The flashlight didn’t waver, but…Zander dropped the gun.
“Good.” Satisfaction purred from Jonathan. “Now you can watch as—”
“I wasn’t bluffing,” Zander cut in, his words a fierce growl. “I was stalling. There’s a difference, you see. I was stalling so that my partner could sneak up behind your dumb ass. And guess what? He’s there.”
She felt the shock roll through Jonathan. He jerked and then he spun around, yanking her with him, but Alice stumbled, deliberately, and as her body slumped to the side, the knife’s blade wasn’t pressed to her skin any longer. She was clear for a few precious moments—
“Drop the fucking knife!” Randall thundered.
Then…
Boom. Boom.
The explosion rang in her ears right before Alice’s body was suddenly free. She tumbled onto the ground, then immediately scrambled up, running for safety, running for Zander.
He caught her, yanking her into his arms and holding her tight. “God, baby…God.” His hold was so fierce and hard that she could barely breathe.
Then Zander was pushing her behind him. He grabbed his gun and advanced on the fallen man. Randall still had his weapon and flashlight aimed at Jonathan’s body.
“Stay down,” Randall ordered Jonathan.
He’s still alive. Jonathan’s body was shaking. The knife was a few inches from his hand.
And she realized he wasn’t going to stay down. She had that realization right before Jonathan grabbed for the knife and lunged—
Randall and Zander both fired. This time, when Jonathan fell back, his body wasn’t shaking. He wasn’t moving at all.
“Told you,” Zander said quietly. “The only one dying tonight…it’s you.”
***
A swirl of blue and red lights illuminated the cabin. Zander marched past the FBI agents and the deputies and headed straight for the ambulance. One ambulance had already left, taking Deputy Greg Ross to the hospital. The guy was going to be all right, once he got over the concussion he’d received.
The second ambulance’s back doors were open, and Zander overheard the EMT say, “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital, ma’am? You could use a few stitches—”
“I’m not leaving Zander.” Alice jumped from the ambulance. He could see the bandages that had been placed on her neck. To cover the wounds from that bastard’s knife.
Alice turned her head, and her gaze locked on Zander. A smile curved her beautiful lips as she hurtled toward him. He caught her, locking her tightly against him, and then he kissed her, not giving one flying fuck about who might notice them. Reporters were already on scene. The real Secret Admirer had been unmasked—and killed. No way would this story not make every news show in the United States.
“I was so damn scared,” he whispered those words. Words that were only for her. “I kept thinking that I wouldn’t get to you in time. If he’d killed you…” Zander couldn’t finish that sentence. If Alice had died, Zander feared he might have gone crazy. Fucking insane.
She stared up at him. “It’s over. Really over now.”
“The case is over. We’re not.”
She smiled at him. “No, we’re not. You owe me a whole lot of dates.”
“A lifetime of them.” If that was what she wanted. He’d give her anything she wanted. “Alice May, God, I love you.” He stared at her, so grateful she was alive and safe in his arms. “And maybe one day, you’ll love me, too.”
She kissed him, then pulled back as she said, “I already do.”
He was sure he’d misheard her. No way, no way would Alice—
“I love you, Zander Todd. And I’m ready for dates. I’m ready for anything but death. I want to see what happens with us. Every wild thing that can come our way. I want to be happy, and I want to be with you.”
Yes, oh, hell, yes. He pulled her tightly against him. Took her mouth. Then he rasped against her lips, “You’re the only thing I want.”
Now and forever, it would always be Alice for him.
His Alice. Brave. Strong. Smart. Sexy.
The woman who’d taught an FBI agent that there was more to life than just cases. So much more.
He looked at Alice, and knew…she was his everything.
Now and forever.
Epilogue
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Zander’s handsome face showed his worry.
But Alice just smiled at him. “Absolutely.” She smoothed her hand over her soft cream dress. There was no bouquet this time. No chapel full of people waiting.
No fear.
“I love you,” he said. And she knew he did. She could see the love when he looked at her. His face would soften, his lips would curl.
And she loved him. She loved him more than she would have ever thought possible. They’d been together six months. Six wonderful months and now…
The music began to play.
“I thought we were just coming to Vegas for a vacation,” Zander murmured.
Yes, Alice knew Zander had thought that…until she’d asked him to marry her. He’d agreed instantly, with a “Hell, yes!”
The chapel doors opened. The place had an Elvis theme, and she thought it was perfect. They walked down the aisle together, because that was how their life worked. Together.
Alice’s gaze slid to Zander. She found him already watching her. His expression had softened, and the love—it was so easy to see.
“Forever, Alice,” he told her.
And she knew that’s exactly what she was going to get—forever, with the man who loved her. Turned out, Alice had been very, very lucky in her life. Hugh Collins hadn’t been a killer. He’d been a man who loved her, who wanted to protect her. Finally knowing the truth had changed Alice’s life. She’d grieved for Hugh, for the good man that he’d been. For the life they could’ve had. And Zander had been with her. Supporting her. Loving her. Every moment.
She’d lost Hugh, but she’d gotten a second chance. Second chances didn’t happen often, and Alice knew how incredibly fortunate she was. Alice was so glad that she’d opened her heart to Zander.
She was happy again. She could love again. She could live again.
And that was exactly what she planned to do…with her special agent.
With her husband.
“Forever, Zander,” she murmured back to him.
Zander’s hand took hers, and their new life began.
The End