Cops And...Lovers? (25 page)

Slipping his service revolver from his holster, he broke through the rows of corn and started toward the wide entrance of the grain elevator at a dead run.

* * *

Erin
stared down the barrel of
DiCarlo's
pistol. She couldn't believe it had come to this. She couldn't believe she was going to die.

Oh, God, Nick, I'm sorry I hurt you.

Oh, how she'd wanted to spend the rest of her life loving him. The thought ripped through her heart. He might not love her in return, but there was no doubt in her mind he cared for her. She'd seen it in his eyes. She'd felt it in his touch. Now, just as he'd feared, she was going to get herself killed.

"Get on the ground, Officer McNeal. I'll do us both a favor and make this quick for you. It wasn't the way I had it planned, but I like you—you've got guts. I have no desire to hear your screams."
DiCarlo's
voice rose over the drone of rain on the roof overhead. Cold. Surreal. More frightening than the gun in his hand.

He raised the pistol. "Do it now."

Her heart hammering out of control,
Erin
got down on her knees. Her mind rebelled against what would
happen
the instant she lay down. She tried not to think of everything she would leave behind. Nick. Stephanie. The dreams that would never be. She tried not to imagine the pain of a bullet. Whether her death would come quickly, or if
DiCarlo
would leave her to die slowly despite his words.

Gathering what little emotional strength she had left,
Erin
forced her gaze to his. "I'm not going to lie down for you. If you're going to kill me in cold blood, you're going to do it while I'm looking you in the eye,
DiCarlo
."

Her voice shook, but she didn't care. Her spirit cried out to defy him, and bound as she was, at his mercy, this was the only way she could.

"I have no compunction about shooting you this very moment. Most people don't like to see it coming."

Nausea rose into her throat, mingling with the fear in a cold, bitter mass. "I'm going to be sick," she said.

He made a sound of annoyance. "How does it feel to be so afraid? To know you're going to die? Those are all the things my son felt when you put a bullet in his chest."

"I warned your son. He shot me first."

"Liar."

"Your son didn't give me a choice."

DiCarlo
stared at her as if she were a piece of cheap furniture. "You never knew that Danny Perrine was expecting my people in the warehouse that
night,
did you?"

Shock speared through her fear, tangling her thoughts. "You're lying—"

"He was our target that night, Officer McNeal. Not you. He'd asked for more money. It always annoys me when cops want more than they're worth. He got his just rewards, didn't he?"

Her brain couldn't digest the information. After six months of guilt, six months of blaming herself, to learn her partner had been dealing with the devil all along was too much to absorb. The sense of betrayal was bitter and acute.

"In any case, I thought you should know Officer Perrine was on the take. He was dirty and greedy. Your knowing that makes this moment all the sweeter for me."
DiCarlo
pulled the hammer back with his thumb. "This is for my son."

Erin
sat back on her heels, her hands locked behind her, her fingers fumbling at the bulge of the pistol strapped to her ankle. Sweat pooled at the back of her neck. She closed her eyes against the terror exploding inside her, and concentrated on working the mini-revolver from its holster through the impediment of her jeans. In the back of her mind, she wondered how many more seconds of life she had left. How many more breaths—

"Drop the gun,
DiCarlo
!"

Erin
's world tilted at the sound of Nick's voice. Hope burst through the choking cloak of despair. She looked up to see him rush through the entrance, his pistol level on
DiCarlo
. Simultaneously, the
mafioso
spun. Terror paralyzed her for an instant. Then a rush of adrenaline sent her bound hands fighting the revolver from its holster. She jerked up the hem of her jeans, felt the cold steel beneath her fingers.

Two gunshots rang out in quick succession.
DiCarlo
stumbled back and went down. Out of the corner of her eye,
Erin
saw Nick go to his knees.

"Nick!" Her heart stopped. "No!
Nick!
"

A clap of thunder drowned out her scream. Ten feet away,
DiCarlo
rolled onto his side and leveled the pistol on her. The gun exploded.

