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R ow wasn’t pregnant. Relief and sadness played tug of war on her face in the mirror.

She wasn’t sure if part of the reason she’d wished for it was that age-old desire to bind a man.

That was no reason to bring a child into the world.

That was selfish and short-sighted. Rowena didn’t need a man and didn’t want to force a future with Kurt.

He was exactly the sort of man to stand by her for that reason alone.

She wanted a future with Kurt because they loved one another. Only that.

They’d both been through a traumatic experience, and both needed time to recover and reassess.

Except, she already knew exactly what she wanted.

She pulled on the clothes Haley Cramer had given her and dried her hair. The luxury of conditioner and a hairdryer was wonderful, but she could live without them if she had to. She wasn’t sure she could live without Kurt.

She sat for a moment on the bed and realized she felt more comfortable in this room alone than going out to meet strangers. But these were Kurt’s friends, and she knew they’d want answers.

She hung the towel and cleaned up the bathroom. The view from the room was magnificent, but she was still worried Gilder might have some trick up his sleeve where he escaped and came after her like some maniacal villain.

Her father.

The monster.

She shuddered.

She made herself walk through the door. In the living room, which had its own amazing view, she found Haley and Darby sitting around with glasses of what looked like champagne. The tall, dark-haired man from the beach sat on the couch. His dark eyes watched her with compassion in their depths.

The baby kicked at her toys as she lay on a play mat. Rowena felt a wave of longing for something that had been far out of reach in the past. But now…

Haley jumped to her feet. “We’re celebrating Kurt coming back from the dead and your rescue. Would you like a glass?”

The room seemed to hold its breath until she nodded.

Empathy filled Haley’s expression. “Probably a relief at this moment.”

“I have to admit I’m a little disappointed but relieved too.” Rowena hugged herself.

Haley headed to the open-plan kitchen brushing a gentle hand down Rowena’s arm as she passed. “Emotions are complicated at the best of times. They’re allowed to be. We understand what you’re going through better than most, but it doesn’t mean we know how you’re feeling.”

“What happens to you doesn’t define you,” Darby added quietly.

“Damned straight.” Quentin Savage—that was his name—spoke up.

The baby, Georgina, started to fuss. Quentin got down on his knees and began entertaining her by batting the various toys dangling above her.

Haley handed Rowena a flute of sparkling champagne and raised her glass. “Here’s to safe returns and new friends.”

Rowena drank and thought back to the last time she’d had champagne. Back in the hotel in Zimbabwe before she’d thrown herself at a relative stranger. It was hard to imagine he hadn’t always been part of her life. “I can’t believe the danger’s over.”

“We’re as safe as we can be here, and reinforcements are on the way,” Savage assured her. “You’re lucky we’re here to be honest.”

Darby suppressed a grin. “What they’re not telling you is Haley and Quentin got married on Sunday. They foolishly invited us all here afterwards. As if we’d be silly enough to say no.”

“Congratulations.”

Haley smiled. “Thank you. Something good came out of our abduction even though it was absolutely terrifying at the time.” She sat beside Darby and took her hand. “More than one thing.”

“I should probably take your statement, so we’re done by the time Kurt and the others are finished.” Quentin stood and Darby got down to play with the baby.

Rowena’s hands began to shake as she thought about what she’d done in Bjorn Anders’ office. She bit her lip. “I don’t know whether or not I need a lawyer.”

Quentin’s intense gaze softened. “I realize you don’t know us, but we know Kurt Montana.

If he thought you had anything to worry about, he wouldn’t have told you to make a statement.

He would not have done that. We won’t record it.

I’ll let you know if I think there are things you should get legal advice about, but I doubt it.

If what I think is about to occur happens, the US will owe you a great debt. ”

“He’s my father…”

“He’s a sperm donor at best.” Haley’s voice was scathing. “And if you need a good lawyer, I’ll pay for the best.”

