Darby clutched Gage, Leo, and Edith, willing her heart rate to return to normal. She’d felt the bullet whizz past her face and knew if Aaron had aimed just a quarter of an inch toward her, she’d be dead.
Dead.
Aaron’s attempt to kill her had been far closer than what she’d experienced with Reyes. In fact, she honestly had no idea how the bullet had missed her. She’d prepared herself for the pain, but it never came.
It was as if God had intervened in the nick of time.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Gage’s voice rumbled near her ear.
“Yes.” She turned to watch as two cops handcuffed Aaron while offering first aid to his abdominal wound. “How did the police know we were here?”
“I called Pride without Aaron knowing,” Gage admitted. “It worked with Reyes, so I gave it another try. I felt certain he was still close by.”
“You thought right.” Detective Pride strode toward them. “Is this the guy who stole the black Ford?”
“Yes,” Darby answered. “Looking back, I should have recognized him. That’s Aaron Dukes, an old boyfriend.” One she’d barely given a second thought other than to be thankful she’d gotten rid of him.
Too bad Aaron hadn’t done the same.
“Great.” Pride sighed. “Two crime scenes in one day.”
“Thanks for coming so quickly,” Gage spoke up.
Pride gave a curt nod. “I was outside getting ready to leave when your call came through. When I realized you were being held at gunpoint, I saw the parking structure across the street. One of the cops mentioned seeing the four of you heading in that direction.” His gaze fell on the whining, bleeding Aaron. “I have to admit, I didn’t suspect he’d be here, waiting for you.”
“Me either.” Darby blew out a breath. Should she have anticipated this? She hadn’t even recognized Aaron as the driver of the stolen truck.
So much for her keen observation skills.
“He mentioned having friends in high places,” Gage said. “Like maybe a cop.”
Pride flushed. “I’ll check into it.”
“Please do.” Darby was shaken by the second near miss in mere hours. “It’s the only explanation as to how we’ve constantly been found.”
“We need to know who tampered with the zip line cable,” Gage added. “Dukes or Reyes. Hopefully, you can play one off the other to get the information.”
“Yeah, but I’m not sure which one of these guys is the worst offender.”
Darby shook her head. “I hate to say this, but they’re both equally bad. Aaron’s grudge against me was far more personal because we were once together.” It pained her to admit her youthful foolishness. “But Reyes had the eyes of a killer.”
“This will likely be a case of whoever talks first gets the deal.” The detective turned toward Aaron. “You hear that? Whoever talks first gets the better deal.”
“I’ve been shot,” Aaron whined.
“You almost shot me,” Darby snapped back. “So quit complaining. You brought this on yourself, Aaron. We told you to get away before the cops arrived.”
“Easy.” Gage put a hand on her arm. “He’s not worth your anger.”
“Reyes loosened the zip line cable,” Aaron abruptly confessed. “He wanted Darby and Gage to suffer for turning him in to the cops.”
Darby couldn’t believe Aaron had given Reyes up so easily. Well, actually she could. After all, Pride was right in that the first person to talk got the better deal.
Wasn’t that why she’d turned Gage in to the authorities?
“How do you know Officer Crow?” Gage asked.
“He was my . . .” Aaron abruptly stopped. “I want my lawyer.”
Pride’s expression turned even more grim. He turned away and spoke into his phone, hopefully putting the rest of the Knoxville police officers on alert about Crow’s connection to Aaron Dukes. Darby was glad to know Gage’s instincts were right about the guy.
And she wished desperately that Pride had listened to them from the beginning.
All because she’d betrayed Gage all those years ago.
Gage must have been able to read her thoughts. “Don’t worry about what happened in the past. I told you, going to jail was the best thing that happened to me.”
“That sounds just as insane as the first time you told me that,” she admitted. Leo had stopped crying, but he clung to Gage as if he might never let go.
Darby couldn’t blame the little boy. She wanted to do the same thing.
But of course they both had jobs to get back to. She was scheduled to work the weekend, and she knew Gage had to be back to work on Monday. Now that Reyes and Aaron had been arrested, and Pride believed them about Officer Crow, they could head home.
Their time together was over. At least for now.
However, she and Gage still needed to discuss custody arrangements. With the danger now over, they’d settle back into their normal routines. Well, a new normal routine, one that included allowing Gage to spend time with Leo. It would probably be a good idea for Gage to spend the weekend with Leo. After all, she’d be at work.
But she’d already spent so much time away from her son, she hated the idea of leaving him again so soon. Yet she also needed to pay for a replacement vehicle, so taking additional time off work wasn’t a viable option.
All because these men had wanted revenge.
