A right hook connected with my unprotected jaw and I went down. The crowd roared. I saw Coach's pissed off expression. But the only thing that registered was the familiar face in the crowd. There, at the back in the standing room only section, was Bruno. Our eyes locked for a split second. Then he immediately pitched his body in the direction of the nearest exit.

I didn't think. I just reacted. I sprang to my feet with the energy of an exploding cannon. In one bound, I was through the ropes and on my feet running. People were yelling, cheering, hurling insults at me as I ran. I didn't care. The motherfucker wasn't getting away this time. With flaring nostrils, I shoved bodies aside as I pushed my way through the densely packed crowd, struggling to keep Bruno in sight.

He ducked out an exit at the back of the arena and I was right on his heels. We popped out into the parking lot but Bruno was old and out of shape. This would be easy. As he snaked his way between the cars, I closed the gap between us before he was half-way through the lot. He came to a halt at the end of the lot when he found that he was trapped between an eight-foot chain link fence and me. He had nowhere to go. He couldn't scale that kind of height. I grabbed him and knocked him up against an old, beat-up Impala. I twisted a fist full of shirt to still my target. Adrenaline was pumping faster than lightning and I savored the thought of sweet revenge. It was finally mine. I balled my fist, held it high in the air, ready to deliver my blow, but before I could bring it down, his words stopped me.

"Brian has the girls!"

I froze. "Say that again."

Bruno looked pleased with himself. You'd think he'd be shitting his pants right about now, but not someone with a black soul. "I thought you might try to pull something here, so I made myself a little insurance policy. If I don't call Brian every half hour, he'll kill the bitches."

My mind was racing. We hadn't thought about Brian being at the cabin. Was she being held hostage, too? Had I just handed Bruno the only other person I loved?

I kept one hand fisted in Bruno's shirt and searched him with the other. I stuck his gun in the back of my shorts, aware that it was visible, but not having another option. Then I found what I was looking for. I quickly located Brian's number and dialed. I held my breath as it rang. And rang. And went to voicemail.

I stuffed the phone back in Bruno's pocket and pulled out his gun. I pressed it against his side. "I guess we're going for a trip to the woods." My voice was cold but my resolve wouldn't be shaken. This was the end of this fucker, one way or the other. If anything had happened to Lacey or Dani, I would make sure no one would find Bruno's body.

My rental was just a few rows away. I dragged Bruno the short distance to the car. He whined like a little girl as he stumbled and tripped along the way. But his sneering grin never left his face. I yanked open the driver's door and shoved him hard across the front seat until he hit the passenger door. We had to get on the road before the audience from the arena started streaming out into the parking lot. I drove with one hand, keeping the gun on him the entire way to the cabin.

As we approached the cabin, the trees were thick. I didn't see the flashing lights until I rounded the bend and then my heart stopped.

"If they're dead, I'm going to kill you." My voice was flat. "Painfully."

An ambulance was closest to the front door and a pair of cop cars filled the rest of the clearing in front of the cabin. I pulled off to the side, giving the other vehicles room to get out to the dirt road, and then turned to Bruno.

"We're going to go talk to the police and I'm leaving the gun here. If you try anything, I'll break your fucking legs." I glared at him. "Maybe an arm, just for the hell of it.

Bruno scowled at me, but he didn't say a word. Without his bodyguards, he was nothing. By the time the two of us were out of the car, one of the cops saw us and was on his way over.

I kicked the driver's door open and dragged Bruno out with me. I wasn't about to trust this bag of shit for a second.

"Can I help you?" His tone was friendly, but his hand hovered near his gun. I didn't fault him for that. I must've looked pretty gnarly in my shorts, no shirt, with bruises and cuts on my face and torso.

"There were two women and a little girl in there."

"Two..." Bruno laughed. "You sent your little bitch up here to play hero."

"Easy, big guy." The cop put out a hand as mine came up.

I lowered it, but didn't unclench my fist.

"You want to tell me what's going on?" His youthful face turned serious.

He was a rookie. I wanted to grab him and shake him so hard that the truth would fall out of him like loose change. But I knew all that would get me was arrested. "This man was holding my family hostage in that cabin." Bruno flinched as if he were about bolt for the acres of dark wilderness behind the trees. I cinched my hand around his arm, squeezing tight enough to make him swear.

The cop had his gun out now, but it was still down, waiting to decide who was the threat.

"The cabin's owned by a man named Brian Radcliff. He's working with this piece of shit." I played my last card. "Bruno Costello. He's wanted by the FBI."

Before the cop could respond to anything I'd said, a man's voice carried over to us.

"Costello, say a word, and you're dead!"

Bruno and I both looked to where a bloody man was being wheeled to the ambulance on a gurney. They had him tied to the damn thing. Bruno's face went pale. I got it-this was someone from the cartel that was after him. My blood ran cold. Brian and a hit man from a cartel. What had I sent Dani into?

"Bruno, they didn't send that guy to have a chat. He was here to kill you."

"Fuck off," Bruno snarled.

I looked at the cop. "The FBI wants him to testify."

The cop nodded, understanding showing in his eyes. "The Feds are on their way. We got a call saying this was their case."

"A call?" I asked. Someone had been alive to make that call.

"I'll be protected, right?" Bruno interrupted. Disarmed, his voice nearly trembled for once. "Get me set up in witness protection?"

"Shut up," I snapped at Bruno. "You can make all the deals you want once I get answers." I turned back to the cop and took a breath. "What happened?"

He didn't say anything.

"Please, it's my ex, my daughter and my girlfriend who were in there."

