CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT

Zane couldn’t believe the good news he had just received. Cass had been able to cut a deal that allowed her no jail time if she paid back all the money she took. It would take a long time for that to happen, but it was much better than facing hard time. If there was any way she would let him help her pay off the debt, he was going to do it. It hadn’t been easy, but he’d opened up to her about his family life and the resources at his disposal.

“How did you pull that off?” Zane asked her, regarding her deal.

“It came at a price.”

Uh-oh. “How high?”

“You know what you said about the Agency?”

“Yeah.”

“Mason talked to some people there, and thanks to Layla’s absolutely glowing recommendation, they’re willing to take me on as a private contractor. I have a yearlong probationary period, and if I make the tiniest of missteps, the deal is off. But I’m thankful to have a job, considering the debt I have to pay back.”

He took her hand. “You can do it, Cass. I’m here for whatever you need.”

“You’ve been far too good to me.”

He shook his head. “Don’t talk like that.”

“I’m just thankful you’re still willing to be my friend.”

He hesitated a moment. “Cass, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”

“Me too,” she said softly.

“And I wondered if you really meant what you said a while back about us.”

She looked down and then right into his eyes. “I’m crazy about you, Zane, but after this, there’s no way I’d push myself on you. I need your friendship.”

“I want your friendship, too, but now you’ll be working at a completely separate agency.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s give this thing a go, Cass.”

Her dark eyes grew large. “You can’t be serious. Not after all I’ve done.”

He laughed. “Yeah, I’m totally serious.”

She threw her arms around his neck.

“And I’m going to help you with your brother to make sure he gets the counseling and support he needs.”

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

“No more secrets. Is that a deal?”

“No secrets.” She lifted her chin and pressed her lips to his.

They weren’t perfect, but they were meant to be.

“Home sweet home.” The past week had flown by, but now Layla was finally returning to her neglected condo with Hunter close by her side.

She was still grieving Scarlett’s death and betrayal, but the men they had apprehended had led the DEA to Diego’s location. The DEA had wanted to capture Diego, but he was killed in a fierce firefight. The cartel was in complete disarray with its leader dead and no heir apparent, which meant the entire team was now safe from any threats of retaliation.

Bryce had negotiated a deal, but one that included a lengthy prison sentence. It gave her no joy to know he was locked up, but given how serious his offenses were, she knew the punishment fit the crime. Bryce had also given up his CIA source who had provided the safe house intel, and he was being punished as well.

Hunter looked at her. “Everything has been scrubbed to make sure there is nothing in here. No surveillance, no devices, nothing. And the CIA even threw in a top-to-bottom cleaning service, thanks to Nick.”

She smiled. “So now you and Nick are friends, huh?” She was glad they’d been able to work together and put that past chapter behind them.

Hunter nodded. “Yeah, reluctantly, but he has really done right by you. And once I was convinced he wasn’t trying to win you back, he and I got along a lot better.”

“Being back home feels so strange.” She looked around her condo.

“Well, get used to it, because things are going to go back to normal.”

And that was part of the problem. “Yeah, about that.”

“What’s wrong?”

Her world was far from right. She was struggling with what path she wanted to take with her career. “I’m still having a lot of conflicting feelings about going back to work.”

Hunter moved closer to her. “You don’t have to make any decisions right away. Take the time they’re giving you. You have plenty of options. Even if you decide to leave the Agency, I can think of a million jobs that would be perfect for you—including actually practicing law, if you wanted to go that route. The ball will be in your court, and you can count on me no matter what decisions you make.”

He was right, and knowing that he would stand by her meant everything. She might be unclear about her career, but she was certain about her feelings for Hunter. “I have no idea what I want to do. I don’t know how I’ll ever completely get over what they did to us. What they stole from us.”

“I get that, but we’re together now, and we have to believe that the Lord’s plan is bigger than we can see.”

Her heart warmed at his declaration. “You believe that?”

He took her hands. “Thanks to seeing you live your faith and actually watching firsthand how God has protected you and me. How through all of this messy maze of our lives, we were brought back together.”

“I don’t even want to worry about tomorrow and what it will hold. I want to embrace now and being here with you.”

He squeezed her hand. “Then don’t worry.”

She smiled. “How about we go to the grocery store and then come back and cook a nice, normal dinner? How does that sound?”

“Only one thing would make that better.”

“What?” she asked.

“If you’ll kiss me first.”

She grinned and fell into his warm embrace. Their road had been long and ever winding, but they had still ended up back in each other’s arms.