"Make him sit down before he falls down," Grif warned Randi.

She winked and waved him and Carlie Beth off.

The drone of insects cocooned Britt and Randi in an intimate yet awkward cone of silence. The events of the past two hours seemed almost unreal in the wake of the normality that followed. Reid was an ass, Mom brought about order, Jonah developed a new video game character, Evie consoled her mama, and Grif was, well, Grif.

Only one enigma-Randi. Their relationship was a long way from normal.

"Eventful night," he said taking a step forward.

"Let's get you to Old Blue."

"Not yet."

"I'm sorry about the kidnapping or hostage-taking or whatever you call getting drugged, trussed up, and thrown in a cage." Randi crisscrossed her arms into a protective barrier.

"Mind telling me what you ladies were about tonight?"

"We wanted to help you save Calypso."

"So you decided to split up and follow the club members?" He moved closer.

"Seemed like a good idea."

"How did Norwood get ahold of you and Carlie Beth?"

"We followed him and Ito to a cabin, where we lost sight of them. After snooping around the property, I found Calypso in a kennel on the backside of a barn. And that's when Norwood arrived."

"How did you manage to get word to Evie?"

"Carlie Beth had a moment to update Evie while I verified the yip-barking I heard belonged to Calypso. If I'd had another minute, we could have avoided being drugged and hog-tied."

"Did he-?"

"No."

"How can you be sure? Some men are sick bastards and wait until the woman's unconscious to-"

"I would know, Britt." Conviction burned in her eyes.

"You're certain?"

"I am." She shook her head. "I can't believe they would kill a breeding female and steal her pups."

He let the topic go, not wanting to upset her. Later, he would attempt to talk her into a physical exam. "After Norwood and the others moved on to more exotic two-legged prey, killing a wolf would mean nothing to them."

"I can't even comprehend such evil."

"I hope you never do."

From one breath to the next, he moved until they were a whisper apart. He reached for her hand. She didn't flinch away.

"They won't hurt anyone, or anything, again, thanks to you."

Shaking her head, she glanced away. "I made a muck of it."

"Your spying might have taken a ragged turn"-he smoothed his thumb over her knuckles-"but you stopped Norwood from retrieving Calypso. Given what I now know, I'm confident he would have killed her rather than give her up."

"Sweet Mary, I really dislike that man." She swallowed hard. "Carlie Beth helped."

"What is it that makes women deflect compliments?"

"You're trying to paint me as a brave warrior," she said in a harsh tone. "I'm not. I came up with a flawed plan that nearly got my friend killed."

"Yet you did what y'all set out to do-found Calypso."

"Wasn't pretty."

Britt smiled. He couldn't help himself. She was adorable when trying to downplay her heroism. Misguided heroism, but heroism all the same.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"About earlier," she said, her voice tentative. "In my kitchen. You said some things, and I kind of clammed up. I want you to know-"

"Don't feel like you need to explain yourself or say anything you don't mean with your whole heart." He lifted her hand to his chest. "I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that. I'll wait. For as long as it takes."

"What if the feelings never come?"

That...hurt.

Britt pushed the knife out of his chest and focused on the goal-win Miranda Shepherd's love.

"We'll walk that path if the time comes." He curled a hand around her cheek. "Fair warning-Grif's not the most stubborn one in the Steele family. I hold that honor. And I'm going to charm, pester, and seduce you until you find me irresistible."

36.

"You're quick," Randi said.

"Am I?"

Randi's heart beat so fast she thought she might pass out. Speaking of passing out-sweat beaded on Britt's brow and, for the first time, she heard a note of strain in his voice.

"It's time to go to the hospital."

"A few more minutes." His gaze skimmed over her head. "Unless you're feeling worse."

"My drowsiness doesn't come close to your bullet wound."

"It could be days before we're alone again." He slid his fingertips over hers. "Please."

Unable to deny him, she clasped his hand and guided him to a wooden bench placed next to a colorful display of phlox, butterfly weed, and coreopsis. "Let's at least sit while we talk."

Britt eased down on the seat, careful not to lean back. He released a long breath. "Let's hope I can stand up when the time comes."

"Your mother is going to kill me."

"She knows better than to put the blame on you."

"Five minutes, Britt."

"Deal."

Although she'd enjoyed the sisterhood aspect of her plan to follow the club members, she didn't care for the unknown danger part. She'd had enough of the terrifying unknown when she'd been on the verge of losing everything.

Upon awakening in a dog kennel, she had been disoriented and confused-until she realized Britt had been injured. Terror like nothing she'd experienced before had sucked the air from her lungs and jolted her into action.

When she'd finally browbeat Britt into removing his T-shirt, the sight of blood oozing from a black hole in his shoulder blade struck her immobile for several awful seconds. Then her first-aid training had kicked in and she'd done what she could to contain the bleeding. With the bullet lodged against the bone, her options had been limited.

Randi stared at Britt's profile, unable to organize the maelstrom of emotions flooding her mind. Did he truly love her? The unconditional, forever kind of love? Would he tire of her or of the long hours she worked? Could she make him happy?

"What's going to happen to the pack now?"

"Thanks to my brother, the pack will have a safe place to roam free."

"But people know about their location now."

"They'll be protected through the Steele-Shepherd Wildlife Research Center."

"Shepherd?"

"Seemed a fitting name-after the woman who found the pack."

"My mother."

"Barbara might not have won any Mother-of-the-Year awards, but she loved you."

The hard casing protecting her heart against her mother's neglect splintered open. Like a stern parent turned roll-on-the-floor grandparent, her mother had done for Britt what she hadn't been able to do for Randi. The realization brought warmth to her heart, rather than icy resentment.

Britt smoothed his fingers along the curve of her cheek. "Randi, I need to share something with you. Something difficult. Painful. But I'm not sure how to go about it."

"Just say the words."

"Norwood and the others...They're responsible for Barbara's death and your financial issues and the cooler incident. They've systematically tried to ruin you so you'd sell your property to the club."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Norwood practically gloated about his accomplishments. However, I didn't think to ask him about the cooler." She burrowed her hand in his. "How did you get him to confess?"

"I produced an incentive." He squeezed her fingers. "I'll save that story for later."

Two fat tears fell on the bench between them, then two more, and two more. The grief she'd been holding in for weeks, years, spilled over until exhaustion silenced her.

An image of her mother's last, terror-filled minutes replayed in her mind. Randi would never forgive herself for not being there when her mom needed her most. But another emotion rose to the surface, one she didn't quite comprehend, but recognized all the same. Pride. She was proud of her mom for standing up to Norwood and his bullies. Proud she fought for what she believed in.

If only the ending could have been happier.

"You okay?" Britt asked.

"I will be. Right now, I just miss my mom."

"I miss her, too. She was brave. Like you."

Randi's throat had grown so dry, she couldn't swallow the lump that welled up there.

"Ready to put the past behind us?" Britt asked. "Are you up for it?"

Could she do it? Put the past behind her? She wanted to. Wanted to so badly. The constant hurting and anger had taken its toll on her. She was ready to let it go. Ready to forgive her mom. But could she forgive herself?

Maybe with Britt by her side she could. Maybe she could finally shake off the burden of her past and step into her future.

Their future.

"Together?"

He leaned closer. "Together." His tempting lips, a whisper away, curled into a weak smile. "I think you'd better haul my ass to the hospital now."

Epilogue.

Twelve weeks later