Page 141 of Peaks and Promises

The reality of what this meant hung between us, unspoken. We didn’t need to pretend to be married anymore.

Which was for the best. Because we weren’t married. We weren’t a family. And it had never been meant to be forever.

Reese had promised to keep us safe, but he hadn’t promised to stay.

CHAPTER 34

Reese

“The job’s finished.”

I heard myself say it, but the reality hadn’t sunk in.

“No shit?” Gunnar asked. “What happened?”

I stood in the backyard, keeping to the shade to stay out of the heat. I’d called Gunnar to check in and let him know Axel was no longer a problem. We didn’t exactly have an operations manual, but it was standard procedure, even though Summer had never been a typical client.

I gave him the rundown, and he asked a few questions. He already knew it wasn’t a paying gig, so he didn’t mention the financials.

“You’re sure her mom was telling the truth?” he asked.

“That was my first thought—she might not be. But it doesn’t track that she’d intervene. She doesn’t seem to care whether or not she gets to see her grandson, so I don’t think she’d go out on a limb for another club member like that.”

“Especially if he’s on the club’s shit list.”

“Exactly.”

“Not gonna lie, I’m relieved. I thought this job might go south.”

“Me too.”

“So what’s the plan now? You heading back to Arizona?”

I hesitated, trying to ignore the way his question made my chest ache. “Not yet. I’ve got some details to wrap up here first.”

“Okay, man. Keep me posted.”

“Will do.”

I ended the call.

It had been a few days since Summer’s conversation with Roxi. We’d gone back to our house in town, and I’d spread the word to my brothers that the asshole had left.

I should have been relieved it was over. And I was. I’d promised to keep Summer and Nate safe, and I’d kept my promise. Done my job. She could start over. Settle into life in Tilikum without fear.

But I was still uneasy.

Even so, it was time to move on. Take some time off so I’d be ready for the next client. I still had Theo’s wedding, and I wouldn’t leave before that. But once that was over, it would be time to go home.

Except I didn’t know what home meant anymore.

I went back inside, and Nate looked up from his latest Lego creation. He’d taken over the small dining table to build what looked like a castle.

“That’s pretty cool.” I pointed at some small gray Lego bricks stuck onto the blue of the moat. “What are those?”

“Sharks.”

“A castle with a moat that has sharks in it?”