Renee watched Eileen struggle as the handcuffs clicked shut behind her back. Her carefully coiffed blonde hair hung in clumps around her face and over her shoulders. Mascara streaked beneath her eyes and down her cheeks, her eyes wild as she wrenched at the FBI agent attempting to lead her to a waiting vehicle. She spotted Renee standing beside Shiloh, and her eyes widened, hatred skewing her features into a rictus of ugliness.
“You! This is all your fault. I should have let Bruce kill you when he had the chance, but I was too soft. I let my kindness and affection for you keep me from seeing the real viper in our midst. How could you do this to me?”
“The only thing I’m responsible for is bringing down your den of evil, Eileen. You were my mother. How could you treat people like pieces of trash, to be used and disposed of? They were human beings with lives and families.”
“They were worthless street trash, drug addicts and junkies. They jumped at the chance of lining their pockets, at the chance to live like kings on their winnings. Nobody forced them to do anything against their will. And we have signed contracts, absolving us from any responsibility.”
“No piece of paper is going to absolve you from committing murder. That’s what you condoned here. Greed and corruption fueled these monstrosities. Darius’ quest for limitless power got innocent men killed. How can you look at yourself in the mirror every day?” Renee started to turn away, then glanced over her shoulder. “I hope you rot in prison. Think about it, Eileen. No more Botox. No plastic surgery. No tummy tucks or liposuction. The real you is finally going to be on view for everybody to see the underlying ugliness you’ve tried to hide.”
“I hate you!” Eileen screeched the hateful words as the FBI agent shoved her into the back seat, slamming the door and cutting off her vitriol.
Shiloh slid his arm around her waist, and they watched as the combined task force led people out of the warehouse, straight to the vehicles waiting to take them to several different locations for questioning and transport. It was a daunting sight, watching teams from a multitude of government agencies corralling the people who’d willingly contributed money, secrecy, and their silent collaboration of fights ending in tragedy. For what? Entertainment? Morbid curiosity? It turned her stomach that people were inured to the suffering of their fellow man. When had their hearts hardened to the point of not caring?
“You did it, sweetheart. Nobody’s going to come out of this unscathed. It’s going to turn into a media circus soon, because there’s no way the press doesn’t know by now. Do you want to stick around, or do you want to get out of here?”
“Have you seen them bring Darius out? I need to see him with my own eyes. Know he’s caught, before I can relax. Does that make sense?”
Shiloh raised his hand and waved at Antonio, who came jogging over. “Do you know where Darius is?”
“I don’t know, let me check.”
She watched him sprint over toward a group of agents, those bright FBI letters standing out on the back of their jackets. Less than a minute passed before he returned.
“He’s cuffed in the back of an ambulance. EMTs are treating the injured over there,” he gestured toward several ambulances parked in the midst of the chaos, their lights flashing. “Let’s go find him.”
They walked toward the ambulance, her hand in Shiloh’s. As they neared, he squeezed her fingers gently. When she looked at him, he nodded toward the ambulance on the right. “There he is.”
Flashes of red and blue cast an eerie glow over Darius’ face. An EMT pressed white gauze against his head, trying to staunch the bleeding. Apparently during his apprehension, he’d gotten knocked around and gashed his forehead. A streak of blood trickled down his cheek, stark against his pale skin. He hadn’t spotted her yet, and she watched him, wondering how she’d ever looked up to the man. Respected him, adored him as an adopted father. Had he always been like this? Did something in his life change, making the man into a monster?
“I need to talk to him alone.”
“Absolutely not.” Shiloh clearly didn’t want her anywhere near Darius, but this was something she had to do.
“He’s handcuffed. There’s a policeman standing right there. Darius can’t hurt me ever again. But I need answers to questions only he can answer, and if I don’t get them now, before they haul him away, I may never get them. Please understand, Shiloh.”
Indecision played across his face, but he finally relented. “On one condition.” He turned to Antonio. “Can the police officer handcuff him to the ambulance door? I refuse to have Renee anywhere near him without him being restrained.”
“Don’t think that’ll be a problem, bro.”
Antonio approached the officer, and she watched as Darius’ wrist was secured to the door handle. She hated to admit it, but a wash of relief flooded her at the extra precaution. And the thoughtfulness of Shiloh’s action made her love him more.
Slowly closing the gap between her and Darius, she knew the moment he sensed her. He stiffened, then seemed to deflate, like a balloon with the air slowly leaking away. The EMT finished taping a bandage on Darius’ forehead and stepped away, leaving her room to move closer.
“Hello, Darius.”
“When everything went to hell in a handbasket, I knew you were behind it, Elizabeth.”
