by Robin Perini
He stroked her hair.
“Going on the run isn’t fair to Zoe,” Faith whispered. “Nothing that’s happened is her fault and she’s paying the biggest price. How do I explain it?”
“She’s a tough kid. She’ll survive not having a puppy. She’ll even survive this move. Kids are resilient. My nephew was kidnapped when he was little. He came through. So will Zoe.”
Faith shook her head against his T-shirt. “I don’t know. She’s lost everything in the last few months. What if she’s not okay? What if I’m ruining her life?”
“You’re doing what you have to do to protect her.” He cupped her face; his blue eyes captured her gaze. “She loves you. She trusts you. You won’t let her down.”
“You really believe that?” Faith swiped at her eyes.
“She’s got an amazing mother and role model. That’s what I know.”
“Thanks.” She wanted to look away, but standing there, so close to him, she didn’t want to move. She placed her hands on his arms. Her body leaned toward him.
“Léon—”
The blue of his eyes transformed to dark cobalt as he stared at her. He cupped her cheek and stroked down her skin. She leaned into his touch and took in a deep breath.
Ever so slowly, he lowered his mouth. She parted her lips and pressed against him. She wanted him to kiss her. Once more.
“Dinner,” Raven called from down the stairs.
Léon stilled, his lips hovering just above hers. “Saved by the gong.”
The deep, husky tone of his voice made her shiver. He didn’t pull away. His hands drifted down her shoulders, past her elbows, until he threaded his fingers through hers.
She couldn’t let this moment pass. She rose up and kissed him. The moment their lips touched, Léon groaned and folded her into his arms, pressing him hard against her, breast to chest, hip to hip.
He overwhelmed her with his mouth, claiming hers.
Her knees shook, and she clung to him, pulling him even closer.
“Hope, Christina. Now,” Raven called out in that I’m-serious mom tone Faith used all too often.
With a reluctant moan, Léon lifted his lips. Faith couldn’t mistake the hunger in his eyes, the want, the need. Her heart raced; her body tingled from her lips down deep into her belly.
He pushed her hair back from her temple. “I guess that means us, too.”
Faith simply nodded.
A long sigh escaped him. “I shouldn’t have. You know that.”
“Maybe.” She closed her eyes briefly. “But I’m not sorry, Léon.”
He pressed his lips firmly against hers one last time. “Neither am I.”
* * *
BURKE PACED BACK and forth. His father sat on the sofa, head lolled to the side. The man’s breathing was shallow. His lips had turned blue and he’d grabbed his chest.
He was still breathing.
The bastard shouldn’t have survived this long. And there he sat, in Burke’s living room, still alive.
Damn it.
Burke itched to slice his throat. His hand reached behind him to the knife sheath. He could imagine each action. He relished the feel of the blade slicing through skin, the warm blood bathing his hands.
The light of life leaving the eyes.
It soothed him, drove away the needles of anxiety that prickled his skin.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t use his father to provide the release he longed for. The world must believe Gerard Thomas had died of a heart attack.
That meant hands off.
Burke rubbed his temple. From everything he’d read at the medical school library, the potassium chloride should’ve worked. Really, it was the perfect poison. When they tested the old man’s blood, the drug’s metabolites would appear elevated, but the medical examiner would simply blame the levels on the muscle damaged caused by the heart attack.
What had gone wrong?
Had Burke made a mistake on the dosage? He picked up his phone, then paused. No, he couldn’t search the internet. He’d watched enough cop shows to know they might review his browsing history.
He smiled. Maybe he could use his father’s phone.
At that moment, his father convulsed on the sofa, his body twitching and jerking. He groaned once before going limp. His bowels emptied all over Burke’s sofa.
The odor erupted through the house. Burke gagged. His father was still, but was he dead?
Burke stared at the grotesque image of his father lying in his own filth. The stain would never come out. He’d have to get a new sofa.