A bullet whizzed past her ear.
Erin
fumbled with the .22. Her palm found the grip, her fingers the trigger. Leaning forward, she turned and fired blindly behind her back, four shots. Over her shoulder, she saw
DiCarlo
sink to the ground.

The pistol tumbled from her hand.

"Nick!
Nick!
"

Before she could scramble to her feet, he was at her side. He dropped to his knees in front of her, drawing her against him. Relief swept through her with such force that she couldn't speak.

"Holy
Toledo
,
McNeal, that
was some pretty fancy shooting."

The sound of his voice completely undid her.
Erin
couldn't catch her breath, couldn't stop shaking. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't even try to stop them. The emotions banging through her were too powerful, and not even her iron will was strong enough to maintain a semblance of control.

"Easy does it, that was a joke—"

"
DiCarlo
… is he—"

Nick nodded. "Don't look, honey. He's dead."

Only then did
Erin
notice the blood on Nick's shoulder. "You're bleeding."

"I'm all right." New concern gentled his voice. "He just winged me."

"Stephanie," she choked out. "Is she okay? She was so scared. They took her to—"

"I took her into the cornfield to hide. She's fine."

"What about the other men? There were three—"

"One is cuffed to the fence, the other two to the undercarriage of
DiCarlo's
limo. The highway patrol will get the guy in the chopper." Facing her, Nick wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly for a moment. "You're shaking. Easy, honey. Let me untie you." Reaching around her, he gently untwisted the wire that so brutally bound her wrists. "Your wrists are cut," he said with a grimace.

"I'm okay." Her hands were numb, but the discomfort didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were alive. Safe. Together.

Nick rose. Slipping his hands beneath her shoulders, he helped
Erin
to her feet. Her legs felt like wet paper, and she leaned heavily against him.

"Dizzy?" he asked.

"With relief," she said. "You saved our lives."

Surprising her, he turned her to him and wrapped his arms around her. Cocooned within his embrace,
Erin
had never felt so safe, so secure. Only then did she realize he was shaking, too. "I'm sorry, Nick. I'm so sorry. I almost got Stephanie killed. I almost got myself—"

"Shh." He stroked the back of her head, combing his fingers through her hair. "You don't have anything to apologize for."

"But it was my fault. You said I was going to get myself killed, and I nearly did. I put you through hell, risking Stephanie and myself like that."

"I was wrong. I've been wrong about you from the very beginning. It took honor and courage to come here and confront a man like
DiCarlo
. You were willing to risk your own life to save
Steph
."

He pulled her closer. "I've been wrong and a blind fool."

Slowly, gently, he eased her to arm's length. Their gazes locked.
Erin
's chest constricted at the emotion pooled in the brown depths of his eyes.

"Since Rita's death, I've been frozen inside," he said quietly. "My heart has been a solid block of ice. I've been afraid to live. Afraid to reach out and take all the things life offers. You showed me how to live again. You showed me how all those risks play into the big picture of life. You proved it to me over and over again. You proved to me
Steph
is young and strong and can lead a full life if I just let go a little. You proved to me that to live, to love, you must first be willing to take chances."

Fresh tears filled her eyes as she stared at the man she loved more than life itself. "I didn't ever think I'd hear you say that."

"Neither did
I
. And I fought you at every turn. But you're right." Slipping his hands to either side of her face, he kissed her.

The gentleness of the kiss devastated her. She closed her eyes against the rush of emotion, the wave of physical sensation, and kissed him back.

"I know you don't want to hear this," she murmured. "But I love you, Nick. I love you, and I don't even care if you're ready to love me back—"

"I love you, too, McNeal."

The words stunned her, sent her heart tumbling into bliss like she'd never known.

He kissed her temple. Her nose. The side of her mouth. "I love you so much it scares me. But I'm willing to risk it, honey, if you're willing to take a chance on me."