“Renee. My name is Renee O’Malley. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
Instead of a sneer, which she expected, he gave her a gentle smile. “I knew. Did you think I wouldn’t check every detail of your life before you came into my world? My home? I know you hate me, but I only did what was best for you. Always. Did you know when you were a little girl, the welfare worker never put you into the system?”
“I’ve known for some time. What I don’t know is why.”
“That’s because I made sure there was no trail to follow.” Darius sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, anguish coloring his expression. “I always wanted a child, but Eileen couldn’t have children. Then one day, I went to a charity event, and I fell in love with a little redheaded girl I met when she was ten years old. Your green eyes captivated me, the spark of life and intelligence. I couldn’t leave you in that place. You deserved more. There was something about you, call it a kinship, an affinity of spirits, but I felt in my heart you were meant to be my daughter. And I made it happen.”
“I don’t understand what that has to do with my records disappearing.”
“I wanted you for my daughter, but I couldn’t afford for somebody to come looking for their child later. So I checked out your background, where you came from, who your people were. I have very competent computer people, and they traced you all the way back to when you lived with your parents. Before they were killed. They discovered the social worker for the state never put you into the system. She sold you.”
Shock rocketed through Renee. Of all the things she’d wondered about her past, that wasn’t even on her radar. She’d been sold? How was that even possible in this day and age? Children didn’t just disappear. Yet she had, and she’d gotten an answer of sorts.
“I was sold?”
“It’s not as uncommon as you’d think. I’ve never done it, but with enough money, anything’s possible. Unfortunately, the social worker didn’t pick the best parents for you. You were too much for them to handle, with the temper tantrums and running away. They in turn rehomed you with people they found on the internet. The rest you probably remember; you were old enough to understand what happened around you.”
She did remember, shunted from place to place, never finding a real home. Shaking her head, she blocked out the sordid details from her past. It didn’t matter anymore. She had a bright future to look forward to, reunited with her brother and a family who accepted and loved her.
“What about my records? What did you do?”
“That took time and a lot of money, but I made it all go away. Your early years were obliterated from existence, because that child didn’t exist anymore. You had a new life and a new family who wanted you. Who loved you. I love you, Eliz—Renee. Despite everything that’s happened, you turning your back on your family, involving the cops, I still love you. You are the child of my heart.”
“Darius,” she started, noting his wince at her using his given name and not calling him Daddy.
“I have the files. Kept them all. Stupid, I know, but I knew someday you’d want to know. Demand answers. Check the safe in my home office. There’s a panel in the bottom, underneath everything. You’ll find them all there.” He glanced toward the policeman standing beside the ambulance door. “Guess it’s time.”
“I’m sorry. I wish there’d been another way. No, I wish you’d never done any of this.”
He gestured toward his Armani suit, then shrugged. “Looks like I’m about to make a fashion statement. Prison orange. Somehow I’ll make it work.” He stood, and waited as the handcuff was unattached from the handle, and the cuffs were secured behind his back.
“Goodbye, Darius.”
Giving her a sad smile, he shrugged. “Be happy. Find your place in this world and make a life. My biggest regret is not letting you go when you found out what I was doing. I thought about it, but by the time I found out Eileen sent Bruce after you, it was too late. Besides, I never intended to go to prison. Figured I’d go out in a blaze of glory if I ever got caught. I would have too, except I saw you standing in the warehouse, your eyes filled with hatred. Too little, too late, I guess, to say I’m sorry.”
Without another word, he allowed the officer to lead him to a waiting car. Renee wrapped her arms across her chest, her heart hurting for the father she’d know, not the man he’d become. Strong arms surrounded her, and she was pulled back against a muscular chest. She looked up and met Shiloh’s gaze.
“You okay?”
“I think so. I do believe he loved me, but not enough to quench his love for power and money. I’d always come in second place. He did tell me he’s the one who erased all the records from when I was little. Had my life changed, molded and manipulated to fit the idea of the perfect daughter he wanted. And he kept the files, told me where to find them.”
“Ready to go home?”
She smiled, looking up into the eyes of the man she loved with all her heart.
“As long as you’re by my side, then yes, take me home.”
The fallout from the raid at the warehouse continued for days afterward. Shiloh had spent most of his days, and sometimes his night, fielding phone calls and dealing with the press. He was bloody sick and tired of the whole mess, wished it would go away. The only bright spot in the whole ordeal? Darius and Eileen Black landing behind bars. Eileen was singing like a bird, and throwing her husband under the bus to try and save her own hide. Personally, he hoped she got the maximum penalty allowed by law.
