by Terri Reed
“What’s happened, Dave?” Chief Kirkland asked, his nose wrinkling. “You smell like gasoline.”
The officer helped the man to sit in a chair in the waiting area.
“I was carjacked, Chief,” Dave said. “At the Gas and Go. This guy came out of nowhere. Rammed my head into the side of my truck, then pushed me down and jumped in and took off while the pump was still running.”
Kaitlyn’s heart jumped in her throat. Anxiety twisted in her chest. “Did you get a look at the man?”
Dave shrugged. “Just briefly. Kind of a big guy, wearing a long fancy coat that was soaked. He didn’t look like he was from around here.”
“Harrison Reece,” Kaitlyn said. “He’s going to head for the border.”
Chief Kirkland nodded. “I’ll contact the state patrol and the county sheriff. For now, Deputy, you’ve done your duty. It’s time for you to go to the hotel and rest.”
Kaitlyn knew she had no jurisdiction here, and though she hated to admit it, she was exhausted. But she couldn’t leave when there was work to be done. “I should stay and help with the search.”
The chief shook his head. “No offense, Deputy, but you were just in a plane crash. You look wrung out. I think the strongest wind could blow you over. You need rest. Let us take over from here. Officer Hess, take Deputy Lanz over to the Bluebird Hotel.”
She wanted to protest. Harrison was her responsibility. She’d let him get away. His escape was a mark on her record.
There’s that pride and stubbornness again, Kaitlyn, a little voice whispered in her head.
Mentally grimacing, she said, “You’re right. Just let me know when you catch him.” She started to leave with the young officer when she paused and turned back to Dave. “Please, tell me there are no weapons in your truck.”
The man shrugged. “Just my shotgun.”
Kaitlyn’s stomach dropped. “Harrison’s armed and dangerous. No one’s safe until he’s caught.”
“I understand, Deputy. I will make sure everyone uses caution,” the chief promised.
“He has nothing to lose,” she told him. She stuck her hand in her jacket and fingered the flash drive. Harrison wouldn’t dare come after the drive, would he? He’d be a fool if he did. But she’d be ready for him.
The hotel was just a few blocks away. As Officer Hess pulled beneath the porte cochere, he said, “Hey, there’s Dave’s truck.”
“What? Where?” Every cell in Kaitlyn’s body went on alert.
Officer Hess pointed to a big silver American-made dually truck.
Terror struck Kaitlyn’s heart.
Harrison was here.
And Nick, the man she loved, was vulnerable. She had no doubt Harrison would use Nick as leverage to get the flash drive. It was up to her to protect Nick.
* * *
After a long hot shower, Nick dressed in the sweatpants and long-sleeve T-shirt provided by the hotel gift shop. He was warm and dry and famished. He’d called room service before his shower and ordered a juicy hamburger with the works, fries and a bottle of water. He would’ve ordered Kaitlyn the same, except he didn’t know when, or if, she’d be coming to the hotel. And he was sure she wouldn’t be coming to see him. Though she’d asked for time, he was certain she’d really meant never.
It hurt to think that she wouldn’t ever let him into her heart. But somehow he was going to have to live with her rejection.
He had a child now who would require his attention and his love. That was, if all went the way he hoped and prayed it would when he filed to adopt Rosie. She would love him unconditionally. He’d never had anyone in his life love him for himself. He knew it wouldn’t be all smooth sailing, being a parent. He was realistic enough to know he had a lot to learn.
But he was hopeful that he and his little girl would bond, and he would be enough for her. Just him. He couldn’t imagine raising her with anyone other than Kaitlyn.
And Kaitlyn had already made it clear she wasn’t interested in being a part of their lives.
A knock sounded at the door. “Room service.”
Finally. His stomach growled. “Coming.”
He padded across the floor in his new socks and opened the door. Harrison Reece stood there with a shotgun aimed at a wide-eyed waiter gripping a rolling cart bearing a silver tray of food.
Nick gulped air as his heart rate took off at a gallop in his chest.