“Thank you. I don’t know what to say or how to repay your kindness. I do have some money…”

“You don’t have to repay anything. You helped Kurt capture a man we’ve been after for months. A man responsible for…” Savage’s throat worked as he trailed off.

“Unspeakable things.” Darby looked up from where the baby kicked at her toys .

“A man I’d happily pay to see dead.” Haley arched her brows at Quentin as the side of her mouth twitched. “Were such things allowed.”

Savage shot her a smile.

“I thought he was getting a deal? I thought you were mad about that?”

Savage shook his head. “He’ll have a deal for some of it which does piss me off, but the US isn’t the only country that wants him—it’s probably not even the one with the most right to prosecute him.

The gravity of his crimes means he’s never getting out of prison alive—he just hasn’t figured that out yet. ”

Relief filled her, and then she thought of something else. Rowena looked around for a clock. “What time is it? I need to call my family and co-workers. They’ll be worried sick.”

Quentin checked the clock on the stove. “Six thirty. UK is four hours ahead of here, I think.”

Haley nodded confirmation.

“But,” Quentin chewed his lip, “I think you should hold off until the arrests have been made. I hate to say that, but I suspect by the time they wake up in the morning, you’ll be able to speak to them without jeopardizing any current operations.

Come on. We’ll use the kitchen counter so these two can eavesdrop, if that’s okay.

Otherwise, I’ll spend the next week being asked question after question I can’t answer—and you can walk me through the basics of what happened as much as you can without feeling uncomfortable. ”

Rowena pulled up a stool and started talking.

Kurt might have been tired by the time he finished with Hurek, but he sprinted up the steep path, eager to get to Rowena. He walked into the main house and paused at the scene in front of him.

Rowena sat at the breakfast bar with Quentin.

Rather than the scruffy shirt and jeans she’d been wearing for the past month, she was now barefoot in skintight Lycra shorts and a running top, covered by a baggy, sky-blue T-shirt.

Her hair was shiny and clean, brushed and tied back in a neat ponytail. His sexy librarian.

She looked beautiful and perfect and, oh, so young.

She looked up as the door shut behind him. Stood and took a hesitant step forward. “Is it done?”

He shook his head. “Hurek’s been interviewed. It’s over for him. Agents are waking up bankers in Zürich to retrieve the evidence he has stashed away there. Teams are gearing up to arrest Gilder on the island.”

He was worried for his men, but he could do nothing about that except trust in their training and abilities.

“Hurek’s under guard?” Haley queried lightly, but there was nothing casual about her expression.

Kurt nodded. “He’s secured, and the guys are gonna take it in turns overnight. Until the Feds turn up to take him into custody.”

“Rats. I was hoping I might get to beat him with a stick.”

He understood. And despite the fighting words, he knew she was worried. There was no way any of them were letting Darmawan Hurek escape this time.

Rowena bit her lip, looking suddenly unsure.

Remembering Marianne’s words from what felt like an eternity ago, he walked over to her and opened his arms, grateful when she walked straight into them and held on tight. He spotted the champagne glass on the counter, surprised by the force of the disappointment that hit him. She wasn’t pregnant.

Didn’t matter. But he was oddly disappointed.

Foolish man.

After a moment, he stepped away, aware he was still wearing the clothes he’d stolen from a man he’d killed earlier that day and that his beard itched like he had fleas. “I need to clean up.”

Haley Cramer stood and pointed to a door on the right. “I’ve set the two of you up in that room. It’s not as big as some of the others but has a jet tub. ”

“It’s probably bigger than we’re used to.”

“So I heard—a small cabin with not much to do.” Haley’s smile was all innocence that he didn’t believe for a second.

“Darby gathered some clothes that should fit you both and a razor if you want it. Although, I must say, the beard does add a dash of roguishness to that handsome face… I may have a whole new appreciation for beards.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Savage grinned.

“And you a recently married woman. Congrats, by the way. Sorry to gatecrash your honeymoon.” Kurt walked over to her and accepted the kiss she gave him.

