“Roger that. Thanks for letting me know.”
“These assholes are pushing my buttons, and it’s working.”
“Keep your head, Swift. Stay in control. No going off half-cocked. They don’t mess around, and if you’ve got new faces inyour town, it means they may be handling things themselves. Which means shit is getting even more serious.”
“I thought the same thing. The shit stains are here. This takes things to a whole new level.”
“The more I look at this picture, I can’t help but think someone on my team is working for them. Nobody else would have been able to take this shot. I know it’s a warning, but it could be valuable. Now to figure out who in my department I trust the most with this information. This is truly fucked.”
“Listen, if you come up against any trouble and there’s anything I can do, let me know.”
“Just stay safe.”
“You too, brother.”
“Okay, text with updates, and I’ll do the same.”
“Will do. Thanks again.”
“Yep.”
The line goes dead just as I’m pulling up to the station. For the next thirty minutes, I fill in the chief, and the detectives working Daisy’s case update me on where they are, which isn’t as far as I’d like. They’re doing the best they can, but since Brian O’Leary a.k.a Wesley from Colorado, hit the ground in Boston, he’s been a ghost. Jake’s description of the out of towner fits the look of most men in the area aside from the tattooed hands.Thoseare not so common.
We sent a message through the MDT system for all departments in the area to be on the lookout for an out of state or unplated black Range Rover along with a description of our person of interest. We’ll make sure the entire county is looking for the asshole.
Once I’ve done all I can on a case I’m not allowed to work on because of my personal connection, I head home to Daisy. My priorities are split down the middle. On one hand, I need to be at work, busting my ass until these bastards are dealt with. But onthe other hand, I can’t be away from Daisy for more than an hour without going crazy. Yes, she has a bodyguard, but nobody will protect her like I will.
All I want is to be home with her.
On my way to the house, I call Cal. I update him and ask him to share the information with Knox and Angus. Before going inside, I chat with Smith on the front porch, the security detail assigned to me and Daisy. I text him the photos I sent Benson and fill him in on what little I learned at the office. Now that all of the McKinnon’s homes, their store, and the ranch have a security detail he’ll share the details with his teammates so everyone’s up to date.
When I push open the door, the sound of laughter chips away at my anxiety. But when I round the corner into the family room and see Daisy beaming ear to ear, holding her sides in hysterics, all is right in this fucked-up world.
She’s safe.
She’s happy.
She’s here.
When Maui notices me, she leaps off Mia’s lap and runs to me. I squat down to give her some love. When I stand, four sets of eyes are scrutinizing me. Daisy blushes, and Mia, Ryan, and Charlie all flash me devious little smiles.
“Afternoon, ladies.”
“Well, if it isn’t our dashing hero,” Charlie says. She’s kicked back in my chair, breastfeeding the baby with a blanket over her shoulder.
“Dashing I’ll give you,” I kid, lifting an eyebrow and posing for the girls. “But I’m no hero.”
“Don’t call him things like that. It goes to his head,” Daisy groans.
“Well, we appreciate how well you’ve taken care of our girl the last few days.”
Ryan coughs into her hand. “And the last twelve years…”
My head whips to meet Daisy’s eyes. She gives me a slight nod, biting her lower lip to keep from smiling.
I take a deep breath, my chest lifting with pride and my heart soaring with possibilities, knowing I’m no longer her dirty little secret.
All I want to do is pick her up and kiss her senseless. Instead, I listen to the voice in my head that says I don’t know what she told them. They may know we’ve hooked up, but did she tell them how she feels or what she wants?
