I leave the police station hours later sandwiched between Savage and Lilah and greeted by Kane Mendez resting against his 911 Porsche. To say that the man makes an impression is an understatement. He’s got that Latino dark and good-looking thing going on, with a big dose of arrogance and finesse. And the minute those hard eyes land on Lilah they soften, and he’s pulling her close.
“Agent Love,” he greets, kissing her before she rotates to stand next to him and facing me.
“Candace,” he greets. “I heard you handle a gun quite well.”
“Except that I shot at his chest and he was wearing a vest. I’d be dead if not for Lilah.”
“Be glad it worked out as it did,” Kane says. “Once you kill someone, it changes you in a way you can never undo.”
“Spoken like a man with experience,” I say.
“Spoken like a man who’s standing next to a woman who just killed a man,” Lilah comments dryly.
Rick wraps his arm around my shoulders and curls me to him, kissing my temple. “On that note, I’m taking her home.” He starts to move away, but I dig in my heels.
“Pocher’s really controlled?” I ask, looking between them all.
“He is,” Kane replies.
“How?” I ask.
“That’s between me and Pocher,” Kane replies. “You’re just going to have to trust me.”
“Trust him, baby,” Rick says. “Because I trust him.”
Kane arches a brow in my direction. “My father is my concern,” I explain.
“Everyone connected to you has my protection.”
“Your protection,” I repeat. “That must be a heavy burden to bear, protecting so many from a monster.”
“Pocher breathing is the burden I bear.” He pushes off the Porsche 911. “I’m taking my future wife home.”
“When is the wedding,” Rick asks.
“Not soon enough,” Kane replies, opening the door for Lilah, who pauses to point at me.
“Shoot for the head.” And with that, she disappears inside the car.
Kane shuts her inside and rounds the hood of the car and just before he climbs in himself, he points at Rick. “You owe me a favor.”
“We’re even man,” Rick says. “You owed me.”
“I did you a few this time, and you know it. You owe me a favor.” He disappears inside the car.
“I’m sure I don’t want you to owe that man a favor,” I say.
Rick doesn’t comment. He simply turns to face me and catches my hand, kissing it. “Let’s go home, baby.”
“Yes,” I say. “Let’s go home.”
We walk to the SUV where Memphis waits for us and climb inside. Once we're on the road, I snuggle in close to Rick, and he holds onto me. A sense of closure isn’t quite complete, but it feels a bit like watching a building I’ve designed be built with only a few finishing touches remaining undone.
When finally we step into the apartment, our apartment, we don’t even make it out of the foyer before Rick is lifting me and carrying me to the bedroom. I curl into him and when he lays me down on the bed and comes down over me, I can’t breathe for the emotion pulsing between us. “I was half a man without you, Candace.”
“Show me.”
“For the rest of my life, baby, starting now.” He presses his lips to mine, lingering there in a kiss that is so much more than a kiss. It’s love, devotion, passion. And then his mouth caresses over my jaw, my neck, my shoulder. And as he undresses me—my nipple, my belly. My leg. And oh yes, that most intimate part of me. Rick Savage, is no Savage tonight. He is tender. He is gentle. He makes love to me. And I make love to him.
I fall asleep naked in his arms, with a smile on my lips, and excitement for the new day, and our new life, in my heart.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Savage
I spend a lot of the night holding Candace, with my mind replaying that moment I found her in that bathroom. One different moment in time, one different move, and she might have died. One part of me knows this life is dangerous, but the other knows that I will never trust anyone to protect her like I do myself. And her. She’s tough. I’m going to make her tougher. And I’m going to love the hell out of her.
I wake before her with unfinished business to attend to, shifting reluctantly out of bed, while Candace snuggles into her pillow. She sleeps through my shower, and I’m not surprised. Yesterday was emotional and the past week has been intense. To me, her rest tells me that she’s at peace. I dress in jeans and I end up in the kitchen, at the island, drinking coffee, and arranging to have her items shipped. Once that’s done, I deal with two difficult tasks. I figure out where the hell my father is, coordinate with his insurance company to deal with his house, and then after talking to Asher, dial the rehab facility where he’s now staying. They won’t let me talk to him for at least thirty days, but they assure me he’s in good hands.
Next up, I open my MacBook and the encrypted file Blake told me he’d sent me at the police station last night, in between all the chaos. It’s everything he’d found on Gabriel and after a good long read, I’m certain we could have had him arrested. The problem is, and the reason I wanted to read it before showing it to Candace, is how it connects to her father. I text Blake for the address where the general is holing up. He’s just gotten me what I need when Candace comes floating down the stairs in a pink silk robe and her hair a sexy mess.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” she asks, meeting me in the kitchen and giving me a minty fresh kiss.
“Nothing wrong with sleeping in, baby.” I stroke her hair. “Coffee is made and I washed your mug.”
She laughs. “We really do need to shop.” She pecks my cheek and heads to the coffee pot.
“I arranged to have your stuff shipped.”
“Oh great. I have mugs. Lots of mugs. Our old mugs.” She steps to the endcap of the island next to me and tilts her head to study me. “Anything on your father?”
