When You're Back

by Abbi Glines

  “You can’t . . . I told you wh-what she did. What she owes me,” he said, his voice shaking.

  “Reese owes you nothing. You stole her innocence, and you turned a little girl’s life into a nightmare. Not to mention you convinced her she was stupid. You marked her life in a way that can never be erased. Her past won’t ever disappear. It’s there inside her. She will deal with it for the rest of her life.”

  He shook his head. “She wanted it,” he began.

  And that was all I could take.

  The bullet left the gun silently, and for a split second, I got to relish the look in Marco’s eyes as he knew his time was up. He fell to the floor with a thud, and I put the gun back into my holster. The hole in his forehead oozed blood that covered his face and began to puddle on the floor. His eyes were wide and empty.

  He was the last bastard I’d send out of this world. My job was done. It was time I moved on from this. Taking out the man who had hurt Reese was the best way to close the door on this part of my life.

  When it had all started, I hadn’t meant to fall in love with her. I knew her heart had been taken. But she was hard not to love.

  “Enjoy hell, motherfucker,” I said with finality as I dropped the small printed card that had been sent to me for this moment. Then I walked out through the busted door and headed for the Escalade.

  Once I got on the road and headed to my drop-off location for the Escalade, I took out the toss phone and hit the only number I had dialed from it.

  “Cap,” the firm voice came over the secured line.

  “Done,” I replied.

  A sigh of relief came over the phone. “It’s over,” he said. I could hear the emotion in his voice. And I understood.

  “Yeah, it’s over.”

  We ended the call, and I dropped the phone onto the seat beside me.

  I would miss working for DeCarlo. He’d given me a life when I was a lost kid. I owed him a lot. For the first time, I felt like I had paid him in full. The man who had sexually and physically abused DeCarlo’s daughter was now dead. Reese would live the life that her father wanted her to have. He no longer needed me trailing her to keep her safe. She was in good hands.

  I had no doubt Mase Manning would give her the life of a princess.

  Reese

  Mase kept me in the cabin for the next two days. I was beginning to think he was more shaken up over this than I was. He kept me close, and Maryann brought us food. I let him keep me cooped up inside as much for him as for me. I knew we both needed to get back to our jobs, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave the house.

  More than once, Mase suggested that I call my father. He thought talking to him, my nonna, or Raul would help, but I couldn’t. I was afraid I’d hear their voices and be reminded of the life I hadn’t been given with them. The memories of what I’d lived with instead were too raw right now. Forgiving my father for not finding me and saving me sooner was harder after seeing Marco again.

  Mase didn’t press me. While we were watching a movie and I was wrapped in his arms on the sofa, he mentioned going to Rosemary Beach for a week to visit. I knew he was trying to get me away from here. I had been safe in Rosemary Beach, but the fact was, Marco could have found me there. What if Marco had found me before? What if I hadn’t met Mase yet? That thought tormented me.

  My nightmares were back in full force. As much as I wanted to be strong and go back to work, I knew I couldn’t. Not yet. I didn’t know where Marco was, and being anywhere that put me too far away from Mase seemed impossible. I hated that I was letting him do this to me. He was walking into my fairy tale and ripping it away from me. Just like he had done with my childhood and my innocence.

  Until we knew that Marco had been found and was in police custody, I was afraid to live my normal life.

  It was Tuesday morning when I finally told Mase that I wanted to go to Rosemary Beach. He didn’t waste any time. Our bags were packed, and a plane was sent for us within hours. Mase handled Piper, and he assured me that she was more worried about me than the job.

  I loved Texas. I loved being here with Mase. But Marco had tainted it. He had taken that from me. I hated him. If only I hadn’t been so terrified; if only I’d screamed. If only I had hit him or reacted in some way, he wouldn’t be running free. I wouldn’t be living in fear.

  When we landed and deplaned, Grant Carter stepped out of a silver SUV and made his way to us.

