by Katie Reus
Ellis knew he wasn’t supposed to have a weapon but— “Give me your backup pistol!”
Teddy didn’t even give him a sideways glance, but to Ellis’s surprise he reached into his holster and gave him a pistol.
Well, hell. He must have gotten prior approval from Agent Lewis. That was the only thing that made sense.
“Do not let the target into open water,” Agent Lewis’s voice said across the comm line. “He must not be allowed to escape.”
The order wasn’t for him, but for the agent.
Water splashed everywhere as they slammed into a cluster of small waves. “Faster, faster,” he demanded as they raced across the water toward the Donzi speedboat. It ate up the distance but not fast enough as they crashed into another wave. The other boat hadn’t even reached max speed. Not even close.
The sleek and slender Donzi shot toward them like an arrow, glinting white under the moonlight. Ellis could hear Georgina ordering someone to call the Coast Guard but he didn’t care. It would be too late by the time the Coast Guard got to the boat. Vitaly would have killed Arianna by then.
Not on his watch.
As the Donzi swerved erratically and slowed down, he realized Arianna was driving—probably because Vitaly was staying low and hoping he wouldn’t get shot by the FBI.
“Ram them!” Ellis shouted above the rumbling engine. It was the only way they’d stop the other boat. The Donzi was too fast, able to max out at almost ninety miles per hour if they allowed it, and would outrun any boats they sent after them. No, they had to stop them now when they were going slow enough. He hated the risk to Arianna but it might be the only way to save her.
Teddy didn’t respond as the speedboat continued racing toward them. Instead, the agent swerved hard, the bow ramming right into the hull of the Donzi.
Ellis launched backward under the impact, slamming into the side of the boat as the Donzi jerked, then stilled. Arianna tumbled out of sight as the Donzi thrust backward into the air. It was a miracle the thing didn’t flip. Instead it crashed back against the water, sending an outward wave in all directions.
“Stay back!” Teddy shouted as he maneuvered the boat up next to the idling Donzi.
Ignoring him, Ellis propelled himself over the side and dove onto the other boat. Pain ricocheted through him as he slammed against the hard fiberglass on his hands and knees. As he shoved up, he whipped out the pistol.
On his knees, Vitaly had Arianna by the hair and was holding her in front of him as she struggled to stay upright against the slick bottom of the boat. The man’s eyes were wild and angry as he brandished his pistol around in the air.
He knew what he was doing though—it wasn’t madness that Ellis saw, but rage. Anger that he had been outsmarted, that he was going to jail. No matter what, he wasn’t coming out of this unscathed and the bastard knew it.
Ellis just hoped he didn’t try to take Arianna with him. He couldn’t— God, no, he couldn’t even go there. “Put the weapon down. They’ll go a lot easier on you if you don’t hurt her.” He forced the words past his tight throat. He had to keep his shit together if he wanted to save Arianna. Save the woman he loved.
And love her he did. No doubt about it.
“You lie,” Vitaly snarled even as out of the corner of his eye, Ellis saw Arianna pulling something out of her pocket.
He had to keep the other man talking. Just keep him talking. The longer Vitaly was talking, the longer his focus wasn’t on her. Though it took all his self-control, Ellis didn’t look at Arianna’s face. He simply couldn’t. If he saw the terror and fear he knew must be on her expression, it would rip him apart and he’d lose focus. She needed him now and he wouldn’t fail her.
“You know what I did, and Bird will turn on me in exchange for leniency. This is Florida. I’ll get the needle.” Vitaly’s weapon wavered as he started to point it at Ellis instead of Arianna.
In that moment, she slashed down and Ellis saw the flash of a sharp blade as it arced toward Vitaly.
Vitaly screamed, falling back as she slammed the knife into his thigh.
Ellis used the momentum to fly at him even as Arianna dove away from Vitaly. He knew the other agent was behind him, but nothing mattered other than getting Vitaly far away from Arianna.
His whole body shook under the impact as he body-slammed Vitaly—just as the cold steel of the man’s pistol pressed against his side.
