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Chapter Sixty
Rylee didn’t hesitate. She went straight for the hand that held the firearm. Reaching with her foot, she placed the kick so his arm would fly backwards, forcing him to drop the weapon.
It worked, as she knew it would. But he didn’t turn and run as she’d hoped. Instead, he hauled off and backhanded her. She flew over the table, making a mess of the wine glasses and dishes, scattering everything, breaking some. People nearby ran screaming. Pandemonium broke out so that their interaction was obscured from Carl.
On her own, she pushed a chair out of her path and scrambled up in time to see the reason why the idiot hadn’t taken off. Her sister had a hold of his leg and was gnawing on his calf, making him scream like a girl. He kicked out with his other foot, driving the heel into Mari’s beautiful face, and Rylee lost all reason, acting on pure adrenalin and rage.
Before he could follow through with another kick at his tenacious victim, Rylee dove in fast and drove her elbow into his throat, her fist into his belly.
Mari rolled out of the way while they threw punches and jabs back and forth. A furious tormenter, Rylee countered his every ploy and struck back time and again.
Tiring but not ready to concede, his fist came at her, missing her by a hair. She ducked. Twirling so fast he wasn’t prepared, she landed a kick to the side of his face that drove it sideways, spittle flying from his mouth and a grunt issuing from the lips that weren’t smiling now.
He went down, only to have security on him like a pack of gleeful hunting dogs on a luckless rabbit.
Rylee, breathing hard, suddenly weak, fell to the ground. She crawled over to where Mari lay curled like a fetus, hiding under a table nearby.
“Mari, are you okay? Let me see your thigh.” Rylee gently forced her sister to turn her way, and she caught her breath. “Goddammit, Mari Rae James. Look at you!” She reached over for a white linen napkin from the table and held it over the wound, forcing pressure.
Mari’s lips wobbled and the tears drained over her eyelids like two waterfalls full of spring runoff. Her lips wobbled, and she sputtered, “I was saving you from being shot.”
“And got shot yourself.”
“I didn’t think he’d actually pull the trigger.”
“Oh, baby, I can’t believe you’d interfere like you did. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Crying hard – not a pretense for pity now, but pure emotion – trembling and pitiful, Mari answered, “I can’t lose you. You’re all I have left.”
Sniffling herself, Rylee caressed the bruise forming on Mari’s cheek. “So, you get shot just to save me. You’re an idiot. And what about Duke? I thought you said he’s the one. He can be your family.”
“Maybe, but he isn’t you. Only you can be you. And I need you in my life, Rylee. I can’t bear a world you’re not in. I can’t.” Hysterical now, Mari hid her face and let loose. Rylee stopped teasing, understanding the signs of a person in shock. Thankful to move aside for the emergency crew on the ship, she let them administer a drug to calm Mari.
Forced aside so they could do their job, she went to find Carl. He was no where to be seen.
But she knew where to find him. Taking off, she ran hard, zooming along the promenade, flying up the stairs, unable to wait in the line ups for the elevators. Her breath caught in a throat suddenly tightened with a fear she’d never known before. Oh, she’d had moments when she worried about a partner, or a civilian, but never this gut-wrenching terror for someone she realizedshecouldn’t live without.
Suddenly, she understood the fear she’d forced onto Mari for the years she’d been on the job. And having gotten shot on her last case had ramped up Mari’s anxieties to where they were unreasonable but realistic.
As she ran, she tried calling his number. Of course, her fingers wouldn’t work, concentration had fled and stopping wasn’t an option. Finally, she arrived on his floor only to see him further down the long narrow corridor, streaking her way, his running stride braking when he saw her coming toward him.
They met, arms reaching. He wrapped his around her, lifting her off her feet in a hug so warm and hard she couldn’t catch her breath. After moments of clinging, giving in to the overwhelming gratitude of seeing him alive and safe, she wheezed, “Put me down, you crazy fool. You’re crushing me.”
He let her slide down his body, then found her lips in a kiss that sizzled with thankfulness and adoration. “Thank God you’re okay. I couldn’t get back to you. Larry had a gun. God, Rylee, I was terrified.”
“I’m fine. I didn’t get hurt. Not me.”
Jake pulled her away so he could look into her face, search her eyes for the truth. “Carl spoke crazy shit. Said your sister got shot. I have no idea what the fuck the man was talking about, and I didn’t wait to question him. After we stopped Eve, he said to find you. I just ran.” He pulled her close again, his lips finding hers in a kiss that once and for all destroyed the bars around her heart.
Ready to trust, soft with expectation, willing and wanting, she grasped the love he offered and sealed it inside. No more hiding away from reality. No more playing a hard-ass when people loved her so much, needed her in their lives and wanted her to be happy.
It was time to grow up and take on responsibilities instead of hiding behind her badge and shutting out the world.
She spoke from the heart, words that weren’t forced but gathered speed because of her incredible need to say them.
“I love you. And I’m going to marry you and the kids. We’ll be a family. And… I’m going to take on safer assignments. And be your wife. And a mother for Miguel, who I love. And I love our babies who need us. And I love my crazy sister. And I love… Carl?”
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