by Janie Crouch
“Fight, Chloe. I know your brain can hear me. Use that survival instinct so ingrained in you and fight,” he whispered into her ear. “Leave the ice and follow the heat. I did. It was all I could do around you.”
Chloe’s whole body seemed to convulse, causing the officers to stop the CPR and pull back. They turned her to the side as she vomited half the harbor. Finally, she rolled onto her back of her own accord. Although she shivered, her skin had lost much of its blue tinge. One of the officers took off his jacket and pulled it around her, another stood to call in what was happening.
Shane just lay down on the dock and pulled Chloe on top of him, crushing her head to his chest.
“Your ice is gone,” she whispered. “I can hear all the voices I normally can’t when you’re around.”
“I had to let it go to get you back.”
She nodded against him. “I followed the trail of heat you were sending out to me. It brought me back.”
Shane closed his eyes. None of this made any sense, but he didn’t care. He only cared that Chloe was here, in his arms, alive.
“I’m going to need you to get the ice back, Avalanche,” she murmured. “It’s nice to have someone shield me from the voices.”
“I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to be icy around you again, peanut. I think you might have broken me.”
She shifted her head and kissed his chest. “Okay. You build a wall of ice to keep everyone else out and you and I will live around our heat.”
He wouldn’t have it any other way.
Epilogue
A few months later — Christmas.
Everything had changed for Day’s End.
The show had lost Alexandra, who’d been arrested for obstruction of justice and fraud, and was awaiting trial. She probably wouldn’t do any real jail time, but she wouldn’t be working on the show again either. Chloe had written a scene where Tia Day, Alexandra’s namesake, had been killed in an epic magical battle between two sets of paranormal creatures.
Tia Day would return, reincarnated. Because Tia’s fighting spirit would never die. But she wouldn’t return in the form of Alexandra. That Tia was gone for good.
Chloe felt sorry for Alexandra in a lot of ways since the woman had only been looking for attention. But a judge had decided she would be charged, so there wasn’t anything that could be done, except hire a firm full of lawyers, which Alexandra had done.
The show had lost Noah and Travis, both definitely blows since, despite everything, they’d been important members of the team.
Moreover, they’d lost Nadine. She’d never quite recovered from Travis’ betrayal. She came in to the set every day and did her job, but obviously her heart wasn’t in it. Chloe ached for her sweet friend who had been betrayed so badly.
She’d tried to talk Nadine into coming with her to San Francisco for Christmas where she was meeting her sisters. Adrienne and Paige loved Nadine and wanted her there. Their husbands and Adrienne’s three-year-old son did as well. Shane too.
But Nadine just wanted to be alone. Her wounds, physical, emotional, and mental, would take time to heal. Chloe would give her that.
Plus, Chloe had her own problems to worry about.
Day’s End wasn’t the only thing changing in Chloe’s life.
She heard the back door slide open behind her. Could hear the men inside—Adrienne’s husband, Conner and Paige’s, Brett, playing with Adrienne’s son, Vince—felt the presence of her sisters as they joined her out on the balcony of the house they’d rented outside of Lake Tahoe.
Tomorrow was Christmas. Snow already blanketed the area and, except for Nadine missing, Chloe was surrounded by the people she loved most in the world. Could literally feel their love encompassing her, the same way her sisters’ arms crossed behind her back as they came to stand on either side of her.
Triplets. Separated for most of their lives, but together now.
“Shane wants to know if you’re doing all right,” Paige, the most gentle of the three of them, said.
Chloe nodded. “Just thinking about things. About change, both good and bad.”
Would Shane think the change she was about to throw on him was good or bad?
“That man loves you, Chlo,” Adrienne said, squeezing her waist. “I don’t need Conner to leave so I can use my ability to see that.”
Chloe smiled and leaned into her sister. “I know.”
He’d stayed, even after the security job for the studio was over. Was now running the North Carolina branch of Linear Tactical. Living in his grandmother’s house permanently. Chloe was there most of the time too.
That didn’t mean he was ready for this.
“What’s wrong, Chloe?” Paige whispered.
“Yeah, you tell us your news, we’ll tell you ours,” Adrienne said. “Is it about the show? Is it ending?”
Chloe shook her head. “No, they’re willing to see how the new season does. To be honest, everything that happened has so much interest targeted on the show, the studio knows they’d be idiots to shut it down now. I’ve got ideas….”
Both women on either side of her laughed. “Of course you do.”
These were her sisters. She had to tell them. They wouldn’t judge her.
“I’m pregnant,” Chloe whispered.
She felt their arms slide away from her, not in rejection, but so they could look at her more closely.
“Are you being serious?” Adrienne asked.
