Retribution Boxed Set (Books One and Two) (21 page)

He laughed. “You sound so dire. Are you always
like that?”

She smiled, remembering the words she’d said to
him. He must have been worried he’d lose her back then. “Just kiss me.”

“Not until I tell you I love you.”

She took his face in her hands, letting her gaze
soak up the beautiful sight of him. “I believed you the first time you told me,
back in Seaside.”

He widened his eyes. “You weren’t asleep?”

She shook her head. “But you can say it again and
again.”

He kissed her long and slow. “I love you, Nicole.
For now and ever, if you’ll have me.”

“Forever, Xander.”

Stormy and Apollo barked, seeming to sense their
joy.

Xander took a moment to ruffle both of their fur.
“I think they approve.”

“You like our little family?” she said to the
dogs, making them bark even louder. She turned to him. “This is good, Xander.” Her
heart felt like it might explode from happiness.

He pulled her back into his arms. “
So
good, Nicole.”

The End

Hunted

A Retribution Novel

By Cindy Stark

Janie Singleton placed the sparkling wedding tiara
on the dark hair of her best friend’s head, pinning it in place. “Wow. Look at
you. I hope Xander knows how lucky he is.” Although Janie had paid a physical
and emotional cost to be there, she couldn’t regret seeing her friend so happy.

Nicole smiled at Janie’s reflection in the antique
mirror as bright May sunshine poured through the window of the second-story
room of the beautiful Victorian home where she’d be married. “I’m so happy
you’re here today.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else, and you know it.”

“Did Paul come with you?”

The mention of Janie’s boyfriend churned her
stomach. She forced a smile. “I hope it’s all right if he did.” She hadn’t had
a choice in the matter. Not if she wanted to arrive in one piece and
presentable for public exposure. Nicole knew Paul had become increasingly more
volatile during the past couple of months, but Janie hadn’t told her friend
exactly how bad it was.

Nicole bit her lip, and Janie didn’t miss the
telling gesture. “You know how I feel about him.” Then she smiled. “But if
you’re still a package deal, then I’ll take it.”

“It won’t be for much longer.” She had a decent
chunk of money saved, and she’d been applying for jobs in Texas. A posh
Mediterranean restaurant in San Antonio had interviewed her over the phone for a
sous chef’s position, and they’d let her know in the next couple of days if
they were seriously considering her. If so, she was gone. Her boyfriend
believed she knew too much about his illegal activities and wouldn’t let her
walk, so when she left, it had to be quick and for good.

She looked away, pretending to fuss with Nicole’s
bouquet, knowing that today was not the day to tell her friend she’d soon be
leaving town.

Nicole stood and shook out the layers of her
satin dress. Even with her heels, she was a good four inches shorter than Janie.
“If I can help, you know I’m here for you.”

“I know. Thanks for that.”

A few moments of silence crept between them. “Are
you going to tell me what’s bothering you?”

Janie straightened her friend’s train. “What do
you mean?”

“You seem off today. Not your usual self.”

She pasted on a bright smile. “I hope you mean
that in a good way. It’s not every day I get to see my best friend get
married.”

“I worry about you.”

“Don’t. I’m fine. This is a temporary situation. Very
temporary.”

“There has to be some way I can help. Or Xander. He
has friends—”

“Nicole,” she interrupted. “Would you stop
worrying about me? This is your wedding day. It’s not a day to talk about
problems. Let’s celebrate instead, okay?”

Janie wished there was a way someone could help
her, too. Ever since the night she’d helped to save Nicole’s life, they had
become sisters. Janie hadn’t had that kind of relationship with anyone in her
family. They were more strangers than anything, and with all of Janie’s relatives
still living in the Midwest, that status wasn’t likely to change. But with
Nicole, she’d found someone to care about her and encourage her to be a better
person.

It killed Janie that she’d have to leave soon. Inside,
she raged at the unfairness of it. She hoped Nicole would come visit her
wherever she ended up, but Janie would never be coming back to Portland. Not if
she wanted to stay alive.

Her friend opened her mouth and then closed it. “Fine.”
She fingered her dark bangs, pushing them farther from her eyes. “But the
moment I’m back from my honeymoon, we’re figuring out something. Deal?”