  “Thanks for coming to pick us up,” Mase said as Grant took one of the bags from his hands.

  “You’re family, man. No thanks needed.” His gaze fell on me. “Glad you’re here, Reese. Harlow has been planning every second of your stay. She’s very excited about having you at the house.”

  The sincere smile on his face didn’t hide the concern in his eyes. These people actually cared about me. The evidence of that emotion caused my eyes to tear up. I’d never had a real family. The one I should have been able to rely on had let me down. They’d allowed me to live in a world full of nightmares. I wasn’t going to let that keep me from having a relationship with them, but I would never be able to truly forgive my father for that.

  But this family, the one Mase came from, was loyal. They were ready to open their home and their arms to me. The people in his world just kept bringing me in and accepting me. Somehow I managed not to cry. Instead, I smiled at Grant. “Thank you. I’m looking forward to spending time with Harlow, too.”

  Mase’s free hand settled on my lower back as he led me to the SUV. When Grant had loaded our bags and walked around to get in on the driver’s side, Mase pulled me close to him and held my face in one hand. “You’re my family, Reese. This makes them your family. No one in this world is more important to me than you, and because of that, my sister adores you. Accept that,” he said. “That’s not something to cry over.”

  “I didn’t,” I said.

  His small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Yes, but you fought it. I watched your face. I know every expression you have, baby.”

  With a soft laugh, I leaned into his hand and smiled up at him. “I love you, Mase Manning.”

  “And that makes me the luckiest man in the world.”

  We walked into the Carters’ home, where finger foods and sweet treats filled the table. Harlow greeted us, with Lila Kate holding on to her leg as she peered up at everyone with a curious expression. The second Grant walked into the house, though, she let go of her mother and squealed, lifting her little arms up for her daddy.

  “There’s my baby girl,” Grant said, dropping a bag by the door and picking up Harlow’s Mini-Me.

  Lila Kate patted his face with both hands, grinning brightly. “Daddy!” she announced to everyone.

  “She pouts when he leaves every morning. When he gets home, it’s her favorite part of the day,” Harlow said, smiling at her husband and daughter.

  “That’s ’cause she’s her daddy’s girl,” he said with pride as he kissed her chubby little cheek.

  “Without a doubt,” Harlow agreed. Then she turned her smile to us. “I got a little carried away making some afternoon snacks for y’all.”

  “I’m starving. That looks amazing,” Mase said, stepping forward and pulling his sister in for a hug. He whispered something in her ear, and she squeezed him tighter in response. Watching them together made me wonder about Nan. Why didn’t she want this closeness with them?

  “Puddywun,” Lila Kate told Grant as she continued to pat his face.

  “I’ll join in a moment. Go ahead and start without me. Lila Kate wants some pudding. It’s our thing when I get home,” he explained.

  He walked over and kissed Harlow sweetly on the mouth and told her he loved her before taking Lila Kate back to the kitchen.

  Harlow turned to watch him walk away as if she’d never seen him walk before. When she turned back to us, her cheeks were flushed. They were living the fairy tale I wanted for myself.

  Mase

  Harlow had taken Reese shopping with the girls t
oday. She hadn’t wanted to leave me at first, and I wasn’t going to make her. But Harlow was so excited about it, and Reese began to relax some. In the end, she had assured me she was fine. I told Harlow I didn’t want them leaving Rosemary Beach; I wanted to be close by if she needed me. Harlow had promised they wouldn’t go far, saying she just wanted to take Reese’s mind off of everything.

  I was headed out to play golf with Grant and Rush at Kerrington Country Club when my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number and hated the fear that came with that. I shouldn’t have let Reese go without me.

  “Hello,” I answered, my heart in my throat.

  “Mase Manning?” It was a man’s voice.

  “Yes.”

  “This is Detective Northcutt with the Fort Worth PD. Marco Halls has been found.”