Chloe nodded. “I’m three months along. I went to the doctor last week. Hilariously, the baby is due June 21. Our birthday.” She laughed weakly and gave a mock celebration waving of her arms “Happy birthday to me! Doctor thinks it’s a girl.”
Paige reached over and slapped Adrienne on the arm. “You told her. That’s not nice, messing with me like that.”
Adrienne laughed. Like out loud, belly-laughed right there in the middle of the snow. “I swear on little Vince’s life, I did not. But given us, I’m not surprised. Even with how weird it is, I’m not surprised.”
“Told me what?” Chloe asked. “What’s weird?”
“It was supposed to be part of your Christmas present tomorrow, but I guess we’ll tell you now.” Paige shrugged, smiling. “Brett and I are going to have a baby girl also.”
Adrienne held up her hand. “And baby number two on the way for me. Girl.”
Chloe could feel her eyes getting wide. “When are you due?
They were both grinning from ear to ear as they said it. “June 21.”
All three of them were a tangle of limbs as they hugged one another.
Triplets.
“Is it safe for me to come out here?” Shane asked a few minutes later as Paige and Adrienne went back inside.
“Only if you promise to come over and keep me warm, Avalanche,” she said, smiling as he opened his jacket and enveloped her in it, her back to his chest. Wrapped in his warmth, she could feel herself heating from the inside out.
Certain inner parts more than others.
His emotions may cool her brain and all the chaos that lived there, but his touch would always heat her body.
“Looked like it was quite a celebration out here.” His lips, warm, soft brushed across her neck with the words. Her head automatically fell over to the side to give him better access. And she sighed as his hands began to work their way up and down her body under the coat.
“My sisters have big news to share.”
He nibbled on her neck. “I have big news to share too.”
Chloe spun around so she was facing him. “You do?” Was he leaving North Carolina? Moving to the Linear Tactical headquarters in Wyoming?
God, could she live there? With all that snow? Were there any towns? What about Day’s End? Maybe she could commute. Did they even have airports in Wyoming? Maybe if she sold her house in Los Angeles she could afford her own jet.
“Chloe.”
She realized he’d said her name more than once. She blinked up at him. “I’m s
orry. I was thinking.”
He chuckled. “I could see that. Do you want me to tell you my news or just let that imagination of yours run away with everything?”
“You, please. Go ahead.” She braced herself.
He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I can’t continue to live with you in my grandmother’s house like we’ve been doing.”
Oh God. He was moving to Wyoming.
“I—I see.” She couldn’t tell him about the baby now. It would be…entrapment.
He ran a finger down her cheek. “I doubt you see at all. My grandmother liked you. Got involved with your show to get to know you better. I have no doubt she planned to set us up when I got home. But I didn’t make it in time.”
Despite his soft words she couldn’t shake the dread.
“But she wouldn’t want us living there together, Chloe,” Shane continued. “I have no doubt about that.”
“She wouldn’t?”
“No.” His coat dropped from around her and she felt the chill just as much on the outside as she did the inside. “So we can’t keep doing that.”
Chloe nodded. It had to be the pregnancy that had these damn tears threatening. “Okay. I can move. Get my stuff out.”
“I have a better idea.”
“What?”
Shane dropped down to one knee. Once he did, she could see her entire family pressing up against the sliding glass door to watch. Adrienne’s husband, Conner, stepped to the side to let someone else see too.
Nadine.
She smiled and blew Chloe a kiss then pointed for her to give her attention back to Shane.
“We have an audience,” she whispered.
He just smiled, that grin that stopped her heart. “I know. I waited until Nadine got here because I know how important family is to you. My family—all the Linear Tactical guys—are arriving the day after tomorrow. We’ll have all our family here.”
Even on one knee his head was up to her chest. She ran her fingers through his hair. “You said something about a better idea than me moving out?”
“Yes.” He pulled out a ring. “The only way Grammi would want us living in that house is if we were married.”
She smiled. “So I guess we should do that.”
“I know one of the earrings she gave you was lost in all the crazy. But when I saw the one you left me on Travis’ countertop, that was the second I knew I needed you in my life forever, Chloe. I had a ring made out of that earring so that every time we look at it we’ll know what my Grammi knew from the start: that you and I were meant to be. She even played the role of a zombie to make that happen.”
He took out the ring and Chloe just stared at it; diamonds surrounded the small ruby in the center. It was gorgeous. Perfect.
Just like how Shane was for her.
“I love you.” It was the first time she’d said the words to someone who wasn’t family. She never thought they would feel so right coming off her tongue.
“You are my whole life, Chloe. I love you with a heat I never thought was possible in my frozen heart. You accept Avalanche as part of who I am. Embrace it even. I never thought I would find that.”
