A knock sounded on her motel room door as she was tossing the rest of her stuff into her bag. She wanted to leave a few things behind, to let the people looking for her know that she had been here, right under their noses. Juliet was beginning to enjoy this cat and mouse game as much as she enjoyed this little town.
“Señorita, we must go,” the muffled voice said through the door.
Juliet smiled. That was her ride to the airport.
She glanced around the room one last time, hand on the knob.
Yes, she had everything she needed for now.
She opened the door and stepped back, ensuring she didn’t accidentally touch the loathsome man. Pointing to her bag, she instructed him to get it as she put her sunglasses on her nose. No sense risking someone recognizing her now.
“Of course, señorita,” the man said, his tone harder than it had been before.
There was a niggling at the back of her neck, a warning that she probably should’ve heeded before she allowed him to come into the room.
By the time she realized there was a threat, it was too late.
She didn’t even have enough time for one last thought before the bullet hit her right between the eyes.
No one ever even heard the shot.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Friday, March 5, 2021
“I still can’t believe that was a dead end,” JJ bitched, leaning against one of the empty desks, arms crossed over her chest.
Brantley watched her, not looking over at Reese, which would’ve been his first instinct.
It had been three days since their quick trip down to Port Isabel. When they’d come back empty-handed, JJ hadn’t taken it well. Every day since, she’d been grumbling, continuing to pore over data in an attempt to find out where Juliet Prince was staying.
“It happens,” Baz said, sounding equally bothered by it.
“But Mexico?” JJ grumbled. “How’d she get a flight out of the country?”
“It happens every day,” Reese said, passing Brantley a cup of coffee.
“We’ll get her,” Trey promised. “One day, her crazy will have her comin’ back and—”
Brantley’s brother stopped talking when a breaking news story flashed on the television screen. The news desk reporter appeared, along with a caption on the bottom that read: Victim believed to be Juliet Prince, wanted for kidnapping and murder.
“Turn it up,” Brantley barked.
JJ grabbed the remote, hit the volume button.
“We’re bringing you a breaking story out of Port Isabel, Texas. On scene is our very own Michelle Bentley. Michelle, can you tell us what’s going on down there?”
“Yes, thanks, Michael.” The woman standing in front of a motel sign stared directly into the camera. “You might remember the story we brought you nearly two months ago. Coyote Ridge resident Kylie Walker was run down and killed by this woman”—an image of Juliet Prince appeared on the screen—“Juliet Prince, only a few months after she allegedly kidnapped Kylie’s daughter, Kate. We brought you this story when Kylie’s family offered a one-hundred-thousand-dollar reward for any information that would lead to her capture.
“Just a few hours ago, we learned that Prince’s body was found in a motel room here in Port Isabel, Texas, a small town about twenty miles north of Brownsville. I’m on scene now, and as you can see behind me, crime scene techs are still working.
“I spoke to local officials earlier, and they informed us they will continue to investigate Prince’s death but are stating they believe it to be an attempted mugging gone wrong. Along with several false IDs, police recovered close to two hundred thousand dollars in Prince’s motel room. They believe the perpetrator fled the scene after the altercation. If we learn anything more, we will be reporting to you first.”
The news desk reporter returned. “Thanks, Michelle, for that update.” He glanced down at a tablet on his desk, then back to the camera. “We also wanted to mention that when we followed up with the Walker family just a few minutes ago, they informed us they had utilized the services of Sniper 1 Security to aid in the investigation, and they expressed their gratitude for everyone who assisted in the search for the woman. We reached out to Sniper 1 Security for a statement. They told us they regret that the family was unable to see her brought to justice but are grateful the threat to the family has been eliminated.
“And while the one-hundred-thousand-dollar reward will not be paid, the Walker family will be donating it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.”
JJ clicked off the television and all eyes turned to him.
As much as Brantley wanted to pretend he was surprised by the news, he couldn’t. At the same time, he was unwilling to divulge any information to the rest of the team. Brantley would keep it so that he and Reese were the only ones who knew about Max Adorite’s phone call that provided them with the alibi they needed. If the investigation made it far enough, he knew they would be called in because they were in the area at the time of her death. Hence the reason they had gathered at the local coffee shop for their brief team meeting, in which Brantley relayed that they’d gotten intel that Juliet had crossed the border into Mexico. They had gone straight to the airport after, catching a flight back home.
“She’s dead,” JJ said, her eyes wide. “I know it probably makes me a bad person that I’m happy about it, but it’s true.”
Brantley figured there were a lot of people who wouldn’t lose sleep over the woman’s death. She had put Travis’s family through hell, and they’d lost far more than anyone should have because of her vendetta.
JJ flopped into a chair and exhaled heavily. “What do we do now? I mean, we’ve spent so long workin’ on this…”
“I’ve got a suggestion,” Trey said, stepping forward.
All eyes shifted to him.
“My family’s got a beach house and spring break is comin’ up. Maybe we take a couple of days, head down there, clear our heads.”
“A week,” Brantley decided.
Heads turned back toward him.
“We’ll take a week to regroup,” he repeated.
