But she had her bookshop, and her son was thriving. She oddly didn’t miss the adrenaline of working as an operative. Now she used her investigative skills tracking down books. She’d gotten damn good at being the last one standing when a particularly old text went to auction. She’d often tangled with some dude who owned a store in Copenhagen, but she usually came out on top.
“I went in because Anna was sick, and I didn’t want to have to close up,” she admitted. “It was a cruise ship day and you know how the tourists love the front of the shop.”
The front of the shop was filled with touristy knickknacks and postcards and books about Malta and the Knights. And Roman’s favorite part of the shop—the chest she kept filled with sodas and water and ice cream treats for hot days.
“I had some time to kill before I picked up Roman,” Ezra said. “I went by the shop to grab a water and Anna told me a man came in and asked about you.”
A chill went up her spine. “He asked for me by name? My real name?”
Naturally the shop was held in a corporate name that she was fairly certain couldn’t be traced back to her. Even her employees didn’t know her real last name.
“No, he asked about the tall blonde.”
She breathed a sigh of pure relief. “Good. I’m sure it’s nothing. Like I said, I went in last week for a few hours and talked to some of the customers. A couple of the guys hit on me. It’s kind of nice to know I still have it.”
Ezra’s eyes rolled. “You’re a gorgeous woman and you know it. If you weren’t so cautious, you could have had many relationships by now.”
“I have the only one I need,” she replied with a sense of satisfaction.
“You’re not just a mother. You’re going to need more.”
“Oh, you thought I meant Roman. No. I was talking about my body wand,” she replied with a grin. “I’ve got a great relationship with that. Give me a glass of wine and that wand and I’m in for a good night.”
Ezra’s head dropped back and he groaned. “I do not need to hear about that.”
She enjoyed teasing her brother-in-law. She still thought of him that way. But she sobered slightly. “Do you miss it?”
“Sex?” Ezra sighed and sat back. “Sometimes. But what I do now fills me in a way sex never could. I know you worry I’m punishing myself or doing some sort of penance for my crimes, but I’m more settled than I’ve ever been. We make choices in our life and I’m content with this one. You sending me to your uncle saved my life.”
And ruined a part of hers, but she’d come to peace with that. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. I wouldn’t worry about the man at the shop, but I can go through the CCTV feed tomorrow. I’m going in to inspect a couple of books that came in this afternoon. Anna said this was yesterday?”
“Earlier today. I would feel better if you did. I don’t know. I’ve been feeling antsy lately.”
She cocked a brow his way because he should know why. The anniversary of his “death” was rapidly approaching. It was the one time she worried that he might fall back into his old habits. She always made sure she spent time with him during this week.
“It’s not about that,” Ezra countered. “Or maybe it is. I’m feeling guilty. I should never have brought you into this. It should have been between me and my brother.”
She reached out and took his hand. He and her uncle had been a good family for her. Ezra had become her closest friend, the brother she’d never had. It had been Ezra’s hand in hers when she’d given birth to Roman. “You had your reasons and honestly, I think it would have been one thing or another between me and Beck. We weren’t meant to be.”
“I don’t know about that. When you were with him you glowed.”
“And I don’t now?”
He smiled, a wistful expression. “You know you do. You glow every time you look at Roman. You glow when you’re in love.”
“I’m not in love with Beck anymore,” she admitted. “I didn’t run from him because I hoped he would find me. I ran because I couldn’t live like that another day. I need you to understand that I genuinely hope he’s found someone. I hope he’s found the right woman for him, the one who can bring him some peace. I’m like you, Ezra. I’ve found my peace. It’s not perfect, but I’ll take it.”
“For now, I hope.” He squeezed her hand and then let go. “I hate the thought of you being alone. At some point your uncle will retire and we’ll have to move on from this place. I’ll be reassigned, though I suppose I could always leave the church.”
She didn’t want that for him. He found peace and satisfaction in his job. “I bought the building my store is in. If it comes to it, Roman and I will move into one of the apartments.”
“I’m worried he’s still out there. The man who was coming after you, that is.”
“It’s been seven years.” She’d kept track of Levi for a while. At least once a year she did a deep dive on the man who’d burned her whole life down. It was a little sad that she no longer kept up with the man she’d been married to, but she kept an eye on the one she
