Page 29 of Hidden Harbor (Evergreen Rescue #1)

S unday morning, Anya and I ambled down to the docks to meet up with Clay’s contact. The grizzled older man looked like the comic book version of a boat captain, complete with a pipe gripped in strong, yellowed teeth.

Once we reached privacy below deck, his demeanor shifted, all the small-town affability replaced by cool confidence. “I’m Agent Nick Harris, or Captain Nick if I’m undercover. Nice to meet you.”

We exchanged handshakes. The other man’s calluses were enough to sell the fiction that he was a real boat captain. For all I knew, maybe he was. DEA agents probably had hobbies, right?

“Do you have any recent photos of your ex?” Agent Harris asked.

Anya shook her head. “I haven’t seen him since I left home, except for here on the island.”

“Can I ask, why is this creep still wandering around free? Anya tells me she dropped a care package at the local FBI office before leaving Detroit.”

“I can’t comment on an open investigation,” Agent Harris said coolly. He smiled at Anya. “But we appreciate your cooperation and the introduction.”

“I just want to be done with him.”

“You’ll be one step closer after you introduce us. Have you set up a meet yet?”

Anya shook her head. “I’ve been telling him I didn’t have anyone. The last thing I want to do is bring a friend into my mess.”

Agent Harris grinned. “Then it’s a good thing you knew to call in the professionals. I’m here at your disposal. When you set up the meet, set it for here, aboard The Codfather .”

“It’s wired?” I asked.

Agent Harris nodded. “Audio and video.”

“What happens after I introduce you? What if he doesn’t do anything you can arrest him for?”

“Don’t get your hopes up. Building a case takes time. Best I can do is get him off your back, get his focus on me.”

“That was not the deal. I don’t want Anya at risk,” I protested.

Agent Harris shrugged. “Once he gets what he wants, he’ll probably head back home, like a good little fixer.”

“What if he doesn’t?” I asked sharply.

“Then we’ll move to Plan B.”

“Which is?”

“We wait.”

“Not good enough,” I forced the words through clenched teeth.

“You need to be realistic,” Agent Harris cautioned. “I doubt he’ll hang around. If he does, I’ll keep an eye on him.” He smiled for Anya’s sake. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”

I gritted my teeth, giving him a steely glare. He smiled at me. “She doesn’t need us. She has you .”

He was a canny bastard. She absolutely had me. I wouldn’t argue to the contrary. But that didn’t ease my fear that I wouldn’t be enough. Now that her family knew where she was, nothing guaranteed this would be Owen’s last ask.

Anything short of him behind bars, of her parents locked up, left Anya exposed. And I didn’t like it.

In an impossibly short time, she’d become everything. Sweet and funny, caring and beautiful, inside and out. She deserved better than to be constantly looking over her shoulder.

“Thanks for everything, Agent Harris. I appreciate your help. I’ll text you when I have details,” Anya said smoothly, maybe picking up on my instinct to argue.

Grudgingly, I dipped my chin at the other man. “Please. Anything you can do to protect her, I’d appreciate it.”

Agent Harris kept his expression solemn, but he nodded. It was probably the best I’d get. He had a job to do. And it wasn’t to keep Anya safe. That was my job now.

I hopped to the dock first, holding out a hand to steady Anya. She frowned at my hand but grabbed it anyway.

“What?” I asked, sensing her annoyance.

“Agent Harris is helping me. You didn’t have to give him a hard time.”

I touched her wrist. She turned to face me, her body rigid. “I can’t lose you.” I infused the words with everything I couldn’t quite say, the desperation that made me feel like my organs were melting out of my skin. The fear that rode me, forcing me to face truths I wasn’t ready for.

She looked heart-wrenchingly beautiful, sun glinting off her yellow hair. Water glittered around us, lapping gently against the dock. The wind blew a strand of hair across her mouth, and she wiped it away impatiently.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, sounding exasperated. “I know Owen. He won’t hurt me.”

“No, honey, you’re not hearing me. I can’t lose you .

” My chest constricted. I forced the words out anyway.

“I’m usually the reasonable one. The calm one.

But I can’t be that when it comes to you.

If he hurts you, if he touches you—I can’t even think about it without seeing red. I need you to be okay.”

“I will be.”

Her eyes were soft, but I could tell she didn’t get it.

“Even if your feelings for me aren’t as strong, it doesn’t matter. Anya, I’m yours. Your shield. Your sword. Damn the consequences. I need you to be okay like I need to breathe. Anything less is unacceptable.”

I held her gaze. “You’re it for me.”

I couldn’t bring myself to regret my words.

They were the truth. I could only hope my honesty wouldn’t scare her away.

She hovered, indecision fluttering across her expressive face as she processed my impassioned little speech.

Fight or flight might as well be floating above her head in a thought bubble, her dilemma was so apparent.

She changed her stance, coming off the balls of her feet and settling more fully until the sole of each foot made contact with the dock.

That small sign that she was rooted, standing in her version of mountain, eased some of the tension gripping me.

Maybe I hadn’t ruined it all by pushing her too fast.

“Andrew Fenwick, I love you, and the only consequences I’m willing to accept are us living happily ever after once we get Owen out of our lives.”

After “love you,” everything short-circuited, her words swimming past me like fish darting through a murky sea. Total system collapse. I’d been steeling myself for rejection. For her to bail. And fuck if she didn’t do the exact opposite.

A laugh burst from my chest. Half relief, half exultation. All rusty emotion. In that moment, if sheer will could kill, Owen would be six feet under. I wouldn’t let anyone come between me and Anya.

“I’m going to hold you to that, you know,” I warned.

Her blue eyes glittered with unshed tears. She swiped angrily at her eyes, burying the emotion with a choked-off laugh.

“I feel like Owen is the modern-day equivalent of Rumpelstiltskin, here to ruin my future by holding me accountable for the mistakes in my past.”

“We have his name, and we have his number.” I tilted her chin up until she looked me in the eye.

“There’s nothing in your past to be ashamed of, no matter how he tries to twist things.

” Her shoulders relaxed. Just a bit, but that tiny victory made me tease, “And there’s no way in hell I’m letting him get his hands on you or our first-born child. ”

Anya held up a palm, eyes flashing even as she hid a smile. “Slow down there, Fenwick. No one said anything about children…”

I wrapped her in my arms, grinning down at her. “Aw, honey. You’d look so cute round with my baby in happy baby pose.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re a nut.”

“But I’m your nut. All of my nuts are yours.”

Her head tilted. “I don’t know how to respond to that, Fenwick. You’ve managed to be both sweet and salty.”

I dropped a quick kiss on her mouth, smiling against her lips when she stood on tiptoes to follow me as I drew away. “We’re the perfect combination.”

Hand in hand, we stepped into Harbor Brews, our fingers laced together like a silent promise. Zach’s eyes flickered to our entwined hands. His dimple flashed. “What can I get you fine folks this morning?”

I checked behind me to make sure he was talking to us.

“Two regular coffees please,” Anya said.

“Everything go okay with your morning meeting?” Zach asked quietly as he poured our cups.

“Mr. Bull in China Shop here wanted to rock the boat, but we’re good.”

Zach squinted at her but didn’t argue with her mixing of metaphors. He turned to me. “Let us know if you need anything.”

We’d just settled with our coffee when Anya’s phone buzzed. Her grim expression told me all I needed to know.

“He’s watching us.”

I scowled, glancing around Harbor Brews.

“Not now, but this morning. He saw us meet with Captain Nick. I’m going to confirm a meet time for this afternoon.”

“The sooner we can put this behind us, the better.” I squeezed her hand. “Then we can start our future. Together.”