After rounding the couch, he reached out to feel for a pulse.
Nothing.
A flurry of triumph shot through his veins. Job done. He should have done this a long time ago.
The phone in his pocket vibrated. Hopefully Orren with good news.
He glanced down at the screen. Blocked call. He scowled. Perhaps the man had switched phones.
“Thomas.”
“D-daddy?” Zoe’s voice filtered through the earpiece.
Burke shook his head to clear his mind. “Zoe! Thank goodness you called. I’ve missed you so much, honey. Are you having fun on your vacation?”
“No. I miss you, Dad. Did you go to the baseball game like we planned?”
Burke cursed. He’d forgotten all about that stupid promise. “I couldn’t go without you, Zoe. It wouldn’t have been any fun. We all miss you and want you to come home. Your grandpa and grandma miss you, too. Where are you?”
She let out a sob. “I don’t know. Outside a little town somewhere. We don’t have a house anymore, Dad. We’re staying with other people. They have puppies, and I want one, but Mom said no because we don’t have a backyard.”
“I have plenty of room for a puppy, Zoe.” Burke gripped the phone tightly. “If you come home.”
“I could bring Catcher with me? He’s so cute and soft and—”
“You can have the puppy, Zoe, but I need to come get you if you’re going to bring him home.”
Zoe paused for a moment. “Mom wants me to live with her.”
His daughter’s voice had gone quiet and hesitant. Burke had to play this carefully.
“Your mom and I disagree, Zoe. But that’s okay.” He let out a long, slow breath and considered his next lie. “I love you enough to let you have a puppy. Maybe your mother doesn’t.”
A small sob and snotty sniffle escaped from Zoe. Kids really were disgusting.
“I don’t know, Daddy. Mom would be all alone.”
Some high-pitched whispers filtered through the phone. “We know our address,” a little girl whispered.
Burke could’ve cheered. “Zoe? Please come home. Your mom can visit if she wants to.” Of course, that would never happen.
His daughter had given him a gift. Once he knew Zoe’s location, he’d know Faith’s.
“I can bring Catcher?”
“Absolutely.” Burke paused. “Where are you, Zoe?” He glanced over at his father’s body. Everything was going to be fine.
* * *
THE KITCHEN BASKED in the scents of Southern barbecue and banana pudding. Stefan set down his spoon. “I don’t know what you put in that ambrosia, Raven, but I could die happy now.”
“Hey, what about me?” Daniel groused. “I grilled the chicken.”
“She’s domesticated you, that’s for sure.” Stefan leaned back in his chair and patted his belly. “If I hung out with you for a month, I’d weigh three hundred pounds.”
The twins leaned toward each other and whispered. Stefan may not have children, but he recognized a plan being hatched. He leaned toward Christina. “What are you up to, little lady?”
Her eyes grew wide and frightened. “How did you know?”
Hope shushed her sister and Stefan forced himself not to grin. If on
ly the bad guys he chased were as transparent as Daniel’s twins. And Zoe.
Christina squirmed in her chair before turning toward her mother. “Can we be excused? Pleeease.”
The plea went first to Raven, then Daniel.
“One more bite of green beans each,” their father ordered.
They didn’t even argue. Christina and Hope shoved a forkful of the vegetable in their mouths and stood up. They stared at Zoe.
Faith looked over at her daughter’s nearly untouched plate. “Not hungry, Slugger?”
She shook her head, avoiding Faith’s gaze.
“Okay,” Faith said with a sigh. “I’m not going to force you.”
Zoe shot to her feet. All three girls raced to the back door.
So that was their plan? Return to the barn? He wasn’t sure it was a good idea for Zoe to get even more attached to the puppy. A little girl’s heart was fragile, and Stefan didn’t want it broken.
A bit shell-shocked at how the idea of her being hurt pained him, he stilled. He’d never allowed himself to connect as quickly as he had with Zoe and Faith. No doubt his own heart would be battered and bruised by the time they parted ways.
