Hawke spun Penny around, pressing her against the wall with his body. He pressed a finger against her mouth, gazing into her wide eyes.
“Get outside,” one of Romano’s guards yelled. Thunderous footsteps followed, as more gunfire erupted outside, with Ronan joining in on the distraction to give them a clear exit.
“Go,” Archer said.
Keeping Penny close, Hawke guided them up the staircase, down the hallway and down the next staircase. “Run to the van,” he told her.
He watched for a second to ensure she did, before turning around with his gun aimed for any threat coming their way. He made a promise to Hunt not to kill anyone, but it was a promise he’d break if it meant a bullet might hit Penny.
Suddenly, he heard it all. Sirens wailing loudly, tires screeching against the pavement. A voice shouted, “Police! Put your weapons down!” without warning.
Hawke’s instincts kicked in and he took off running. He leapt over a nearby fence and cleared another one before hitting the ground and quickly scrambling into the open van, with Jett yanking him inside.
As Ronan quickly shut the door, Archer sped away. Without hesitation, Hawke rushed forward and gathered Penny into his embrace.
“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” His eyes sweeping over her swiftly, assessing for injuries.
She shook her head, trembling. “I’m all right.” She blinked. Once. Twice. “Was that the police?”
He nodded.
“How—”
Archer said from the driver’s seat, pride heavy in his voice, “They were alerted to a shootout happening at Romano’s by an anonymous source.” He glanced her way and winked. “Me.”
He heard the team celebrating their victory, but he pulled Penny close again, feeling her shivering, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.
“It’s over now,” he muttered into her hair. “You’re safe.” He stroked her hair and she sighed, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.
Hawke pressed a kiss to her temple, his lips lingering there.
Her tremors eventually subsided, and she tilted her head back to meet his gaze. The raw emotion in her eyes made his chest constrict. “Thank you… thank you for coming for me,” she said, reaching up to cup his face.
Hawke’s jaw clenched, arms tightened around her possessively. “I’ll always come for you.”
A moment seemed to stretch on endlessly as he gazed into her eyes, relieved and grateful to have her safely in his hold again.
Finally she broke the silence and said, “Just in case I forget to say it later, you are the hottest fucking man I’ve ever met in my life.”
He burst out laughing, feeling all the remaining tension melting away.
Penny’s lips parted in invitation, and he took it. His mouth descended on hers in a searing kiss. All the longing, the anguish of his worry, the bone-deep relief at her being back in his arms, he poured into that kiss.
14
The October breeze carried a chill that wrapped around Penny as she stepped from Hawke’s truck, but the sprawling retirement home—resembling a grand white Victorian mansion—exuded a warmth that seemed to reach out to her.
Hawke ever the soldier, surveyed the building with a protective gaze before turning to Penny and softening.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Definitely,” Penny replied, feeling like she’d been on an emotional roller coaster since the day Rhys had hired her to investigate the bug.
So much had happened in the month that had passed since the night at Victor’s house. The evidence they had collected was strong enough for the FBI to detain not only Victor, but also all his partners in crime, on a multitude of charges. It was the largest crackdown on organized crime in New York City, resulting in one hundred and twenty-seven individuals being arrested.
She’d received the largest paycheck of her life from Rhys, enough to cover Gram’s expenses at the retirement home for the rest of her natural life, and as far as she knew, Julia was safe, now living with her sister in Paris.
Penny inhaled a deep breath of the crisp salty ocean air, then firmly grasped Hawke’s outstretched hand and fell into step beside him. The moment they headed inside, the facility welcomed them with a warm glow of gentle lighting and a hint of lavender mixed with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The interior was designed to exude an air of timelessness, inviting guests to sit and chat in cozy armchairs while taking in the gorgeous ocean views.
