“I’m not a good man, Maisy.” The way he grasps my jaw with his entire hand is firm, but not enough to hurt me. His gaze bores into mine. “They hurt you today and they deserve to burn for it.”
A shiver runs down my spine. The sinister darkness in his tone calls to a part of myself I’ve never been aware of before. Maybe it’s wrong to love this side of him, to know that he would destroy anything that dared hurt me. Maybe it’s not what society deems normal, but it’s me and it’s him. That’s all that matters to me.
“Not everyone working at Nexus Lab is guilty. We can’t.”
He sighs. “If the investigators don’t make a move soon, we’re doing this my way.”
I concede. Days ago he was ready to walk away from this after he found the answers he was looking for about his parents. It’s because of me that we’re still seeing this through.
“After it’s over, we’re putting this town behind us.” I shift closer when he buries his fingers in my hair and draws my forehead to his lips. “You and me.”
“You and me,” he responds.
Thirty-Nine
Fox
Standing out front of Nexus Lab to watch while law enforcement agency vehicles swarm the place is gratifying. The DEA and FDA special unit agents file in and out of the circus with boxes full of paperwork, computer towers, and panic-stricken employees who are having a hell of a Monday. My arm slides around Maisy’s waist to pull her against my side and together we wait behind the barricades for the big finale.
I had Colt’s guy with explosives on call, ready to pay him as much as he demanded to clean him out, but they finally came through. Ethan Hannigan tipped us off from wherever his trail took him and we arrived before the rest of the numerous news crews did.
It’s been three days since Maisy was taken to the abandoned warehouse. I drove by it while she was with her brother, unwilling to leave her alone still. It was cleared out, as I suspected. Stalenko Corp probably pulled back so their lawyers could do the heavy lifting in connection to Nexus Lab taking the fall. I only hope this will all be enough for them to feel pressure from federal investigators breathing down their necks so they can’t do this again.
Maisy tried to call her mom once, but it went to voicemail. She hasn’t tried since. They’re done, I think. Whatever chance there was that she could have some kind of relationship with her parents died the day her mom allowed her to be kidnapped and did nothing when she was hit up for ransom.
I can’t decide whether it’s worse to lose both parents in a suspicious accident, spend a decade believing they were innocent, only to find out they were far from it, or be forced to look them in the eye while they spend years controlling every move to maintain t
he wicked life they hide from their kids.
Both scenarios fucking suck. At least we have each other to lean on when we’re bogged down by the misery of our shitty parents. Her friends are there for her. Thea bought her a journal after Maisy told her what happened and decided she didn’t want to see a shrink yet. I’ve caught her scribbling in it after meditating.
“This is more people than I thought there’d be,” Maisy says at my side.
“People love drama. They’ve come to see this madhouse so they can gossip about it when it’s on the news.”
She hums in agreement.
All around us, news anchors are describing the unfolding scene for the nightly lead in with the breaking story. It’s not only local stations, but national coverage reporting the downfall of Nexus Lab. I overhear one of them detailing connections to several prominent businessmen here and satisfaction swirls in my gut.
We did this. We blew the lid off the deceitful underbelly of our corrupt town to expose the truth.
It isn’t exactly what I hoped for when I came back to Colorado to seek retribution from the family that destroyed mine, but my hunt for revenge helped me find my way back to Maisy. I came here to ruin her life only to find out I still can’t live without her. Everything I endured was worth it to find happiness with her.
For the longest time I thought we could never salvage the special connection we had as kids. I thought it died the same day my parents did. But I was wrong.
Maisy is my kismet, the one I’m supposed to love.
I thread my fingers through her hair, catching it in a loose grip. Using it for leverage, I angle her head back and hover my lips over hers. She gazes at me with passionate fire in her hazel eyes. It’s a beautiful sight. She’s more than the girl I fell in love with years ago and promised forever to. My wild daisy, the strongest fighter with a big heart and an adventurous spirit waiting to be let loose.
I never want to be apart from her again.
Tired of waiting, she closes the small gap between us to steal the kiss I didn’t give her. I hum into it, cupping the back of her head as we kiss languidly. Victory tastes fucking sweet.
A commotion draws our attention to the front doors of the building. They fly open and two agents escort a furious Jacqueline Landry out in handcuffs. Maisy draws in a sharp breath as her mother’s icy gaze passes over us. It’s subtle, but Jacqueline stiffens. I almost wish she’d struggle and pitch a fit, but that’s not who that bitch is. She’ll save face until the end.
Dramatic fit or not, she knows we did this to her. It’s enough.
Reporters rush to flank the group surrounding Jacqueline on her walk of shame, shouting questions and asking for a statement from the company’s public face.