Without Mike.
She shook her head, caught her breath and continued to walk along the sidewalk, heading for the bus station. Since she was no longer trying to hide her whereabouts, she could use her credit card to go home, but flying was out of the question. She still needed to be frugal since she’d have to save as much as possible in order to keep her father in his current home. But she didn’t have to panic.
At this point, she had time, knowing her savings would keep him there for a few months more while she came up with a plan of action. Those savings were the cushion she hadn’t had when Sam had been diagnosed. The reason she’d contacted Marshall, which had set her on this painful course.
But she didn’t regret meeting and marrying Mike. This past week had been the best of her life. She knew now she could never settle for less than everything. She understood what it meant to care so much she’d come to think of his family as her own. And she discovered how her past could affect the future. Her choices would be made with greater care from this point on.
She strode into the Greyhound station and paid for a bus ticket to Boston. From there she’d travel home over the course of three transfers and three days.
Her bus didn’t leave for over an hour so she wandered outside. On the sidewalk outside the station, a few people milled around, but overall, the place was pretty empty.
A car honked, taking her off guard.
She turned. For a foolish moment, her heart tripped as she looked, hoping Mike had come after her. Instead, she saw Marshall pull up beside her in a burgundy rental car.
She narrowed her gaze, surprised he’d resurfaced.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
Now. After she’d settled her problems with King Bobby and no longer needed him.
“That’s no greeting, baby. Get in so we can talk.”
She shook her head. “I have a bus to catch.”
“No problem, then I’ll get out.” He parked his car in front of the station in a No Parking zone. But then in Marshall’s mind, the rules never applied to him.
She started to walk toward the door, hoping to lead him inside where she felt safer.
But when Marshall joined her, he hooked his arm through hers and steered her straight along the sidewalk outside the bus station. “You’ve been a busy girl, running off on me, getting married, and then hiding out here in a small Podunk town. What’s going on with you?”
Amber stopped in her tracks. “Are you crazy?” She looked him over. In his jeans and mock short-sleeve turtleneck and leather jacket, he looked over-dressed for the heat, but every inch the slick Marshall she knew. “You know exactly what’s going on with me. You left me high and dry while that big Texan came after me for money
He shook his head and laughed. “Come on, that’s water under the bridge. I knew King Bobby wouldn’t hurt a woman. I was just waiting until the heat was off to come find you.”
“So you hid behind my skirts? That’s low, even for you,” she muttered.
He gripped her arm tight and she realized her mistake. She’d let his friendly veneer fool her into thinking she was safe.
“Drop the tough-guy routine, Marshall, it’s me. We can talk this through.” She hoped. “What is it you want?”
“You. Me. Things back the way they were.” His voice held a hint of desperation, but he released his grip, which told her he was sure he could reason with her.
He’d kidnapped her father and used him as leverage. Even if Amber hadn’t opted out of the life for her own reasons, there was no way in hell she’d trust Marshall on any level now. She may have once viewed him as her salvation, but now she saw him as he truly was-a shell of a man, a pathetic con artist, and nothing more. But she knew better than to let her true feelings slip again. Especially when she looked into the dark depths of Marshall’s eyes and saw nothing there.
She decided to humor him. “Didn’t you pay off the loan shark?” she asked.
He nodded. “But there’s always the next score. You know that. And I need you.”
She wondered if he was in more trouble and didn’t want to admit it to her. “We can talk,” she promised him.
He exhaled a long breath. “That’s my girl.” He not so subtly patted the pocket of his jacket and she realized there was a bulge there.
He had a gun.
Her heart pounded in her throat, fear rising like a wave but she refused to panic. She knew now to keep him calm-she wouldn’t give him any reason to use the weapon. Her next priority was to get inside where she wouldn’t be alone with him.
“You must be roasting in that jacket. Let’s go in where it’s cool. I’ll buy us each a bottle of water and we can figure out a plan.” She started for the door.
To her relief, he followed. “I knew you’d come around. You’re heading home anyway. What happened? Prince Charming turned out to be a frog?” He laughed.
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from telling Marshall that Mike was one hundred times the man he’d ever be. “He didn’t understand me,” she said instead.
He nodded, obviously pleased. “Not like I do, baby. We’re partners, you and I.”
“We’ve had our moments.” She stopped short of agreeing, too busy trying to figure out how to get away from him once they were inside the bus station.
“Amber!”
She whipped around at the sound of her name.
Beside her, Marshall froze as Mike walked toward her from one side.
“How y’all doing?” King Bobby called from the other.
“Shit,” Marshall muttered. Without warning, he grabbed her arm once more, stopping her from running away.
“Let her go, Banks,” Mike said, his voice low.
Deadly.
Amber wouldn’t think of crossing him when he sounded like that. But Marshall always had an inflated sense of self. He was also holding a grudge against Mike for coming between him and Amber in Vegas. She knew this wasn’t going to be pretty.
She broke into a sweat, as much from fear as from the sun overhead.
“Everyone relax,” King Bobby said in his long drawl. “Listen, son, I just want to talk to you.”
“Bullshit,” Marshall said. “You want your money and he wants
“Don’t hurt her, Banks.” Mike’s warning was loud and clear.
Amber tried not to grimace and give Mike a reason to act, but Marshall’s fingers dug into her arm painfully.
“Don’t tell me what to do with my lady, Detective,” he said with a sneer. “She was leaving you anyway, so you’ve got no rights where she’s concerned. Isn’t that right, baby?”
Amber swallowed hard. She never tore her gaze from Mike as she repeated the words Marshall needed to hear. “That’s right.” Anything to keep Marshall from turning on the man she loved.
Loved.
Oh, God, she loved him.
She didn’t just want a chance, she wanted him. Now, forever. Nothing else mattered. They’d work out the little details over the next fifty-plus years.
But Mike didn’t love her. He’d protect her when necessary, like now. But then he’d let her go.
“You heard her, man. Go home. She’s where she wants to be.”
“Then why do you have a death grip on her?” Mike asked sarcastically.
Marshall’s hold turned to a bruising pinch. Amber couldn’t stop herself from groaning out loud.
Mike immediately pulled out his gun, prompting Marshall to do the same.
