by Zoë Lane
I nodded. Yeah, I did.
He chuckled. “When you’re an ex-cop with a good lawyer, and when your star witness is a thug, it’s probably in their best interest to drop the case.”
“The case was dropped?” I sputtered. What did that mean for Sean and his family? “Didn’t you order the hit?”
His eyes widened and his brows lifted. “Smart girl. Or did someone tell you that?”
I took a step back. He was either joking or dead serious. I couldn’t tell. I barely knew the man.
“I just wanted to finish our conversation we were having the other day. The one about your mother?”
“Where is she?”
“You’ll never find her, Lacey. I wouldn’t worry about it. You were only three when she left. Why do you care now?”
“Because if she spent any time with you, then I know she was hurting, and I want her safe.”
His eyes flashed with anger. “Are you safe?”
I didn’t back down from the threatening tone. Instead, I took a step forward. “I am, but you’re not.”
We stared at each other for a few moments longer until Carter blinked and laughed. “You know, you’re a lot like me.”
“I’m nothing like you.”
“Of course you are. Dads always want their sons to emulate them, but Landyn has too much of his mother in him. You”—he jabbed his finger in the air at me—“you are your father’s daughter.”
The very fear I’d been dealing with in therapy—that I could be just as cold-hearted as my father, and maybe capable of murder—threatened to overwhelm me. I sensed weakness in my legs, but then I saw it: a slight flicker of fear in his own eyes.
I smiled. “I am my own person. And I know what’s right and who is wrong.”
I snatched the handheld radio off my belt and radioed for security. My father laughed but moved quickly toward the stairwell. I followed him until I saw security officials running up the stairs. As they escorted him away, he said, “I’ll be seeing you again soon, Lacey. You and Landyn!”
I sighed and went back to my cart. Landyn was here for practice; I decided to tell him about my encounter later.
Carter was gone. He would be a problem Landyn and I would face together on another day. Today I would finish my work, and tomorrow…
Tomorrow I would stand beside a friend.
36
LACEY
Is it wrong to think about how handsome a man looks when you’re at a funeral?
I couldn’t help it. Sean was dressed in all white from his suit to his shoes. So was everyone else.
A younger-looking woman and man had sat beside him at the gravesite, and I figured they were his brother and sister; they shared the same strong nose and full lips. After the lowering of the casket, all three shared hugs and began to receive the others that surrounded them.
Landyn, Rose, and members of his team sat in a designated section for the Rhinos.
I sat in the back. Away, not wishing to be seen. This was his time to celebrate his grandmother’s life, not think about the girl who had rejected him when he’d needed her the most.
Against my therapist’s advice, I was here. She’d said I would need years of counseling—probably—and that I should spend the next year or two really getting to know myself apart from men.
But I had never really been one to follow the rules.
The one thing that set Sean apart from any guy I had ever met was that he actually saw me as more than a warm body. He praised me and said words of tenderness that I’d never heard used referencing me. Who would want to live without that mirror reflecting back on them every day?
I wouldn’t.
And because I cared about Sean, I would continue seeing my therapist so I wouldn’t ruin his life. Baby steps.
As people filtered away to go to the reception, Sean caught my gaze. We stared at each other from across rows of white chairs, eventually meeting somewhere in the middle.
The corners of his mouth curved up slightly. “Lacey.”
“It was a beautiful service, Sean. I know your grandmother is smiling down from heaven.”
Sean snorted. “She’s probably too busy running around looking at all the houses she told me were in the Bible. She always said not to be sad because she certainly wouldn’t be. But she also said not to hurry up and join her. Two journeys, and we should enjoy each one.”
I nodded. “Do they eat in heaven? Maybe she’s critiquing the rolls.”
We both laughed. And then Sean stared at me, his eyes expectant. I blew out a quick breath. “Sean, I…”
He kept his lips pressed together, and I wished he would say the words instead of me. But I had to do it.
“Sean, I’ve learned a lot in these last couple of months. One, that I’m definitely not indestructible. Two, that I shouldn’t be afraid to face the hard things, especially memories. And three, who my real friends are.”
“I’ll always be one of them, Lacey. Your friend.”
I smiled. “I know, but I don’t want that.” His face fell, and I quickly continued. “I want more than that.”
His lips parted. I read disbelief in his eyes.
“Look, my father was released the other day.”
“What?” he said a bit too loudly.
I saw my brother take a few steps forward, and I quickly put up my hand to stop him. A funeral wasn’t a place for a fight, and my tactless brother would definitely start one. We were both rule-breakers.
“It seems he’s worked out his own deal or something. Anyway, he never would’ve said anything about our mother. Landyn and I know it was a long shot to even get him to try. Yes, you should’ve told me, and—”
“I won’t keep anything from you—”
“Please let me finish,” I interrupted. He dropped his chin and frowned. “I accept your apology, Sean. I can understand why you did it, and I know it wasn’t out of malice, because you’re a true friend.”
I gave him what I hoped was my most understanding smile and clasped my hands in front of me. I waited.
And waited.
He just stared.
“Uh…” I began, panic rising up in my chest.
He stepped forward. “What is it?”
I chuckled nervously. “You haven’t said if you want me back.” I held my breath.
Sean’s head fell back, and he bellowed. His arms came around my waist and he lifted me off the ground. His lips came within millimeters of mine. Our gazes locked, and he said, “Of course I want you.” He brushed his lips over mine.
He set me on my feet. “Can we start over?”
“Nah. After what we’ve been through? We can move forward.”
Forward. I liked the sound of that.
He took my hand, and we walked to the line of cars at the curb. “We’re having the reception at HQ. Are you coming?”
“Of course.”
He squeezed my hand. “Good. We’re having Grandma’s rolls.”
“She told me I could have the recipe if we ever got together.”
He chuckled. “That sounds like her. It’s yours then.”
“I hope you like curvy girls, because I’ll definitely be one.” I laughed thinking of how much I was going to enjoy baking her rolls. I’d never baked anything in life outside of chocolate chip cookies.
His arm slipped around my waist. “I’ll definitely like your curves.” He kissed the top of my head.
“Oh, Sean…how could you not hate me and my family for what we did to yours?”
He had a wistful smile on his face. “It wasn’t you…although I’m not a fan of your father.”
“Neither am I,” I said glumly.
“But my grandmother taught me not to hold grudges. She said they would age you. I wish she was still here, don’t get me wrong, but I know she’s being looked after.”
I wiped the tears streaming down my face. I hoped my mother was sitting next to her at a table full of good food.
We stopped in front of the family’s li
mo. “I’d better get back to my brother. He’ll drive me there.”
He frowned. “But we’re already at the car.”
“This is for the family, Sean.”
He cupped my cheeks. His intense eyes evoked a sense of euphoric warmth around my heart.
“You are family,” he said softly.
His lips covered mine, and I had a new home.
Dear Reader,
Lacey’s tumultuous journey led her to love, but she’s not the only one needing a new perspective on trust and relationships.
Nico’s mother is coming into town. She’s impatient for grandchildren and is ready to meet his fiancée.
The one Nico doesn’t have.
He told his traditional Italian mother he was engaged to by himself more partying time, and now he has twelve hours to find a woman his mother would approve of and respect.
He just punched Veronica’s boyfriend. She’s probably ready to leave him.
And he’ll make it worth her while. Living downtown in his top-floor condo, a credit card to buy whatever she wanted, the best home-cooked Italian meals she’ll ever have.
She just has to be a convincing fiancée.
And not fall for him because this relationship is just fake.
Thank you for being a loyal reader of The Rookies series. It’s been a true pleasure writing these stories. I hope you continue to the next one:
The Kicker
Zoë
