Adrian said, “Steve knows what to do. He’s not on therun, he’s working. He’ll find a way to clear his own name, and outthe identity of the blackmailer.”
“None of us managed to do it.” Alexis looked neartears. “Why will Steve be able to?”
Bradley squeezed her shoulder. “Because we’re goingto pray, and we’re going to trust God.”
“But it’s taking so long. Why can’t this just beover?” She twisted to bury her face in her husband’s jacket.
He rubbed a hand up and down her back. “We don’t knowwhy, but we know there is a reason. God has more he wants todo.”
Alexis lifted her head. “With Rachel?”
Bradley shook his head. “What is it with you and theidea of Steve and Rachel?” The corners of his mouth curled up.“It’s cute, how optimistic you are.”
Alexis slapped at his shoulder. “Now isn’t the timefor that. This is serious.”
He sobered. “I know.”
Megan’s mother touched Adrian’s shoulder. “She’sdrowsy, but she’s asking for you.”
He nodded, then turned back to the group. “I’mavailable, whatever you need.” The blackmailer had torn Megan’slife apart, and Adrian wanted him exposed. He fully intended to seethis through to the end. “Just give me a call.”
Bradley and Mint both nodded. They shook hands. Thewomen doled out cheek kisses, and then the four of them headed outdown the hallway.
Adrian let himself into Megan’s room. Her eyes wereclosed, her breath moving rhythmically.
“My mom looks tired,” she said, not bothering to openher eyes. “Can you get her to go back to the hotel and take anap?”
He leaned his hip against the bed. “I can try.”
Her mouth twitched. “Now you feel my pain.”
Adrian didn’t. There was no way he could when she waslying beaten and bruised in a hospital bed, and he’d done…what? HitZimmerman with his car.
Closed the case.
Caught the rogue agent.
Averted a national disaster.
If he was lucky, the FBI would decide not to give hima commendation. That was the last thing he wanted, especially whenmore than a cursory look into his life would reveal the fact he wasactively still searching for the blackmailer. Outside the FBI.
Too many people had been touched by the man behindall this. Adrian wasn’t going to trust anyone outside Double Downuntil it was over.
“What?” She touched his hand.
Adrian leaned forward. He put his head on hershoulder, overwhelmed by all of this. “I’m sorry.”
She curled her hand around the back of his neck. “Yousaved me, didn’t you?”
He blew out a breath. “Please tell me whatEl Cuervo did.” She still hadthe marks on her wrists from being bound. The doctor had told himthere hadn’t been any sexual assault, but he wanted her to tellhim.
Her fingers flexed against his skin. “Tried to talkme to death.”
He lifted his head, but only so he could see hereyes.
“I’m okay.”
“Not because I saved you. Hank took you, and he’s theone who killed El Cuervo.What did I do?”
“Your job.” She shot him a look. “Or, how about,‘everything you could?’ Which included saving my mother, and awhole lot of other people, and making sure Zimmerman didn’t dosomething awful.”
“They found his family.”
She nodded slightly.
“The blackmailer had them killed.” Adrian blew out abreath. “He had evidence planted there that makes it look likeSteve is the one who did it.”
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.
“He’s on the run.”
She said, “We have to help him.”
“We will.” He leaned in and touched his forehead tohers. “I promise you, we will.”
She kissed his cheek. Adrian turned his face, andtheir lips met. When he needed to catch his breath, he said, “I’mnot sure I’ll ever get tired of doing that.”
She smiled. “We should keep doing it. Just to makesure you don’t.”
He chuckled then, and said, “Promise?”
“Only if you promise this is going somewhere good,and real. And maybe forever.”
Adrian knew exactly what he was going to say. Hestraightened, then lifted his hand, palm out. “I, Adrian JeffersonWalker, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend thisrelationship from all enemies, foreign and domestic—”
Megan grinned, but he ignored it.
He didn’t ignore the wince of discomfort on her face.But he did continue, “That I will bear true faith and allegiance tothis relationship; that I take this obligation freely, without anymental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well andfaithfully discharge the duties of boyfriend, and later husband, onwhich I am about to enter.” He paused. “So help me God.”
She smiled wide, but not so wide he didn’t see thatshe was in pain.
“You need rest.”
“Only if you kiss me again. To seal the deal.”
He did as she asked. Both of them were smiling.
Their lives weren’t perfect, or safe. That didn’tmatter. God had brought them together, and He had charged Adrianwith loving this woman. A woman so very worthy of the best kind oflove he was capable of giving her.
Adrian fully intended to spend the rest of his lifefulfilling his duty to keep her safe, and making sure she knewexactly how blessed he was to do it.
So help him God.
OneHour Later
Adrian didn’t even take his coatoff before he downloaded the email that had come from Remy onto asecure server. Megan’s mysterious friend had found what they’d allbeen looking for these past weeks. Months, even.
She’d discovered who was behindall this.
He scanned down the pages and felthis eyes widen as he took all the information in. Not proof. Thiswas a series of indications and ties, circumstantial. Remy hadpulled it all together like a complicated algorithm that added upto one thing.
The only possible identity for theblackmailer.
A second later he tugged out aflash drive he’d transferred it onto. Turned around and walked outof the office. Once he was on the street, he pulled out his phoneand called Bradley.
“Yeah?”
Adrian tried to breathe, but therewas no air. He was going to have to hide this information until thetime was right. “I know who the blackmailer is.”
There was a second of silence, andthen, “And?”
“This is worsethan any of us imagined.”
Keep reading foran excerpt from DEADLY HOLIDAYS out mid-December
