“I was so scared,” Desiree blurted, throwing her arms around Carly and bursting into tears. “I thought I was going to die.” Carly hugged her while her own tears flowed.
As she stood there comforting Desiree, Ashton stroked her back. Carly’s anxiety was replaced with an overwhelming sadness. She’d been forced to fire her weapon to save others, but that didn’t make Kathy Internado’s death any easier to bear.
Darkness had fallen when the mayhem finally settled down. The police and paramedics had come and gone. Most of the guests had left. Family and close friends had moved inside. Maverick walked the Rijados to their car and returned to the house. The somber mood was to be expected, but he was concerned his friends had been traumatized by what they’d witnessed. One by one, he checked in with them before turning his full attention on his wife.
After pulling Carly into the foyer, he peered into her eyes. “How are you doing, honey?”
“I’m struggling with what happened. I’ve replayed it over and over in my mind, but I don’t see any other outcome. When she fired into the crowd, I had to…I had to shoot her.” She shuddered.
“I’m sorry I doubted you. I’ll never do that again.”
“I almost left my Glock at home. If I had, she would have unloaded on Desiree and your dad.” She choked back a muffled sob. “She could have killed you, too.”
“But she didn’t because you were prepared.”
Struggling with the intensity of what might have happened, she swiped away a fresh tear. “Kathy must have given Internado that black eye when she found out about Rose Aurora.”
“And here I’d pegged her for the innocent wife who’d been wronged.”
“She had been wronged, but she was every bit as guilty.”
Sinclair sauntered over and kissed the top of Carly’s head before gripping his brother’s shoulder. “You two make one hell of a team.”
Carly’s smile was laced with sadness. “Thanks.”
“You guys okay?”
“We will be,” Maverick replied.
“I’ve got to head out of town for a while,” Sinclair said.
“Now?” Carly asked.
“Where are you going?” Maverick asked.
“I’ve got to take care of something with Dakota.”
Silence.
“That can’t be good,” Carly murmured. “What are you two up to?”
As if amused, Sin’s lips curved. “The past is the past, until its rears it’s ugly head. I’ll be flying under the radar, so I’m leaving my phone at home.”
“Oh, boy,” Maverick said. “Is that all we get?”
“That’s all you need to know.” He clasped Maverick’s hand and pulled him in for a hug. “My GM will be running Uninhibited. Do me a favor. Can you two drop by and check on things for me?”
“Of course,” Carly replied.
“Be safe, brother,” Maverick said as Sinclair opened the front door and slipped into the night.
“I worry about him,” she said.
“If anyone can take care of himself, it’s Sin.” Maverick drew Carly into his arms and dropped a tender kiss on her forehead. “Thank you for saving Desiree’s life.”
“No one hurts my family,” she said with conviction. “No one.”
E P I L O GU E
