Finally breaking away, Julian stared down into his wife’s eyes. When she tucked his hair behind his ears, he finally pushed past the emotion and spoke, “Want to go home, honey?”
Tori laid her head on his shoulder. “I certainly do. We need to call it a night. Tomorrow’s another day.”
Justin started laughing. “I’m calling in sick tomorrow, just so you’re aware.”
They moved towards the SUV.
“Don’t call me,” Julian warned.
“Why the hell not?” his brother asked in surprise.
“I’m feeling a case of the sniffles myself. I plan on staying in bed all day.”
Tori patted him on his ass. “Want me to play nurse?” she asked, grinning.
He didn't have to reply, because his masculine laugh said it all.
“I always wanted to be a nurse,” stated Vivian as she winked at her husband. “I think I can pull off the little skirt and low cut shirt,” she teased.
That comment made Justin glance up at the sky. “Holy shit! She has handcuffs and wanted to be a nurse. I may be sick all week.”
Julian offered his brother a fist bump. “See you in two days,” he answered. “Remember, for endurance sake, keep hydrated.”
Tori couldn’t help but snicker at that. The men in their lives were out of control.
“Julian, about me taking my wife on a honeymoon,” Justin added as an afterthought. Maybe they could leave right away.
The man ignored his brother.
“Julian!”
At their car, Tori glanced up at her husband as he helped her get in. “Well? Aren’t you going to answer him?”
Julian shook his head as he buckled his seatbelt. “He can take all the time he wants,” he answered, easily.
“Really?” she replied. That didn't sound like the business man she knew and loved.
“Really. I’m going to be busy myself. For the next few days, our phones are off and we’re going to be tied up.”
It was hard not to laugh. “Do you mean literally or figuratively, babe?” Tori asked, teasing him.
Julian leaned over and ravaged his wife’s mouth with all the pent up frustration, want, and need. When he pulled away, he stared down into her eyes.
“Literally works for me.”
Her heart skipped in her chest.
“Good thing I like an adventure, Mr. Littlemoon.”
He grinned wickedly, before dropping his sunglasses onto his face. “Yeah, it’s a damn good thing.”
Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
By the time Mayor Lagerfeld made a personal appearance, everything around the office had calmed down. During his visit, he apologized and even gave them a bonus recovery fee. Getting his daughter back meant more to him than anything. They all reassured him that there were no hard feelings, and they completely understood.
No one could or would blame him for his behavior during the week that his daughter was missing. Before leaving, he hugged all the women and offered the men handshakes and the promise of any help if they ever needed it.
Julian was promptly going to file that away in case of an emergency. One never knew when you were a private investigator when something like that would come in handy.
After the mayor left, the team sat in the office as Lena worked the phones. They’d been ringing off the hook all day and not with calls related to the case. These calls were from around the country and requests for their expertise on finding things and people who were lost.
It looked like they weren’t going to have to worry about keeping food on the table. Now, they were going to have to stress about which cases to take and in which order to do them.
Oh well, that would just have to be their cross to bear.
When the chime on the door sounded and their wives began talking, Julian and Justin walked out to the main office space. There stood the police commissioner and Vivian’s old partner.
Once more, they were trying to convince her to return to the force.
Justin kept silent. He and Vivian had discussed this more than once, and he wanted her to ultimately make the decision. He would support her either way. Julian’s offer of a job was still standing, but if she needed to be a cop, then so be it.
“No thank you, Commissioner,” Vivian declined gracefully. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m taking a different path in life. It’s one where I can be me.”
Everyone who worked there knew what she meant. For the last two weeks, the dreams were at bay, but when they returned, she would be ready to help the next victim.
“I think that you’re making a mistake, Detective Graves.”
She held up her hand to stop him. “It’s Littlemoon. My name is Vivian Littlemoon, and I’m finally right where I belong.”
Tori wrapped her arm around her new sister’s waist in support, as she winked at the men.
“If you change your mind, let me know,” the commissioner said.
From the look on his face, no one doubted that he wasn’t entirely happy with that answer. The team suspected that it had everything to do with the media and the cops looking like a bunch of incompetent assholes. After all, they were shown up by an ex-detective and a bunch of private investigators.
Ouch, that had to hurt…
When the frustrated men were finally gone, Kane spoke up, “Well, what’s next?” he asked, as he leaned against the wall behind Lena.
Justin opened his arms and his wife immediately accepted his invitation. “I don’t know about you four, but I booked a honeymoon for us.”
Crossing to his wife, Julian took her hand in his. “Then, I guess the next big one is going to be us four,” he stated, motioning towards Kane and Christina.
“I’m available,” the woman said. “I still have quite a few weeks of leave left.”
They all saw Kane tense at her words. Everyone there knew that when the time was up, Christina had to make a decision. From the look on the man’s face beside her, he wasn’t sure what it would be.
“Well, then I guess we should pick one.”