“I took care of the insurance company and his house and talked to the rehab facility. We might need to make a trip to San Antonio in about a month. I can’t talk to him until then and I need to make sure he has a place to go after he gets out.”
“He could stay at our house there.”
“Our house,” I say. “I like how you said that.” I catch her hand. “Candace—”
“Oh God. What am I sensing all of a sudden?”
“I need to talk to your father. Alone.”
“Why?”
“I have the data Blake put together on Gabriel which would have been enough to arrest him. The problem is—”
“It connects to my father,” she supplies.
“Yes, and while we’re not going to go after him, you know that I need to clear the air and get right in my mind on some things.”
“He convinced you to join Tag, and leave me, and you need to understand why.”
I’m not surprised that she understands. She knows me. I’ve given her way too little credit for that fact in the past, but I’m not doing that now or ever again. “Yes, and I need to ensure that there are no more surprises coming out of the ground to bite us. I don’t know if he’ll talk freely with you, the daughter he wants to respect and love him, present.”
“Okay. I need to catch up on my work anyway. You go. I’ll get comfortable in my new home.”
“That’s it? Okay?”
“Yes. That’s it.”
I catch her hand and pull her between me and the island. “Do you know how crazy I am about you?”
“You washed my mug,” she smiles. “I believe you.” She kisses me. “Go. Get back. I want to sketch something to show you.” She ducks under my arm, grabs her coffee and sashays her sweet little ass up the stairs.
I’m hot, check.
I’m hard, check.
I’m in love, check.
***
I arrive at the loft apartment where the general is staying at noon. One of our guys, Jeddie, with him. I get rid of Jeddie. He has big ears, li
terally and otherwise. This is not a talk to be had with ears that aren’t mine. The general is standing on the balcony with his back to me, arms on the railing. He’s dressed in fatigues, which considering how long he’s been in the army, may or may not, speak of his commitment to his duty. He doesn’t turn but there’s a slight stiffening of his spine, and a shift in the air. He knows I’m here. I join him, claiming a spot next to him.
“Why?” I ask.
He rotates to face me and I him. He doesn’t ask for an explanation. “I trusted you.”
“You knew I couldn’t go back to her.”
“But you did, now didn’t you? You were fucked in the head back then by your father. You weren’t ready to be the man you needed to be for her until now.”
“And you think making me a killer was the way to do that?”
“I didn’t make you a killer. I made you see you, not him.”
“Why did Gabriel want you dead?”
“Because after he started dating my daughter, I was handed proof that he was ordering missions under my name. We shared the initials GM. Gabriel Manning and General Marks. He ordered cold-blooded assassinations through Tag’s operation, on US soil for personal gain. I was going to take him down and get him the fuck away from my daughter.”
“Why the hell didn’t you call me?”
“You ran some of those missions.”
“Because I respected you and thought they came from you.”
“I didn’t know where you ended up in the ethics of it all.”
“You should have known.”
“You’re right. I should have known. Clearly, you love my daughter. And I know I’m alive because of you.”
“Your daughter is why you’re alive. And the men who risked their lives to save you, they are the reason you're alive. Did you order a hit on a US admiral right after your wife was killed?”
He turns away and faces the railing again. “Yes.”
I lean on the railing. “Why?”
He glances over at me, and in this moment, he looks older than I remember. The lines splattered around his eyes deeper, his dark hair more salt and pepper than pepper. “He had her killed.” There’s torment in his green eyes, in his deep voice.
“Why?”
“I ran a mission that destroyed a large investment for him. It was all about money. I don’t regret killing him.”
Nor would I, I think, but I don’t say that. I’m not allowing my opinion to be inserted into a conversation he has to have with his daughter.
“Are you going to tell Candace?”
“She figured it out,” I say. “She’s smart like that.”
“And?” he prods.
“And I’ll leave that to you and her to discuss. I’ve cleared every obstacle I know exists. Tag is dead. Gabriel is dead. Ted Pocher will ignore you. Is there any other pissy little devil in the darkness that might bite us all in the ass?”
“No. No one.”
“Then what are your plans. You're free. You don’t need a guard or protection.”
“I’m going to go home, sign my retirement papers and then go it Italy and visit a woman I met there last year. See if maybe I can start a new life. But not until I see Candace.”
“You know her number.” I push off the railing and leave.
A few minutes later, I step onto the street and walk toward my next destination: Tiffany & Co., where I’m going to buy Candace a ring. It’s time to ask her to marry me.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Candace
Much to my pleasure, Asher and Adrian deliver my boxes from the house, and they bring me a slice of pizza. When they leave, I have an invitation to meet Asher’s wife and another of Adrian’s bad jokes behind me. Something about a dinosaur and an egg. I’m also feeling like I have a clan of big brothers, which is pretty wonderful.