“Tell me what happened.” Pride didn’t bother to interview them separately. Darby explained first, and Gage filled in some additional details. Edith didn’t have much to add. Once Pride had what he needed, he allowed them to leave.
Soon they were on the road heading back to East Knoxville. Gage was driving, Edith and Leo were tucked into the back seat. Gage had insisted they return to the townhouse. Darby didn’t put up any resistance to that plan.
She stared out the window, trying to get a grip on her emotions. After being on edge for days, it felt strange to be sitting calmly and doing nothing.
“Are you okay?” Gage asked in a low voice. “You still look upset.
“Yeah.” She glanced at him. “Wouldn’t you be upset? I had no idea Aaron was harboring that much resentment toward me and toward you. If I had known, we could have added him as a suspect sooner.” She thought again of how much Hailey had hated Aaron and knew that her foster sister had been right about him all along.
“Let’s focus on moving forward,” Gage suggested.
She drew in a deep breath. “Okay. I, uh, was thinking you could stay at the townhouse with us for a few days.”
“Really?” He looked surprised by the offer.
“I’ll sleep on the sofa,” she added quickly, lest he get the wrong idea. “And I have to work this weekend, which makes it a perfect time for you to hang out with Leo.”
“You should take the weekend off,” Gage said. “After everything you’ve been through, a few days of relaxing wouldn’t hurt.”
“I have to replace my car.” She glanced over her shoulder at Edith, who was resting her head against the window with her eyes closed. Guilt hit at how she’d exposed the woman she loved like a mother to danger. Not once, but twice in one day. “I can borrow this one for a while, but not forever.”
“I can drive you to and from work this weekend, but I’ll have to head back on Sunday afternoon.” Gage glanced at her. “We have a lot to talk about.”
“We do.” She offered a wan smile. “But we’ll figure it out.”
Gage fell silent as Edith’s Lumina ate up the miles from Asbury to East Knoxville. By the time they reached the townhouse, it was nearly dinnertime. Gage offered to grab takeout, but Darby threw a couple of frozen pizzas into the oven.
Leo chattered throughout dinner, seemingly better now that they were home. Darby prayed he wouldn’t have nightmares from what he’d experienced today.
“Actually, why don’t you sleep in Leo’s room?” Darby glanced at Gage as they cleaned up after dinner. “Leo might be better off staying with me tonight.”
“That’s fine.” Gage glanced over to where Leo was playing. Edith had excused herself after dinner to go to bed early. “Anything to help out.”
“I’ll need to know your schedule so we can discuss which times will be best for you to visit Leo.” She turned toward him. “And I know it won’t be convenient, driving back and forth from your place to here. I can offer to meet you halfway on my days off.”
“No.”
She gaped. “What do you mean, no?”
Gage slowly shook his head. “I don’t want to just see Leo once a week. I want to be a part of his life.”
The blood drained from her face. Had she misjudged Gage? Was he going to fight her for joint custody of their son? She took a step back, and another.
“I think it’s time for you to leave.” She tried to sound firm, but she wanted to burst into tears.
This wasn’t what she’d envisioned. And now she knew the main reason Gage had been so nice to her.
It was all an act to get to Leo.
Gage frowned, trying to understand what was going through Darby’s mind. “Leave? I thought you wanted me to stay the weekend?”
“Not anymore.” Darby took another step away from him. “If you think I’m giving you joint custody of Leo, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Joint custody? He mentally smacked himself upside the head. “No, of course not. That’s not what I’m asking for.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Sure sounded like it.”
He’d handled this badly. “Darby, I love you.”
“Ha. Yeah, sure. Now you’re saying what you think I want to hear in order to get more time with Leo.”
He’d really, really handled this badly. He took a step toward her. “Of course I want to spend time with my son. But I would never lie to you about my feelings. Despite the danger, seeing you again has been wonderful. I’ve never forgotten you, Darby. I stayed away since getting out of jail because I was an ex-con who didn’t have anything to offer you.” He hesitated, then added truthfully, “And I wasn’t sure you were still clean either. The conditions of my parole require me to stay away from drugs and violence, anything that resembles my former life.”
Her gaze narrowed. “I’m supposed to believe you would have sought me out sooner?”
“Yes.” He held her gaze. “I’ve always cared about you, but these past few days have made me realize how much I love you. How much I want to be a part of your life, as well as Leo’s.” He held out his hand. “Won’t you please at least give us a try?”
She looked uncertain. “These past few days weren’t exactly real life, Gage. I mean, the danger was real, but our being thrown together, working together, wasn’t under normal circumstances. How do you know we’re compatible?”
“Our kisses are proof we’re more than compatible,” he replied with a smile. “But I can tell you’re not ready, and that’s okay. I guess I shouldn’t have rushed you.” He did his best not to look hurt. He’d thought they were on the same page, especially those moments he’d held her in his arms, but clearly that was not the case.
