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Tessa gripped Flynn’s hand like the lifeline it was. She knew it had been her uncle on the stairs, but she had to ensure she wasn’t imagining things and that she hadn’t killed him. Had to show him she was still alive. And she wanted to know why he wanted her dead.
In the main room, four men were handcuffed and prone on the ground. Even though they were face-down, she knew which one was her uncle. As if he felt her attention, Karlo shifted and lifted his head. His gaze locked on hers and hate fairly sizzled across the room.
Tessa released Flynn’s hand and moved closer. Karlo’s gaze never left hers and his expression grew angrier the closer she came. Unsure if her legs would support her much longer, Tessa dropped into the chair nearest him. “Why?”
Karlo rolled his eyes. “Stupid bitch. You’re nothing but trouble.”
Tessa gripped the arm of the chair to stop her body from reacting. “I’ve never done anything to you.”
He sneered at her. “You fucked it all up by simply existing. First your mama wanted to leave the family because of you. Wanted to hide you away. Then your father lied about his will. He left the money to you. Traitorous bastard. Thought we wouldn’t find out.”
“Money? This has all been about money? You’ve killed people for money?” Anger vibrated through her and she shoved to her feet. “You’re pathetic.”
She walked toward Flynn and then kept walking. She couldn’t be in the same room with Karlo. He’d set her up to be killed and when that hadn’t worked, had tried again. For money.
Tessa kept moving until she reached the workout room. Once again, she wished her body was up to using the treadmills to run away from her frustrations and hurts.
She hadn’t been able to run since Karlo had blown up her house with her in it. Killing her father. Sending her to Wit Sec. Almost destroying her body. Had he also killed her mother?
A shudder ran through her, shaking her from head to toe.
“Hey.” Flynn’s soft voice drifted across the room. She heard him close the door, but she couldn’t turn. All the energy she possessed was keeping her from shaking apart.
Flynn walked in front of her and then his strong body wrapped her in a hug so gentle, she couldn’t hold herself together any more.
Sobs broke and he cradled her to him as she cried. For herself. For her mother. For her father. Even for her broken family. What had made them evil? What had broken them beyond repair?
Flynn held her gently, stroking her hair, and whispering soothing words to her. She managed to get herself under control and then she leaned into him, too worn to even lift her head. “Sorry about that.”
He chuckled as he kissed her hair. “Nothing to be sorry about. You’ve been under unimaginable stress for over a decade. Letting it out isn’t a bad thing.”
His warmth and strength seeped into her and soothed her. “What happens next?”
He sighed into her hair. “The FBI team from Bedford should be here shortly. We’ll coordinate with them and the other deputies Marcus called in. The men we’ve caught will all be taken to various detention centers and charged. Then there will be a million questions for all of us and a billion pounds of paperwork that has to be filled out.”
Her body ached just thinking about it.
“But we’ll get that arm checked out before you have to answer anything.”
“Mitch fixed it up. I’m sure it’s fine. I just want to get this over with.”
He hugged her again. “I know. I wish I could make that happen for you.”
That had her looking up. “I know you would. That wasn’t a criticism, just a statement.”
He kissed her forehead. “I know that, too.”
“I called John Tynan, my US Marshal contact, earlier on. I’ll have to call back and update him, although he was going to talk with the Houston FBI office. He was a little pissed I hadn’t called him earlier, but when I told him the story, he mostly understood.”
Someone knocked softly on the door and Flynn called for them to come in.
Sam opened the door and poked his head in. “How you doing, Tess?”
“I’m okay. Do you need us?”
He gave her a wry smile. “I could hold things off for a few minutes, but the teams are here and we want to get these guys off the property and locked up where they belong.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