  Relief washed over me. They had found him. The bastard wasn’t running free. “We’ve pressed charges, and Reese has a restraining order. What’s the next step?” I was ready to end this. I wanted the man behind bars. I just wasn’t sure that was going to happen.

  “He’s dead,” Northcutt said.

  Inhaling deeply, I let it sink in. The son of a bitch was dead. Holy shit.

  “He was found this morning by the maid at the motel he’d been staying at. He’d been dead for a couple of days. No one knew. He’d paid for the room up front and asked for privacy; she only went in there because he was supposed to check out today.”

  “How?” I asked, reeling from pure relief. He’d never get near Reese again.

  “Gunshot to the head. Single shot,” he replied. “You were, of course, the first suspect, but we’ve been to your house to question your relatives. We spoke with Mrs. Colt and Mr. Colt, along with a Major Colt, who informed us that you and Reese didn’t leave the house for two days and that you recently flew to Rosemary Beach, Florida, to visit your sister. We will be checking into that, but as of right now, you’re no longer a suspect. It appears this man had more than one enemy. Signs show he was involved in drugs, and we believe this could have been someone he owed money. Any information you have on him would be helpful.”

  “Of course. But Reese hadn’t seen him or her mother since she was sixteen, when they kicked her out. When she ran into him at the grocery store, that was the first time she’d seen him. It really shook her up. We don’t know anything about the man except what he did to Reese when she was growing up.”

  “That’s what we assumed. The killer didn’t seem to act on emotion. It was well planned and well covered up. This has all the markings of a professional kill. Which means we may never find out . . .” His voice trailed off. I could tell by his tone that he didn’t want to know. He had Reese’s statement, and he knew what that lowlife fucker had done to her.

  But a professional kill? Who the hell had this man pissed off? And what if they knew about Reese? Would they think she had something of his that they wanted? Fuck. My relief turned to fear again quickly. “If this was professional, could they be after Reese next, thinking she knew something?” I had to get her and bring her to safety. Wherever she was, I needed to find her.

  The detective cleared his throat. “There was something left behind that leads us to believe Reese is safe. It’s also something that connects him to the drug trade. We’ve seen this calling card before,” he said in a lowered voice.

  “What? What do you mean?” I pulled the phone away from my mouth and looked at Grant. “I need to get to Reese—now.”

  He nodded and turned the truck around.

  “There was a note. It had no prints on it, and it wasn’t written by hand. It simply said For My Little Girl.”

  I let out a heavy sigh and closed my eyes as my head fell back. What the hell had happened? Whose little girl had that sick bastard messed with this time?

  “Once you’re back in Fort Worth, we need you both to come in and answer some questions.”

  “Yes, of course,” I replied. “Were there prints anywhere?”

  “Like I said, it was a professional job. There was no trace left behind. All we have is this note. Which . . .” He paused. “The note is a calling card explaining the reason for the death.

  It’s something that we’ve seen before. Many times. We’re positive it’s the same stock and ink. It’s gone through testing. I just can’t tell you more.”

  That note. The only thing I had to hold on to that told me Reese was safe. Whoever had killed Marco wouldn’t have a reason to come after Reese. I doubted anyone even knew she was a part of his past.

  I ended the call just as we pulled up to a small café where Harlow was waiting with Reese outside. There was concern on Reese’s face, but I needed her with me. I wanted to hold her close while I thought things through.

  “Hey,” she said, hurrying toward me the moment I stepped out of the truck. “What’s wrong?”

  I pulled her to me and inhaled deeply, letting my heart rate slow down.

  “What’s wrong?” she repeated against my chest.

  Nothing was wrong. She was here. She was safe. And someone else had made sure she was safe for good. “He’s dead,” I said. “Marco is dead.”

  She pulled back and looked up at me with shock and hope mingling in her eyes. “What?” she asked in a whisper.

  “He’s dead,” I repeated. I decided not to give her details. Not now.

  “Oh, my God,” she whispered, and then let out a sob. “He’s gone. He’s gone forever?”

