Page 50 of Protecting Lainey (Broterhood Alliance #7)
One month later
Sunlight spilled over Haywood Lake’s historic district, reflecting off the stained glass window of Stella’s Bakery as a kaleidoscope of colors danced across the pavement. The crowd outside was larger than Lainey expected.
Reporters had cell phones or mics out. Townspeople clustered around in conversation.
Kids on bikes were clueless about what was going on but just knew there would be free cookies.
Although a lot of people had heard the rumors, and small-town scandals had a way of drawing everyone out of the woodwork.
A jazz trio played in front of the new community theater, the kind of background music that made everything feel right. Somewhere, someone laughed. There was an air of excitement.
Autumn stood by Lainey’s side, adjusting the lens on her camera, scanning the crowd for the perfect shot. She had already captured shots of the crew, the mural restoration and the nearly finished renovation of Brian Gallagher’s Brick & Barrel Gastropub. It was a day filled with hope and humidity.
“Mom,” Luke whispered, tugging at her hand.
Lainey leaned down and murmured, “Soon, buddy.”
Finn stood next to him, one hand resting lightly on Luke’s shoulder. He glanced over and gave her a soft smile.
God, what a month it had been.
Her wrists had finally healed. The bruises faded. The bad dreams about the kidnapping and Travis’s murder were slowly being replaced by early mornings with Finn’s arm around her.
He’d moved into her townhome after asking her if it was all right and without any fanfare. Luke was thrilled to have his dad there.
But the best part was knowing that Richard was behind bars.
The Feds had uncovered every shell company and shady deal until there was no way out for him.
His associates were being picked off one by one with indictments, arrests, plea deals.
Travis’s death was a mess of unanswered questions, but justice was coming for all of them.
Including Cho. Or rather, ex-councilman Cho.
The remaining council members hadn’t said a word in his defense. Not even a press release. Somehow, the press had gotten hold of that story. As for Sarah Granger, she had turned state’s witness before the ink even dried. Lainey wasn’t holding her breath for a Christmas card.
She scanned the crowd and spotted her mother standing with Mallory, Mia, Nicki and Jessie, all chatting like it was just another sunny afternoon. Her mother had been mortified when she found out what had happened.
But when Lainey told her Finn was Luke’s dad, her mother didn’t blink.
“Oh sweetheart, I always liked Finn,” she said, pulling her in for a hug. “And I knew he was Luke’s dad.”
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Lainey asked.
Her mom just shrugged. “It wasn’t my place to say anything. I figured if you wanted me to know, you would have told me. You only have to look at that boy’s face. You can’t deny that Luke looks just like Finn.”
Dani smiled and waved to her a few rows back. She stood with Ryker and the rest of the Brotherhood crew and their women. Bree Gallagher was there too, beaming with pride for her brother, Brian.
On a makeshift stage, the remaining four members of the town council stood stiffly around a hastily assembled podium. There had been no apologies either. Just silence.
Lainey exhaled slowly and reached for Finn’s hand.
He caught it easily, threading their fingers together.
The murmurs died down as Councilwoman Dillard stepped up to the mic. She cleared her throat.
“Thank you all for being here today. As you know, this project was made possible through months of hard work and perseverance. In light of recent events, the council would like to…” She hesitated. “Formally acknowledge the setbacks, miscommunications and mistakes made along the way.”
Lainey raised a brow. That was one way to describe bribery, sabotage and a kidnapping.
Dillard continued scanning the crowd for Lainey. “We deeply regret any harm caused to Ms. Harper, and we are grateful for her dedication to seeing this project through.”
The crowd clapped and whistled.
Councilman Russo stepped up, and Lainey’s heart sank. She was sure he disliked her.
“So we’d like to invite Lainey to join us and cut the ribbon that’s stretched across Stella’s Bakery.”
Lainey swallowed hard and walked up the stairs. Russo handed her a pair of oversize gold scissors. Her fingers curled around them.
Autumn crouched in front, camera ready. Finn gave her a small nod. Luke gave her a thumbs-up. She looked out over the crowd. So many faces. Friends. Neighbors. People who showed up for their town.
“I wasn’t planning on saying anything,” Lainey said. “But standing here now, I feel like I should.”
She paused. “This project was always about rebuilding. Not just a theater or a bakery but hope. A community coming together today to build something better for generations to come.
“So, yeah, it got messy. But we got through it and will continue to do the hard work fighting for a town we can be proud of.”
A few heads nodded. Someone clapped. A tear slipped down her mother’s cheek.
Lainey smiled. “This is just the beginning. And I’m proud to be a part of it.”
She turned. With one clean cut, the ribbon fell.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
The applause was still going on when Councilwoman Delgado leaned into the mic.
“There’s one more announcement,” she said. “The council has agreed to dedicate one of the redevelopment properties as transitional housing—small apartments for women and children who are moving on from the shelter and starting over.”
Lainey found Lena Morales in the crowd, tears dripping down her face as several women hugged her tight, all smiling.
Lainey felt a rush of satisfaction. She hadn’t asked for much. But she had asked for this. The council had been more than willing, especially since she hadn’t sued or gone to the press.
It was one small way she could turn something ugly into something good. Maybe even something lasting.
Finn stood in the crowd, his hand wrapped around Luke’s smaller one, watching Lainey cut the ribbon. He was so proud of her, it hurt.
The council gave her a half-assed apology, like that was supposed to make up for turning a blind eye to everything that had been happening. Maybe they didn’t know what Cho was up to, but that was no excuse. Checks and balances existed for a reason, and they failed her—failed the town.
Truth was, they should have been kissing her feet for not dragging them through court or handing the press the scandal of a lifetime. Especially in a small town where secrets had a life of their own.
But Lainey hadn’t made it about herself. Not once.
The transitional housing was at the heart of it. Not only had she made it happen—for Lena, for the women of the shelter trying to navigate their new normal, their second chances to build a life they dreamed of.
And then she went a step further, quietly meeting with the council about his site and using it for housing for veterans.
She hadn’t made a big deal of it, never even told him what she was doing, didn’t ask for credit.
Just change. Hope for people who deserved more than what they were handed in life.
Someone had caught it on video—Richard Cummings getting cuffed and hauled off by the Feds looking like he’d gone ten rounds in the ring and lost every one of them.
It have Finn enormous satisfaction. His brothers might have had something to do with the condition Cummings was in. Finn wasn’t asking any questions.
Truth be told, if he hadn’t needed to get Lainey to the hospital, Cummings would never have been arrested. He’d be six feet under. No regrets.
And when Cho got arrested? Finn was there for that. Liam tipped him off, and Finn had made damn sure his was one of the last faces Cho saw on the way out.
But things were slowly getting better, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like everything just might be okay.
Lainey was healing a little more each day. Still woke up some nights with nightmares she couldn’t outrun. When that happened, he held her. Kissed her. Made love to her until the nightmares faded and she could sleep again.
Luke clung to both of them a little tighter—more hugs, longer bedtime stories, endless questions. Finn didn’t mind. The kid had survived what no child should go through and still saw himself as the hero in his own story. The guys ate it up.
And when Finn suggested Luke take self-defense classes, he jumped in with two feet. Took to it fast. Too fast. He was determined never to feel powerless again.
Just like his mom.
The woman who never backed down. Who gave their son a chance to live and almost lost her own life doing it?
Finn’s heart thudded in his chest as he thought about what he could have lost. But more than that, it beat strongly with everything he had now.
A family he loved more than anything. One he would protect with his life.