Page 121 of The Retaliation You Deliver

We haven’t taken five steps away from the doors when she turns to me.

“Okay, what the hell was that?”

“That, baby, was retaliation.” Something catches my eye over her shoulder and I spin her around with my hands on her hips. “Hawks style.”

She gasps as her eyes land on the two people leaning against the hood of a Dodge Charger.

“Reid,” she whispers, her body trembling once more as realization hits. “Did you know?” she asks as the four of us share a knowing look across the parking lot.

Alana now looks much more recognizable without the brown wig she was wearing and the nurse uniform gone.

“No. I had no idea.”

“Right,” she breathes. For a second I think she doesn’t believe me, but as she rests back into my body, I realize that she’s just trying to figure it all out. “We should go and—” But even as she suggests it, Reid and Alana push away from the car and with a nod in our direction, they climb in and vanish from our sight.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go find your surprise,” I whisper in her ear, making her shudder for entirely different reasons this time.

“Okay,” she breathes, leaning her head back on my shoulder and allowing me to capture her lips.

20

Macie

My head is spinning as we pull away from the hospital.

I have so many questions running around that I don’t even know where to start.

Fiddling with the hem of my shirt, I stare out the window watching the clear blue water of the ocean in the distance.

As a kid, I always wanted to live right on the beach. But being in Miami with Richard ruined all those dreams as being anywhere near the ocean just reminds me of him.

Breathing in the fresh scent, I rest my head back and close my eyes for a beat.

Today has been… a lot to take in.

Leon reaches over and takes my hand in his, but he doesn’t say anything. I’m not sure if that’s because he knows I just need silence right now, or if he’s too up in his own head, but whatever it is, I’m grateful.

I don’t realize that I drift off until I hear the low rumbles of Leon’s deep voice a beat before his lips brush my cheek.

“Baby, we’re here.”

My eyes flicker open as my body wakes from its sleep and I find his eyes before anything else.

“Hey,” he says with a smile, reaching out to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear.

Memories from the day hit me. “It’s over, isn’t it? He’s gone.”

The widest smile I’ve ever seen pulls at Leon’s lips and my heart flips at the sight.

“It is, baby. It’s just me and you now.”

“Wow,” I breathe. “That sounds so good.”

“Me, you, and this place.” Leon gestures out of the window and I gasp.

“Oh my God.”

“It’s ours for five days.”