“You’re surrounded,” the federal agent warned.
Nick peeked around the column again. The FBI already had Dan and Clifford’s other hired goon in cuffs. But the DA had raised his own weapon and pointed it at the nearest agent’s head. “I’m not going down.”
“You are, you bastard!” said a woman. Her familiar voice turned his veins to ice. “It’s over.”
Sasha?
Nick leapt to his feet and saw her emerge into a corner of the light with a big soldier-type he recognized as Xander’s buddy Logan. Goddamn it. Why the hell had she come here and put herself in danger?
For him. Because she loved him. Because she refused to lose him. She’d risked herself, her future with her daughter, and all her precious tomorrows to save him.
Damn it, if Nick didn’t love her even more. But he wished like hell she’d stayed at the scuzzy motel.
Clifford yanked the gun in her direction and aimed. “Die, bitch.”
“No!” Nick shouted and leapt to his feet, gun ready, determined to somehow pull the trigger and end Clifford’s miserable existence before he could fire Sasha’s way.
To his shock, she raised a weapon of her own and pulled the trigger. Everyone froze as the report of gunfire rang in the air.
Clifford clutched his neck and staggered back. Blood spurted. He gurgled when he tried to breathe. Then he fell with a last gasp.
The FBI leapt to action to secure Clifford and surround Sasha.
Nick leapt over the railing of the bandstand and darted across the grass. “Sasha. Baby!”
She dropped the gun and fought her way from the cluster of agents to run toward him. “Nick! Oh my… I’ve been so worried.”
The second he enveloped her in his arms, he gripped her tight, feeling her heartbeat, her warmth, her love. He was never letting this woman go.
“This nightmare is over, thank god. Where the hell did you get a gun?” he barked.
“I still have my Louisiana driver’s license. I’d previously taken a gun safety class with my dad and passed. After you left the motel room, I woke and talked to Xander. Then I ran to the sporting goods store and bought this Baretta tonight. I wasn’t going to sit around like a damsel in distress.”
“But I wanted you to, damn it. Don’t ever pull shit like that again,” he chided.
“Then don’t you run off on me again. I’ll never let you leave me behind to face life alone.” She shook her head. “I’ll always be by your side.”
“But I wanted to save you, baby. That was my plan. That’s why you came to me.” He grabbed her arms. “You should have let me finish this so you’d never have to look over your shoulder again.”
“At the expense of your life?” She cupped his face. “You knew that was the likely outcome.”
He hesitated, then nodded. “That’s not important.”
“It is to me! What I really need more than your protection is your strength, support, and love. We need to save each other.”
She was right, and he couldn’t have found a better woman for him if he’d searched the whole fucking planet. “I love you.”
Nick saw the swarm of agents watching them. Reporters were beginning to appear around the perimeter of the scene, cameras rolling. He overheard swatches of their lead-in, talking about the leaked video and the warrant that had already been out for Clifford’s arrest and speculating that Nick’s conviction—among others—would likely be overturned.
“I love you, too. And I’m so grateful. But you and me? We’re just beginning.”
“Yeah.” Nick swallowed. “When you first knocked on my door, I only asked you to give me your body for four weeks. I’m thinking now that I need you to give me your heart for a lifetime.”
She took his hand and faced the waiting agents. “You’ve got a deal.”
Epilogue
Six Months Later
