He shook his head. “Damn you, where is he?”
“Dead.”
Panic soared through her and her hand darted out and clutched his throat. “Stop lying. Where is he?”
“Elena …” His eyes closed and he slumped sideways.
Barry couldn’t be dead. Even with his last breath Chavez had to be lying to hurt her.
“You’re bleeding.” Galen was kneeling beside her. “Where are you hurt?”
Did a man lie when he was dying?
“Elena, where are you hurt?”
“Dammit, I’m not hurt. It’s nothing.” She leaped to her feet. “He said Barry was here but that he was dead. He had to be lying. I have to find him. He had to be—”
“He was lying.” Judd stepped out from the trees. “Barry is behind that oak tree. I gave him a Mickey, but he should be coming around in a little while. I’d get him off this mountain before he does. There’s quite a bit of carnage he shouldn’t see.”
“That tree?” Elena was already running toward it.
God, make it be true. Make him be safe.
There he was. But he was so still.…
She fell to her knees and gathered him close.
He was breathing. Sleeping, as Judd had said.
She rocked him back and forth in an agony of joy.
He’s going to be all right. Do you hear me, Dominic? Our boy is safe.
“He’s not hurt?” Galen asked Judd.
“Hell, no. He may wake up with the tiniest headache, but I’m pretty good with sedatives. He shouldn’t have any aftereffects.”
“He’d better not. If Elena doesn’t cut your throat, I will.”
“And both of you are very talented in that area. After I finished my business with Chavez, I climbed that poplar tree near the glade and watched you operate.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I had to keep an eye on the kid to make sure Chavez didn’t do anything unexpected, and I thought I might as well be entertained. There’s nothing I liked better than seeing those slimeballs meet their maker.”
Galen’s gaze narrowed on his face. “And helping a couple of them along yourself? I ran into two bodies on the way up that I wasn’t responsible for. I thought maybe Elena … but she wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near that trail.”
“I got a little bored waiting.”
“Then why didn’t you do something constructive and take out Chavez?”
“That was Elena’s job. She needed to do it.”
Galen started to curse.
“We look at things differently. You’re protective. I’m on the outside looking in.”
“You came in from the outside and kidnapped Barry, damn you.”
“I needed the money,” Judd said simply. “I was sorry I had to use him, but I was feeling the pressure.”
“You not only used him, you used me. I brought Elena and Barry to the ranch and I trusted you.”
“I never told you that you could trust me. You didn’t want to believe that I’m capable of doing things you’d never dream of doing. But you might consider that the boy will have no bad memories of this episode. He’s had an adventure that he’ll remember for some time.”
“And Elena’s been through hell.”
Judd nodded soberly. “And I knew exactly what I was doing to her when I took Barry. I’m not asking forgiveness. I know that’s not possible.”
“You’re damn right it’s not.”
“Then I’ll be on my way. I just wanted to make sure she didn’t have to search for Barry.” He turned away. “Good-bye, Galen. Good luck.”
“And where are you going?”
“Washington. I have some intricate bribing to do.”
“You’re an idiot. They’ll catch you and hang you out to dry.”
“What do you care?” He smiled faintly as he strolled toward the trees. “I’m not your problem anymore.”
He shouldn’t care. He wouldn’t care. What Judd had done was beyond the pale. Son of a bitch.
As he reached the edge of the glade, Judd took off his black windbreaker and dropped it on the ground. “Tell Elena to put on my jacket. She’s covered in Chavez’s blood and she wouldn’t want to scare the kid.”
He disappeared into the trees.
Galen gazed after him in anger and frustration … and regret.
Damn him.
“Let me take him.” Galen reached out and took Barry from her arms. “How is he?”
“Sleeping. But he stirred a moment ago.”
“Good. I called Hughes to bring the men up and secure our path as we go down the mountain. He should be here any minute.”
She looked around the glade. “Where’s Judd?”
“He left. He was probably afraid to face a mother’s wrath.”
“He should be,” she said grimly. “I may still go after him and murder the bastard.”
“He wouldn’t blame you.” He handed her the jacket he’d draped over his arm. “He left you this. He said you mustn’t scare Barry.”
“I’ll do what I—” She glanced down at her bloodstained clothes. “Shit.” She grabbed the jacket and put it on. “Let’s get out of here. I don’t know if your shot alerted any rangers or campers, but I don’t want to find out.”
“I didn’t fire that shot. I was very busy disposing of Gomez. He was better than I expected.”
“Judd?”
“More than likely. He was perched up in a tree like a bloody angel of death.”
She looked back at Chavez. “It was a close moment. I was countering his move, but I might not have been fast enough. He distracted Chavez.”
“But didn’t take him out. He said you needed to do that.”
So many deaths. Dominic, Luis, Forbes … Chavez had poisoned her life for years and threatened her child. Yes, she had needed to do it herself. But she resented the fact that Judd had recognized that about her. “I don’t want any favors from him.”
“You’ll have to accept that one. It’s probably the only reason I didn’t strangle him.”
She shook her head. “You like him. In spite of everything, you still like him. You grabbed at the excuse.”
He grimaced ruefully. “Maybe.”
“I can’t forgive him. He took my child.”
“No one expects you to.” His arms tightened around the little boy. “There’s Hughes coming into the glade. Let’s go. I think Barry’s starting to wake up.”
It wasn’t until they were only a few miles from the cottage that Barry roused in her arms. “Mama?”
“Yes, baby. You okay?”
“Sleepy.” He yawned. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
He looked at Galen. “Hi, Galen. I saw so many things. So many wonderful things …”
“That’s good, Barry.”
“Where’s Judd?”
“He had to go away on business. He told me to say good-bye.”
