“And a ton of dead bodies all over your property doesn’t lead to you?” Emily asked incredulously.
“After today, I’ll help the police wrap the entire case up in a nice bow. According to the paper trail and forensic evidence I planted, my father hired Mangino. He had Eric killed because my brother threatened to expose the company’s money laundering. He murdered Joshua’s parents because of the connection to Frank. All perfectly true. Except I’ve got more guts than my father ever did. I did what I had to do.”
“You killed your own father,” she said, still unable to fathom William’s callousness.
“No, Emily.
You
discovered my father planned to kill the baby next, so you had to protect your son. You grabbed a gun and killed my father, but not before he fatally wounded you. And I, the poor grieving son, rescued my nephew. I’ll end up on CNN. Business will thrive. And Joshua will save my reputation and follow in the family business.”
“You’re sick.”
William’s face went cold. He took a step forward. “And we’re done. Goodbye, Emily.”
She shoved the baby into the car. A bullet slammed into the metal beside her head. She whirled around to face William and swung the diaper bag at him, connecting with his gun arm. Most of the bag’s contents scattered.
“Mitch, save Joshua!” She swung the bag again, aiming for William’s head, hoping the heavy box of diaper wipes would stun him or at least slow him down.
William stumbled backward, roared in anger and aimed directly at her. His trigger finger squeezed just as Mitch dove in front of her.
A gun sounded. Another shot rang out from behind William. Emily closed her eyes, expecting to feel pain.
She didn’t. The baby’s howls mixed with shouts from inside the limo.
“Mitch!” A deep voice yelled.
Emily opened her eyes to the horrific sight of William slumped to the cement, the entire left side of his head gone. She scrambled to her feet, torn between running to the baby or Mitch. Then, as she watched, he stumbled to his knees in front of her, his chest soaked in crimson.
“No!” Emily fell to the ground and pressed her hand against Mitch’s wound. Blood flowed through her fingers. “No, Mitch. Don’t do this.”
“Calm down, Emily,” he rasped between clenched teeth, quirking a smile. “It’s a flesh wound. No big deal.”
“Don’t scare me like that, Mitch Bradford,” she said. “Ever again.”
“I bet you say that to all the guys who stop a speeding bullet for you, you sweet-talker, you.”
Footsteps pounded at them. She turned. “Dane, thank goodness. He’s been shot.”
Mitch’s boss ripped off his shirt, revealing a side laced with scars. He knelt next to Mitch and pressed the fabric against the wound. “You’re a magnet for trouble, aren’t you, Bradford? You’re never going to get back to SWAT at this rate.”
“Being a detective must be growing on me, Tanner.” Mitch coughed, then cursed viciously. He looked at Emily, his smile calm. “Why don’t you go check on your son. I’m fine.”
“You’re sure you’re okay?” She bit her lip, staring at the shirt soaked through with blood.
He smiled and nodded even though he was certain he wasn’t. Emily didn’t need to know that. Not right now. Breathing became more difficult with each passing second, and his leg… Well, Joshua had a better chance of getting up and walking out of here than Mitch did in the near future.
Emily hesitated, then staggered to her feet. Mitch watched, his emotions overflowing as she raced to the car, wiped the blood off her hands and picked up the squalling baby. Her entire body quaking, she carefully lifted her son into her arms, jostling him and squeezing him tight.
The baby looked at her, his expression curious. She smiled and touched the side of his face. Mitch could just catch her emotion-laden words. “Hello, Joshua. I’m your mommy.”
She hugged her son close.
Mitch’s eyes stung. He’d done it. With his help, Emily had found her son. She was safe. They both were.
An odd pressure bore down on his chest. He gasped for air, trying to fill his lungs. Spots danced in front of his eyes. He wanted to sleep. Needed to rest.
His eyes closed.
“Mitch.” Dane pressed harder against the bloody wound at his chest. “Stay with me, man.”
He couldn’t move, could barely breathe. “Emily’s alive. She has her son,” Mitch gasped. “I’m fine.”
“Liar,” Dane whispered. “Luckily, the medevac is almost here.”
Mitch barely heard him or the sound of Emily yelling out his name and a baby’s cry. The world faded to black.
T
HE LIGHT HURT HIS
EYES
. Mitch opened them and stared at a too-familiar white ceiling. He looked down at his chest, at the tubes entering his body, at the wrap around his leg. Definitely not heaven. “I’m in the hospital again, aren’t I? I hate this place.”
His voice was hoarse; his entire body felt like it’d been run over by a truck. A fuzzy figure standing at the foot of his bed slowly came into focus. Her light brown hair fell in waves around her face, the light surrounding her like a halo. Emily.
But her arms were empty.
He struggled to sit up. “Joshua,” he croaked. “Where—?”
“Shh,” she said, hurrying around the bedside and pressing him back against the pillows. “He’s fine.” She poured him a glass of water. Gratefully, he took a sip. “He’s cradled in your father’s arms, holding a teddy bear.” Emily blinked back tears. “Because of you.”
Mitch didn’t like the thankful tone in her voice. “I did what anyone would have done.”
“You have no idea, do you? How good you really are?”
Mitch squirmed as he glanced away from her shining blue eyes. He shook his head. “I made too many mistakes. I lied too many times.”
