Page 107 of Rafe’s Future

“I’m here, sweetheart.” His hands shook as he cut her free.

“I knew you’d come.”

Her voice was low and weak. Strained with obvious notes of pain.

The plastic strips fell away, and he carefully pulled her into his arms. Rafe pressed his lips to her forehead before placing a gentle kiss on the corner of her swollen lips.

“I’m okay,” she whispered.

“You call this okay?”

“My hand is the worst of it.”

His gaze fell to the bruised and deformed hand she was protecting against her chest.

Rage burned within him. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

She touched his cheek with her good hand and smiled. The woman had been beaten to hell, and she was still smiling. As best as she could manage, anyway.

“You came.” Her thumb caressed his beard. “That’s all that matters.”

Rafe closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the fact that she was still alive.

“There’s something else you need to know.”

He opened his eyes, wondering what else there could possibly be. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Roger.”

Rafe went still, prepared to hear her tell him she’d witnessed her mentor’s murder. Instead, she told him⁠—

“He was the one driving the car when I was taken.”

Shock reverberated throughout his system. “Wilcox? Are you sure?”

Lena’s nod was slight, but he saw it all the same.

“I don’t know why.” Tears fell from her bruised and swollen eyes. “But h-he’s the one who drove us here.”

Behind them, Stanton started to laugh. They turned and looked his way.

“Everyone has a price.” He winced with pain, but his arrogance had fully returned. “Especially a man trying to save his wife from cancer. Those treatments are quite expensive, and well . . . government pensions being what they are these days . . .”

Silence filled the room, and they all understood.

Somehow Stanton found out Roger’s wife needed pricey cancer treatments, and he exploited the desperate man’s need for his sick, twisted game. And then, Stanton killed him for his troubles.

There was nothing that could be done about it now. It was over. For real, this time. The danger was past, and he and Lena were finally and truly free.

“Let’s go.” He and Bones helped Lena to her feet. “We need to get you to a hospital.”

“For once, I won’t argue.”

Rafe looked down at her and smiled. And then, because he could, he oh-so-gently scooped her into his arms.

Lena curled into him, resting her battered cheek against his chest and closing her eyes. “My hero.”

He’d never fancied himself a hero, and that was perfectly fine with him. Rafe was, however, a man in love. And he was holding onto his future.