Harrison pushed the waiter inside the room. “Back up, both of you.” He dragged the rolling cart in and slammed the door behind him, locking it.
The waiter, probably in his early twenties, was visibly shaken. Nick pushed the young man behind him. “Harrison, what are you doing? You need to let this kid go. He has nothing to do with this.”
“Oh, no,” Harrison said. “He’s my insurance that you’ll cooperate.”
“Everybody’s going to be looking for you. It’s only a matter of time before they find you and you go to prison,” Nick stated.
Keeping the shotgun level, Harrison shook his head. “You’re my ticket out of here. Nobody is going to hurt me as long as I have the great Nick Delaney, son of the eccentric billionaire Patrick Delaney, as my hostage.”
“How did you find me?” Nick asked.
“The front desk clerk is a few hundred dollars richer,” Harrison said.
“This isn’t going to do you any good.” Nick’s nerves stretched taut. He wanted to do something, anything, to thwart Harrison. But as long as Harrison had that shotgun aimed at him, he couldn’t act. He didn’t have his flak vest on anymore. He really didn’t want to die. He had too much to live for. “The FBI know about you and about the flash drive. They will hunt you down no matter where you go.”
“You keep telling yourself that.” Wedging the butt of the shotgun against his shoulder, his finger near the trigger, Harrison used his other hand to lift the lid on the service tray and grab the hamburger. “Thank you, Nick. Don’t mind if I do.” He proceeded to eat the burger.
Nick tried to think of some way to get himself and the waiter out of there. He glanced over his shoulder at the kid and asked softly, “What’s your name?”
“Bobby.”
“Okay, Bobby. Just don’t do anything and stay behind me.”
Bobby nodded.
When Harrison was done with the hamburger, he went to the desk and picked up Nick’s phone. He tossed it to Nick. Nick caught it.
“Call the deputy,” Harrison said. “Tell her to bring the flash drive here. And to come alone. Make sure she knows I’ll put a bullet through you and the kid if she doesn’t comply.”
Nick had Kaitlyn on speed dial. He pushed the number and it went right to voice mail. “Kaitlyn, listen to me. I need you to bring the flash drive to my room at the hotel, alone, or Harrison says he will put a bullet through me and the waiter who brought my room service dinner.” He ended the call. “I don’t know if or when she’ll get the message.”
“Then we wait till she does,” Harrison said.
A few seconds later the phone rang in Nick’s hand. It was Kaitlyn. Nick pressed the button to connect the call.
“Just listen to me,” Kaitlyn said crisply. “When you hear a knock at the room door, use the distraction to unlock the glass slider.”
“Okay,” he said and hung up. He wasn’t sure what was about to happen, but he trusted Kaitlyn and would do as she instructed.
Harrison frowned. “What did she say?”
“She’s on her way.” It wasn’t a lie. He assumed Kaitlyn was close.
“Good.” Harrison ate a fry.
There was a knock on the room door. Harrison turned toward the sound.
Adrenaline spiked through Nick. He ran the short distance to the slider and flipped up the lock. Then his gaze focused on the woman standing on the other side of the sliding glass door. Kaitlyn. She must have climbed to the balcony.
Nick backed away as Kaitlyn opened the slider and stepped into the room.
Nick grabbed Bobby and yanked him to the floor.
“Drop your weapon, Reece,” she said, her voice calm and steady, as was the gun in her hands. “You’re under arrest.”
“Not on your life, Deputy.” Harrison pulled the trigger on the shotgun.
Kaitlyn dived to the side and came up firing.
The sounds of gunfire and glass shattering were followed by an eerie silence.
Kaitlyn!
Nick’s heart slammed against his ribs. Had Harrison shot the woman Nick loved?
Nick covered his ringing ears and lifted his head. Harrison lay crumpled on the floor, gripping his shoulder. Blood seeped into the carpet beneath him, creating a wide circle. Nick twisted to look at Kaitlyn. She was on one knee, her weapon still aimed at Harrison. The shotgun blast had hit the sliding glass door leading to the balcony instead of hitting Kaitlyn.