I shower and dress in leggings, a sweater and sneakers with light make-up. Once I’m dressed, I spray on my favorite floral perfume and dig through my boxes to pull out my office supplies. I also dig in my purse and locate the ring Rick gave me. I stare at it and decide, the best, and quite bold way, to tell him I’m all in, is to put that ring on. And so I do. I put that ring on and it feels good on my finger. Smiling, I grab my box and walk down the hall to an office Rick has set-up. I unload my things and then grab my sketch pad with an eye on the big, snuggly chair in the corner. I settle in and start working on a draft of my dream house I used to imagine in my mind. A house on the ocean that I’d share with Rick. I’ve just finished the draft when my cellphone rings with my father’s number. My heart leaps and I answer. “Dad?”
“Honey.”
“Oh God, it’s good to hear your voice.”
“It’s good to have a voice for you to hear. Thank you for what you did.”
“It was Rick. Rick made that rescue happen.”
“And he said it was you. I guess you both must be in love.”
“He’s always been the love of my life, Dad. I think you know that.”
“I do. I should have never let you say yes to Gabriel. You didn’t love him. And I didn’t know what he was until it was too late.”
I spend a good hour talking to him, about everything, including mom. “Was she murdered?”
“Yes.”
“Did you get revenge?”
“Yes. Do you hate me?”
“No. I love you all the more for it.”
“Tell me tomorrow when you see me off to the airport. I’m going home—to retire.”
“Retire? You?”
“It’s time, daughter. Don’t you think?”
“Maybe it is.”
We disconnect with plans for tomorrow morning. A few minutes later, Rick appears in the doorway. “I see you’ve settled in.”
I run my hand over the arms of the wonderful brown velour. “I love this chair.”
“What the hell?” He crosses to kneel in front of me, grabbing my hand. “What is—oh fuck. This is the ring I gave you.”
“Yeah. I mean, I know you haven’t asked me to marry you, but I—”
“Take it off.”
I blanch. “What?”
“Take it off, baby. That ring is embarrassingly pathetic.”
“No it’s not.” I cover it with my hand. “I love this ring. You gave me this ring.”
“I wasn’t going to do this now like this but you leave me no choice.” He reaches in the pocket of the thin leather jacket he’s wearing and produces a ring box. “Candace Marks, will you marry me?”
My eyes instantly tear up. “Rick. Oh God, Rick.”
He lifts the lid and displays a stunning, heart-shaped ring that glistens in the light. “Put this on instead.”
“Oh my God,” I say again. “It’s stunning. It’s so big.”
“Two carats.”
“That box says Tiffany & Co.. You spent too much. I am fine with the ring I had. I love you. And—”
“Baby, say yes because in my heart I know you want to say yes, but I’m still freaking the fuck out right now. I need to hear it.”
“Yes. Of course, yes. Yes, Rick Savage, I will marry you.” I throw my arms around his neck and hug him. “I love you.”
He runs his hand over my hair. “And I love you. Now take off that ring and put on the new one.”
I laugh and do as he says to find it fits perfectly. The man even remembers my ring size. “It’s perfect.”
“You’re perfect, Candy Savage.”
I laugh, and we begin to talk about when, and how, I will become his wife, and legally claim the perfect stripper name all to myself. Eat your heart out, Lilah Love.
EPILOGUE
Candace
The next morning, Rick and I pick my father up in a Walker Escalade to take him to the airport. My father joins me in the backseat while Rick drives. And my father comes holding a gift: a chocolate cake. The ride in traffic is heavy and my father and I make breakfast that cake. He did, after all, bring plates, forks, and milk.
When we arrive at
the airport, my father is flying out on a private Walker jet. I walk him to the stairs of the plane and give him a tearful goodbye with a promise that I’ll see him next month in San Antonio while he promises to help plan mine and Rick’s wedding.
Once he’s loaded on the plane, Rick and I stand at the small airport’s window and watch the plane taxi. Rick points to another private jet.
“That one is fueled to take us anywhere we want to go. We can hop on and jet off to see the pyramids.”
I rotate and wrap my arms around him. “We can travel later. What I want right now, is to go home with my future husband. That’s my dream spot.”
“Music to my ears, baby. Home sweet home, with my little porn star fiancée.”
“And my porn star fiancé, Mr. Rick Savage.”
We are laughing as we walk toward the exit, to go home, to our new life.
Together.
THE END
***
DID YOU LOVE LILAH LOVE AND KANE?
Get their series now! There are four Lilah Love books available right now. You can check them out here:
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HERE’S A LITTLE TASTE FROM THEIR BOOKS
His strong square jaw is set hard, his favored Italian suit traded for a pair of black jeans and a T-shirt, his dark hair slicked back. He stands here in my apartment with me in the hallway, acting like he owns more than the moment, like he owns me. Kane is that arrogant. In fact, he personifies that damn word, so much so that those rich brown eyes of his burn me with their intensity, a dare in their depths. A dare to tell the lie I always want to tell when it comes to this man. He’s daring me to say that I don’t want him. He’s daring me to say that I don’t want him here. We both know that I do, of course, want him and want him here. Wanting Kane, wanting him in my life, has never been the problem. All the parts of us that are the same in that dark dirty way, that feed more of the same in each other, those things are the problem.
Savage Love Page 19
