Page 40 of Rescuing Macie

“I’ve called the police,” Ghost said, interrupting the moment. “I would advise that everyone but Truck, Macie, myself, the commander, and Lucky disappear. Lucky, we need you to stay since you have the video. Leave everything where it is. Evidence.”

Colt knew he should be taking control instead of Ghost, but the only person he was concerned about at the moment was Macie. He picked her up and carried her out of the room and headed downstairs to await the cops.

* * * *

Two hours later, Macie felt as if her head was going to explode. She was sitting on Colt’s lap on the couch, with his arms around her. Truck had gotten her a Vistaril tablet, but it hadn’t helped the anxiety migraine that had begun the moment she’d woken up in Trigger’s Porsche with Teddy driving.

She’d explained to the police at least three times everything she remembered. Teddy had bragged he’d killed the two thugs who’d broken into her apartment because they’d failed in their attempts at recovering her keepsake box. That was why the cops hadn’t been able to find them.

Then she’d learned he’d stashed a small amount of drugs in her box, but that wasn’t why he was so desperate to get his hands on it again. He’d also put a list of his suppliers in there. He knew if she found it and gave it to the cops, he was a dead man. His suppliers would kill him for being so careless. For someone as desperate as he was, he was also scarily patient. He’d waited weeks for Macie to show back up at her apartment so he could confront her himself and find out what she’d done with the shoebox. It was fairly obvious that he’d planned on killing her, just like he had his “friends,” after he got the list back.

Macie was glad to find out Trigger was all right. Apparently, Teddy had beaten him after tasing him a second time, to try to ensure he was knocked out for a long while, giving Teddy time to get to Killeen and collect his list.

She made sure the officers interviewing her knew she believed Teddy when he’d said he was going to kill her. Colt had reassured her before the cops got there that he wouldn’t be arrested. The “stand your ground” law that the state of Texas had meant that he didn’t need to attempt to retreat on his own property before using deadly force to defend himself or Macie. Colt really had saved her life. Macie had no doubt about that and she also had no doubt Teddy would’ve tortured her before he’d killed her if he had the chance.

Thanks to Lucky, who apparently always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, and his video, the cops didn’t arrest Colt. After checking his background and finding out what he did on the Army post, they’d warned him not to leave town and to be available for any questions they might have, but they didn’t handcuff him and bring him to the station to be questioned.

Macie kept her eyes averted when the coroner came and wheeled Teddy’s body out of the house. The entire situation seemed surreal to her.

Truck, Ghost, and Lucky had stayed the entire time the police questioned her and Colt. At one point, Truck disappeared upstairs and came back down with her shoebox. He carefully placed it next to her laptop on the dining room table and gave her a look, which Macie knew meant he would want to talk about its contents later.

Looking at her laptop, Macie winced.

“What is it? Are you in pain?” Colt asked.

“No. I mean, yes, but it’s not that,” Macie said. “I went to my apartment to get a file I needed to help an author with her website, but I never did get it, and she still needs help.”

“I’m sure she’ll understand,” Truck said.

“No. She won’t. You don’t get it. These authors rely on me to get their work done. Yeah, she might feel bad about what happened, but that doesn’t mean she still doesn’t need her websites fixed.”

“You can do it tomorrow,” Colt said softly. “I’ll have one of the guys go to your apartment and pack up all your stuff and bring it here. Then you won’t have to worry what you have and don’t have anymore.”

Even though her head hurt, and she wanted nothing more to sit in a dark room and sleep, Macie turned to Colt. “Did you just ask me to move in with you?”

“No,” he said. “I told you that you’re moving in with me.”

Macie snorted and closed her eyes. She put her head on his shoulder and sighed. “I’m too tired and my head hurts too much to argue with you right now.”

She heard rustling, and she heard Truck and Lefty say their goodbyes to Colt. Then the room was silent, and still Macie didn’t open her eyes.

“If you truly don’t want to move in, I’m willing to compromise,” Colt told her softly.

Finally feeling mellow because of the pill she’d taken, Macie said, “There’s nothing I want more than to move in with you, Colt. I just can’t help but wonder what everyone else will think. We haven’t known each other that long.”

“I don’t care,” Colt said after a moment. “And I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I only care about what you think. If you honestly think it’s too fast, then I’ll back off and we can have sleepovers at each other’s places. I want you to be comfortable with our relationship. But I’ll tell you where I stand—I’ve already been looking at rings. I’ve asked your brother for permission to ask you to marry me. I’ve warned my superior officer that I might need some time off in the near future so I can go on my honeymoon…and I’ve been asking around to learn who’s the best OBGYN in the area. I’m in this for the long haul, hon. I can’t replace the daughter you lost, but I can do whatever it takes to give you more children.”

“You want kids?” she asked incredulously.

“Honestly? I didn’t before I met you. But now I can’t stop thinking about what an amazing mother you’ll be. I can almost picture your beautiful eyes and features on our children. If you don’t mind me being an old fart by the time they get into high school, then I’m willing to give you as many children as you want.”

Macie could feel her heart beating fast in her chest, but for once today it wasn’t because of her anxiety. Oh, she was still nervous as hell about moving in with Colt, but she couldn’t help but be excited about the prospect of spending the rest of her life with him.

“If you get thrown in prison will I get conjugal visits?” she teased.

Colt rolled his eyes. “Thanks to Lucky, I’m not going to prison. Are you… I didn’t mean to kill him,” Colt said, and Macie could hear the uneasiness in his tone. She hated that he was unsure about her reaction to what he’d done.

Forcing her eyes open, she sat up and straddled the man she loved. She stared him in the eyes and said clearly, “I know you didn’t. And you did what you had to do. I feel safer with every day that passes because of you. I know that you’ll be the most protective dad any kid could ever have, and that eases my mind.”