“Oh.” Barry’s face fell with disappointment. “When will he come back?”
“I don’t know. We’re going to do some traveling ourselves.”
Elena looked at him. “We are?”
“It’s a surprise for your mother too.” Galen gazed meaningfully at Elena. “There may be some stormy weather around here. We need to absent ourselves until the disturbance settles down.”
Elena nodded slowly. They didn’t know what kind of repercussions might result from the killing of Chavez and his men. There was little loyalty among the drug hierarchy, but it would be smart to take precautions.
“I think we all need a beach, and I know a place in the Bahamas that will fit the bill,” Galen said.
“I like it at the cottage.” Barry frowned. “And I’m kind of tired of traveling around.”
“I bet you are.” Elena hugged him. “But the cottage doesn’t belong to us. We can’t stay there forever.”
“Will Dominic go with us?”
She was silent a moment. How much longer before she had to tell him that
he would never have his Dominic again? Not now. Not until he was more secure. “No, Dominic won’t be going with us.”
“Why not? He told me he’d take me to the shore sometime. He said he really had fun at the beach in Miami.”
“He has something else to do now.” Elena blinked back the tears. “But he’d want you to enjoy yourself. He likes to see you happy.”
Barry nodded. “Maybe he’ll come later. He told me once that he’d always be with us.”
She felt Galen grasp her arm for an instant, then release it, and comfort flowed through her at that silent support.
“It’s true. He’ll never really go away.” She cleared her throat. “You’ll like the beach. Did you know that you can build castles in the sand?”
Epilogue
Nassau, Bahamas
Two months later
The sun was hot on her back, and Elena turned over and drew farther beneath the huge beach umbrella.
“You’re going to burn.” Galen dropped down on the blanket beside her. He threw a towel over her legs. “You shouldn’t go out at this time of day.”
“I like the heat and I hardly ever burn. It’s one advantage of having olive skin.” She turned on her side to look at him. “Where’s Barry? The last time I saw him, the two of you were riding that poor mule down the beach.”
“Nothing poor about the blasted animal. He stopped walking and made me pull him back to the hotel.” He nodded at a group of children several yards away. “Barry’s over there with the children’s director.”
“Barry’s seen more of you than I have during the last two months. Where have you been?”
“Here and there. I thought you needed to just lie in the sun and be alone with the kid. You were pretty stressed when we left Georgia.”
That was an understatement. She had been coiled tight as a wire and was filled with sorrow, regret, and a weariness that was bone deep. She had been almost numb for the first week and then, gradually, she had begun to heal. “Stressed isn’t the word.”
“You look better now.” He stared out at the ocean. “I called Logan today, and he said we’re clear to go back to the U.S. The DEA isn’t going out of its way to investigate the killing of Chavez or his men. They’re just glad to be rid of them. Manero says there’s no word of any push against us from the drug community. They’re too busy dividing up Chavez’s territory.”
“So it’s over?”
“Looks like it. We’ll go back to the States and get you settled with proper papers. That’s what you want, right?”
“That’s what I want.”
“Good.” He got to his feet. “Then I’ll set it up. We can probably leave in a few days.”
She watched him walk back to the hotel. The sun was shining on his close-cut dark hair, and he was moving with his usual restless energy. He was clearly on a mission.
Out to tie up loose ends and place a big satin bow on a job well done.
Not bloody likely, Galen.
She drew a deep breath as she paused before the door of Galen’s room.
Just do it.
She opened the door. The room was in darkness. “Galen.”
“Out here on the balcony. Problems?”
“Oh, yes.” She crossed the room and went out to join him. “Big time.”
“Barry?”
“No. Everything doesn’t have to concern Barry.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Because you’re blind. I love my son, but that doesn’t mean he has to be the only one in my life. If you hadn’t been so damn considerate, you could have taken me back into your bed at least a month ago. Instead, you made me wait.” She took a step closer. “You made me feel uncertain, and I don’t like that.”
He smiled faintly. “And what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to tell you I love you and I think you love me. I’ll give you some time to think about it, but it’s only fair to let you know that I believe in marriage.”
“And when did you decide you had all this boundless affection for me?”
“I think it was right before I threw out my weapons when I was about to fight Chavez.”
He blinked. “What?”
“I knew there might be a sniper in the trees, but I threw them out anyway because I trusted that you’d be there for me.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “My God, that’s got to be the most original declaration I’ve ever heard.”
“Stop laughing.” She tried to steady her voice. “It meant something to me. It’s not easy for me to lean on someone else, to trust. You told me I wasn’t alone, that I didn’t have to be alone. Well, I’m going to take you up on it.” She paused. “So make up your mind about it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll make it up for you.” She stepped closer and laid her head on his chest. She could hear the sound of his heartbeat beneath her ear. “I’ll follow you all around the world until you get tired of seeing me and Barry behind you. You won’t be able to look at another woman because I’ll scare her off.”
“You’ll clear the way to me?”
“Anywhere. Anytime.”
“I guess I don’t have any choice, then. Since I’m such a peaceful man, I wouldn’t want to see violence inflicted on an innocent—ouch. You kicked me.”
“I’ll do worse than that if you’re not—”
“Shh. No threats. Do you know what it took for me to wait until you came to me?” He cupped her face in his hands and looked down into her eyes.
She inhaled sharply at what she saw there. “Then it served you right. There’s nothing wrong with being a little aggressive.”
“There is where you’re concerned. You’ve threatened both my person and my manhood in the past.”
“That was different.”
“Everything that’s between us is different. That’s why it had to be right or not at all.”
“And is it right now?”
His face was coming nearer and his voice was only a breath of sound. “You tell me.…”
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