The agent cursed and stood abruptly, before he ran a hand through his hair and charged to the door as he pulled out his phone. “General Garner is under arrest. Cuff him to a fucking chair. I am on my way.”
“He was on Casey’s list, wasn’t he?” Gwen asked softly.
Haley nodded. “That isn’t his only sin. Excuse me,” she said said before going after Garner.
Silence fell over the room; the only sounds were coming from the clock on the wall and the machines hooked up to my body. I ushered Karina to sit on the bed beside me. She was tired and needed her rest too.
This was awkward.
Every single person in this room had been on my hitlist, each one of them a regret. Karina knew this, but then again, she saw the deepest, darkest, ugliest parts of me.
And yet, she stilllovedme.
It was easier to confess your sins to someone who loved you for the goodness inside and didn’t judge you for the darkness that took control of you.
“This is awkward.”
I looked up to find Gwen looking at all of us. Dean chuckled and looked to the ceiling.
“What’s so funny?” Karina asked.
“Maybe I should’ve tried out for football…”
“The NFL was next on his list, Connors,” I said, my lips twitching. It was true. Romano wanted to expand to football and basketball. That monster was never satisfied.
He looked at me. “Painting, then.”
My angel began giggling beside me. I looked up to her sky-blue eyes were on her best friend, who was also trying to keep it together. “You don’t have the patience for painting, Dean Connors,” Gwen laughed. I found myself chuckling.
“I have the patience to put up with your ass,” he shot back, a smile forming on his face.
The girls laughed even harder. Kay leaned against my pillows as she bent over, her hair draped over my chest. Gwen was doubled over, tears falling from the corner of her eyes as laughter poured from her lips. Dean was staring at her mesmerized. His features softened for her, much like mine did when I looked upon my angel.
Gwen’s laugh was rich and throaty, but Karina’s was soft, almost timid. My angel’s eyes were closed, her shoulders shaking, and her cheeks were flushed, but not from pain or sorrow. She was a work of art, and I couldn’t look away. I wanted to capture this moment, frame it and put it in museums across the world.
Karina Jones was an angel sent from heaven, and while everyone deserved an angel, this one belonged to me. My hand gripped her chin, making her look into my eyes.
“You are the only one. Even if I live a thousand lives, you are the only one,” I whispered as her laughter faded away.
“Don’t you ever try to say goodbye to me again,” she whispered back as my hand slid into her hair.
The world faded, and it was just her and me.
Like in my dreams.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Haley
“What are you going to do?” I asked James.
“John and I have a plan.”
Unease settled on my shoulders, and I let out a long breath trying to grasp the words that were about to come out of my mouth. “If you do this, you can’t give up your badge, right?”
He turned to me, his dark eyes piercing my soul.
My James had returned, though his soul was more tainted than before.
