Somehow she knew that Aiden had to be behind their being arrested.Justice.She didn’t know if it was something he’d done in the last few days to make up for Dmitri walking free or if it was something he’d set in place the moment she’d agreed to help him. It didn’t really matter. What mattered was that he’d promised her justice—and he’d delivered.
Without killing anyone.
The last two weeks felt like the most surreal of her life, which was saying something. It shouldn’t be possible to fall for someone that fast.
What she and Aiden had wasn’t perfect, and there were still kinks to work out, but was any relationship perfect? He was willing to work with her and meet her halfway. He challenged her and forced her to be better than she’d been before. It was surprising how well she’d fit into his family.
He was still a criminal. That wouldn’t change.
She stared at her phone. Could she live with that? It went against everything she’d been raised to value.
But the man who’d raised her with those values had left her in the arms of a criminal last night. He hadn’t stopped to ensure that she’d get medical care or to find out what their plans were. Her dad just let them leave.
And the police department she’d spent most of her life admiring had kicked her out on her ass the second she did something they didn’t like. Every single “friend” she’d had who was a cop had dropped off the map the second the news came out that branded her as dirty. The legendary loyalty she’d always believed in had dried up and left her totally and completely alone.
Was she going to throw away a real chance at happiness—and potentially doing some good in the world—because of people who obviously didn’t give two fucks about her?
The criminals had shown her more compassion and loyalty than the people on the right side of the law.
They’d been more family to her than her actual family.
And Aiden…
Aiden.
He’d made her feel alive—truly alive—for the first time in as long as she could remember. Her body lit up in hispresence, where she felt truly safe. It wasn’t a lie. The world wasn’t perfect, but with Aiden she felt like there was actually a chance she could make a difference. Somehow.
She called him.
Aiden answered immediately. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?”
“Everything is fine.” Better than fine—or it would be as soon as she saw him again. “Where are you?”
“A few blocks away. I went to grab you something to eat since the only thing in your fridge is a bottle of ketchup.”
Charlie smiled, though it pulled at the cut on her cheek, and settled back against her headboard. “You didn’t leave.”
“Fuck no. I said I’ll give you time, and I will, but it’d be a dick move to disappear without making sure you were good.” There were traffic sounds in the background and the rustling of paper bags. “I’ll be back in five.”
“Okay.” She found a robe that she’d never bothered to use tucked into the back of her tiny closet, and wrapped that around herself, since getting dressed was beyond her at the moment. Then she waited for him in her tiny living room.
It felt like a small eternity before Aiden walked through her door, but it couldn’t have been more than the promised five minutes. He looked tired, scruff on his jaw and shadows beneath his green eyes.
He set two bags and a drink carrier on the kitchen counter and walked over to crouch in front of her. “You okay?”
“Thanks to you.”
He gave a sharp shake of his head. “We went over this last night.”
“Aiden, stop.” She framed his face with her hands. “Did you mean what you said?”
He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. He covered herhands with his own. There were no masks between them this time. Just the naked longing on his face and her holding her breath, waiting for his answer. “I love you, Charlie. I’ll give you all the time you need, but I love the fuck out of you, and if you’d go home with me right now, it would make me the happiest man alive.”
She kissed him. It was the barest brushing of lips, and he let her control every second of it. Charlie shivered and sat back. “Have you seen the news?”
“Yes.” Just that. Nothing more.
She sighed. “Did you have something to do with that?”
