Oh yeah…I…member. I wanted…to say…l-love…
She didn’t finish the last of the fading thought because she couldn’t. Evie had already fallen unconscious.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Beckett turned onto the street that would take him to Evie. He was crawling out of his skin with anticipation of seeing the tantalizing brunette once again. Lucky for him, he only had a little ways left to go, and then she would be…
Mine.
Music blared from the car’s speakers, the off-key lyrics blasting from Beckett’s overworked lungs. The song was a ballad sung by his favorite eighties big-hair band, its lyrics telling the story of an unbreakable bond shared by two people in love.
That’s right. I’m a softy at heart. And I’m man enough to fuckin’ admit it.
A break in the chorus gave way to the same wide, toothy grin he’d worn on the entire flight home from Rahal’s private island. All he could think about was getting back home to Evie.
The flight home, the ride from the airport back to the office, and any downtime during the team’s video conference debriefing with the heads of Homeland Security and the DOJ. His thoughts were consumed by the image of her welcoming him back with open arms.
Just a few more blocks…
Beckett’s smile grew impossibly bigger as he imagined Evie’s face when she’d received the NDA. The text she’d sent him shortly after Ashley—Tac-Ops’ young but impressively efficient manager—had delivered his surprise told him his plan had gone off without a hitch…
I can’t believe you did that for me. I’ll never, ever forget it.
He pressed down on his brake as he approached the next stop sign before flipping his turn signal and taking a right. Beckett’s chest filled with joy, knowing his gift had broughtherso much happiness, something he realized was now his new life goal...
To make Evie happy.
That, more than anything else in the world, had become his number one priority. To make her smile and laugh. To be the one—theonlyone—to bring her so much pleasure she cries out his name.
To keep her safe.
Okay, so he had two new goals. Making her happy and making sure no one ever fucking hurt her again. And the second she opened that door, Beckett was going to rush inside, pick her up, kiss her senseless, and then…
And then I’m going to tell her exactly how I feel.
Nerves sparked to life throughout his system, but he ignored them and kept on driving. He’d come within centimeters of dying just a few hours before, so his nerves could fuck the hell off.
This was right.Theywere right. Beckett believed that with every fiber of his being. And as the palm of his hand smacked the steering wheel in time with the beat of the band’s drums, he belted the song loud and proud, as if he were singing every precious word to Evie.
Beckett was so lost in his thoughts of love and happily ever after it took him far longer than it should have to notice the drove of flashing blue and red lights up ahead.
What the…
His spine stiffened as his foot automatically lifted from the accelerator. Reaching up, he turned off the radio completely, transitioning seamlessly from a man in love to an operator assessing a scene.
Four cop cars, three news vans, and an ambulance were all parked half-a-block away. Neighbors on both sides of the street were outside standing around, staring at the comings and goings of the law enforcement and first responders.
Crime scene tape had been stretched across the road several yards from where the unmanned police cruisers remained in place. And when Beckett got closer to the makeshift barrier, he realized the condo the police officers were walking in and out of this very minute was the one that belonged to Evie’s friend, Lo.
Oh, god! Evie!
Fear and panic enveloped him as he did put the accelerator to the floor. A few seconds later, Beckett slammed on the brakes, jumping out of the car while the damn thing was still rocking.
“Sir, this is an active crime scene.” A uniformed officer hurried toward him. Palm up out in front of him, the young man looked as green as a Leprechaun at a St. Patty’s Day parade. “You’ll have to turn back around and go?—”
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.” Beckett scanned the entire scene, his heart racing with his desperate search for Evie.
“Sir, I’m not going to ask you again.”