I don’t think she believes me, but she doesn’t push it. She gives me a slight smile and turns her head back to the yard. “Yes,” she says quietly. “He’s gone.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Elena
The plane rocks through turbulence as it starts its descent over the city. Jason groans beside me, squeezing my hand in an almost painful hold.
The man can stare down the barrel of a gun without breaking out in a sweat, but flying … let’s just say he’s not a fan.
“We should have driven,” he grumbles.
I merely laugh. I lost count of how many times he’s said those words somewhere around the first hour of the flight.
“Relax,” I say. “We’re almost on the ground.”
Jason doesn’t respond, though he does give me an unamused look that causes me to giggle.
Yes, giggle.
I’m giddy.
I’ve been giddy since we woke up this morning. It’s odd. It feels wrong with everything that’s happened. But I can’t stop it.
I’m excited.
I’m going to see my parents.
And my man is coming with me.
It’s Friday. Six full days since Peck died. The first couple of days were … tense. We gave statements. We answered questions.
And questions.
And questions.
But by the third day, things settled. We began healing. We started to move on.
The man who haunted me for the last year is gone. No more hiding. No more running. All that’s left to do is live.
Good God, I want to live.
And Jason … Jason’s okay.
He’s better than okay.
I was worried that killing someone would hurt him, but it hasn’t. He told me it was either Peck or me and that he’d always choose me.
Always.
He still hasn’t spoken to his father. I’m not sure what’s stopping him. He won’t talk to me about it. All he says is that he will.
He’s just not ready yet.
Mr. Chapman is doing fine. The bullet went straight through the side of his leg. He hasn’t left town yet, and I find myself hoping that he won’t.
He may have made mistakes, but he’s got a good heart.
The plane lands and we make our way to collect our bags. There’s no real plan to the trip. We don’t have a clue how long we’re staying or what we’re going to do while we’re here.
Surprisingly, it’s nice not to have a plan.
When we reach the baggage area, a strange thrill settles in my belly. It’s nerves. It’s excitement. It’s all consuming, tumbling together, causing my heart to flutter, my belly to flip, and my knees to tremble.
I’m here.
I’m really back home.
I hesitate, staring at the bags. I want to grab mine. I want to reach out and take it, but I don’t. For a brief moment, I don’t move.
Jason notices.
He always notices.
A hint of a smile takes over his face. “You sure you don’t wanna call them first?” he asks, grabbing both our bags. “Give them a heads up?”
I shake my head. “No. I want to surprise them.”
He looks at me peculiarly, before chuckling. “We’re here, darlin’. Whether you call or not, I ain’t letting you back out of this.”
I laugh. “You’ve got it all wrong, Jase. I was just thinking about whether we should go straight to the bakery or wait until they get home.”
That almost sounded believable.
He smiles, flashing me those amazing dimples, and winks. “Almost believed you that time, darlin’.”
The drive across the city drags. We take a taxi, and I look out the window, not seeing a thing. Jason never once lets go of my hand.
When we finally reach my parents’ bakery, my palms are sweating and my fingers shake. I’m so excited. I’m so nervous.
What if they don’t recognize me with the new hair?
What if they don’t want to see me?
What if …?
Stop it. This is ridiculous. I’m being ridiculous. They’re my parents. They love me. They’ll be happy I’m back.
Right?
Jason pays the driver and folds out of the taxi, coming around to my side and opening my door as I get out. I breathe a sigh of relief as he reaches over, taking my hand and giving it a little squeeze. “I’ve got you, darlin’.”
The door chimes overhead as we walk into the shop, and the first thing I see is my mother. She’s bent over the counter, cloth in hand, cleaning up what looks to be spilled coffee. Her white blond hair is pulled back in a tight bun, and her white apron is crisp and clean.
She’s humming.
She always hums while she works.
It’s like nothing has changed.
The shop is busy; the scent of fresh pastries and bread baking fills the air.
I walk up to the counter, never once letting go of Jason’s hand. He doesn’t say anything, just holds on tight, giving me his support.
Mom looks at me when I stop in front of where she works. She’s silent. She’s smiling. I don’t think she recognizes me.
My grip tightens on Jason’s hand.
He squeezes back.
That’s when it happens.
Mom blinks. Silent tears fill her eyes and slowly begin to streak down her cheeks as she continues to stare at me.
It’s like she’s frozen.
My stomach coils, my heart races.
“Hi, Mom.” My voice sounds awkward, squeaky and raw.
At the sound of my voice, she gasps, and rushes around the counter. She collides with me, almost knocking me over, and pulls me into a bone-crushing hug.
She loses it.
She cries; deep, sniveling sobs.
“What’s going on out here?” my dad calls, his gruff voice sounding just like I remember it.
I pull back from my mom, only slightly, just enough to see my father. “Hey, Dad.”
And just like that, he’s on me, too.
I’m crying.
I’m laughing.
I’m being crushed between my parents.
And Jason still has a firm grip on my hand, holding me steady.