Emily rose from the bed and walked to the door. She opened it and whispered. A few seconds later, she returned to his bedside, a small boy on her hip, a boy with eyes the color of Emily’s.
He swallowed back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. This was a picture he’d longed to see for so very long. Emily with her son, at peace, happy. Mitch wanted to take them both into his arms and have them hug him, tight, as if they would never let him go. He wanted to feel her against him. He wanted her son to laugh up at him and smile. “I’m glad for you,” Mitch said softly.
“You saved us both,” she said. “I have him back because of you. Not because of the cop you are, but because of the man you are. You never gave up. You believed in me when no one else did. You stood by my side. That’s more than I could’ve hoped for.”
Mitch sucked in a shuddering breath. He didn’t want gratitude. He wanted so much more. But how could he expect her to love him? “Please don’t say you’re grateful. I couldn’t stand that, Emily.”
“I’m grateful to Dane for being there for us in the end.” Emily sat beside the bed and dangled a small stuffed animal dressed in a policeman’s uniform in front of her son. The bear had one blue eye and one brown eye. “I’m grateful to Noah for tossing his money for a rush DNA test to prove to the world that Joshua is my son. I’m even grateful to Victoria for finally admitting the truth to the police and herself. She helped you save my life, and hopefully we can start over. Mostly, I’m grateful to your father for helping us and raising a son like you.” She met his gaze. “But I don’t feel for them what I feel for you.” She cupped his cheek. “I love you, Mitch Bradford.”
He closed his eyes, his heart exploding with joy. But at the same time, doubts washed through him. “How?” he muttered. “After everything—”
She pressed her fingers against his lips. “You did what you did to protect me. Just like I’d do anything to protect Joshua. Actions prove much more than words.” She hugged her son to her. “Because I love him.”
“I don’t know if I deserve you, Emily, but I can tell you I won’t lie to you again. I won’t betray you.” As Mitch spoke, Joshua turned to the deep voice. The baby’s eyes blinked at Mitch. Joshua grinned, holding his arms out.
“He wants you,” Emily said softly. “He trusts you.” She bent down and kissed Mitch’s lips, gently, sweetly. “Just as I do. I love you, Mitch. For your bravery, your determination, your loyalty. Because even if this had been another Florida—” she kissed her son’s head “—I know you’ll always be there for me. No matter what.”
Mitch held out his hand to her son. Joshua grasped his finger and gave Mitch a toothy grin. His heart melted. “I’m not the man I used to be. I’ll never be SWAT again,” he warned. “I probably don’t have a job after this.”
“Do you think your injuries matter to me? Or to Joshua?” She laid her hand on his chest. “I fell in love with the man you are inside. I fell in love with your heart and soul and mind.”
The dark cloud encasing Mitch’s spirit broke free. He pulled Emily toward him and buried his face in her neck. “I love you,” he whispered. “I’ve loved you forever.”
She turned her lips to his, and he kissed her with every promise deep within him. His heart raced as she let out a small groan against him. She pulled away, her eyes sparkling with joy, her breathing fast. “I want you well soon, so you can fulfill the promise of that kiss, Officer Bradford.”
A tentative knock sounded at the door.
“Is it safe to come in?” Dane Tanner pushed open the door. He walked in, leading a parade of Ian, Noah, his other brother, Chase, and his sister, Sierra.
Lastly his father wheeled into the room. “So, Mitchell. You finally got the job done right,” his father barked, the intensity belied by the relief in the older man’s eyes.
“Hardly,” Dane said, stepping forward. “He went against direct orders. More than once.”
“He blew up his car,” Chase and Ian chimed in together.
Noah crossed his arms and gave Mitch a half-frustrated grin. “He got my SUV shot to pieces.”
Sierra ran across the room and kissed her brother on the cheek. “He almost got himself killed more than once.” She scowled. “Don’t ever do that again, big brother.”
“If you’d just waited,” Dane said, his expression unsmiling. “I could’ve made the shot before things got out of hand. Instead, you had to go all hero. Again.”
“Are you saying I’m fired?” Mitch asked.
His boss looked him over. “Do I look like a fool? You did a slam-dunk job, Mitch. I don’t know anyone else who could’ve followed those leads. You’ve got instincts. In fact, I think you’re a better detective than you ever were at SWAT entry.”
Mitch stared at his boss, stunned, and clutched Emily’s hand. “I’m not fired?”
“You may want to quit, but if you want a job on my unit, it’s yours for the taking.” Dane gave him a small salute. “As long as you work on following procedure a little better in the future.”
“That’ll be the day,” Noah said. “So, little brother? Did you fix things?” He nodded toward Emily.
“Did you grovel?” his father asked with a wink.
Mitch took Emily’s hand in his and kissed her palm. “Dad, everyone. Meet Emily and Joshua Wentworth. We’re going to be a family.”
At the loud shout of approval, Joshua let out a squeal. Noah grabbed his soon-to-be nephew and threw him up in the air, then caught him in his arms. The boy giggled and wrapped his arms around Noah’s neck.
Mitch laughed and tugged Emily close. “You’ll marry me, right?” he said softly in her ear.
She turned her face, her lips hovering over his. She met his gaze, and Mitch’s breath caught at the love in her every feature. She loved him. Truly loved him.
He knew. He believed. He had faith once more.
“I will,” she whispered. “Together. Forever.”
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459223486
Copyright © 2012 by Robin L. Perini
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