I put him out of my mind as I showered, dressed, and headed off to find my beautiful woman. When I cleared the corner of the locker room, Vivian was there, her smile wide and the light in her gray eyes gleaming just for me.
I stepped forward and snagged her around the waist, pulling her against my chest. “How did I ever manage to stay away from you for so long?”
“Willpower.” She kissed my chin. “You have it in spades.”
“Mmm... I think you mean idiocy.” I tipped my head down to look into her gleaming, silvery eyes. “I love you so very, very much.”
Her smile dazzled me, and her eyes heated to molten. She rose on her tiptoes and whispered in my ear, “I’m going to need you to show me how much.”
I chuckled. “Definitely not a hardship.”
She linked our fingers and raised our hands, kissing my battered knuckles. “I love you, Lennon. Just so we’re clear on that.”
“I’m so glad, Vivi. So glad. Let’s get you home so I can show you how much you mean to me.”
She shivered as she tipped her head back. “I like the sound of that.”
Then we both frowned. Neither of us was comfortable having sex under my mom’s roof, so we often went back to my place first, though that came with its own issues, especially with Mom ready for more cancer treatments. Vivi took her duties as a live-in nurse very seriously.
I sighed, then kissed her.
“There may be a home going up for sale in Cormac’s neighborhood,” I said. “It has a pool house—about twelve hundred square feet. I was thinking we might like the house, and the pool house might be perfect for my mom to live in.”
Vivian kissed me. “I like the sound of that. I think your mom might, too. She wants to be independent, but the chemo’s taken a lot out of her. Having her nearby would be good.”
“You wouldn’t mind that?” I asked.
Vivian shook her head. “I’d like her close. You’re so lucky, Lennon, to still have her.” She bit her lip, and I knew she was thinking of her own mother’s slow, painful passing. “I guess we’re just getting older, seeing our parents age and sicken. I’m happy to get the opportunity to know your mother.”
I squeezed her hand. “You really are the best.”
She laughed. “I have my moments.”
My phone rang just as I helped Vivian into my truck. My shoulders tensed when I noted the name. “Hello, Detective,” I answered.
Vivian’s gaze shot to mine, her lips pressed flat.
“We got them, Lennon,” Detective Ahmed said quietly.
I relayed the message to Vivian. Her gaze was steady. “We’ll come up there to identify them in person,” I told him immediately.
Vivian gave a single sharp nod of agreement.
Chapter 30
Chapter
Lennon
* * *
“You’re sure you have all three of the men? You got the first one, but this took so long, I wasn’t sure you really caught the other three.” I looked at Detective Ahmed again, just as I had two other times I’d asked since we’d arrived at the precinct early this morning. I was in shock; I hadn’t expected the men to be arrested.
Vivian and I had caught a red eye out to Detroit after the game last night. I’d insisted on upgrading our seats so we could sleep more comfortably, and Vivian had reluctantly agreed.
We were both sleep-rumpled and tired now, but we wanted this identification—this period of our life—behind us. The best, and really only, way to do that was to ensure the men responsible for the attack received justice.
The bald, thin detective gave a sharp nod. “Yes, we’re sure. They match your description, Ms. Lee’s description—” He nodded at Vivian. “—and the images we took from nearby closed-circuit cameras. These are the men who attacked you, Lennon. They’re in custody. And after their most current armed assault, they will be spending a long, long time in prison.”