  I nodded, understanding her emotion. “It’s over, baby,” I told her as I held her head in my hands and thanked God she was safe. And she was mine.

  Reese

  My head hurt, and I was ready to go home. The detective assigned to Marco’s case had questioned me about everything. My mother, my real father, my father’s family. I’d had to tell him exactly what Mase and I did during the two days after Marco assaulted me in the grocery store. Remembering it all was difficult, but I tried to give them as many details as possible.

  I felt guilty telling them that Captain had been the one to walk Marco out. I didn’t want him pulled into this. But they already had that information from eyewitnesses, and Captain had already been questioned; whatever his alibies were, they were solid.

  Once we were cleared to leave, the detective gave me a fatherly pat on the back. I didn’t hope they caught the person who killed Marco. I was thankful he had gotten away. I had been shown a card that said simply For My Little Girl and asked if I could identify the person who had left it. I had never seen a card like that in my life, although it hurt my chest to look at it. It was my fault that someone’s little girl had been hurt by Marco. I had never told anyone about what happened to me before I met Mase. Marco had been free to keep terrorizing little girls because of my silence.

  Mase kept me close as we walked out to his truck. “You need a long bubble bath. Then I’ll give you a massage. This day is over. It’s all over. You can live your life without him now.”

  I nodded. He was right. This was it. My life really started right now. Marco and my mother were gone, never to return. I was letting my memory of the life I had lived with them go, too.

  “I want to see my dad,” I told him. There were things I needed to say to him. Things I hadn’t said before because I was just so happy to have a family. But for me to truly move on from my past, I had to let my father know how I felt. And that I forgave him.

  “When? I’ll get us a flight out as soon as possible.”

  “Not yet. Just soon. Let’s go home and get back to our life first.”

  “Whatever you want, baby.”

  Over the next two weeks, life fell back into place. Mase brought me lunch every day, and Captain hadn’t set foot in my office again. He either left paperwork for me in a file on the table outside the door, or he sent Major to bring it to me. I wasn’t on edge anymore, and the emotional trauma I’d dealt with when Marco returned had begun to fade.

  It was a Sunday afternoon when everything changed. Again.

  Mase and I had spent a lazy
morning together, and then he’d left to check on some things down at the stables. After the incident with Marco at the grocery store, we weren’t just low on food, but we were also nearly out of paper towels and shampoo. While going through the bathroom to make sure there wasn’t something else we needed, I saw the unopened box of tampons I’d bought last month.

  Staring at them, I tried to remember when I should have started my period. I grabbed my birth-control pills out of the medicine cabinet and checked them. Two weeks ago. I should have started two weeks ago.

  My hands trembled as I put the pills down and walked to the bedroom so I could sit down a minute. I’d been through a lot two weeks ago. My mind had been on everything but starting my period. I’d just missed that one pill the morning after seeing Marco.

  I’d taken two the next day, though. We hadn’t even had sex that night. I’d been a mess. Something had to be off. I couldn’t be pregnant.

  Putting my hand on my stomach, I let myself imagine for a moment that I was. That I was carrying Mase’s baby. Joy coursed through me, but it was quickly replaced by unease. Mase hadn’t even asked me to marry him yet. He wasn’t ready for a family. I couldn’t force this on him. He trusted me to take my birth control, and I’d let him down.

  How could I be a mother if I’d never had one myself? I had no example of a mother. The one I’d been given hadn’t been anything I would want for my child. Touching my stomach, I knew I had to go to a doctor. Without Mase. There was no reason to panic if I didn’t have to, but how could I go see a doctor without telling someone?

  Piper. I’d ask Piper tomorrow at work if she could take me. I trusted her, and I knew she’d understand. Well, I thought she’d understand.

  I shoved the tampons back under the counter and finished my list. I couldn’t worry about this now. There was a chance I wasn’t pregnant. I could just be late. I would hold on to that until I couldn’t.