Well, there was on other bright spot. Renee wasn’t in danger any more. She’d been allowed to go back into the Blacks’ house, accompanied by several feds, and retrieve the evidence she’d collected before she’d been forced to run for her life. Federal prosecutors were practically giddy when they saw what she had on Darius and Eileen Black. He was so proud of Renee, overcoming everything and coming out the other side without allowing the taint of ugliness to scar her soul.
Once the Blacks were in custody, Renee got a message via e-mail that Bruce, the Blacks’ hired mercenary, had terminated the contract and left the country. Any attempt to track the e-mail IP address proved futile, even with his best computer guy searching. Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to keep an eye on Renee anyway, but the immediate threat was gone.
“Good morning. Did you get any sleep?” Renee walked over and wrapped her arms around him from behind, and laid her head between his shoulder blades. He took a deep breath, loving the feel of her hugging him, knowing she didn’t have to run or hide. The change in her ever since the warehouse chaos had been dramatic and instantaneous. Maybe it was the knowledge she was safe. Or maybe it was finally getting to spend quality time with Lucas. They planned on getting away for a couple of days, just the two of them. Chance volunteered his condo on South Padre Island, and they’d taken him up on the offer.
“I did. How are you doing this morning? I saw your light on when I went to bed.”
“Tina and I did a lot of catching up, figuring out where we’re going from here. So many things have changed. All for the better, I swear.” He could hear the smile in her voice, lightening his mood. He loved knowing she was happy.
“Bet it’s a weight off her mind, knowing Bruce isn’t coming after her anymore.”
Renee nodded and stepped around in front of him. “I think this whole thing scared her a lot more than she wants to admit. She jumps at the slightest sound. No matter how many times I tell her it’s over, I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”
“Getting over a trauma doesn’t happen overnight. She’s more than welcome to stay here as long as she needs. I know Momma and Dad won’t mind. Momma already thinks the world of her.” Shiloh had a feeling Chance wouldn’t be all that upset to see Tina stick around. He’d noticed the way his brother watched the pretty brunette when she wasn’t looking.
“She knows. Your mom and dad both told her. Honestly, I don’t want to her go back. Selfishly, I want her to stay here, in Shiloh Springs.”
“What about you? Are you planning to stick around?” Please say yes. I want you to stay. Here in town. Here with me.
She couldn’t quite meet his eyes when she answered. “I don’t know. I want to, but I guess it would depend on a lot of things. Can I find a job? Where would I live? I want to plant roots, stay in one place, and see if I can make it my home.”
“Would it make a difference if I said I want you to stay? Hear me out.” Taking her by the hand, he glanced around before leading her to the front porch, hoping his busybody brothers would mind their own business, and let him tell Renee how he felt without interruption.
“Renee, I think—no, I know—there’s something between us. Something special. I’ve felt it since we met. There’s a connection I’ve never felt with anybody else, and I hope you feel it, too.”
“Shiloh—”
“Stay here. With me. I know everything’s happening so fast, and you’ve barely had time to catch your breath, but I love you, Renee O’Malley. I can’t imagine my life without you being a part of it. Will you think about it? Think about how good we could be together. We don’t have to rush things. I’ll give you time to get to know me before you make up your mind. But I didn’t want to wait any longer before telling you how I feel. I know you want to stay close to your brother and the rest of the family, and I want that, too. My job, my business, it’s in San Antonio, and it’s doing well. I’ve thought about opening another branch, and I wouldn’t mind moving back here, being closer to family. If that’s what you want. I’m probably screwing this up, but—”
“Stop.” Her hand landed against his lips, and he drew in a deep breath. He’d scared her. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He’d know it was too soon to tell her how he felt, but if he’d tried to keep it inside one more minute, he’d have exploded. If he had to lose her, at least she’d know she was loved with every fiber of his being.
“You’re not rushing me. Yes, it’s crazy fast, and yes, we’ve been through a lot in a really short time, but…I love you, too.”
“Really?”
“Really,” she smiled as she answered him.
“Seriously?”
“Serious as a heart attack.”
Shiloh felt like his heart might explode in his chest from sheer happiness. She loved him! What should he do? He didn’t have a ring, but he could still go down on one knee. Or maybe he should make the proposal special with candlelight and roses. And champagne. All women deserved champagne.
“For the love of all that’s holy, bro, just kiss her already!” Ridge stood at the edge of the porch, a huge goofy grin on his face.
“Yeah, go on and kiss the girl.” Dane pushed his hat further back, lounging next to his brother.
Renee’s shoulders shook with laughter when he looked at her hands against her flushed cheeks. Her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and he read the love in her gaze.
“Well, you heard your brothers. Come on and kiss this girl.”
So he did.