed hard at her words. If she loves me… For the love of God and everything right in the world, please let that be true.
“Then, I got to thinking about my mystery and suspense novels.” She shuffled over and stood before him.
“What do they say you should do?” he asked, biting the inside of his cheek.
She huffed. “Well…first and foremost, the girl has to decide whether the guy is a hero or a villain. And if she should trust him.”
He held very still, asking very softly. “And you asked yourself that same question.”
“If you were one of the bad guys, you would’ve killed me already. Lord knows there were plenty of chances. Or you would’ve let one of the thugs finish me off. So, I think you’re telling the truth.”
He sighed.
Her head lifted to face him. “But Reed, have you told me everything? I can’t stand to think there’s more hidden between us.”
“Yes. Everything.”
She stared at the ground again before holding his gaze. “My last question is… do you want to go through this alone? Or do you want me with you?”
The mixture of relief and fear that washed over him was inexplicable. He was so damn thankful she came to him.
He took her hand, hesitantly. Like if he used too much force, she’d vanish into thin air, and he’d discover this really was a daydream. But her smooth skin was warm, real. Right in front of him. “Yes. God, yes. I want you.” He let out a small, reserved smile. “But I have a question for you. Lynée told you that if you loved me, you’d be by my side.” He inhaled. “Do you love me?”
She bit her upper lip between her teeth. “Yes.” Then her lips pulled into a smile. “Yes, I love you.”
The quiet stillness between them filled his heart with a peace he’d never felt. He could barely believe those words from her lips. He’d never heard them from another woman before, and this was the only woman that mattered. He wanted to savor this.
He stepped closer, taking her other hand. “I love you too. I’ve never said that to anyone else before, Skye. That makes me all the more certain of them.” He leaned down to kiss her sweetly. He rested his forehead against hers, breathing in her fruity scent. He loved the way she smelled, he loved the way she trusted him, and he loved the way she loved him. “I love you,” he whispered.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. Lifting on her toes, she kissed him. Soft and slow, her salty tears falling between their lips. Tears of relief. Forgiveness.
God, please, let them be forgiving.
She pulled back from his embrace, and he wiped the tears from her cheeks.“Now that we’ve got that straight, we need a plan.”
“We?” he asked.
“Well, yeah. You’ll need my help.”
He tilted his head. Has she gone nuts?
“Do you know where you’re going? Another safe house somewhere, or just roughing it out in the woods?”
He took several seconds to answer. “I’ll figure it out. But I won’t let you get involved. It’s too dangerous. We can’t be together right now. I’ll be on my way. Alone. When this is over, I’ll come back.”
Skye crossed her arms. “Oh, shut up. We don’t have time for this macho, I-do-everything-on-my-own mentality. What do you need to solve this thing and stop running?”
Reed pinched the bridge of his nose. “I need a place to hook up my computer and finish my research. I just need a little more time. I’m so close to crackin’ this thing, I can feel it. But I won’t put you in danger at the same time.”
She tapped her fingers against her elbow. All evidence of tears and vulnerability vanished. She was so adorable, playing detective. “We could hide you out at my place, but it’s a bit cramped. And it’s closer to town, so more people would see you.” She worried her lip.
He shook his head. “You’re not hearing me. No way. I’m not leading these animals to your doorstep.” He stepped close, cupped the back of her neck in a possessive way, making her eyes widen. “I’m not losing someone else I love. It’s not happening.”
She stared into his eyes, her own misting over. “What kind of life will I have without you? No way am I sitting back doing nothing when I know you’re out there fighting this by yourself. Don’t you need some kind of cover?” She lifted her eyebrows.
He crushed his lips to her beautiful, plump mouth, begging her for understanding. He wanted to savor every waking moment with this woman. With those sweet lips against his, their hearts so close to each, his efforts were fruitless. How could he leave her behind?
Shit!
With a huff, he stepped back. “Fine. I hate when you’re right.”
“Okay then, we need to go somewhere they wouldn’t know to find you. Someplace with an easy getaway and easy to blend in.”