Without pause, Ellis pulled the trigger of his own pistol.
Chapter 29
Arianna screamed as the gunshot filled the air. Pushing up, she crawled her way to Ellis, but hard hands clasped her shoulders.
In a panic, she swung out but a man caught her fist in his hand solidly. “It’s okay. I’m the FBI.” He gently took her knife away.
Barely hearing him, she shoved his hands off her and turned, fighting the terror threatening to choke her. “Ellis!”
Everything fell away as Ellis stood, tucking a pistol into the back of his pants as he faced her. Sharp relief punched through her as if she’d been physically struck. He was alive. He’d shot Vitaly, who now lay unmoving, his eyes staring sightlessly as a dark stain spread across the front of his shirt.
Wordlessly she launched herself at Ellis, fighting the sob bubbling up.
“Are you injured?” His deep voice penetrated the fog in her mind as he gripped her shoulders and stood back, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe.
“I’m fine. Are you okay?”
In response, he hugged her close, burying his face against her neck.
“Oh my God, your sister—”
“She’s okay. She took out the threat,” he whispered in her ear.
Before she had time to react, the man who’d been driving the other boat and claimed to be with the FBI placed a gentle hand on her upper arm. “Ma’am, you need to come with us.”
Suddenly there were more agents on another boat arriving and the rest of the world crashed in on them like a tsunami. The boat dipped as a wave smashed against it. She clutched onto the side as a man wearing an FBI jacket took Ellis from her and slapped handcuffs on his wrists.
“Hey! What are you doing!” she shouted, ready to launch herself at them.
“It’s okay,” Ellis said. “I knew this was going to happen. This is standard protocol. Please go with them. You’re safe.” His voice was calm and steady as he nodded for her to go with the agent who was trying to talk to her.
She stared in horror as he was led onto another boat. She wanted to scream and rail against the federal agents but knew that wouldn’t do any good. So somehow she kept her cool and allowed the agent to guide her onto one of the Feds’ boats.
As soon as she got onto dry land, she was calling a lawyer. No way was Ellis being punished for any of this. If they thought he’d serve any jail time, they were about to feel all of her wrath.
Chapter 30
Ellis paced back and forth in the interrogation room. He’d been there for the better part of six hours and though they had taken his handcuffs off, he wasn’t free. Not even close. The door was locked—he knew because he’d tried the handle. And no one had come back to see him for the last hour. All he wanted was to talk to Arianna, or at least for some news on her. She’d looked shell-shocked as he’d been led away and he had to make sure she was okay.
When the door swung open and Agent Lewis strode in, her expression neutral, he wasn’t sure what to think.
“Come with me,” she said, leaving the door open. The woman looked exhausted, but not angry.
Frowning, he did as she said, stepping out into the narrow hallway with her. They strode down to a bank of elevators where she used her key card, but she still didn’t say anything.
A few minutes later they were in an office that was most definitely hers. Sparse, save for a few family photos and a wall full of plaques.
“You are officially free to go,” she said as she motioned for him to sit down. “But I wanted to talk to you before you left.”
Stunned, he sank into the green chair in front of her desk. It squeaked as he leaned back. “I’m free? Bird flipped on Vitaly?” Not that it would do him a ton of good, considering Vitaly was dead.
The look Georgina gave him was practically feral. “Oh, he tried, but someone anonymously sent me the video of Vitaly killing Carter, so he had nothing to give me. Our techs have already viewed it and it’s real. Since we have evidence that Vitaly Rodin killed Carter Watson, you have officially been cleared of any wrongdoing.”
He wasn’t sure why he was being let go because he’d still kidnapped Arianna—and he’d admitted to it. He’d done it to clear his name, sure, but he’d broken the law. And the Feds wouldn’t let him go no matter what. “But Arianna—”
“Ms. Stavish is denying that you kidnapped her. In fact, I believe her exact words were, ‘Maybe that fool hit his head on the boat, because he’s wrong. I would know if I’d been kidnapped.’ Then she went on to wonder if perhaps someone in the FBI had roughed you up and forced a false confession out of you.” She cleared her throat, her mouth twitching slightly. “She might have even used words like ‘FBI brutality’ and started shouting at everyone to let her see you before she sued our asses off.”