"I've never walked away from a risk," she said.

"Even when walking away is the safe thing to do?"

"Especially when it's the safe thing to do."

"Ah, McNeal, I didn't think I'd ever want to hear you say that, but I'm really glad you did."

In the distance, the sound the police sirens rose above the din of rain on the roof. Pressing his cheek against her temple, Nick skimmed his hands up and down her back. "There's no policy against married police officers in the Logan Falls PD. What do you say we make it permanent?"

Erin
closed her eyes and let sheer happiness wash over her. "I can probably outshoot you. And I don't mind jumping into a fray now and again. Are you sure that won't bother you?"

"I think my ego can handle the shooting part." He grinned. "And I might just keep you too busy making love for you to be jumping into frays."

"What about Stephanie? How will
she
—"

"She's crazy about you, Erin. Mrs.
Thornsberry
is crazy about you." He kissed her again. "I'm so crazy in love with you I can't stand the thought of being without you."

Erin
smiled up at him through tears of joy, knowing she was the luckiest woman in the world. "Well, Chief, maybe we should go
get
Stephanie and take her home so we can break the good news to her."

"Home," he echoed, and pulled her close. "It's been a long time since I've truly been home."

"We're home now, Nick. You've brought me home."

"You showed me the way. I love you."

Blinking back tears,
Erin
looked outside. The storm had broken. Hazy tendrils of sunlight broke through the clouds like streams of wet gold. She'd never seen a more beautiful sunrise. And she'd never been happier than at this moment in her life.

Nick reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly, his gaze telling her all the things she already knew in her heart—and felt all the way to her soul.

"I love you, too," she whispered. "Always."

Hand in hand, they started toward the entrance where the future waited with a promise of happiness and light and the unending hope for tomorrow.

Epilogue

«
^

N
ick paced the surgical waiting area for what seemed like the hundredth time. A dozen cups of coffee churned in the pit of his stomach, and every nerve in his body snapped like live wires. If one more nurse came through those double doors without any news, he thought he might explode. Stephanie had been in the operating room for nearly two hours, and he'd worried every second with agonizing intensity.

"Chief."

He jumped at the sound of Mrs.
Thornsberry's
voice. "What is it,
Em
?" he asked irritably.

"I'm going down to the cafeteria for coffee. Do you want me to bring you back a cup?" she asked.

"Only if it's got a doctor attached to it," he snapped. "What on earth is taking so long?"

"It's only been two hours—"

"Is he causing you problems,
Em
?"

Even through the stress and tension of Stephanie's surgery, Nick's heart soared at the sound of Erin's voice. He turned, and as usual, felt
all his
blood spiral into a slow, rolling free fall. "McNeal."

The two women exchanged knowing smiles,
then
Mrs.
Thornsberry
started for the elevator down the hall.

Erin
walked into the waiting area and faced Nick. "The name is Ryan now, Chief. You're going to have to stop calling me by my maiden name."

He looked into the green depths of her gaze and felt the knot in his gut begin to unravel. That was all it took for him these days. A touch. A word. A smile. And the instant he held her in his arms, he knew everything was right with the world.

"She's going to be fine,"
Erin
told him.

"Dr. Brooks should have finished by now."

"Dr. Brooks is the best neurosurgeon in the state." Even in uniform, she took his breath away. They'd been married for less than a month, and he still couldn't get enough of her. Judging by the amount of love jammed into his heart, Nick figured he never would.

The need to feel her in his arms had him reaching for her. "Come here. I need to hold you."

Smiling tentatively,
Erin
stepped into his embrace. Nick closed his eyes and held her, felt another knot of tension unravel. "You're just what the doctor ordered," he murmured.

"I'm glad I could oblige," she said. "Maybe we could work in a little physical therapy later…"

"Ah, McNeal, you always know just where to hit a guy."