“Deal.” Janie was certain she wouldn’t be in town
that long.

A knock sounded on the door, and Nicole’s aunt poked
her head inside. “We’re ready whenever you are.”

Janie gave her friend one more hug for luck. “I’ll
see you downstairs.” She made her way through the old house to the solarium at
the back where a small group of people had gathered. The subtle, fruity scent
of orchids filled the sunny room. Soft music echoed through the air and, of
course, Paul sat on the back row with an empty seat beside him.

Her spot.

She’d requested he sit at the front so she
wouldn’t be viewing the ceremony between heads. It was bad enough he wouldn’t
allow her to take her rightful spot as maid of honor. Sitting in the back was
his way of showing he owned her and he would make the decisions. Thankfully,
Nicole had understood why she couldn’t stand beside her during the ceremony.

Janie gritted her teeth as she approached him
from behind and forced a passive smile to her lips. How could she have not seen
this side of him until he was too deeply ingrained in her life for her to walk
away?

If she showed a reaction to his choices, he’d
push back even harder. She wouldn’t put it past him to make a scene and ruin
Nicole’s wedding.

No. Things needed to stay calm and appear normal
up until the moment she ran for her life. When she left, she wanted it to be a
complete surprise.

She’d hoped, expected really, that Paul would
tell her to come alone today. He rarely supported her in things that were
important to her. It was a complete surprise when he insisted on accompanying
her. And not in a good way.

She touched his shoulder, and he glanced up at
her, moving his knees to the side so she could pass. The wooden seat was hard
against her back as she sat. Paul wrapped an arm around her shoulder, squeezing
her against him in what most would assume was a loving gesture. She clamped her
lips together and tried not to react as his fingers dug into the bruise she’d
received as a result of their heated discussion the previous night. She’d
completely forgotten about it this morning when she’d dressed, and she prayed
no one would see the mark on the back of her arm.

She should learn not to engage Paul when he was coming
down from a cocaine high, but no one ever said she was the sharpest tool in the
shed as her father liked to tell her, and quite frankly, she’d begun to view
her defiance as proof that Paul had not won. He might have beaten her,
literally, but she still had fight left in her. She was certain that rebelliousness
would be what would ensure she left him for a better life. If she cowed, she
was done.

The pianist switched to the wedding march, and
the rows of people stood, turning to see the bride coming down the aisle,
escorted by her aunt. Xander, with his dark hair and gorgeous eyes, looking
like the happiest man in the Pacific Northwest, waited near the priest for his
beautiful bride.

Janie caught Nicole’s smile as she passed. What
she wouldn’t give to be marrying a man like Xander. A man with morals and
conviction. A man who would do anything to make her happy. Janie didn’t know if
she’d ever marry, wasn’t sure she could trust a man enough to let him get close
to her. But if she did, she wouldn’t pick anyone like Paul.

*        *        *

Nicole and Xander were halfway through their vows
when a man slipped in and sat beside Janie. She glanced to her left, shocked to
see Detective Sam Holden and another man occupying the previously vacant seats
on her and Paul’s row. Detective Holden nodded at her before focusing on the
couple exchanging their vows.

She was certain she’d widened her eyes, surprised
to see him here. Really, surprised to see him anywhere again.

The last time she’d shared space with the police
officer with blond hair and intense brown eyes had been when he’d arrived at
the scene after one of Nicole’s former co-workers had shot Xander. Now, here he
was at Xander and Nicole’s wedding?

Why?

Janie prayed the detective wasn’t there to arrest
any of the guests. As far as she knew, the people in attendance were upstanding
individuals…with the exception of the man on her right. But Paul had been smart
enough to evade police up to this point, and there was no reason to believe
things had changed.

She snuck another sideways glance. Both newcomers
were attired in suits acceptable for a wedding. Maybe Xander or Nicole had
befriended the cop after the shooting incident. Detective Holden shifted in his
chair, his legs relaxing outward so that his thigh now touched hers. She tensed.
He’d come into her personal space without asking, and as much as she’d like to
pretend his actions didn’t affect her, she couldn’t ignore the snap of
electrical attraction he caused like he had when she’d first met him.

