Garrett was still shouting, writhing on the floor. Dean flipped him onto his stomach, yanking his arms behind his back. He produced a set of zip ties from his pocket and secured Garrett’s wrists, pulling them tight enough to make the man scream louder.
“Your wounds are superficial,” Dean said, his voice perfectly calm. “I could’ve killed you. Put a bullet right through your skull. But I knew Harris Medina would want a word with you first. And I promise you, what he’ll do to you is a lot worse than dying.”
Garrett cursed and spat, but Dean ignored him.
He stood. His face was streaked with dirt and blood, which didn’t seem to be his own. His eyes were fierce and focused, but when they met mine, they softened.
Gesturing for me to follow, Dean went to a nearby doorway. A dingy bathroom. There, he washed his face and hands.
I waited for him by the bathroom door. Thankfully, Garrett’s obnoxious music had cut out.
“Everyone else is dead,” Dean said as he stepped out. “Do you want to make the call to Medina?”
There was no question about what would happen next. When it came to Ryan Garrett’s fate, Dean and I were on exactly the same page.
I pulled out the business card Harris Medina had given me and dialed the number. He answered on the second ring.
“Deputy Marsh?”
Was I surprised he already knew my number? Not really. “Ryan Garrett just tried to kill me and my sister. You claimed you’d take care of it, but clearly you failed to move fast enough.”
Medina didn’t waste time on apologies or emotion. Not that I’d expected any. “Is Garrett alive?”
“Barely. There are other Crosshairs people here, all dead. He was talking about the plot to oust you and take over your company. We left Garrett alive for you, as a favor. In exchange, I want this all to go away. And I want your guarantee this time that nobody will touch my familyeveragain.”
“Done. Would you like to witness Garrett’s suffering? Because I promise you, he will suffer for what he’s done.”
I shivered. “No. I never want to see him again. I don’t want anything more to do with him.”
“Send me your location. I’ll have someone there within the hour.”
“I don’t want any evidence left that my sister and I were ever here. Same with her boyfriend and Dean.”
“I assure you,” Medina said smoothly, “I will take care of everything. Your help is greatly appreciated.”
I hung up and looked at Dean. He pulled me into his arms. I buried my face against his chest. He didn’t smell too pleasant, but he was solid and warm and alive.
“I was afraid they’d got you,” I whispered. “That gunshot outside. I didn’t want to believe it, but…”
“They tried.” His arms tightened around me. “But I told you I wouldn’t leave you again. I’m going to keep that promise.”
I laughed, the sound coming out shaky and half-broken. “You better.”
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his hand coming up to cup my face. His thumb brushed across my cheekbone, gentle despite the violence still clinging to him.
“You did great in there,” he said.
“So did you.”
Dean kissed me then, soft and fierce at once. When we broke apart, he kept his forehead pressed against mine, and my hands stayed fisted in his shirt. Refusing to let go.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Keira
Mom was on the porch,already crying as she saw us drive up. Which made Stephie start crying again too.
The moment I stopped the truck, my sister was out and running. She and our mom embraced.