Ellis stared across the desk at the highly decorated agent. “She said I didn’t kidnap her?”
“That is correct. And I haven’t put your statement into our database yet. So I highly suggest you change your original statement to match hers. Off the record, of course, that is my suggestion.” She cleared her throat. “Look. Vitaly killed Carter. He’s dead, so we can’t punish him, but we’re breaking apart his entire organization right now. You had your life taken from you. You deserve this break, so take it. No one wants to see you arrested. We already have a huge smear on the DEA with Bird’s treachery. Well, his and others. It’s a giant mess that we’re trying to unravel right now. So arresting you will only make things worse, and my boss doesn’t want to deal with even more shit.
“On the record,” Georgina continued, “thank you for helping us bring down this organization. You’re going to be named in the report as an integral part of the op. And I’m ninety-nine percent sure you’re going to get a fat promotion and raise after everything you’ve been through. You’ll get stationed anywhere you want. DC, if you ask for it.”
He didn’t want a promotion, and if they offered it, he wasn’t going to take it, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. She wasn’t his boss and this wasn’t his agency. And frankly, he gave zero fucks about the DEA right now. Besides, Lizzy had already offered him a job at Red Stone Security and he was pretty sure he’d take it. None of that mattered now, however. “Where’s Arianna?” he demanded.
“She’s here, a few offices down. And before you ask, she is also free to go. She’s done nothing wrong and we know that her stepfather used someone to open those accounts in her name. We’ve already started seizing all those assets, including that check from the Grand Cayman account, and for the record, she is not a person of interest. Nor do we expect her to be. And for an elementary school teacher, she’s tough as nails.” She let out a little laugh. “Maybe because she’s a teacher. Now come on.” Georgina stood and he followed suit.
He felt as if he was on autopilot, being ordered about, but he followed the agent and jerked to a surprised halt as she opened the door to another office and he found his whole family standing there.
His mother, tall and beautiful, with a worried expression, rushed at him. She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed so tight she stole his breath. “My baby,” she sobbed.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her cry so he held her tight, his gaze connecting with Arianna, who was slowly inching closer to the door even if there was a soft smile on her face. But there was also a distance in her expression that he didn’t like.
“I’m okay. All the charges have been dropped.” He’d barely taken a breath before he was tackle-hugged by his father. Closing his eyes, he hugged his dad tight.
For so long he hadn’t been sure he’d see his family ever again. And definitely not under happy circumstances. To be here with them now, to be free again…it was almost too much to digest.
As he finally stepped back, he immediately pulled Arianna into his arms. “I know what you said to the Feds,” he whispered.
“I wasn’t letting you go to jail for something you didn’t do.”
“Well I did kidnap you,” he murmured.
“I beg to differ, and I don’t remember it that way. I think you really did hit your head.” Her tone was tart even though she whispered it low enough for his ears only as his family talked among themselves.
“Where were you going?” He kept his voice pitched low. “Because I saw you inching toward the door.”
Seeming not to care about their audience, she cupped his face, her eyes wet with tears. “Look, right now you need to be with your family. You’ve been on the run for months and you’re finally free. You deserve to go back to your real life. Your parents and siblings have missed you.”
He placed his hands over hers, savoring the way she touched him. “Thank you for all your help. Just…thank you.” Arianna had stepped up to help him when she didn’t have to—when he’d given her every reason not to.
His throat squeezed as he choked up, unable to find any more words. Thankfully she held him tight and when he finally loosened his grip he was tackle-hugged by his brother. Laughing because he was free, because he felt so damn good, he gripped Evan hard.