Her throat tightened, leaving her breath shallow,
and she could no longer focus on the ceremony. Heat seeped from his pants
through the silk of her skirt as though there were no barriers between them.

Paul turned his dark gaze on her as though he
sensed her reaction. She gave him a brief smile to reassure him all was well
before focusing on the priest, pretending to listen to his poetic words. Paul
returned his gaze to the couple, and it was all she could do not to fall back
into her seat with relief.

She blinked several times and stared at Xander
and Nicole as they exchanged vows, refusing to look at Detective Holden or Paul
for the rest of the ceremony.

*        *        *

When the priest pronounced Xander and Nicole to
be husband and wife, the congregation stood, clapping. Sam used that moment to survey
Janie Singleton more closely.

She looked good. Damn good. Her slender build and
wispy blond hair left him with a delicate, sexy impression. Today, she wore a
silky lavender dress that hugged her curves in a flimsy, feminine sort of way.

He hadn’t seen her in months, not since the night
he’d realized Nicole wasn’t guilty of the theft case he’d been working on, and he’d
watched her and Janie walk out of the central precinct downtown.

He’d kept occasional tabs on the blonde. Especially
on the perp she seemed determined to stay with. For the life of him, he
couldn’t understand why women stayed in abusive relationships.

When Janie and the degenerate moved into the
aisle, his buddy, Christian, elbowed his ribs. “Let’s go congratulate the happy
couple.”

“Yeah.”

As they moved forward, Sam caught the faint
markings of a bruise marring the smooth skin on the back of Janie’s arm. “Bastard,”
he said under his breath.

Christian caught his expletive. “Who?”

Sam shook his head as he reined in the need to
grab the jerk by the arm and give him a similar bruise. “Tell you later.”

Sam’s forced smile turned genuine as they reached
the ecstatic couple. It made him happy that one of his buddies had gotten lucky
in love. It didn’t happen too often. After years of working the streets and
breaking up domestic violence disputes, Sam had seen plenty of bad
relationships to support his view. Xander and Nicole
had
battled a bit
of trouble before they’d finally found a way to be together, but it was obvious
they loved each other, and they’d earned their happiness.

Nicole reached out and took Sam’s and Christian’s
hand. “Look at you two. I’d ask what you’ve been up to, but I know better.” Nicole
was a bit on the short side, with the top of her head barely cresting Xander’s
shoulder, but she was still a force to be reckoned with if he believed what Xander
had told him. Her smile illuminated the room, and his buddy didn’t look too bad
in his suit, either.

Sam leaned forward and kissed the bride’s cheek
before shaking Xander’s hand. “Congratulations. Sorry we were late.”

“Thanks, Sam,” Nicole said. “We wouldn’t be here
if it wasn’t for you.” Xander nodded his agreement.

“Congratulations.” Christian hugged Xander and
then Nicole. “You make a beautiful couple.”

“Thanks, boss,” Nicole returned. “You’re going to
miss me when I’m gone next week on my honeymoon.”

Christian laughed. “Definitely. I can’t imagine
how I ever handled things without you.”

Two more of their friends, Hunter and Ryan,
picked that moment to join them and added their congratulations. Hunter swept
the room with his dark gaze and then focused again on the small group. “I’d
like an update on today from Sam and Christian,” he said to everyone. “But not
here. Is there someplace we can talk?”

“The musicians should be setting up outside,”
Nicole offered. When Xander had informed the group he intended to marry her,
they all agreed she had the right to know what kinds of activities her future
husband was involved in. “Tables and everything are already in place. You could
talk out there without being disturbed.”

Hunter nodded. “Let’s go out in twos, though, so
it doesn’t seem as obvious. Xander, we’ll bring you up to speed after the
honeymoon. Don’t worry about anything and enjoy your sweet bride for now.”

Xander grinned. “Trust me. I intend to take
complete advantage of the situation.”

A sparkle lit Nicole’s eyes. “You never know. I
might be the one taking advantage.”

The new groom held up his hands. “I’m all for that,
too.”