I love every second of it.
My eyes meet Jason’s. I grin. He smiles.
In that moment, I can see it. I know exactly who I am.
I’m a daughter, a sister, a woman.
I’m a fighter, a survivor. I’m strong.
I’m loved and I’m whole.
I am Elena Reed.
Epilogue
Jason
Four weeks.
It’s been four long-ass weeks since I left Elena in New York. The first few nights without her were hard; the last few were fucking torture.
I swear I haven’t slept in days.
I’m standing at the door, peeking out the window. A mix of fear and excitement curls through my gut. She called me ten minutes ago and told me she was five minutes out.
How does that work?
Why didn’t she fly? It would have been quicker if she flew.
Christ. Look at me. I’m acting like a little girl waiting for her first date to pick her up.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
But I miss her.
I miss her so goddamn much.
And I can’t get rid of the sickening feeling that my woman isn’t coming home.
It’s crazy, I know.
Of course she’s coming home … I hope.
I never wanted to leave her in New York. I stayed with her for a little over two weeks before I had to come back home.
A case. One that the guys needed me for.
She needed time alone with her parents anyway. She needed to heal.
And I had to see my old man.
It was time.
Elena told me weeks ago that if I hear him out I’d understand why he did what he did. She was wrong. I don’t understand. He said he did it for us, that we needed the money with me in school and Mona n
ot working. He told me it was never supposed to go so far. Things just got out of hand.
The thing is, my school had nothing to do with him. I paid for it. Every cent.
In truth, I don’t think he knows why he did it anymore.
We came to an understanding of sorts.
He’s still here. He’s planning on sticking around. And that makes both Mona and Elena happy.
If they’re happy, I’m good with that.
I look out the window again. Where is she?
A minute passes. Five. Ten.
My stomach coils tighter.
I need my woman back in my arms. Now.
We talked almost every day while she was gone. I missed calling her a few times because of work, but even when missed, I always sent a text message and she always responded as soon as she woke up.
I’ve never been a phone person. Always hated long, drawn out conversations. But those calls with Elena. Fucking loved every one of them.
We talked about everything. Shared childhood stories. Favorite memories. Worse memories. We talked about our dreams and our plans. We talked about our future.
We got to know each other without all the bullshit swirling around us, and I swear I fell for her all over again.
The only thing that we never discussed was Peck. I’m good with what I did. I’d do it again if it meant keeping him away from her, keeping her safe, but I don’t want to talk about it.
I killed someone.
I can live with it.
I will live with it.
And I know she’s done hashing out the past.
Elena wants to move on, and I’m fucking thrilled to give her that.
It’s done.
The rumble of a truck draws my attention back to the window.
She’s home.
She’s finally fucking home.
I throw open the door and pause, when my eyes come in contact with a black F150 sitting in the driveway, and I watch her through the windshield as she cuts the engine and hops out, letting the door slam.
She turns around to look at me, leaning against the truck, crossing her arms over her chest. She lifts her chin, a small smile curving her lips. “Hey.”
“Hey, darlin’,” I say quietly, my voice gruff and low, thick with emotion. “You get lost?”
She blushes. Fuck, I’ve missed that blush. “Um … yeah, I did.”
I chuckle. “You should have called. Would have been quicker.”
“Well, I would have,” she says, and offers a small shrug. “But my phone died after we hung up.”
I stare at her for a moment, taking her in. She looks so good my mouth goes dry. She’s not wearing anything special, jeans and an off-white tee. Her hair is half up, half down, a mess really, falling out of the elastic, and she’s not wearing a stitch of make-up.
But still, she’s beautiful.
Gorgeous.
She’s watching me, her eyes running along my frame, before she uncrosses her arms and pushes off of the truck. Wordlessly, she strolls over to me, coming up the steps, stopping right in front of me.
Her eyes meet mine, she puts a hand on her hip, and she smiles. “Are you going to help me with my bags or what?”
I pull her to me, laughing, and kiss the top of her head, before I tuck my face into her neck, holding her tight against me. “Fuck, I missed you.”
Her arms come up, wrapping around my neck. Her hands digging into my hair. “I missed you, too,” she whispers. “So, so much.”
She gasps as my hands run down her sides, sliding over her hips, and settling on her ass. I lift her, and her legs go around me instantly, holding on tight.
“What are you doing?” she asks, laughing, as I carry her inside, kicking the door shut behind us.
“Welcoming you home,” I say, as I move through the house, going for the stairs.
She laughs again, this time louder. “But my bags.”
I grind her against me, letting her feel how much I want her. “They can wait, darlin’.”
She doesn’t say a word, but her lips hit my throat, licking and nipping along my jaw, up to my ear lobe.
I groan. Fuck, it feels so goddamn good to have her back in my arms.
We reach our bedroom quickly, and I have to force myself to slow down, savor the moment, as I lower her to the bed and strip her from her clothes. I stare at her, taking in every inch of her peach skin, running my fingers along every curve and dip.