The girls opened the back door, ready to escape the house.
“No more visits to the barn,” Raven said, as if reading his mind. “Go upstairs and play.”
Christina’s face fell. “M...o...m.”
“The puppies need their sleep and so does their mama.” She glanced at her watch. “You have thirty minutes to play before bath time. I’d take advantage of it before I change my mind. Or you can always sit and listen to the grown-ups talk about the state of the economy and politics.”
The three girls didn’t hesitate. They closed the door and raced up the stairs.
“So, our conversation would bore them that much.” Daniel chuckled.
Faith’s gaze followed the girls’ path. “I’m sorry Zoe’s so moody. I just can’t give her what she wants.”
Daniel and Raven chuckled in sympathy. “Multiply it by two, and welcome to our world. She’ll be okay.”
Faith bit her lip. “I hope so.”
“How about we take this into the library?” Daniel stood up. “Anyone want a drink?”
“Are you breaking out the good bourbon?” Stefan asked, escorting Faith and Raven through a set of French doors.
“While you’re here, I can’t go with the cheap stuff,” his friend parried, sidling up to the bar.
“Then I’ll sample a glass.” Stefan touched the small of Faith’s back. When she didn’t pull away, he left his hand there, awareness rising within him.
“None for me,” she said to Daniel’s offer. “Sleep deprivation and alcohol don’t mix.”
Raven sat on one corner of a loveseat and tucked her feet underneath her, frowning in sympathy. “Do you know where you’re headed?”
“Even if I did, I couldn’t tell you. For everyone’s safety.” Faith glanced over at Stefan. “We’ll disappear, and somehow, after we’re gone, I have to explain to Zoe what her father is. I have no idea how to do that.”
Stefan squeezed Faith’s knee in comfort. “You’re a psychologist, Daniel. Maybe you can help.”
Faith gave Stefan a small nod and Stefan shared the basics of her dilemma. “Any suggestions?” he asked Daniel.
His friend let out a long whistle. “It’s tough. I’m dealing with mostly veteran PTSD patients while I finish up my dissertation, so my expertise isn’t child psychology, but I’d suggest being as honest as you can about what’s happened. She must know your ex-husband had issues.”
“If I didn’t see it the entire time I was married to him—” Faith stared down at her nails “—how can I ask a seven-year-old to accept that the man she loves and trusts most in the world is a man who has murdered so many people?”
Daniel leaned forward in his chair. “The problem is, running away doesn’t make sense to her. If you’re going to make a success of your new life, your decisions need to be understandable to her, especially since protecting each other is the way your life will be. At least until he’s caught.”
Stefan slipped his hand into hers and squeezed. “There are other options.”
He met Daniel’s gaze, and his friend nodded.
“CTC can help,” Daniel said. “Ransom Grainger, the head of CTC, has powerful connections. He’ll use them if it means justice wins out.”
Faith squirmed on the sofa. She tugged her hand from Stefan’s grasp and crossed her arms. “So Stefan said, but I can’t wait. Not with Burke so close to finding us. Not with the law on his side. If it goes wrong, he could take Zoe from me. I’m sorry. I can’t risk it.”
She glanced toward the stairs leading to the twins’ bedroom and rose. “I’ve got to check on Zoe, then I’m going to bed.” She turned to Raven and Daniel. “Thank you for putting us up. We appreciate it.”
Raven stood and gave her a quick hug. “Trust them,” she whispered. “They can help you.”
Faith met Stefan’s gaze and left the room.
He watched her leave and sipped on his bourbon. “I don’t think she appreciated my PDA.”
Daniel slapped him on the back of the head. “What were you thinking? As far as she’s concerned, she’ll never see you again once she leaves. Unless you two have agreed to be friends with benefits.”
“Not Faith’s style.”
“Exactly,” Daniel said.