“Actually, easy to disappear.” Reed smiled. “I have an idea. On the way, I need to show you a few things.”
Her eyebrows pinched together. “Okay,” she strung out the word.
He stepped closer, placing his hands on her hips. “Trust me, sunshine.” He gave her a quick kiss. “I’m glad you came back,” he whispered over her lips.
“You better be.”
“Lynée, are you busy?” Skye cupped her cell phone while she closed the door of the back office. Ralph would be here any minute to open the diner, they didn’t have a lot of time.
“Not at this time of the morning. Why are we whispering?”
“Nevermind that. I’m going to Seattle.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, with Reed. He needs to finish his research, and we need to be away from Cascade Creek until he finds the guy who killed his partner.”
“For how long?” Lynée’s voice dipped with concern.
“I’m not sure. Hopefully, not too long.” The sooner, the better. Her boss would be a bit pissed when she texted she had to take a vacation without notice.
“Look, I’m really glad you seemed to have worked things out with Reed. But this isn’t exactly what I meant when I said fight for him. I meant to stay here and let law enforcement help solve everything. But you running off into hiding with him, Skye…”
“Trust me, Lynnie. Please. We have to do it this way.”
A long pause came from the other end of the phone. Finally, after a sigh, her best friend replied, “Okay, babe. Be safe. Check-in with me every day.”
Skye’s posture softened. As long as she knew Lynée had her back, she could get through anything. “I promise. Love you, girl.”
“Love you, too.”
Several hours west of Cascade Creek into the Snoqualmie Mountains, snow already topped the sharp peaks for late October. The crisp air blew Skye’s hair away from her face through the slightly lowered window. Even though it was in the forties at this elevation, all the adrenaline going through her veins elevated her body heat. Reed pulled the truck onto a dirt path off the highway. Another mile in, they came to a clearing where a large pond glittered in the noon sun beside a natural berm. Thick bushes of snowbank flowers and towering pines backdropped the picturesque scenery.
Skye had never been to this part of the mountains. How in the world did this relative stranger to the Cascades know of this hidden gem?
Reed turned off the engine and grabbed one of the small duffel bags from behind his seat. “No one will hear us up here. Perfect spot to get in some practice.”
“Um…” Warmth flushed her cheeks, remembering their picnic. “What kind of practice are you talking about?”
Reed bit his lip through a smile. “As amazing as that sounds,
I was talking about something more practical.” He opened the door and stepped out.
Skye followed him and crossed her arms against the chilly breeze. The higher altitude was always a little jarring at first.
Reed dropped the bag in the grass and started collecting logs from around nearby trees. “I don’t have any target sheets, so we’ll have to make do with these.”
Skye started picking up sticks to help.
“Bigger ones than that. Like this.” He held up a big chunk of a tree branch. “I don’t want to start you off with something too difficult.”
“How did you know about this place?” She dropped the twigs and started looking for bigger ones.
“My uncle used to take me fishing here when I was a kid. It’s also where he taught me how to shoot.”
“Shoot what, exactly?” She followed him to the berm and handed him the wood one by one. He set them up along the natural wall, spacing them out with at least ten feet between each piece.
Then he opened the duffel bag.
He pulled out a small black case. Tucked inside a cloth was a black pistol. He gripped it easily in his hand and dug in the bag for clips. Already loaded.
“This is small enough for your palm. I want you to get comfortable shooting it.”
“I don’t think I need to do that.”
Reed turned more sympathetic but still serious. “This is important. You need to know how to defend yourself.”
Skye swallowed. She didn’t miss the unspoken words…against the cartel. Or perhaps it was the implied possibility of him not being able to take them out himself.
He handed her the gun.
It was light. Lighter than she expected. Small enough for her tiny grip.
“It’s empty. So don’t worry about accidentally shooting me. There’s no clip. See?” He took her hand and turned it. Empty space filled the handle. “These fit inside.” He held up the clip in his other hand. “When you load and unload, keep your finger off the trigger.”
“Off the trigger,” she echoed. Skye focused on the warmth of his fingers around hers. Along with his calm and steady voice, she could get through this.
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