Page 100 of One Kind Soul

Nicole closed her eyes for a moment. “Now those are some sweet words.” She patted his cheek, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she peered up at him. “Listen . . . about what I said in the hospital waiting room—”

Christian silenced her with a kiss. “I know what you were doing. I hated it, but I also get it.”

Nodding, Nicole tugged him outside where Donovan leaned against his vehicle. “Shuttle to Shepherd Orchard and Farm.” He opened the passenger door. “You two can fight it out for the front seat.”

“You.” Christian pointed a finger at his brother. “I see why you and Tessa are such a great match. You’re both liars.”

Donovan laughed. “No, we both wanted to see you ridiculously happy when your woman miraculously showed up.” He lightly shoved Christian. “So be ridiculously happy, okay?”

Apparently Christian was feeling huggy right now because he launched forward and grabbed his brother in a bear hug. “Thanks, bro. You brought my girl home safely.”

“Actually Nicole’s father did,” Donovan said. “His intel on the call he received allowed us to pinpoint her location.”

“And Lynda’s.” Nicole shivered and Christian immediately put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her in to his side.

“Lynda will be stuck in one location for a long time now,” Donovan said. “Escaping from the other prison where she was held will add time to her already lengthy sentence and she’s headed for a supermax prison where the security is extreme. She’s going nowhere.”

Nicole’s body relaxed beside Christian.

“I keep telling myself that in my head.” Nicole knocked her knuckles against her forehead. “It’s what’s making me believe I won’t have to worry about her again.”

“You won’t,” Donovan said. “And when Lynda’s husband gets out after his sentence has been served, you better believe he will be monitored. If he so much as types Vermont into an online search engine, he’ll be hauled in for questioning.”

Christian didn’t think that was police procedure, but he liked the sound of it.

“Now get in,” Donovan said. “I’ve got the meter running here.”

“Can we both sit in the back seat?” Nicole asked.

Donovan closed the front passenger door and opened the back one. “Of course. Whatever the lady wants.” He smiled as she climbed in. “Why you want my brother, however, is a mystery.”

“Hey!” Christian launched a fist into Donovan’s bicep, but he ended up hugging his brother again before getting into the back seat.

The moment the door closed and Donovan headed for the driver’s seat, Nicole snuggled up to Christian. She put her hand on his thigh as if she needed contact to verify they were actually together again. They cuddled on the entire drive which was only ten minutes long, but Christian loved knowing he had plenty more time to hold Nicole close.

Donovan dropped them off at the farm and after basically pledging to be his brother’s slave for the rest of his life in payment for getting Nicole back, Christian led Nicole toward the farmhouse.

“Does it scare you being here now?” he asked, noting how the apple trees in the orchard looked pretty frightening in the dark, their craggy branches bent like monster arms.

“No. I saw Lynda get taken away,” Nicole said, but she hustled up the porch steps and stayed close to him. “She isn’t going to be a problem anymore.”

Christian opened the front door and let Nicole in first then he locked the door, triple checking it. Good thing bees couldn’t unlock doors.

“Lynda won’t be a problem in the sense she won’t be showing up around here,” he said, “but your father told me and Tessa about him not being your real father.”

Nicole blew out a breath, her shoulders slumping as the air escaped her. She toed off her shoes after dropping her purse by the door. “This conversation is going to need booze, Chrissy.”

“I don’t have any booze.” He motioned to the house around them. “The last time I was here was with you. We’re barely moved in.”

Nicole grinned and walked to the kitchen. She pulled open the refrigerator and waved a showcasing hand at its fully stocked condition. “Landon and Aliza make awesome grocery store fairies.”

“Sweet.” He bent and got them each a beer. Tapping his bottle to hers after opening them, he said, “Let’s break in that leather couch.”

Christian followed her to the living room. All he wanted to do was strip off their clothes and welcome her home in the best way he knew how, but she had stuff to process and he wanted to help her through that. If he couldn’t have rescued her himself, he’d be here for her now in whatever ways she needed.

Nicole sat on the couch, drawing her legs up underneath her. Christian left a cushion between them and sat as Nicole ran her index finger through the condensation on her beer bottle, her jaw tensed.

“I’m trying to figure out where to start.” She looked down at her hand, flexing it. “I . . . I choked my sister until she passed out.”