She was okay. Relief flooded Nick.
Kaitlyn rose and grabbed the shotgun, moving it far from Harrison’s reach. She turned to Nick, her eyes wide and her pupils dilated. “Are you okay?”
Able to read her lips, he nodded. “Except for the ringing in my ears, yes.”
She gave a sharp nod before she opened the hotel room door.
Two officers charged in. Nick recognized the police chief, who assessed Harrison’s wounded shoulder and called for an ambulance.
Kaitlyn took Nick’s hand and held on tight. “We’ll need to give our statements.”
Bemused by her action, Nick nodded. “Of course.” He squeezed her hand. “You saved my life.”
“I did my job, Nick.”
But the way she was holding on to him wasn’t part of her job. And not for anything would he point that out.
Paramedics arrived to take Harrison to the hospital. The other officer followed them out, reading Harrison his rights. Nick, Bobby and Kaitlyn gave their statements to the police chief.
Once everything settled down, the hotel manager gave Nick a key card for a suite on the top floor.
Fully expecting Kaitlyn to detach, Nick was pleasantly surprised when she kept hold of his hand and entered the elevator to the top floor. In silence, they walked to the suite at the end of the hall. He opened the door to a spacious living room and small kitchen. There was a bedroom off each end of the living room.
Nick flexed his fingers, assuming Kaitlyn would let go, but she didn’t. He turned to her. She was so pale. Her pupils were dilated. Tears gathered in her eyes. His strong, beautiful, capable Kaitlyn was on the verge of a breakdown. And she was fighting it for all she was worth.
He led her to the couch and sat down next to her. “It’s okay, Kaitlyn. We’re safe. Harrison is no longer a threat to any of us.” He realized this could be the first time she’d shot someone in the line of duty. “You did what you had to do. To protect me. To protect everyone. That’s who you are, Kaitlyn. A protector. And I love you.”
Her only response was a little hiccuping noise that broke his heart. Was she going into shock? “Kaitlyn, you need to let it all out or it’s going to eat you up inside.”
Her gaze met his. The vulnerability and anguish he saw swimming in her pretty eyes hurt his heart. He tugged her to his chest. For a moment, she resisted. Then she melted against him. He was at a loss for what to do. Love filled him to brimming and he did the only thing he could. He held her through the storm.
* * *
Kaitlyn’s sobs turned to hiccups until she was able to control them. She felt spent, yet the crying jag had been cathartic. Her cheek lay against Nick’s chest. His heart beat in a wild rhythm. His shirt was soaked from her tears. She’d never cried like that before. Embarrassment flashed through her. Then she reminded herself this was Nick. The man she loved. He would never intentionally hurt her. He would not see her as weak.
She lifted her head and leaned back so that she could stare into his handsome, dear face. “Nick, I’m so sorry.”
He frowned with clear puzzlement. “What for, Kaitlyn? You have nothing to apologize for.”
“But I do,” she insisted. “You see, I let my pride and my stubbornness keep me from acknowledging what my heart has known for a very long time. I let fear keep me imprisoned.” She took a steadying breath, determined to say the words clearly. “I love you, Nick Delaney.”
His mouth formed an O and his eyes widened. She waited, wondering if he would come back with some flippant remark, and she knew she wouldn’t mind.
Instead, he smiled, a soft, tender smile that made her heart soar.
He touched her cheek. “Praise God. I’m so glad to hear that.”
She needed him to understand. “I want to be with you. If you’ll have me.”
His eyebrows arched and that impertinent grin she loved so much formed.
“Kaitlyn Lanz, are you proposing to me?”
She laughed as joy bubbled up inside of her. “I suppose I am. I guess you want to be the one to do it, don’t you?”
“Well, traditionally the man does the proposing. But I kind of like that you’re taking the lead on this.” He gave a dramatic sigh. “Though I have to say I was really hoping for something more romantic.”
Grinning, she arched her eyebrow. “Really? Like what?”
“Like Paris, the top of the Eiffel Tower, with roses and chocolate-dipped strawberries.”
