A relief.
Because finally, ten years later, she has closure.
25.Beckett
“Paul was a good man,” Reid says as he pulls me in for a light hug. I’m finally being released from the hospital after three days of being monitored ’round the clock. Shawn never left my side.
Three days of him sitting at my bedside. Even when my mom showed up after he’d called when I’d been missing, he remained here. Same thing with Lauren. Though she and my mom hit it off just like she and Shawn’s mom did, and the three of them have been doing food runs and sleeping at Samantha’s house.
Currently, she’s standing in the corner, talking to Riley, his wife, Jules, and Samantha, while Lauren gives Romeo all her attention. The room is just like my heart—full.
“Thank you so much,” I reply as he releases me.
“Of course.” He smiles at me, the coldness from our first meeting not even mildly present on his face. I recall the way Shawn had slipped so seamlessly into the façade of Shep Andrews.
Men like Reid and Shawn can transform themselves into whoever they need to be in order to survive. While I’d always hadan appreciation for undercover work, I don’t think I ever fully understood the scope of it until now.
The fact that Lucian Creed didn’t actually exist was one major shock to me, as was the fact that Paul was working for the DEA the last few years of his life. Even with the secret he kept about Lauren, him being an informant definitely made more sense than the man I knew and loved being in league with a criminal.
I know it put Lauren’s mind at ease, too. She’s been completely different since we learned the truth. There’s a light in her eyes that wasn’t there before, a weight lifted from her shoulders.
Even though there’s still some hurt that Paul didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth, I think I can understand his reasoning. He’d already been so wrapped up with working for the DEA; putting anything else on his plate likely felt like an impossibility.
Or, at least, that’s the benefit I’m giving him. Because, either way, it doesn’t matter. I know about her now, and I’m looking forward to getting to know her.
“What are you going to do now?” Shawn asks Reid. “Been a long time since you didn’t have the weight of being Lucian Creed on your shoulders.”
Reid laughs, considering his question. “Honestly, I have no clue. Vacation? Yeah, that sounds nice.”
“I’m with you there,” Lauren replies. “I think I might sleep for a week.” As she removes her hand from Romeo, he buries his head back into her lap, desperate for more affection. “Okay, boy,” she replies with a laugh. “I’m still here.”
With Seymore apprehended and Anderson confirming that he was Thomes, Reid’s been pulled out. According to news headlines, Lucian Creed died in a car crash during a nasty storm three days ago.
The same storm they all trekked through to find me.
Which means Reid gets a fresh start. A chance to live without the duplicity he’s been forced to carry for two decades.
“I’d say you more than deserve it,” I reply.
He smiles at me, then turns to Shawn. “How about you? I can put in a good word at the DEA for you. We’d love to have you.”
Shawn runs a hand over the back of his head. “I appreciate that, but I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do.”
“Wait—why do you need a job?” I ask, turning my attention to him.
“And that’s my cue. Talk soon.” Reid leaves the hospital room, so Shawn faces me.
“Us, too,” Samantha replies with a smile. “How about we go grab some desserts and coffee downstairs?”
“Sounds good to me.” Lauren hops up off the floor and winks at me before heading toward the door.
“Be right back, honey.” My mom kisses my temple and steps out of the room, following Riley and Jules, who both cast me knowing smiles before slipping out into the hall and closing the door behind them and Romeo.
I turn back to Shawn, the room empty for the first time today. “So?”
Once more, he rubs the back of his neck. “I, uh, resigned.”
“You didwhat?” I stare at him. “Did they make you resign? You have got to be kidding me!” I stand, anger pushing past the shock. How could they fire him? He helped bring down two crooked law enforcement officers, as well as an entire criminal organization! “I’ll handle it. They can’t do this. It’s wrongful—” Shawn grabs the back of my neck and slams his mouth to mine. The jolt of shock freezes me in place as I process exactly what’s happening. And then heat pummels me, and the entire world comes crashing down around us, eliminating every sound from outside. Every distraction.