“And that’s my cue to exit and give the girls their bath.” Raven stood and kissed Stefan on the cheek. “You’ve changed since the last time you visited. Faith and Zoe are good for you. Don’t let the baggage stand in your way. You two could have something.”
She kissed Daniel a little too long for comfort. Stefan cleared his throat as she sashayed out of the room.
“I’d say the passion’s still there.”
“You could say that.” Daniel cleared his throat. “Raven doesn’t understand the risks staying together would bring to Faith. There’ve been too many CTC weddings in the last half-dozen years. My wife wants everyone to be happy.”
“That’s because you married an amazing woman. And one who’s far too insightful.”
“Truer words, but our path wasn’t easy. You know that as well as anyone.” Daniel closed the doors behind Raven. “What’s going on with you, Stefan? You’re involved. More than I’ve ever seen you.”
Stefan paced the floor. “I don’t know what I’m doing. Zoe... That little girl is fearless. She doesn’t hold back. Faith...” He set his empty glass on the end table. “She’s smart, she’s beautiful and she’s real, even while she attempts to keep everyone at arm’s length. I look at her and I see her heart. How many people can you say that about?”
“Very few.”
“I want what I can’t have.” Stefan paused at the end of the room and faced his friend. “Her ex destroyed her trust in others and herself. She knows she can’t trust me—”
“You’re wrong about that. She’s put her life in your hands by coming here. She trusts us by extension. She’s let her guard down for you, Stefan.”
He shoved his hand through his hair. “What am I supposed to do with that?”
Stefan stared at Daniel, more uncertain than he’d been since they were in that dungeon in Bellevaux, facing certain death.
“I make a round of the grounds every night, just to be safe.”
“Paranoid much?” Stefan said.
“When it comes to my family,” Daniel said, “absolutely.”
They walked in silence for a while. The summer night’s heat weighed upon Stefan, clinging like the past. The stark darkness made the world seem infinite.
Once they’d walked the perimeter they re-entered the house. “I can’t tell you what to do, but I will remind you she took a leap of faith for you. You may want to do the same.” Daniel strode over to
Stefan and squeezed his shoulder. “Loving someone is the most terrifying risk I’ve ever taken.”
More exasperated than ever, Stefan headed up the stairs. Raven and Faith met him outside the girls’ bedroom.
“They asleep?” Stefan’s body pulsed with frustration at how much remained out of his control.
A small fit of giggles filtered through the door.
“Pretending.” Raven smiled.
“Though Zoe is still sulking,” Faith said with a frown. “I’ll give her until the morning, but she’s got to accept my decision.”
Stefan turned to Faith. “Can we talk?” Of course, he had no idea exactly what he was going to say to her.
Daniel joined them at the top of the stairs. “The house is locked up.”
“Then we’ll see you tomorrow morning.” Raven held out her hand to Daniel, and he followed her into their bedroom.
Faith faced Stefan. He could see the indecision in her eyes.
“You don’t have to be nervous,” he said.
“How do you know what I’m feeling? It’s kind of annoying.”
“Because I’m feeling the same hesitation.” He touched her cheek. “The truth is I’m tired of thinking.”
“Me, too.”
She pressed into his touch and her action made his heart swell. He led her into the guest room. “Let’s sit.”
Stefan pulled her to the edge of the bed and sat beside her, his knee touching hers. He twisted to face her. “I want to be with you, Faith. More than anything I’ve wanted in my life.”
Her cheeks flushed. “I...I want you, too, but it’s complicated.”
“Another time, another place. It would still have been complicated.” He cupped her cheek. His thumb grazed her silken cheek. He lost himself in her eyes. Those trusting eyes. “God, you look at me, and I forget everything. My past, my future. Your future.”
“Maybe that’s okay. We could forget everything. Just for tonight.” She leaned into him. “Touch me before I change my mind, Léon.”
The moment she uttered his alias, Stefan’s entire body stilled. He met her passion-filled gaze and took in a deep breath.
