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“This is your chance to redeem yourself.”
He gritted his teeth. “I’m aware of that,” he said, not letting his anger and frustration seep into his words.
“You were lucky to get a second chance. Don’t screw this up.”
The call ended, and he was left looking at his phone. He didn’t need the reminder—he’d been waiting for this opportunity for years.
Two years ago he thought he’d done enough, but his boss hadn’t agreed, and he feared how Lachlan Taylor would retaliate if he ever learned the truth. Taylor’s wife’s death wasn’t punishment enough, it seemed. He needed Taylor taken care of. Ideally, he’d be put in a jail cell: the same place Lachlan Taylor had tried to put him.
He blew out a long breath, his emotions eating at what was left of his soul. He’d killed Eden for nothing, and now he had to live with that fact.
He took a deep breath and locked his emotions away in the recesses of his black and cold-as-the-deep-sea heart. He pulled his shoulders back and grabbed his bag.
“Diana,” he called out as he closed the bedroom door behind him.
“In here,” she responded and he followed the sound of her voice.
She looked up as he entered the room, giving him the beautiful smile he lived for. The smile he’d done horrible things to protect so he could keep living and see her smile every day. Eden Taylor had died in retaliation for the case her husband had been working on, and now he needed to ensure Taylor never came for them.
“I’m heading off now,” he said, kissing her forehead.
“Drive safe. How long will you be in New York?” she asked.
“About a week, if my meetings go well,” he said. “I’ll call you when I get there. Tell the kids I love them.”
“I will,” she said with that same beautiful smile.
He closed the front door behind him and climbed into his car. He pulled the burner phone out of his bag and opened the GPS map, entering his intended destination:
Redwater.
LACHLAN
The drive to Bethenny’s house only took a few minutes.
“It’s not working,” she said as she pressed the button for her automatic garage door. She looked up and down the street. “I think the power must be out. I have keys though,” she said, jingling them in her hand as a crack of thunder rolled in, followed by a flash of lightning. Rain fell heavy and hard, and within a few seconds he could barely see out of the front window.
“Should we wait it out or make a run for it?” Bethenny asked, leaning forward, peering into the rain.
“I don’t think it’s letting up anytime soon, and now I can’t stop thinking about that hot chocolate,” he said, wearing a boyish grin.
She beamed a smile and took a deep breath, nodding. “Ready?”
She was so serious he couldn’t help but laugh. Bethenny was treating the run up her front path like they were on the frontline making a run for it.
He nodded, his tone serious. “Ready,” he said.
She grinned, grabbed the door handle, and flung it open.
He was a second behind her and laughed as he heard her silly scream as she ran up the path. He stayed close to her, because he could barely see his hands thanks to the sheets of rain falling on them.
“Watch the steps!” she said as she ran up them.
He almost slipped but caught himself.
On her porch, they stood, breathless, drenched. He looked her over, grinning wildly. For a moment he forgot, but then it hit him all at once. As he looked at Bethenny, she reminded him of Eden. This was something she would’ve done—made fun out of a miserable moment. He realized that in some ways, Bethenny and Eden were a lot alike, but in others they were completely different.
“Are you okay?” she asked, searching his eyes.
