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SEVEN

“ I t can’t be,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“It can, and it is.”

“But I thought you were gone.”

“Right back at ya.”

“Oh my God.” Tears filled her eyes as she whispered, “It’s really you.”

“Yeah, babe. It’s really me.”

I stood there staring at her with the weight of eight years and a million unanswered questions resting on my shoulders, and it was all I could do to keep my knees from buckling beneath me. The only thing keeping me standing was her.

Time had been kind to her. She had grown into a beautiful woman, even more beautiful than I remembered. It was hard being so close to her. It had been so long, and all I wanted to do was take her into my arms and hold her tight.

But it wasn’t the time or the place.

Her eyes flicked over me, then to Goose and Memphis, before locking on mine. “How did you…”

“Rooks.” Surprise marked her face, making it clear she had no idea that he’d reached out. “He messaged me earlier. Told me about your father.”

She didn’t respond.

She just stood there with this strange look on her face.

Not sure of what to make of her response, I added, “I’m sorry to hear what happened.”

“Yeah, me too.” She quickly wiped the tears from her cheek, then glanced over at Memphis and Goose. Her back stiffened as she gathered the nerve to walk past us and over to her door. She placed the key in the lock, and as she turned it, she said, “I can’t do this right now.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s really not a good time.”

“After eight years, that’s all I get?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just a really bad time.” She gave me a slight shrug as she opened the door and started inside. I took a quick glance inside and was surprised to see a pair of kid’s shoes and a football next to the sofa. Before I could get a better look, she shifted her step, blocking my view. “I’ve got a lot going on with what happened to Dad and taking care of Mom, and I just can’t handle this right now.”

“Okay, fair enough. Just tell me when I can see you again?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“Well, I’m not leaving until you do,” I shot back, my voice harder than I meant it to be. “It’s been eight years. I think I deserve five minutes.”

I stopped myself from saying anything more, but the weight of what I’d already said hung in the air. Her eyes snapped back to mine, brimming with tears now. “My father was just murdered, Holt. I was there when it happened. I heard it. I saw it. I watched him die right there in front of me.”

“I didn’t know.”

“That’s only the beginning.” The tremble in her voice faded as she continued, “I was questioned by police, someone’s been following me, and Dad’s office was ransacked when their house was just broken in to. It’s all I can do to be standing here right now, so you’re just gonna have to believe me when I say I don’t have the mental capacity to deal with you showing up here alive and well.”

“Damn. That’s a lot to unpack there.” I didn’t like the fact that someone had been following her and that her folks’ place had been broken in to. There was no doubt that it had something to do with her father’s murder, and I wasn’t leaving until I knew she was safe. “Who was following you?”

“Holt. I don’t want to get into all this.”

“Who was it, Tallie?”

“I don’t know. The police know about it and are looking into it. That’s all I can tell you.” She ran her hand across the back of her neck and sighed. “So, please. Just let me go do what I need to do.”

“Okay, fine.” For a moment, all I could do was stare at her, at the woman I had once loved so fiercely and had longed for all these years. I couldn’t even bring myself to be angry that she’d asked me to go. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a card with my number on it. As I handed it to her, I said, “Call me. Sooner than later.”

She nodded, then took the card from my hand and closed the door.

The sound of the lock clicking into place felt like a punch to the gut, but I didn’t fight it. I kept my word and left. We were almost back to the truck when Goose clapped a hand on my shoulder and said, “That didn’t go the way I was thinking it would.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

“She’s a beaut. I’ll give you that.”

He was right. She was beautiful, smart, creative, and everything in between. I knew when I was a kid that she was the only one for me, and that hadn’t changed. I wasn’t so sure she still felt the same about me. If tonight was any indication, things weren’t looking so good.

We’d just gotten back out to the truck when I heard Tallie call out to me, “Holt!”

I turned, and my pulse started to race when I saw her running toward me. Before I could process what was happening, she had thrown her arms around me and was hugging me with all her might. I couldn’t imagine a better feeling.

She buried her face into my neck, and I could feel the warmth of her breath as she whispered, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

I slipped my arms around her waist, inching her closer.

“I’ve missed you,” she whispered, her voice muffled against my chest. “More than you’ll ever know.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut—the kind of punch that leaves you breathless and aching all at once. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words wouldn’t come. All I could do was hold her and relish the sensation of having her in my arms again.

Just as quickly as she’d come, she pulled away. Her eyes met mine for the briefest of moments, and there was something in them—something raw and broken and beautiful.

“See you soon,” she said softly.

Then she turned and ran back up the stairs, her long, red hair flying behind her. I didn’t move. I just stood there and watched as she disappeared upstairs. After several moments, Goose broke the silence by saying, “Well, damn. I didn’t see that coming either.”

“That makes two of us.”

We all piled back into the truck and started home. Memphis was riding shotgun and silent for once, and Goose was sprawled out in the back, flipping through his phone. I had no doubt that they both had plenty to say, but neither of them spoke. Instead, they gave me some time to sort through all the thoughts barreling through my head, and I was thankful. I was a goddamn mess and needed a moment to collect myself.

I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Tallie felt in my arms. It had been eight years, and yet, she still fit against me like she’d never left. That hug damn near knocked the wind out of me, and I’d been holding my breath ever since. There was something about the way she looked at me before she ran back to her apartment. There was a longing in her eyes that was mixed with relief and fear.