“If you can accept the voices in my head, I guess the least I can do is accept all of you.”
He smiled. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes.” He slipped the ring on her finger.
She could hear the cheers from behind the door even as Shane stood and pulled her in for a kiss. They were both breathing hard as they pulled away.
“I guess for once I got to surprise you. I think I like being the supriser rather than the suprisee, peanut.”
Chloe just smiled, his love heating her from the inside out. Her life was more perfect than she ever thought possible. And would be even better by this summer.
“Well, speaking of surprises…”
THE END
Did you miss Adrienne or Paige’s stories?
Primal Instinct and Critical Instinct are available now!
The adventure continues with the Linear Tactical series coming January 2018.
In the meanwhile, be sure to check out Janie’s other series:
Omega Sector (4-book series)
Omega Sector: Critical Response (6-book series)
Omega Sector: Under Siege (6-book series, coming soon)
Acknowledgments
As the old saying goes: it takes a village to raise a book. And this one would’ve never happened it if weren’t for so many people.
First and foremost, Stephanie Scott, without whom there is no Janie Crouch – Author. From the very beginning you have stood by my side, offering support, encouragement, and correct punctuation and grammar. You have never once faltered in knowing the exact right thing to say to me, even when I’m making very little sense. And I love when you start threatening to beat up people who give me bad reviews – them peeps better watch out. Woman, if I loved you any more I would turn into a pile of goo. Thank you.
To my beta readers, editors and proofers…. I hand a book to you in a slightly embarrassing shape and you give it back to me so much better than I would’ve ever thought it could be. Elizabeth Neal, Marci Mathers, Aly Birkl, Lynn Brooks, Mary Lawson, Fedora Chen and Samantha Wallace… I’m blowing all the kisses in my heart your way. You gals rock.
To the Tia Troopers....I have to write these acknowledgements before I know how much we actually raise for donation, but no matter what the dollar amount is, we have done our part to stomp Cystic Fibrosis. I have been amazed as literally dozens of authors and companies, some of whom don’t know me at all, and none of whom know Tia personally, have stood with me in an attempt to raise awareness and funds to fight CF. I can’t list them all here, but a very special thank you to:
Regan Black who posted about the Tia Troopers on social media more than any other single person, including me.
Joanne Rock who gave and gave and gave in order to help our fight against CF.
Tyler Anne Snell who offered to name a character after people who bought this book, in order to help get us to our goal.
Kobo Writing Life, Deranged Doctor Designs, Bad Boy Update, Hot Stuff Romance, Social Butterfly PR and Bargain Booksy…all who donated advertising space or services to help raise money to fight CF, for no recognition or gain.
The fabulous authors who helped host the “Sexy Stomps CF!” party: Cynthia Eden, LJ Shen, Elle James, Joanne Rock, Susan Stoker, Kimberly Kincaid, HelenKay Dimon, Lacey Silks
Tia Troopers everywhere, my heart is humbled by your generosity. We helped stomp CF!
And to Tia and the entire Cordell family: it’s easy for me to give time and money when at the end of the day I can walk away from CF. You can’t, and yet your constant strength, dedication and faith amaze me. I stand in belief with you that God will heal Tia of this disease. Until then will fight until CF stands for Cure Found.
About the Author
"Passion that leaps right off the page." - Romantic Times Book Reviews
Winner of the Golden Quill Award for Best Romantic Suspense, and a finalist in multiple other Romance literary awards including the coveting Romance Writers of America RITA Award, Janie Crouch loves to read - almost exclusively romance - and has been doing so since middle school. She cut her teeth on Harlequin (Mills & Boon) Romances when she lived in Wales, UK as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult.
Janie recently relocated with her husband and four children to Germany (due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she's not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie-watching, knitting and adventure (obstacle) racing. Janie completed an Ironman Triathlon in 2014 and is prepping for another one in 2017.
Her favorite quote: "Life is a daring adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller.
http://www.janiecrouch.com
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ouch.com/contact
Also by Janie Crouch
Instinct Series
Primal Instinct
Critical Instinct
Survival Instinct
Omega Sector Series
Infiltration
Countermeasures
Untraceable
Leverage
Covert Intents
Omega Sector: Critical Response
Special Forces Savior
Fully Committed
Armored Attraction
Man of Action
Overwhelming Force
Battle Tested
Omega Sector: Under Siege
Daddy Defender (available October 2017)
Protector’s Instinct (available November 2017)
Book 3 (available Spring 2018)
Book 4 (available Spring 2018)
Book 5 (available Spring 2018)
Book 6 (available Spring 2018)
