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I could, oddly, live with that.
It made sense.
And it wasn't like the guy was innocent.
"You think you're gonna wanna have some alone time with him?" Ty asked, voice hesitant.
"I think I would like to lean against the hood of the squad car that will be taking him to county."
"I'll make that happen."
Nine days later, there I was.
With Ty by my side.
It was a day oddly similar to the one ten years before. The sun was out. The weather was warm, but not hot. I even had open-toe sandals on. Just like the ones I'd had on when I'd been arrested.
Ty had gotten the call just half an hour before from Lloyd, telling us it was now or never. So we'd sped across town and got ourselves situated where we needed to be.
Nerves skittered in my stomach, some part of me worried he might do something. But, really, what could he do? Even if he used his calls from county to get in contact with his gang, to try to put some hit out on me or something, there was nothing they could do. Not with the whole of every organization in town watching out for me.
"All you, baby girl," Ty said, pressing a kiss to my temple before moving a few feet away as the door at the side of the station opened.
All the times over the years that I thought on the idea of revenge, none of it compared to seeing Tanner, older, hair thinning, face riddled a bit with acne, far less carefree and attractive than he once had been, being led out of the police station with cuffs in front of him, flanked by a cop in blue and a newly familiar detective in a suit, one who shot me a small smirk as they came into view.
I leaned back a little, wanting to go for casual, not wanting this to appear like what it actually was. A moment I had been anticipating for over a decade.
The moment he got what he deserved.
The moment he knew I was a part of it.
Tanner's head raised, squinting a bit at the bright light after the dark of the building, not seeing me for a long moment.
Then, even after his eyes landed on me, not recognizing for another long few heartbeats.
His lips parted.
His eyes widened.
His feet forgot to keep moving forward.
"Winifred?"
"You took ten years of my life. I hear they're looking to take twenty-five of yours," I said, tone light, teasing even.
"You bitch. You fucking bitch," he hissed, lunging despite his arms being held, his hands being chained.
Ty moved in, closing in at my side. And Tanner's eyes moved over him, taking in his cut, the badge on his chest, realizing who I had aligned myself with. That he would never get revenge on me.
It was an amazing thing to witness a man whose life slipped away right before his eyes.
Humbling almost.
Since I knew that feeling all-too-well.
And even though he deserved it, even though I had earned it, I didn't take the pleasure from it that I thought I would.
"Thanks, Detective Lloyd," I offered before standing up straight, nudging Ty.
"You ready?" he asked.
Looking over, I took a good, hard look at this man. The one who accepted me without question. The one who urged me to heal a rocky relationship with my brother. Who helped me land a job. Who took things at my pace. Who got me an iPod and loaded it down with all the good songs I missed while I was away. Who proudly introduced me to his buddies. Who helped me get a bad man who ruined my life off the streets.
Was I ready to go with him?
To the ends of the Earth.
Through the bowels of hell.
To, possibly, our own unexpected, lovely, happily ever after?
Abso-freaking-lutely.EPILOGUEVirgin - 3 weeksLou was hanging out on the couch in the living room, a heating pad on her stomach, three blankets on top of her, but one whole leg stubbornly sticking out.
I stood there in the doorway, not knowing if I wanted to head out there. Lou was unpredictable when she didn't feel great.
I was about to turn around when I saw West come out of the kitchen, making a beeline for Lou.
Letting out a sigh, I stayed put, figuring West was about to say the wrong thing to the wrong woman on the wrong day. I was going to be picking up pieces of him later if I didn't stick around to deescalate the situation.
West moved toward the coffee table, dropping down low. Almost like a bow.
A mug of coffee met the surface of the table off a tray he was holding. Then a pile of cookies. A bag of chips. A beer. And a bottle of pills.
The fuck was he doing?
Even as the thought formed, he ducked his head, studying his feet as he slowly backed out of the room, disappearing back into the kitchen as Lou reached toward the table, popping the top off the bottle, tossing some into her mouth, washing it down with the coffee.