“I suppose you think God brought us together.”
He nodded. “Yes, I do. I think God brought us together seven years ago too. I think God knew we had to work through our past issues before we could move on. Prison helped me to do that. I believe your stay in rehab did the same for you.”
“Maybe,” she agreed. “Although it seems odd that God would bring two criminals together.”
“We’re all sinners, Darby. And God knows us better than we know ourselves.” He took another step closer. “Please give me a chance. I can’t even imagine what my life would be like without you.”
“You mean without Leo,” she corrected.
“Without you and Leo, yes.” He didn’t appreciate her thinking the worst of him. “If you aren’t interested in having a relationship with me, then I’ll agree to seeing Leo once a week. Maybe on Sundays since that’s my only day off. I tend to work half days on Saturdays, but I can probably give up those hours if needed.”
Her brow furrowed. “You’re saying you’d give up time with Leo for me?”
“I’d give my life for you, Darby. The same way you placed yourself in danger for Leo.” He held her gaze. “Because you love him.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I—see.”
“Do you?” He reached out to grasp her hand. “I love you, Darby Walsh. I want to share my life with you.”
“Me?” She tightened her grip on his hand. “You’re not just saying that?”
“I promise I won’t lie to you. Not now, not ever.”
She rested her free hand on his chest. “I won’t lie to you either. And you don’t have to wait that long because I care about you too.”
A flicker of hope burned in his chest. “Yeah?”
Her lips curved into a smile. “Yeah.”
He drew her toward him. She didn’t resist, coming into his embrace and lifting herself up on her tiptoes to kiss him.
As before, their kiss was explosive. More intense than what he’d remembered in the past. Darby felt so right in his arms, as if this was exactly where they were supposed to be.
Together. As a family.
Gage didn’t want to let her go. He kissed her until they couldn’t breathe, then buried his face in her hair.
“Are you kissing Mommy?” Leo asked.
Their son’s innocent question made him grin. Truthfully, he’d almost forgotten Leo was still awake. “Yes, I am. Because I love your mommy very much.”
The little boy’s gaze shifted between the two of them. “Does Mommy love you too?”
“Uh, well . . .” He tried to think of a way to explain the complexity of their situation.
“Yes,” Darby said. “I love your daddy very much.”
“What about me?” Leo asked.
Gage laughed and loosened his grip on Darby just enough to reach out to the boy. He lifted the child until he was part of their three-way embrace. “We both love you, too, Leo.”
“Yes,” Darby whispered. “Mommy and Daddy love you very much.”
Leo rested his head on Gage’s shoulder. Gage felt his heart swell as he met Darby’s soft gaze. “Are you sure? I don’t want to rush you into something you’re not ready for.”
“I’m sure.” She kissed Leo’s cheek, then his. “I’m sorry I misunderstood your intent, Gage. It just seems like you could do so much better than a former drug addict.”
“Hey, I’m an ex-con,” he reminded her. “But we are also God’s children. And with His love and guidance, we fit perfectly together.”
“You’re right,” Darby admitted softly. “We’re better together. I know God must have been watching over us today. I really thought I was going to die.”
He tightened his grip around her waist. “Me too. And God answered our prayers, bringing us safely out of danger to this moment right now.”
“Yes, I believe He did,” Darby whispered. “I guess I’m glad to know the Preacher was wrong all those years ago. That there is a loving and caring God watching over us.”
“Ah, Darby.” He wanted to kiss her again. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that.”
She stroked a hand down Leo’s back. “I want Leo to grow up believing in God too. Can you help us with that?”
“I would love to,” he assured her.
“Your friend James is the assistant pastor at your church, right?” Darby asked.
“Yes.”
She drew in a deep breath. “I haven’t been in a church in a long time.”
He frowned. “If you’re talking about the years since you’ve escaped the Preacher, please know that wasn’t really church. Not God’s church.”
“I’ll try to keep that in mind. But you need to know it may take me a while to be comfortable in a church setting.” Darby’s blue eyes begged for understanding. “I have tried to move beyond the memories, but it’s not easy. Sometimes they return without warning.”
He realized she was talking about flashbacks. “Darby, you don’t have to go into church until you’re ready. In fact, they often have outdoor services when the weather is nice. Maybe not now, in the heat of summer, but come fall, I think they’ll start back up again.”
“Outdoor services?” A wistful expression crossed her features. “That sounds nice.”
“I love you,” he repeated.
“And I love you too,” Darby assured him.
Gage continued to hold Leo and Darby close as he silently thanked God for bringing them together. For knowing they were better together.
His true family. Now and forever.