Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 51832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
His eyes soften on her. “I appreciate that. Where is it now?”
“I gave it to Walker Security to protect, for the both of us. Michael Phillips seems quite desperate.”
His lips twist. “Is he now?” He doesn’t wait for an answer. “I need proof you have the coin. If I get that, I’ll end your trouble with Phillips.”
“How can we be sure they’re ended?” I ask.
“You’ll be sure or you won’t hand me the coin,” he replies.
Adam presents his phone with a photo of himself holding the coin. Louis eyes it and then Kurt. “You, my man, always come through, even from the grave.” He retrieves his phone from his pocket and punches in a number. It rings on speakerphone. He allows us to hear Phillips answer the phone before he says, “You are to leave Ana and Luke alone until further notice, and that means anyone they even speak to, let alone know intimately. Understand?”
Silence fills the line several beats before Phillips says, “That’s complicated.”
“It isn’t complicated at all,” Louis replies tightly. “No contact. No harm. The end.” He disconnects and says, “Once I have the coin, one of my men will visit him in an unforgettable way, not that this is even necessary. When will I receive my treasure?”
“Tonight,” Adam replies. “It’s in our office safe.”
Louis’s eyes light. “Well take me there now.” He offers Ana his hand. “A pleasure, my dear. You will be safe.” He inclines his head at me and motions to Adam. “I’ll ride with you.” He then waves at his guards, who follow him to the SUV.
Kurt steps closer. “I’m going with him. I’ll call you when it’s done.” He starts to walk away and Ana catches his arm.
“Don’t disappear.”
“I won’t leave you in the dark ever again.” With that, he dislodges her hand and heads to the SUV.
When the SUV blocking the driveway moves, and Adam pulls out of sight, Ana and I face each other. “He’s going to leave.”
“There’s more to Kurt’s story than we know, baby. There always has been. But maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t want to be at the beck and call of men like Louis. And who can blame him?” I stroke her hair. “Let’s go home, and tomorrow, we’ll figure out what comes next.”
“We have no car.”
It’s right then that another SUV pulls in. “Now we do. We’ll always find a way, baby. Don’t you doubt it.”
We load up in the vehicle with Dexter driving.
It’s an hour later, when we’re sitting at the kitchen island eating pizza that my cellphone rings, with Kurt on caller ID. “It’s done. I’m going back to Denver in the morning. You going to fly me there?”
I glance at Ana, knowing she’s not letting him out of her sight. “I’ll see you at the airport.” I disconnect, expecting Savage to coordinate details.
“Well?” Ana asks.
“It’s done. And I just promised to fly Kurt to The Ranch tomorrow.”
“Good,” she says. “We can get me packed up to move here.”
“You sure about that?”
She glances around her and says, “I’m home. And I love my new home.” She picks up a slice of pizza. “I’ll have another slice to celebrate.”
And I want to celebrate with her, too, but something about all of this just feels too tidy.
My damn gut is screaming like a banshee.
Chapter Forty-Three
Luke
I wake with Ana in my arms and in my bed and news that snow is expected in Denver. I love flying into a snowstorm, more than I probably should, especially early season when I haven’t done it for a year. In other words, it’s a perfect morning or would be, if not for the fact that gut feeling just won’t go away. I also have a message from Savage from about three am. Apparently, he and Kurt played poker with the guys all night. Kurt wants to leave later in the day, which works for me. I need time to figure out what is bothering me. What I get is time with Ana, sharing breakfast, and just being us, without a hammer over our heads. Unless there is a hammer, and we just don’t know it. Exactly why I call Adam, who doesn’t have a wife to stay behind with like Savage, and convince him to join us for the ride.
Ana doesn’t ask why.
On some level, I wonder if she isn’t relieved, if she doesn’t feel what I feel.
When we finally head to the airport, Blake meets us there, and without any prodding on my behalf, he offers Ana a job. “My wife is handling a situation with a client, or she’d be here. We want you to know you have a job if you want it, Ana. And that you have a family here. So go to Denver. Come back if and when you are ready. We’ll be here to welcome you.”