She shook her head. No way could she let Patch go another second without knowing the truth. “Gunner… he admitted…” She blinked out a tear.
Patch wiped it away with his finger.
“He hired someone to murder your parents and Hannah,” she said, holding Patch’s gaze.
His face contorted. His eyes hardened. His jaw tightened. He glanced over his shoulder, squeezing her hands so tight she thought they might break. “I should fucking kill him,” Patch mumbled, releasing his grip, shifting his gaze. “But I’m not even going to bother to give him the time of day. He’d probably get some sick twisted satisfaction out of knowing he’d rattled me. Besides, going over there and punching him won’t bring my family back.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers in a short, but tender kiss. “I’m just so damn grateful he didn’t take one more person from me that I love.”
She blinked. The faint hum of a helicopter in the background filled the thick air. Soon, this place would be crawling with law enforcement. This battle was over, but the fallout had just begun.
She sighed.
“Hey. This is over. He’s going to prison for the rest of his life.” Patch jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Cross has already reached out to Darius, who’s talking to all the necessary chain of command.” Patch tilted her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “You put an end to Gunner, Black Ledger, all of it.”
“You know what all that means, right?”
“I do.” Patch nodded.
She shook her head and let out a dry laugh. “I’m not sure you understand.”
“A year ago, if we were put on the sidelines and not discharged because of what happened with Langley, I probably would have gone back. So, trust me, I do get when the cavalry arrives, you’re getting on the back of a transport plane and dealing with this shit.” He smiled. “But that doesn’t change how much I love you. There are Brotherhood Protector offices all over the place. I can work anywhere.”
She palmed his cheek. “You love this damn swamp and I can’t ask you to leave it.”
“You're not.” He lowered his chin. “I’m telling you I want to be wherever you are. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but the biggest one was walking away from you. You’re the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me and I’m not making that mistake twice.”
“Hey,” her brother’s voice rang out like a beacon. “Remy and the local Feds are on their way.” McGuire rested his hand on Savvy’s shoulder. “Remy said West is in the air and will be here soon enough to debrief all of us, and… well, contain this shit.”
“Thanks.” Patch nodded.
“I’ll be over there if you need me.” McGuire strolled across muddy land toward Riven.
She wiped some mud from Patch’s cheek and put on her bravest smile. “The only thing I know for sure is that I love you. Outside of that, I don’t know what’s next.”
“No one says you need to.” He gripped her forearms and pulled her to a standing position. “You have things you need to take care of. I get that. Duty calls. I can go with, or I can stay here and visit you whenever it works until you get things sorted out.” He rested his head against her forehead. “Just as long as I know we’re together, that you want to be with me, we’ll figure it out.”
“I do want that, Patch, I swear. I just don’t?—”
He hushed her with a kiss. “This is our second chance. We don’t have to rush. All we have to do is communicate. It’s going to be okay.”
She wrapped her arms around his strong body, resting her head on his shoulder. No matter where her future was, she knew it would be with Patch.
CHAPTER 15
TWO WEEKS LATER…
Patch saton the porch of his cabin in his favorite rocking chair, drinking a little tequila and reading a book. He loved this cabin, nestled against the slow-turning water that had once served as his only friend. Now, it was a sentinel. A quiet, watchful companion.
It was nearly dusk, and the cypress trees had begun to cast long shadows over the bayou’s surface. Spanish moss swayed in the warm air. Dragonflies hovered near the water’s edge. The hum of frogs and insects filled the air, soft and rhythmic like a heartbeat he hadn’t known he’d missed.
For the first time in years, Patch wasn’t waiting for some evil darkness to lunge out from the shadows and swallow him whole. There were no enemies on the horizon. No threats crawling through the trees.
Just quiet.
And yet… not peace.
Not yet.
Because she wasn’t here.
