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“Damn right I did. I like to think I learn from my mistakes. I wasn’t going to walk away from the man I love this time around.”
Her confession hits me like a punch to the gut. Emotion wells in my chest.
“I love you too, you know that right?”
“Yeah, it was kinda obvious,” she laughs.
“Well, I’m glad it was this time around, little thief.”
“Why do you keep calling me that? I haven’t stolen anything from you.”
“Yes you have.” I shake my head at the absurd question. Framing her face, I touch our lips together for a long, deep kiss. “You stole my heart. All those years ago.”
She swallows, tears pooling in her eyes. When she speaks, her voice cracks. “I hope you don’t want it back, because it’s mine.”
“All yours,” I confirm.
She nods, agreeing with my words before pulling me back for another long kiss.
The road ahead of us isn’t going to be easy, but it will be so worth it with her right beside me.
CHAPTER 12
KATRINA
Another text came in that afternoon when Lennox and I were strategizing our next steps to bring down Carlos and his associates.
You’re dead.
I tip the screen to Lennox so he could see it, and he shakes his head, clearly unimpressed with the threat.
“He’s giving away his only advantage. The element of surprise. He’s just told you he knows what you did and is coming for you. Idiot.”
I can’t help but chuckle at how chill he is about all this. My mountain man hasn’t lost his military edge. On the outside he looks calm and collected, an unknowing target. But inside, he’s ready to strike at a moment’s notice, bent on revenge and destroying my enemies. I love it.
We’re ready for them too.
What I hadn’t picked up on when I was scoping out Lennox’s cabin yesterday—when I was still officially supposed to be spying on him—was that his property is set up with maximum security. He sensed me coming before I even set eyes on his place. If he’d wanted to, he could have scared me off with a press of a button.
Oh, I was going to enjoy pressing all the buttons.
Dusk was falling. Lennox was on the phone with one of his military brothers who lived on the mountain. Both men were helping out tonight, using their skills to keep me safe and capture Carlos and whoever he brought with him.
With a final grunt of acknowledgment, he hangs up the phone, comes to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders.
“Got a report that four unmarked vans have been spotted in town. I thought you said this criminal was smart,” he jokes, giving my hip a bump.
“I never said they were smart. They’re just good at issuing threats.” Licking my lips, I turn fully toward him, circling my arms around his wide chest. “Four vans seems like a lot of backup. Carlos isn’t going to go down without a fight.”
“I’m anticipating that.” Resting his chin on the top of my head, he gives me a reassuring squeeze. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. Cohen and Connor are going to be on the ground, and I’ll be close, up in the trees, taking out anyone who gets too close that isn’t Carlos. Your job is to get him talking. We have the documented proof, but we need names. Someone is after that princess and we need to make sure she stays safe.”
This princess’s plight sounded a lot like mine. Both betrayed, both forced to go and do things that we didn’t want to, leaving loved ones behind. I never wanted to feel as helpless as I did when Carlos brought me into his fold. I never wanted another woman to be used by him again either. I didn’t know her, but the princess and I had a common enemy.
Tonight, I’d make sure Carlos spilled his guts so that we could take down his corrupt organization and put a stop to this reign of terror.
“I’m ready. I never thought I’d be happy to use the skills my father taught me but if it means tricking Carlos into squealing on the men he works for, so be it.”
“That’s my girl. And I’ll be close by, no matter what happens. No one will touch you.”