I love her slowly, thoroughly, and as I watch her come apart in my arms, I feel … complete.
Elena
Oh God, it’s good to be home.
I curl into Jason, my leg going over his thigh, my arm draping across his middle, and I feather kisses across his chest. “I missed you so, so much, Jase.”
“Glad you’re back, darlin’.” His voice rumbles through his chest and his arms tighten around me holding me tight.
“I meant to ask you,” I say, trailing my fingertips along his abs, “how much do I owe you?”
“What?”
“For taking on my case,” I say. “I told you I’d pay you as soon as it was over.”
“Forget about it,” he says, nuzzling into my neck. “Let’s just forget the whole thing happened, yeah?”
“I’m serious, Jase. You guys spent a lot of time on this. You need to get paid.”
Jason knifes up to a sitting position and he stares at me.
And stares.
And stares.
“Jesus, you really are serious,” he mutters, and he gives me a funny look, one that I don’t understand, and says, “Don’t want your money, darlin’.”
I furrow my brow. “What do you want then?”
Jason chuckles and flat out smiles. He lies back down, pulling me into his arms. “You,” he says. “Just you.”
Butterflies dance in my belly at his words and I kiss him, smiling wide against his lips. “I can give you that.”
We lay there for a while. I can’t say how long. I think I even dose off for a bit. I didn’t sleep much during the trip, driving as much distance as I could before stopping, and it’s left me drained.
Seeing my parents again was amazing. Handling their misplaced guilt, not so much. They took my story with Peck hard and they took Andrew’s involvement even harder.
They blamed themselves for not seeing it.
When I left, they were actually looking into a legal way to disown him.
He’s still in jail. From what I’ve been told, he was sentenced to ten years, but made a deal and will only serve three.
As it turns out, Mr. Chapman had been right. Peck was dirty, but it was other cops he was working with. I guess that explains why I never recognized anyone from the mug shots in the two weeks I spent combing through them.
There were three others he partnered with. My brother fed them leads, they’d make a bust, and only turn in half of what they found, keeping the rest to sell or for personal use.
Andrew gave them up.
A door slams, causing me to jump, sitting straight up. Jason mutters a few curses as footsteps hit the stairs, thump down the hallway, and someone raps against the door. “Yo, Elena! Jase! Get your asses dressed and down here. It’s barbeque time.”
Wes. Oh God. I flush. I can feel it, creeping from the tips of my toes all the way to my cheeks, causing my skin to blaze with heat.
Jason chuckles and I look at him. Amusement touches his eyes and he smiles wide, giving me the dimples.
Good God, I missed those dimples.
“Barbeque?” I croak out.
He didn’t tell me we’d have company tonight. Honestly, I hadn’t even considered that he’d invite the guys over.
“I tried,” Jason says, his smile faltering. He runs a hand down his face, letting out a groan. “I fucking tried to put it off, but they missed you.”
They missed me? Something inside me soars at those words. I knew they didn’t hate me, but I always held onto the idea that I was just a job to them.
Well, to
everyone but Jason, that is.
I smile wide. So wide that my face burns and my lips hurt. “I like barbeques.”
Getting dressed, we head downstairs. The guys are already out back, the barbeque fired up and beers open.
I hesitate for a moment, reaching the patio doors. Jason stops with me, his hand settling at the small of my back, and he leans in, his lips coming to my ear. “I’ll get them to bring it inside, yeah?”
I quickly shake my head, “No. I’m good. This is good.”
It’s safe back there. I know that. Jason had a new security system put in while I was gone. New locks on the gate. No one’s getting back here without us knowing.
And Peck’s dead.
No one’s after me anymore.
Pulling in a breath, I push the door open and step outside. I barely make it onto the deck before Wes and Vance are on me, arms around me, squeezing me so tightly that I can hardly breathe.
“Jesus,” Jason mutters. “Let her go. You idiots are gonna suffocate her.”
They let me go, grumbling something about Jason hogging me as they do.
“You ain’t allowed to leave for four weeks again,” Vance says seriously. “Not unless you take him with you. Can’t handle the fuckin’ moping.”
“Shut up,” Jason says.
Wes laughs. “He barely slept.”
“Shut up,” Jason repeats, louder.
“He wouldn’t go to the bar with us because he didn’t want to miss a call with you,” Vance continues, grinning like a fool.
Jason’s arms come around my waist, pulling me to his side, and he groans and mutters, “Shut the fuck up.”
I laugh, tilting my head, looking up at him. He watches me, brow cocked as though daring me to say something, but I don’t. I just laugh and hug him back.
“Yo, Piper,” Wes says after a moment. “Come over here, babe.”
I pull my face out of Jason’s chest, untangling myself from his arms, just as a young woman steps over. She’s stunning. Heart-shaped face, rosy cheeks, a slight nose, speckled with freckles. Her hair is bone-straight and red, the brightest red I’ve ever seen, and her eyebrows … she has fantastic eyebrows.
“This is Piper,” Wes says. “Piper, meet Elena.”