WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Spring Hop Edition

by Scott, D. D.

  “Of course not, I had no idea she’d be here.” The thought of what could have happened to Lily left him cold. He needed to see her, needed to know she was all right. Oh God, the baby. What if all this stress hurt the baby?

  The crowd of officers surrounding them parted like the Red Sea, revealing not Moses, but Captain Morris. Hallelujah. After a moment, Morris nodded to Paul. “Uncuff him, Officer Thorten.”

  “But, sir, he’s one of the Bandits.”

  “Now.”

  Paul undid the cuffs and shoved him forward. Captain Morris shot Paul a narrowed glare, then turned to include the rest of the officers. That’s when Connor realized many of them still had their guns trained on him. He looked around, studying the faces of his closest friends—masks of disgust and disapproval. Everyone seemed to be waiting for him to make a wrong move.

  “Put away your weapons,” Captain Morris barked, reaching into his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, something glinted in his palm. It was the right size and shape. Every molecule of air in Connor’s lungs seized. Was that his badge? His heart pounded and his vision tunneled as he eyed the shiny metal. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d handed his badge over to the captain as part of the cloud of lies and innuendo that made up his cover. His gaze rose to Morris’s face, almost not daring to hope.

  Morris held out his hand. “Kavanagh—”

  Before the man could say another word, Lily launched herself at Connor. He barely had time to catch her. But when he felt her soft body against his chest, her legs wrapped around his waist, his arms closed around her protectively. More precious to him than any badge, Lily was everything, and he never wanted to let her go again. He just hoped it wasn’t too late for them.

  “I was so scared. I thought they were going to kill you before you could get everything straightened out.” Ignoring the presence of Captain Morris and everyone else around them, Lily clasped his cheeks and sealed her lips to his. If he died right now, he’d die happy. Her hands slipped from his cheeks to his back, her fingers touching and probing as if to be sure he was okay. Laughter bubbled in his chest. She’d always been a good multitasker. When she unlocked her ankles and slid down his body, he didn’t know whether to shout with pleasure or cry with regret.

  She stopped her exploration and looked up at him, a grin on her face. “What’s this?”

  “What?” he asked, loving the glow brightening her cheeks.

  “Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” she asked with a saucy sway of her hips.

  Uh-oh. Instantly, every officer around them drew their weapons. Connor pulled Lily behind him and glared at his former colleagues. “Don’t fucking point your guns at my fiancée.”

  “Ex-fiancée,” Paul called out helpfully.

  Oh yeah, dickhead? He’d take care of that right now. He turned to Captain Morris. “May I?”

  Eyes alight with secrets, his boss smiled and waved for him to go ahead. Connor pulled out the box containing Lily’s engagement ring. She’d mailed it to the precinct after he’d been arrested four long months ago. He’d kept it in his pocket since the day Morris had returned it to him, hoping he’d someday put it back on her finger. Where it belonged. Was that day today? He prayed to Saint Patrick that it was.

  Turning to Lily, he dropped to one knee and opened the box.

  Her hands shot to her face. “Oh, Connor.”

  “This is so not the way I imagined this scene ever going down, but I guess when it’s the right time, it’s the right time.” But was it, or was he making a huge mistake? Shit. He should have waited until they were alone. One of his friends had proposed in a restaurant, and he remembered telling Lily he’d never do that to her, that only an insecure twit would impose the pressure of a public proposal on the woman he loved. The corners of her pretty pink lips tipped up as though she knew what he was thinking.

  He took a deep breath and brought her fingers to his mouth, kissing them. “Lily Stephens. Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

  Her brown eyes fill with tears, and his heart seized. He knew it. What an idiot he was. Lily was probably still pissed at him for the way he’d left without telling her anything. What had he expected? That she’d forgive him and fall into his arms, just because he’d told her he loved her? Those were just words. She deserved so much more from him. He started to get up. “I’m so—”

  “Of course. Yes! Yes, I’ll be your wife,” she shouted, brushing at her wet cheeks.

  “Are you sure?”

  She stroked his chin and smiled. “You’re a good man, Connor.”

  “Thank you, Saint Patrick,” he said, pressing a kiss to her belly. That was his child growing in there. Their child.

  He stood up and hugged her. “I’ll make everything up to you, Lily. I promise from now on, no more secrets.”

  A hand clapped him on the shoulder. “I guess congratulations are in order, Detective Kavanagh.”

  Connor glanced at Lily, whose mystified expression reflected his own confusion. He turned to Captain Morris. “I think there’s been a mistake, sir.”

  “No mistake, son. You completed the mission and earned yourself a promotion. Good job, Kavanagh. I hope I’ll be invited to the wedding.”

  “Of course, sir,” Connor said, shaking the man’s hand.

  One by one, his former unit members stepped forward, offering their best wishes. Several still seemed uncertain, but by returning his badge and giving him a public promotion, Captain Morris had absolved him of guilt. What better engagement present could he have asked for?

  As he hugged Lily, he let the thrill and excitement sink in. All his dreams were coming true: he’d stopped the Bank Bandits, he had his badge back, he had Lily in his arms again, and they had a baby on the way.

  Lily’s laughter jerked Connor from his reverie. Paul stood in front of them, a broad grin on his face. He held out a bunch of tulips, hastily cut. A couple even still had the bulbs attached. Paul handed Lily the tulips and pulled Connor into a man-hug. “You’re one hell of an actor.”

  He chuckled. “I doubt I’ll be getting an Oscar.”

  “I should have known better. I should have trusted you.”

  Lily wrapped her arm around Connor’s waist. “We both should have had more faith in you.”

  Connor looked at his fiancée and his best friend and knew that things were going to be okay.

  The clouds parted and the sun warmed his face.

  Spring had finally arrived and Connor had his life back. A new beginning. A second chance to do things right.

  THE END

  About Kristine Cayne

  Kristine Cayne is fascinated by the mysteries of human psychology—twisted secrets, deep-seated beliefs, out-of-control desires. Add in high-stakes scenarios and real-world villains, and you have a story worth reading, and writing.

  The heroes and heroines of her Deadly Vices series, beginning with Deadly Obsession, are pitted against each other by their radically opposed life experiences. By overcoming their differences and finding common ground, they triumph over their enemies and find true happiness in each other’s arms.

  Today, she lives in the Pacific Northwest, thriving on the mix of cultures, languages, religions, and ideologies. When she’s not writing, she’s people-watching, imagining entire life stories, and inventing all sorts of dangers for the unsuspecting heroes and heroines who cross her path.

  Deadly Addiction, the second book in the Deadly Vices series is scheduled for release in April 2012. Visit her Website and Blog for more details and join her New Releases List to get the latest information on new books and upcoming contests.

  Kristine loves to talk with her readers. For real-time discussions, follow her on Facebook and Twitter and Goodreads.

 

 

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