The fear stuck with me. It made my chest tighten and my jaw clench. Someone had been following her. Someone had broken into her parents’ house. That wasn’t random, and it sure as hell wasn’t okay. I kept my eyes trained on the road ahead as I muttered, “Doesn’t sit right.”

Knowing exactly what I was talking about, Memphis asked, “Her being followed or the break-in?”

“Both.”

“Is it just me, or do you think it has something to do with her father?”

“Don’t know, but I intend to find out.”

“Maybe Shep was able to find something.”

“I certainly hope so.” Tallie wasn’t the type to scare easily, not the girl I used to know anyway. Whoever this was had managed to rattle her, and that made my blood boil. “Either way, I don’t want to take any chances. If there’s even the slightest chance that she’s in danger, I want her covered. Someone needs to be on her, twenty-four-seven.”

“Understood.” Memphis’s expression was grim as he added, “Gonna have to run it by Prez, but it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I’ll speak with him as soon as we get back.”

I didn’t know what was worse—the thought of her being afraid or the fact that I hadn’t been there when everything had gone down with her father. Maybe then, those assholes wouldn’t have followed her or broke into her folks’ house. Regardless, I was here now, and I had every intention of making up for lost time.

As soon as we got back to the clubhouse, Goose and I went to track down Shep while Memphis filled Prez in on what we’d found out about Tallie. When we got down to Shep’s office, the lights were out, and he was kicked back on his sofa with his computer resting on his stomach. “Hey, brother. You find anything more on Tallie or her dad?”

“Yeah, you could say that.”

“Good, let’s hear it.”

“Okay, but I gotta warn ya.” He sat on the sofa as he said, “You aren’t gonna like it.”

“I had a feeling I wouldn’t.”

“So, what do you want first?” He grimaced. “The maybe not so good or the definitely not so good.”

“Hit me with the worst of it.”

“So, her father was a big real estate lawyer.”

“Yeah, I’m aware.”

“Well, he’s made some pretty powerful connections over the years, and there’s always the chance that one of them turned on him.”

“And why would they do that?”

“He was representing some outside developers who were known for buying up land in lucrative areas, like along the riverfront. It wouldn’t be so bad, but these guys are using legal loopholes to get the properties at undervalued prices. They’re pushing people out of their homes and shutting down small businesses left and right.”

“Yeah, that could piss some folks off.”

“Exactly.” Shep handed me a file folder. “To make matters worse, these clients are members of one of the Russian mafias.”

“Oh, goddamn,” I grumbled. “What the hell was he doing getting tied up with them?”

“I’m sure they were paying him a pretty penny.”

“Any idea which one he was working with?”

“The Volkov family.”

“Damn. This just keeps getting better and better.” I started flipping through the pages in the file, noting the various properties and images of the Volkov crew, as I asked, “You think they’re the ones who knocked him off, or was it someone else?”

“I’m still working on that.”

I nodded, then said, “So, what’s the maybe not-so-good news?”

“Tallie has a kid.”

I was still trying to process the curveball he’d just thrown at me when he handed me a second folder. I quickly opened it and felt like the rug had been pulled from beneath me the second I saw his photograph. He had dark hair—just like mine, green eyes—just like mine, and a slight widow’s peak—just like mine.

I was trying to convince myself that the resemblance was just a coincidence when Shep announced, “His name is Ford Jameson Warren.”

“Whoa,” Goose turned to me with surprise. “You’re Jameson Holt.”

“That I am.”

“Ah, hell. Don’t tell me that kid is yours.”

“Can’t be for sure, but it’s certainly looking that way.”

Shep motioned his head towards the folder as he added, “He was born in May of ’18.”

“Tallie was sent to Paris in August of ’17.”

“You reckon she was already pregnant?”

“If she was, I didn’t know anything about it.” I shook my head. “Holy shit. Surely to God, she hasn’t kept my kid from me all these fucking years.”

“Maybe he isn’t yours.” Hoping to console me, Goose suggested, “It could’ve been a rebound hookup or something. Some douchebag she met when she got to Paris.”

“Not a chance.” I slammed the folder shut, but the photograph of Ford’s strikingly familiar face burned into my mind.

Goose let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Man, if this kid is yours, Tallie’s got some explaining to do.”

“She’s got more than explaining to do.” I stood abruptly, the chair screeching against the floor. “If Ford is mine, I’ve missed seven fucking years of his life. First steps, first words, birthdays… All because she chose to keep him from me.”

“Hold on, now.” Goose raised a hand, his tone cautious. “Don’t go jumping to conclusions just yet. Maybe there’s a reason she kept quiet.”

“Oh, yeah?” Anger simmered beneath my skin as I snapped, “Like what? What excuse could she have for keeping my kid from me?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with the question. “Maybe she thought it was for the best, or maybe she was scared.”

“Scared of what? Me?” My throat tightened at the thought. “She knew I would’ve done anything for her.”

“More like her father and his threats. You see who he’s working for. Maybe she thought telling you would jeopardize her life in Paris. Or she might’ve thought she was protecting the kid or even you. I don’t know.”

“Scared or not, she should’ve told me.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I had a right to know.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. We both do.” Shep nodded slowly. “But you don’t need to go running over there half-cocked and demanding answers.”

“So, what the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Give the dust some time to settle,” Shep urged. “She’s got your number. Give her a chance to come to you.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Well, then, you take matters into your own hands.”