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“Yeah. I thought I knew Eric, too,” she said softly.
Dragging a hand down his face, Tyler sighed. “You’ve got to be really confused, angel. But I swear to God, I would never accept money from a slime like that. And I’d never let anything happen to you. ”
Tyler took her in his arms, clutching her tightly, and Del didn’t resist. She needed an anchor in this storm of lies, deceit, and intrigue. And he was perfect—solid, supportive, unwavering.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured.
“I won’t lie and say I love it, but I understand feeling burned by people you trusted. The question is, what do we do now? If Eric is on the take from Carlson, we have to expect that he’s sold us out. This is going to be dangerous. And before you say a word, you aren’t going to Eric’s alone. ”
As much as Del wanted Tyler removed from danger, she had to think of Seth. He needed parents. She couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her baby all alone, and the odds would more likely be in their favor if she took Tyler along.
“All right. But we’re going to need help. ”
“Agreed. ” Tyler nodded. “We can’t contact the police for help. They’re either going to be corrupt, Eric’s buddies, or both. ”
“And we have no evidence to prove our suspicions yet, so . . . ”
“We’re going to have to come up with a plan B. I’ll use the computer to call back to Lafayette. Take my phone and call Xander. Get whatever resources you can. I’ll do the same. ”
With a solemn nod, she grabbed his phone and meandered toward the kitchen. She wasn’t hungry, but they’d both need strength for the trial to come. She tried to push aside the betrayal making her chest tighten and ache. How could the son of a bitch who had once promised to love, honor, and protect her turn her over to the man who would celebrate her murder?
Shoving the thought away, Del called Xander. He picked up right away. “This had better be good. ”
She winced at his growl. “My ex called. We’re supposed to be at his house at ten. I think we’re the lambs he’s leading to slaughter. And we can’t call the police. You must have bodyguards or something. Would you be willing to lend them to us for a few hours?”
“They all suck ass. I escape them constantly, except one. Expect a knock on your door from Decker McConnell in less than an hour. Former Special Forces who went to work as a field agent for the CIA. Deep cover. Tough bastard. ”
“Don’t you need to talk to him first?” She frowned.
“I pay him to be ready at a moment’s notice. Sit tight. I’ll be there soon. ”
“Oh no. Please don’t—”
Click.
Tyler strolled into the room, and Del turned, frustration shredding her composure. “The bastard hung up on me. He’s sending a guy, and as soon as I tried to point out to Xander that it wasn’t safe for him to come along, too, he hung up. ”
“Maybe that’s just as well. Jack and Deke said it might take a couple of hours to track down some of their former army buddies who live in this area. By then, this is over. ”
Yes. And Del hoped this meeting didn’t become a bloodbath.
“They’ve also called some connections at the FBI. ” He shrugged. “Maybe something will pop there. C’mon, angel. Let’s shower and get ready to do this. ”
Del dug in her heels. “I have to talk to Seth again . . . Just in case. ”
She shoved back tears and regarded Tyler with an unflinching stare.
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “You don’t have to go to Eric’s. I’ll go alone. I’ll tell him that he scared the hell out of you last time you came by and—”
“No. I have to get my evidence back if I want a future. He wants to talk to me, and I know he’s not going to hand it over until I do. Just let me talk to my son one last time. ”
“Our son. ” Tyler led her across the hall to the spacious office and the computer.
She sent him a sad smile. “I’m not used to that yet. ”
“Get used to it. ”
As Tyler sat at the computer and initiated the online video call, she whispered, “I’d like to. Right now, I can’t help fearing this is the last time Seth will see me and that he won’t remember me if—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. You are not going to die, damn it. ”
Del pressed her lips together. “We don’t know that for certain. Eric might be leading us right into a trap. We can only do the right things and hope for the best. ”
“Hey,” Luc said casually into the computer. “All okay there?”
She exchanged a glance with Tyler, who said, “Yeah. ”
“No,” she corrected. “I’d like to see Seth. ”
Luc went on alert. “What’s wrong?”
Tyler cursed under his breath, then sighed. “Jack’s got the details. I think this thing is coming to a head this morning. ”
Del watched as understanding, then quiet acceptance, dawned across Luc’s face. “I’ll go get Seth. Earlier this morning, he saw Caleb take a stuffed animal from Chloe. When she started crying, Seth grabbed it away, handed it back to her, then pushed Caleb on his ass. ”
That sounded like her little boy. A moment later, his smiling baby face filled the screen. She tried not to cry, but she was so proud of him, already exhibiting such strong qualities—intelligence, a sense of fairness, a willingness to defend those weaker than him. She only hoped that if things didn’t go well today he eventually understood her decisions.
“Hi, little man. ”
“Ma ma ma. ” He lunged forward and reached out for the screen.
A pang of love welled up, filled her, mixed with longing and pain. A sob racked her body, and Tyler’s arm went around her immediately. She sucked the tears back. Being strong for Seth now was imperative.
“Hi, Seth,” Tyler said into the webcam. “How’s our big boy today?”
He gurgled and reached for the screen again. Luc held him back with a big hand across his little belly.