“Works for me,” Tori said.
Julian kissed her on the top of the head and started towards their meeting room. “Meet me in my office. I’m just going to grab my tablet, and then we’ll start.”
“Yes, boss,” Tori chimed, snickering.
As he entered the room, he began cleaning off the table of the styrofoam coffee cups. At the garbage, he paused staring into the can. What he saw, took him completely by surprise.
“Justin, can you come in here?” he called, as he picked up the discarded item and stared at it. As his brother approached, he hid it behind his back.
“What’s up, bro?”
“Who was in here earlier?”
“Before our morning meeting?” Justin asked.
“Yeah.”
He had to think about it. “All three women were in here talking about something. They said it was girl talk and wouldn’t let me or Kane in.”
“I think I know what they were talking about,” Julian said, as butterflies began rising in his stomach.
Justin stared at him like he was crazy. He couldn’t see where the man was heading with it. “What?”
Without saying a word, Julian held out his hand and showed his brother.
“Is that a pregnancy test?” he hissed, dropping his voice really low.
“Yeah, and it’s positive,” he added.
Justin took it from him and read the display. “Wow. You know what this means, right?”
Oh, yeah he did.
“Someone in this office is going to be a daddy.”
Meanwhile many years ago….
She wandered through the darkness, and in the back of her mind, she knew that there would only be one shot at this. If she failed, the child who she was forced to give away would never know the truth.
Her heart ached at the knowledge.
She had no choice as her baby was stolen from her breast.
The truth would one day set her free, and off
er vindication to the child who was now in someone else’s arms.
It was fine, because revenge would be hers, and she had a fail proof plan.
Since there was no love lost between her and the family, they would have to pay.
When you’re going to hide something, you needed to place it in full sight. No one would suspect looking there.
At the back door, she silently crept in through the hired help’s entrance.
She knew it well.
And used it daily.
Inside, she moved through the house barefoot, hoping to achieve her one mission. Then, she could quit working for this family of evil bastards and try and have a normal life.
It was all that she wanted, despite how much she loved him.
In the end, she may never get her child back, but their pure lineage was now tainted with her blood.
What better revenge could there be?
They believed themselves to be better than the rest of the world, but her child had branched off of their precious family tree. They tried to destroy the happiness, but in the end, they would pay.
Once inside the main room, she grabbed the book and carefully peeled back the leather. Beneath it, she slipped the hand written birth certificate with his name. When it was found, the child would have all of this wealth and more than a simple life. They would keep the paper safe and under their own roof.
He wouldn’t be laughing at her anymore.
And neither would his horrible wife.
This round was all hers.
Taking it, she resealed the tacky binding and searched for a place to hide it. This house was a labyrinth of mazes, and so many secrets.
When she found just the right spot, she closed the secret compartment and looked around. All that was left was to escape into the night. Now, she could quit and be a free woman.
Heading back from the room, she soundlessly found her way to the door. As it clicked open, she heard the creak and spun around.
Unfortunately, she was too slow to defend herself and couldn’t stop the cast iron pan as it collided with her head.
The world spun.
The colors exploded.
The laughter filled her bleeding ears.
This was the end.
Her last thought, as her body was pulled across the floor, was of her baby, the secret, and of how no one would ever find her.
As far as the world was concerned, she was Lost & Broken.
Bethany Devaul was too far gone to be saved.
Coming Next:
Consumed by Wrath (book 8)
In the FBI/Romance
Valentine’s Day 2014
&
Love is Bleeding (book 4)
The Croft & Croft Romance Adventures
April 2014
Other works by Morgan Kelley:
Standalone Thrillers
The Junction
Serial Sins
The Blood Betrayal
FBI Romance Series
The Killing Times (Book 1)
Sacred Burial Grounds (Book 2)
True Love Lost (Book 3)
Deep Dark Mire (Book 4)
Fire Burns Hot (Book 5)
Darkness of Truth (Book 6)
Devil Hath Come (Book 7)
Consumed by Wrath (Book 8)
Redemption is Here (Book 9)
Dead Shall Speak (Book 10)
Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Series
Celestia is Falling (1)
Vegas is Dying (2)
Christmas is Killing (3)
Love is Bleeding (4)
Heaven is Weeping (5)
Littlemoon Investigations
Blood Red Rage (Book 1)
Lost & Broken (Book 2)
Unthinkable Games (Book 3)
The Carter Chronicles
Sinner Repent (Book 1)
Sinner Realized (Book 2)
The Harcourte Vampyre Society series
Dangerous Revelations (1)
Dangerous Choices (2)
Behind Closed Doors Anthology
Illegal Fantasies ~ Behind Closed Doors (1)
Romance Under Arrest ~ Behind Closed Doors (2)
Holiday Reinforcements~ Behind Closed Doors (3)
* MK *
Blood Red Rage (LIttlemoon Investigations Book 1) Page 44