Her heart sighed at the image his words created. “I wouldn’t mind that at all. Can we bring Rosie?”
He laughed. “Of course. Providing the court lets me adopt her.”
“I’m confident you will become her forever daddy,” she said as she pulled him closer.
“And you’ll be her forever mommy,” he murmured, right before he kissed her.
EPILOGUE
Morning sunlight glittered through the dining room window, making the ornaments on the large Douglas fir tree glisten. Nick sat on the floor with Rosie on his lap, her little hands holding on to his fingers.
It had been two weeks since Rosie had come into Nick’s life. After petitioning the court for custody and it being granted, then starting the adoption process, Nick looked forward to the new chapter in his life. Despite the sad circumstance that had brought Rosie to him, he could honestly say his life had changed for the better.
Now it was Christmas morning, and for the first time in his adult life, excitement revved through Nick’s veins at the thought of celebrating the blessed day, because this was his first Christmas with Rosie.
And Kaitlyn.
She’d arrived an hour ago with her parents, having declined to stay at the estate, saying she didn’t want to give the town gossips any fodder. But soon they would all be flying off to Paris for a proper proposal. Kaitlyn’s parents were coming along to help with Rosie. And a wedding was in the works for the spring.
Mr. and Mrs. Lanz were sitting at the table with Margaret and Collin, enjoying the last of a hearty Christmas breakfast.
“Here’s a present for you.” Kaitlyn handed him a beautifully wrapped gift as she sat beside him. She reached for Rosie. “Let me have a turn.”
Marveling yet again at how blessed he was to have this woman in his life, Nick relinquished his hold on Rosie to open the box. Inside was an ornament, an exact replica of his Cirrus jet that had crashed in the mountains of Montana. “This is fabulous. Where did you get it?”
She smiled over Rosie’s head. “You can find anything on the internet.”
He laughed and hung it on the nearest limb of the Christmas tree. Then he reached under the tree, past the many presents for Rosie, for his gift to Kaitlyn. “I have something for you, too.”
Keeping Rosie on her lap with one arm around her tiny waist, Kaitlyn held out her hand.
Nick laughed, content to let h
er keep Rosie so he could look at them both. He placed the small box in her palm.
She stared at it for a moment, then lifted her gaze to his. “Is this—?”
No doubt she wondered if it was the beautiful ring they’d had made by the local jeweler. Nick had wanted to make sure Kaitlyn liked her ring, so he’d had her pick it out. He shook his head. “No, you’ll have to wait for that. This is something else I hope you’ll like.”
She attempted to unwrap it with one hand. He couldn’t take it, so he helped. He lifted the lid to reveal the delicate rose-gold snowflake charm on a rose-gold chain.
“I love it,” she said. “Will you?” She gestured to her neck.
He removed the necklace and went behind her to secure it around her throat. It rested on her skin above the collar of her Christmas sweater. “Beautiful. Like you.”
A noise at the front door jarred them from the moment, sending Nick’s pulse skyrocketing. Apparently, it did the same for Kaitlyn. She shoved Rosie into his arms and scrambled to her feet, her hand reaching for a sidearm that wasn’t there.
Nick stood. Then his brother, Ian, wheeled their father into the dining room. Nick’s knees nearly gave out in relief.
“We made it,” Patrick Delaney declared, clearly oblivious to the scare his arrival had caused. “Merry Christmas.”
Nick introduced Ian and Patrick to the Lanzes. Margaret and Collin set out plates for the new arrivals.
Kaitlyn sagged against Nick. “At some point we will stop reacting to every noise.”
Tucking Rosie against his left side, he snaked his other arm around Kaitlyn. “Yes, we will. But I will never stop loving the people making the noise.”
He was grateful to be surrounded by family. It was everything his young heart had dreamed of during his days at boarding school. However, he’d never dared to dream of experiencing the love of a sweet baby like Rosie or a woman as strong and beautiful as Kaitlyn. And now Christmas would forever be his favorite holiday. He was so blessed.
* * *
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