“Before we spend several in Dallas,” Reese noted.
“Dallas?” JJ frowned. “Why would we wanna do that?”
“Because we’ve got some trainin’ to do.”
JJ sighed. “Damn that Sniper 1 training.”
And just like that, the tension dissipated.
Travis pulled up to his house feeling different.
When he’d gotten the call this morning from the news investigator, he’d had to feign surprise when the man officially informed Travis of Juliet Prince’s death. It hadn’t been difficult since it was the first time he’d actually heard it.
Sure, he had suspected since Brantley and his team had returned from Port Isabel without Juliet and he had seen nothing of her arrest on the news. Yes, he’d taken that to mean she had been dealt with accordingly, but he hadn’t had confirmation.
However, his relief had not been pretend. If it made him a monster that he was glad the bitch was dead, so be it. He wouldn’t want it any other way. The woman deserved far worse than a bullet between the eyes.
Travis pushed the button to kill the engine. Grabbing his cell phone and the smart key, he climbed out of the SUV. If he was lucky, his phone would not ring for at least eight hours, preferably ten.
As it was, he had spent the majority of the day at the resort with Gage taking phone calls from family and friends, all following up on what they’d heard. He couldn’t count how many times he confirmed that she was no longer a threat. Even though he’d repeated it, it hadn’t really sunk in until just now, as he was walking into his house.
His empty, quiet house.
Kate and Avery were at his parents’ with Ethan and Beau’s daughter, Kiera. They had promised to help Lorrie with the baby in return for chocolate chip cookies, popcorn, and another showing of Frozen.
Kade was at Kaleb’s playing with Mason, Kellan, Barr
ett, and Gabriel. Travis figured if Kaleb and Zoey were brave enough to request one more boy in their midst, who was he to deny them?
Haden was with Jessie and Braydon, spending the night with Rhett, Zachary, and Waylon. From what he’d heard, Brendon and Cheyenne would be hanging out so Remy and Thad could play, too.
And last but not least, Maddox was with Zane and V, playing with Theo and Dustin, but only because Sawyer and Kennedy had taken Zane’s two oldest, Reid and Asher, to their place. Sawyer insisted they managed better when Matthew and Brody had other kids to keep them company.
Travis knew it was all a ruse to give him and Gage some time alone. It wasn’t easy for any of the parents to get a break with so many kids, but they all pitched in when it was necessary to help out. And tonight Travis appreciated it more than usual.
He tossed his keys into the bowl near the door, then followed the scent of garlic coming from the kitchen.
His stomach rumbled in response, a not-so-subtle reminder that he’d had a granola bar for lunch and that had long since burned off.
“What’re you makin’?” he asked when he pushed the door open to find Gage standing at the center island.
“Lasagna.”
“And garlic bread?” he asked hopefully.
Gage pointed to a baking pan layered with Texas toast coated in butter and garlic.
“Figured we’d have dinner, then maybe watch a movie.”
Travis was more than willing to do whatever Gage wanted to do tonight. “As long as we’re naked while we do it.”
“Which part? Dinner or movie?”
“Both?” Travis chuckled, moving toward Gage. “I don’t care.”
Unable to help himself, he cupped Gage’s face and leaned in for a kiss. It wasn’t urgent, not even sexual, really. Just a gentle press of lips to lips, a comfort he knew he would never be able to live without.
When he pulled back, he smiled. “I have somethin’ for you.”
Gage’s eyebrows lowered. “I’m not sure how energetic I’ll be until after we eat.”
Travis let the words sink in, then he barked a laugh. “I wasn’t talkin’ about sex.”
“Well, that’s a first.”
“Look who’s talkin’.”
Gage rolled his eyes.
Travis pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, drawing Gage’s attention to it.
“What’s that?”
“A confirmation.”
“Of?”
Travis passed it over. “Read for yourself.”
When Gage took the paper and began to unfold it, Travis lowered to one knee before him.
“March twentieth. Three o’clock,” Gage read.
Travis reached up, pulled Gage’s hand down so he could look in his eyes. “Marry me, Gage. Marry me on March twentieth at three o’clock.”
Gage smiled as he grabbed Travis’s wrist and pulled him up. “I’ll marry you any day, anywhere, any time.”
Travis kissed him again, this time a bit more urgently. “Good.”
“Where’s this gonna take place?”
“At my parents’ house.”
Right by the tree Kylie had requested they plant.
Chapter Twenty-Four
One week later
Thursday, March 11, 2021
They’d been at the coast for nearly a week. Five days to be exact. They’d made the trek on Sunday and would be leaving on Saturday, which as far as Trey was concerned was both not long enough and too long at the same time.
Oh, it had nothing to do with the relaxation. That had been incredible. Five days of nothing to do but sit down by the water, catch a nap in the warm breeze, or walk along the beach. That had been pretty much all he’d done, having promised himself he would unplug from the real world, just like his brother requested.
It had been just what the doctor ordered.
And the company wasn’t half bad either.