Cocooned within his embrace, she sighed. Nick knew the signs, and asked, "What is it?"

"Not now. Not when Stephanie—"

"
Erin
." Easing her to arm's length, Nick put his palm beneath her chin and forced her gaze to his. "Talk to me."

"For some reason
Steph's
operation made me
think
about Danny. I still can't believe he was dirty. That he lied to me. Betrayed me … for money. It still hurts."

"I know, honey. I'm sorry."

"But even after what he did to me—all the anguish he put me through—I can't bear the thought of him going to prison."

"Frank said his lawyer is already working on a deal with the D.A. He probably won't do prison time. Probation, maybe. Or community service." Nick wasn't sure yet how he felt about that, since Danny Perrine had nearly gotten her killed, but he knew it would make Erin happy, so he'd come to terms with it.

The sound of the double doors opening spun them around. Nick's heart stopped at the sight of Stephanie's doctor, still clad in his green surgical scrubs.

Erin
stepped forward. "How did it go?"

"The operation was successful," Dr. Brooks said. "We did a preliminary reflex test a few minutes ago, and she moved her right foot. That's a good sign this early in the game. We'll know more after she comes around—"

Nick didn't hear the rest of the sentence. Emotion spiraled through him with such force that he couldn't speak. He stared at the doctor, grappling for control, vaguely aware of
Erin
reaching for his hand.

"When can we see her?" he asked after a moment.

"In about ten minutes. We're taking her down to recovery now. She'll probably sleep most of the day."

Feeling the heat of tears behind his eyes, Nick turned away and walked to the window. His heart was doing acrobatics in his chest—flips and spins and dives, all without the benefit of a safety net. If he didn't know better, he thought he might just break down and cry.

A moment later, he felt
Erin
's hand on his shoulder. "Nick?"

He turned, found her green eyes bright with tears. "She's going to be okay. She's going to walk again. She's going to run again." A laugh broke from her lips. "If I have anything to do with it, she's going to ride Bandito again."

Only then did Nick realize he was crying, but he didn't care. Male pride and ego melted away as he looked at his bride and saw the same emotions mirrored in her eyes. Raising his hand, he brushed a tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. He smiled at her through his own tears as relief and need and a hundred other emotions barreled through him.

"We're lucky," he said after a moment.

"And then some," she agreed.

Cupping her face, he gazed into her eyes. He felt the undeniable connection between them in the deepest reaches of his heart. She was the only woman in the world who could do that to him. Leaning forward, he kissed her gently. "You look really good in that uniform, Mrs. Ryan," he said.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Chief."

"Do you think it's inappropriate for the chief of police to kiss his deputy?"

"Definitely. But you do inappropriate so well."

"You always say just the right thing. I love you, Erin."

"Mrs. Ryan," she corrected, and shot him a smile from beneath her lashes. "While we're waiting for
Steph
to be taken to her room, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind explaining the police department's policy on maternity leave to me."

The floor dropped out from under him as the words cascaded over him. "You're…" Emotion shook him with such force that he couldn't finish the sentence.

She grinned.

His heart thumped hard against his ribs. "You're pregnant?"

"I'm not sure. You know how unreliable those tests are."

"Tests?"

"The home pregnancy test I took this morning."

Nick held his breath. "What did it say?"

Standing on her tiptoes,
Erin
brushed her lips against his.

"It told me I'm the happiest pregnant woman in the entire state of
Indiana
," she whispered.

Joy like he'd never known settled over him like a bright and stunning light. Laughing, he threw his arms around her and swung her in a tight circle, not caring about the tears building in his eyes again. "Just the state?" he managed to ask after a moment.

She smiled at him. "Make that the world."

"I guess that makes me the happiest man in the world."

"I love you—"

Her sentence was cut short when his mouth covered hers, sealing the words he cherished between them, and Nick knew he was not only the happiest man in the world, but the luckiest.

* * * * *