“If you need food there’s plenty in the fridge.” That smile again. “You’ll need to eat to keep your strength up.”

He accepted the fact he was gonna get ragged on. He’d earned it. And this was only the start. Dealing with his hangup might be the hardest challenge he’d ever faced, but he was game if Rowena was. He headed toward the bedroom door, grateful when she came too.

Once inside, he closed the door so they could finally be alone together. He cupped the back of her head. “Are you okay?”

Her lips parted. Her eyes were uncertain.

Was this what she wanted? Or did he need to give her some space? “I thought I’d lost you earlier. I’m sorry I let them take you.”

“I didn’t give you any choice?—”

“And we are going to talk about that.”

“I would never let you sacrifice yourself for me.” She sucked in her lips. “It’s not fair to ask.”

It wasn’t, but her sacrificing herself for him wasn’t fair to ask either.

That discussion could be tabled until another time.

A time when her green eyes didn’t shine with tears as she gripped his shirt.

“I thought I’d lost you. When the ship exploded.

I thought you were dead. That I’d left you to die.

” She pressed her hand to his chest, and his heartbeat sped up.

“It was the single worst moment of my life. ”

She threw her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her, closed his eyes and finally let himself believe she wanted to be here. With him. Together.

After a minute of simply hanging on, he managed to squeeze out the words, “You’re sure he didn’t hurt you?”

She pulled back. Wiped her eyes. “I played along with him. Pretended to be all ‘oh, my long-lost father, thank goodness you rescued me.’” She batted her eyelashes then grimaced. “While he eyed me like an egg bank.”

Kurt clenched his jaw.

“Then I stuck him with a hypodermic full of anesthetic the doctor had planned to use on me to conduct a quick pelvic exam—as you do to people recently rescued from kidnap situations.”

Anger reared up inside him. His fists clenched.

“Then I used my new ninja moves to beat up the doctor and nurse.”

He was impressed despite himself. It was one thing to practice, another thing entirely to execute, but in survival situations instincts kicked in.

“Stuffed the nurse in a storage room. Then ran out the back door.” She looked away. “When I got to the sea I just didn’t care anymore. I refused to be turned into a lab rat, and I thought you were dead.”

One last tear escaped, and he wiped it away with his thumb. “You fought with everything you had, and you won. You saved yourself.”

A grin wobbled on her lips. “You certainly helped. I would have drowned otherwise. What happened on the ship?”

He rolled his shoulders as the ache of battle returned. “Gilder sent his mercs to kill everybody on board. I took care of them. Grabbed Hurek and convinced the pilot to work for the FBI.”

Her eyes scanned his face, fully understanding his meaning. “Impressive.”

“Not really. A lot of people died.”

“Not your fault. ”

“Some of them were definitely my fault.”

She cupped his cheek. “You did what you had to do to survive.”

He nodded. He’d deal with it in his own time. He checked out the clothes on the bed. They should fit.

“I’m going to take a quick shower.”

Rowena nodded and followed him into the bathroom. He didn’t know if it was a habit left over from their time in captivity. Perhaps she didn’t feel safe alone.

He didn’t mind the company, but he worried about whether she was really okay.

He stripped off, climbed in the shower. Then stepped back in surprise when Rowena joined him.

She pressed her naked body against his, and he was hard in a heartbeat.

“We never did get to the shower sex part of our relationship, now, did we?”

“I guess we didn’t.” Kurt leaned back against the wall and smiled down at her.

“You want to lock the door?” she asked.

“Nobody’s coming inside.”

Her mouth tilted to one side as she murmured, “Except, perhaps, you.”

His fingers tightened on her hips. His mouth went dry. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. Swept her hands through his wet hair and brought his mouth down to hers, stopping an inch away. “And I want you to put that beard to good use, one last time.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She grinned.

He’d created a monster. A wonderful, confident, amazing monster who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to tell him. She was perfect. The love of his life. His equal in all ways except years lived. The woman he wanted to spend the next fifty years worshipping like a goddess if she’d let him.