Trey reclined in one of the many lounge chairs they’d scattered over the sand, beer in hand. Baz, JJ, Charlie, Reese, Brantley, Holly, and Luca were sitting around the campfire, laughing at the stories they’d coaxed out of him.
It was Brantley’s fault. If his brother didn’t react so dramatically, Trey wouldn’t find so much amusement in telling them.
“Then there was this one guy,” he continued, locking eyes with Brantley.
“Do not go there,” Brantley growled.
“I don’t even remember the dude’s name,” he lied. No way could Trey forget Danny Musket, but it was more enjoyable this way. “Somethin’ like mustard, or muscle.”
“Musket,” Brantley grumbled.
“Yes!” Trey lifted his beer in a mock toast.
“Danny Musket!” JJ shouted. “Oh, my God! I forgot about him. Y’all were all up in each other’s business.”
“We were not,” Brantley denied.
“Oh, they were,” Trey confirmed. “One night, I was on duty—”
“Fuckin’ mall security,” Brantley hissed. “Not a cop.”
“Anyway. I stopped in at E-Z’s for a cup of coffee—”
“Pork rinds and Dr. Pepper,” Brantley corrected, exactly as he always did.
Trey grinned. He loved how easily Brantley denied but always made the proper adjustments to the tale.
“—when what did I stumble upon?” Trey laughed. “There I was, mindin’ my own business, strollin’ through the parkin’ lot—”
“Checkin’ out the beer delivery guy,” Brantley noted.
Yes, yes, he had been checking out that guy. Never did get anywhere but Trey had found him rather impressive. Tall and layered with muscle. Yum.
“—when somethin’ caught my attention.”
“It was Danny’s Toyota truck,” Brantley said quickly. “You claim it was rockin’, but I call bullshit.”
“My story…”
“Your lies,” Brantley groused, taking a pull on his beer.
“Wait,” JJ interjected. “Danny worked at the convenience store, right?”
“He did.” Trey glanced around at all the faces. “And that particular night he was gettin’ some action—exactly his words—while on his break.”
“He did not say that,” Brantley huffed.
“It’s very possible he did,” Trey said. At this point, the story was so convoluted, he had no idea if it was really Danny Musket. However, Brantley seemed to recall the incident, so Trey was apt to go along with it.
“I never knew you got busted makin’ out in a parked car,” JJ said, laughing at Brantley.
“What about you?” Brantley said, turning his attention to JJ. “I remember the time—”
JJ reached over, smacked her hand on Brantley’s mouth. “Don’t you dare! I mean it.”
Brantley, in a quick and easy move, flipped JJ around so she fell in his lap, his arms banding around her so she couldn’t hit him.
“She and Dante were havin’ sex under the bleachers at the homecoming game,” Brantley blurted.
JJ shouted, wrestled out of his hold, and smacked him on the arm.
Trey laughed along with everyone else. Yeah, he was glad they’d decided to do this.
It had been a difficult few months, and it was nice that they could kick back and enjoy a few days off.
“By the way, for those of you lookin’ to tie one on tonight, don’t,” JJ warned. “We are goin’ to the aquarium tomorrow. No matter what. It’s our last day here and I am not gonna miss out.”
“I’ll go with you,” Trey promised at the same time Baz and Charlie did.
“What about you two?” JJ asked Holly and Luca.
“We’re in,” Holly answered for both of them, laughing when Luca grunted.
“It’s gettin’ late,” Reese said. “I think I’m gonna head in.”
“Me, too,” Brantley said as he got to his feet.
Trey was content to sit right there, the breeze off the ocean fanning the flames, keeping it relatively comfortable.
It wasn’t long before everyone opted
to go inside, leaving Trey to douse the blaze. Once he was sure it went out, he trudged through the sand up to the house.
He had to admit there was only one reason he was eager to get back to the real world, and it had nothing to do with his house or his job. It had everything to do with the sexy man who’d been taunting him via text message all week. Holding his ground, Trey had refused to text him back, holding out until he thought his head might explode. It had been a couple of hours ago that he’d given in to the temptation and told Magnus he was looking forward to seeing him on Saturday.
He had just made it to the small room he’d commandeered as his when his cell phone rang, an unfamiliar tone.
Yanking it from his pocket, he peered at the screen and frowned.
A FaceTime call?
From Magnus.
Trey considered ignoring it, but something compelled him to answer.
“What?” He glared at the screen as Magnus’s too-handsome face appeared.
“I figured why bother waitin’ till Saturday.”
“You’ve got zero patience, you know that?”
“You havin’ fun without me?”
“You’re not here?” Trey rolled his eyes. “Didn’t even notice.”
“I doubt that. I’m sure your cock’s well aware I’m not there to service it.”
His fucking cock heard that statement loud and clear, thickening immediately in notice.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” Magnus dared.
Trey laughed, a choked sound that lodged in his throat. “You’re not serious.”
“No?”
Trey’s eyes were locked on the screen as the camera panned away from Magnus’s face, moving slowly down his… Oh, fuck that was his bare chest, his washboard abs.
Ah, hell.
His breath hitched when he saw Magnus’s cock fisted proudly in the man’s hand.
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