“This kid is strong,” Luc commented. “He likes spinach, too. ”
“And sweet potatoes. ”
Luc grinned. “Did you know he loves Cheetos? He ate nearly a whole bag of Chloe’s little munchies when he was supposed to be napping. I shouldn’t be surprised that he crawled out of the playpen and remembered where we’d stored the stuff. ”
Tyler smiled like he was proud. “Sounds like something I would have done at his age. ”
It did. Del grabbed his hand. Then she realized there wasn’t much left to say. “Kiss him for me, please. ”
Luc nodded. He looked like he wanted to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but no one could assure her of that. He simply nodded and placed a soft kiss in Seth’s pale hair, patting his little shoulder. “He knows that you love him. ”
“Tell him I love him, too,” Tyler asked, then swallowed. “I’m going to try to update everyone when I can. If you haven’t heard from us by four o’clock your time . . . ”
Tyler didn’t finish that sentence. He didn’t have to.
With a nod, Luc wrapped protective arms around Seth. “Anything else I can do for you?”
“Pray. ” Del’s voice trembled.
“Absolutely. ” Then Luc looked at Tyler. “Take care of you and yours. ”
With a nod, Luc was gone. After the screen went blank, Del desperately wanted to collapse into Tyler’s arms. But now wasn’t the time. They had barely over an hour to get ready, plan, and cross town.
Stiffly, she rose and made her way across the hall, into the bathroom. When she started the shower and pulled off her clothes, shivering, Tyler eased into the bathroom behind her and pulled her against the solid warmth of his body. He was naked, too, and every inch of his hard frame blanketed her back.
Threading his arm around her waist, he kissed the top of her head. “We’ll get through this together, angel. ”
Having him close was such a comfort. Funny how a few short da
ys ago she was certain that Tyler would be another drive-by in her life. She’d drop Seth off, solve all this herself, then pop back in and pick up her son, no muss, no fuss—and above all, no emotions. Now, she couldn’t imagine facing this danger without him. By herself, she wasn’t sure she had any chance to survive. Tyler would move heaven and earth to keep her safe.
Delaney more than loved Tyler Murphy; she’d wrapped her heart, soul, and life around his so quickly. Even with this black cloud hanging over them, she relished the feeling of connection to the one man she’d never forgotten.
She opened the shower door and eased in. Tyler climbed in right behind her. Wordlessly, they embraced under the spray, a long moment filled with warm water, beating hearts, and utter stillness. They were saying good-bye to one another, just in case the worst happened. No words necessary. They both knew. They both felt the solemn moment and didn’t spoil it with chatter.
A moment later, Del backed against the cold tile wall and held out her arms to Tyler. He came to her silently. Maybe the look in her eyes told him what she needed. He just nodded and lifted her, holding her thighs over his arms and bracing her against the wall. With steam rising from the hot spray and their deep breaths filling the space, Tyler probed her pussy with the blunt tip of his cock. The moment he found her open and slick, he pushed her down, surging up into her tight walls.
One thrust became another, then a dozen, then she lost count. The only thing she knew was Tyler’s deep penetration, the burn of his flesh against her already sore sex, but she welcomed the sensation. It reminded her that she was alive, could hurt and need. It reminded her that she could feel.
Del wrapped her legs around his hips and used whatever leverage she could to wriggle and bounce. Her nails dug into his shoulders. Her mouth found his, slanting over that hard slash to invade and silently tell him that she’d never wanted anything or anyone more than she wanted him.
His thick fingers dug into her hips, and the sensations spiraled. A heavy ache settled behind her clit, mixing with the pleasure-pain of his possession, scraping up her swollen channel and the friction of his flesh rubbing her little bundle of nerves repeatedly. It was too much—the pleasure, the love, the need to experience this moment to the fullest. Del crested over the edge, careening into a dizzying ecstasy that made her cry his name, into a significant love that utterly reshaped her.
With a long, low groan in her ear, he followed her into pleasure, and she felt the warm spray of his semen jet deep inside of her. Del closed her eyes. She hoped she lived long enough to find out if all the unprotected sex they’d had in the last twenty-four hours brought them another bundle of joy. It had only taken once before, and suddenly she wanted to have Tyler’s child again, experience everything from morning sickness to college graduation with him.
Slowly, Tyler disentangled himself from her and placed a reverent kiss on her shoulder. “Let’s clean you up. ”
She nodded, but every time she reached for the soap or loofah, he slapped her hands out of the way and washed her himself. Long, soft sweeps of his palms over her abdomen, lingering low where he felt the few stretch marks she’d gotten from carrying Seth.
“I’ll bet you were so pretty pregnant. I wish I’d seen it. ”
Del wished he had, too. She wished she could have both shared the experience with him and had someone to lean on. But rather than dwell on what she couldn’t change, she tried to lighten the mood. “Only if you like a beached whale. ”
His gaze was so green and intent, it almost hurt, especially when that look admonished her. “You’re beautiful, no matter what. To me, you always have been. ”
Probably not 100 percent accurate, but Del smiled at his kindness. Then he set her under the spray. With the utmost care, he proceeded to wash her hair, his strong fingers rubbing her scalp, easing away last night’s grime and a bit of this morning’s tension. Del melted against him.
“Have you always been like this with lovers?” Because that wasn’t how she’d heard it.
He paused. “I didn’t act like I cared about any of the other women because I didn’t. It took me doing without you for two years to realize how much I loved you. ”
“I’ve been numb for two years. I feel like I’m finally alive again because of you. Even if today doesn’t end well, I want you to know how much that means to me. ”
Finally, they couldn’t stall anymore and left the shower, drying slowly, both lost in thought. Tyler pulled his clothes on first, just as someone pounded on the front door.
“Showtime,” he sighed. Then he pressed a kiss to her forehead, grabbed one of the guns Xander had given him the night before, and headed to the front of the house.
Del put on the rest of her clothes with trembling fingers. By tonight, she’d either be a free woman or dead.