Isla and Dylan were there also, both officially part of the family now. He couldn’t thank his sister or Dylan enough, but he kept all his words to himself for now. He doubted this room was bugged but he wasn’t going to say any more while they were inside a federal agent’s office. In fact, he wanted to get out of there, to grab Arianna and his family and go home.
But by the time he finished hugging his family, he realized she’d left.
Chapter 31
Arianna sat at her island countertop drinking coffee, normally one of her favorite things to do, but she barely tasted it. She should be elated that she had her life back, that Ellis was free. That he could go back to his life a free man.
She couldn’t help but wonder if it was going to be without her. She would know of course, if she’d stayed with him and his family. But she hadn’t wanted him to feel weird last night—or technically this morning, considering he hadn’t been let go until two o’clock—so she’d made things easy for him.
But now that she was back in her little home that she loved, with Christmas music playing in the background, she simply felt hollow inside. She missed Ellis, missed everything about him. Maybe she’d made a mistake in leaving, but it had seemed easier at the time. Easier than letting him reject her. God, she hadn’t even given him a chance, hadn’t told him how she felt. It was pathetic.
Ugh. She was such a coward.
And she really needed to get to an AA meeting. After everything that had happened over the last week, she needed to be surrounded by familiar people. People who knew her struggle. It wasn’t like she had the urge to drink right now, but that didn’t mean she was going to forgo meetings. They kept her on the right path, reminded her that she needed to keep living the life she was. Sighing, she set her mug in the sink and rounded the countertop only to freeze when she heard a door shut.
“Arianna? It’s me.” Ellis’s voice carried from somewhere… She hurried out of the kitchen and stepped into the hallway to find him heading in from the backyard.
Ellis! Her heart sang at just the sight of him. “What are you doing here? And how did you get in?”
“Your security needs improvement.” He handed her a bag that smelled delicious.
She took it but didn’t look inside, instead staring up at him. She drank in every inch of him, noting that he’d trimmed his beard a lot. It was neat and tidy and sexy. And he was watching her with those pale blue eyes she was constantly getting lost in. “Okay, why are you breaking into my house?” And w
hy was she asking? She was just happy to see him. She should be stripping him naked and having her way with him.
“I thought I saw someone hanging around out front. It looks like a reporter so I decided to sneak in.”
“Yeah, I got a few calls so I turned my phone off. Apparently word has spread fast about Vitaly’s death.”
“Is that why your phone keeps going to voicemail?” he murmured, his gaze falling on her lips for a moment.
“You called me?”
“Of course I called. I’ve been calling and texting and going out of my mind. Why’d you leave this morning?”
Unable to answer or take his scrutiny, she turned and headed back into the kitchen. “There’s coffee if you want some.” She looked into the bag and saw that he’d brought her a bunch of pastries and a breakfast sandwich. The gesture was sweet, and for some reason it made her want to cry.
“Look at me,” he ordered softly, his deep voice wrapping around her in a sensual ribbon.
She abandoned the bag and looked up at him from across the island. “I don’t know what to say.”
Moving slowly, he stalked toward her like a sleek, sexy panther, pure predator in each step until he stood right in front of her and was impossible to ignore. “Tell me why you left.”
“Look, you got torn from your real life for months. I know what we shared was…intense. But we were thrown into circumstances together more or less against our will. I didn’t want you to feel awkward or like you owed me anything. So I decided to make it easy for you.”
“That’s bullshit,” he snapped, anger flaring in his eyes. “You are my life now.”
She sucked in a breath at his words but she didn’t drop her arms from around herself. “Ellis, you don’t have to—”
“I know I don’t have to say anything. And your excuse is flimsy at best. Why did you leave?”
“I was scared,” she blurted. “I haven’t been in a real relationship…technically, ever. I dated in college and then…well, then my life got shitty. And I haven’t dated anyone in years. Then you come along and blow up my neat and tidy world. And I’m serious. I really don’t want you to feel some weird obligation to me. I’m clearly not handling things well. I’m a mess and I’m pretty sure you don’t want to hitch your wagon to this.” Why was she pushing him away? Why did she always do this?
