Page 136 of Finding His Redemption

Theyhaddone this.

She didn’t know how. Even with Ghost’s help, there was no way Boone would’ve been able to sneak into Alek’s penthouse and catch him off guard. The bastard was far too paranoid.

But they had done something.

And now Alek was dead.

Jax’s arm tightened around her in warning, but she had no intention of giving them away. How could she? They’d slayed the demon that had haunted her for her entire adult life. She wanted to bake them a damn cake.

“Uh-huh,” Brandt said after a drawn-out silence. He didn’t sound convinced, but he didn’t push. “Well, that’s the good news. The bad news is he did know you were here in Solace. He had a newspaper clipping with a grainy photo of you and Oliver from the night Oliver went missing, and his phone records show he was in touch with someone in this area on the night of the fire. We think he hired someone to set it.”

She pressed her knuckles to her mouth. “Oh, God. It was him all along?”

Brandt nodded. “Appears that way. Now that he’s dead, I doubt anyone else will come after you, but I’m staying in town for a while, just to make sure.”

“So, if you’re sticking around, you gonna muck stalls for us?” River drawled, leaning against the fence with a lazy grin. “Get some manure on those fancy shoes?”

Brandt’s expression didn’t change, but he raised his middle finger in River’s direction without breaking eye contact with Nessie. The gesture was so unexpected from the usually composed marshal that she couldn’t help the startled laugh that escaped her.

The tension in the air seemed to dissipate slightly, and Brandt’s face softened. He stepped forward and pulled Nessie into a quick, awkward hug that caught her completely off guard. It was the first time he’d ever touched her beyond a handshake in all the years he’d been her handler.

“You’re safe now,” he murmured against her hair, his voice gruff with an emotion she’d never heard from him before. “It’s really over.”

Before she could respond, he released her and stepped back, already rebuilding his professional facade. “I’ll be in touch,” he said, then turned and walked back to his SUV without another word.

Nessie watched him go, her mind still reeling from the news. Alek was dead. The monster who had haunted her nightmares for years was gone. She should feel something—relief, joy, maybe even grief for the man she’d once thought she loved. But all she felt was numb, like she was floating somewhere outside her body.

“Mom?” Oliver said, snapping her back to reality. “Who’s Alek?”

Her heart stuttered in her chest. Of course he would ask. He’d heard the name, seen their reactions. Oliver missed nothing.

“Yo, little man,” Jonah called out before she could formulate an answer. “How about you and me take Lazy Susan for a spin? She’s been asking about you all morning.”

Oliver’s face lit up, his question instantly forgotten. “Really? Can I ride her by myself this time?”

“We’ll see how she’s feeling,” Jonah said, offering his hand. “Come on, I’ll let you help me saddle her up.”

Oliver looked to Nessie for permission, practically vibrating with excitement.

“Go ahead,” she said, forcing a smile. “Just listen to everything Jonah tells you.”

As Oliver raced off with Jonah toward the stables, the other men gradually dispersed, returning to their interrupted tasks with the quiet efficiency she’d come to appreciate about them. Walker caught her eye briefly, giving her a slight nod before heading back to the barn. She understood the message:You’re one of us now. We protect our own.

Soon, only she and Jax remained by the corral. His arm was still around her, steady and warm, but she could feel the way his body had gone rigid. Guarded.

He waited until the others were out of earshot before speaking.

“You okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I think so.”

“You know I didn’t kill him, right?”

“I know.”

“But if I had…” He swallowed hard. “If Ghost, Boone, and I made sure he’d never hurt you again—whispered in the right ears—would that change how you see me?”

“No.” She turned to face him and cupped his stubbled cheek in her palm. “He knew where I was. He would’ve come after me. He would’ve taken Oliver.”