He threw a glance behind him, his gun now trained on Bruno. "Look, all I know is there's a dead guy in there, and a hell of a lot of blood. Call came in saying a woman had been shot and she was on her way to the hospital." He hesitated, and then added, "Judging by the amount of blood where the second shooting took place, I doubt the victim would've made it."

"Did they say who'd been shot?" I had to ask the question.

The cop shook his head. "They should be at the hospital now." He barked out commands for Bruno to get down on his knees and put his hands behind his head. Then he holstered his gun and pulled out his handcuffs. After he was cuffed, the officer marched Bruno to the hood of the car and bent him over, kicking his feet into a wide stance for the standard search procedure.

When he finished, the cop turned to me and said, "You're free to go. We'll take care of him from here."

"Thank you, officer." Then he took Bruno toward the patrol car and I bolted for the driver's side door of my rental. I realized that if I didn't hand Bruno directly to the FBI, the judge could try to wiggle his way out of our deal. Fuck that. Getting to Dani and Lacey was more important than a damn license.

I slammed my foot on the gas and tore out of the cabin's dirt drive in a cloud of dust. My fucking phone was back in my locker at the arena. I had no way of knowing if Dani had called, if she was safe, or-the worst case scenario-she was the one who'd been shot and she was either dead or dying. The torture of not knowing was ripping me apart. I jammed my foot harder, now that I was on a paved road, my tires screeching as I turned. The only thing keeping me from completely losing my mind was the fact that they'd said a woman had been shot. I knew it wasn't Lacey. I clung to the fact that my daughter was safe as I barreled around the last corner, almost on two wheels.

I tore into the ER drive, stomped on the brakes and threw the car into park. It wasn't exactly a parking space but I didn't give a damn. I kicked open the car door and flew out of the car like a crazy man on fire. I crashed through the glass doors of the ER my heart pounding through my chest with only one thought driving me forward. Was Dani alive? I was halfway towards the admission desk when I heard the sweetest sound.

"Daddy!"

I turned, dropping to my knees as Lacey jumped into my arms. I held onto her for dear life, holding her tightly and stroking her hair. "Everything's going to be okay now, sweetheart. Daddy's here." I hugged her again as the other people waiting stared at us. I could feel the tacky blood on her clothes up against my bare chest. It must have been awful for her, but at least she wasn't hurt. That's all that mattered right now, except...before I could have another thought, I heard my name.

"Luke."

It was Dani. I closed my eyes and a rush of relief washed over me so strongly that I wouldn't have been able to stand if I'd been on my feet. And now I knew who had taken the bullet. Oh, God, Lacey. Did she see it? Does she know? I looked up without letting go of Lacey and saw Dani standing a few feet away. I reached out my hand and she came to me, kneeling down so that I could wrap my arm around her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "Cindy's gone."

"I know, baby. But you are alive and Lacey..." I cupped Dani's face in my hand, my heart bursting with emotions. "I love you, Dani. You are my life and my love. The thought of my life without you tore me apart."

She looked at me with tears falling down her cheeks. "I love you, too, Luke. I'm so glad this nightmare is over. I'm sorry I almost messed the whole thing up...it's my fault..."

"Shhh. Don't worry, Dani. You did great. I never should've put you in that kind of danger, I'm sorry. But you were there for Lacey and I love you for that, too."

Lacey's head was nestled against me and I could feel her shaking as she softly cried into my shoulder. I stroked her hair and looked back at Dani. "Did she...she knows?"

Dani pressed her lips together and nodded her head, more tears falling down her face.

I dropped my chin to my chest. There was grief there, a sense of loss for Cindy's regretful life. It was a shame she'd never managed to get it together enough to have a good one. But, mostly now, the pain I felt was for my daughter and her loss.

"It's going to be okay," I said. "It's all over and we're going to be okay."

As I held my sobbing daughter and the woman I loved, the future looked bright, and for the first time in a long time, I truly believed it. We'd suffered loss, but we'd won.

Epilogue.

Dani

In the three months that had passed since that horrible day at the cabin, things had changed. For all of us.

Bruno flipped on the cartel and the judge had kept his promise to Luke. It had taken a few weeks, but he got his license back and was training with Coach for his first professional match next week. He also put his foot down and said that he'd do the diet and exercise, but he was done with the abstinence rule. I think his precise words to Coach were, "Fuck that shit." And that was good. I wasn't sure I could take our sex life being ruled by MMA fights.

Matthew only lasted a week in prison. A guard found him hanging in his cell, throat slit for good measure. The Feds were disappointed with that one. They'd wanted to try to flip him, too. They were happy with the information Bruno had given them, at least. Everything except the missing money. According to Luke's friend, Brad, no one could quite figure out what had happened to it. Brad also told Luke that the men questioning my grandmother had been pulled back once my "'lawyer"' had submitted paperwork proving that a mysterious benefactor had donated money for my grandmother's health care. Luke and I both agreed that we needed to find a way to thank Brad for everything he'd done for us.

Speaking of Grammy, she was in the clear now, and her doctors said they wouldn't be surprised if she lived another twenty years. Shortly after everything happened, Grammy decided, however, that it was time to move to a warmer climate, like other retirees. So we moved Grammy with us when we returned to Summerville two months ago, and in no time she fell in love with the quaint seaside town and with Emma and Michelle. How could she not fall in love with those two? And Emma loved Grammy's lemon bars. That's why it didn't take much convincing on either part for Emma to hire Grammy as the B&B's cook, and we settled Grammy in a little house we'd found nearby which was just right for her. No second floor windows to wash.

With Brian gone, Emma flourished. Seeing her unafraid was like meeting a whole new side of my friend. She and Jasper started dating. He and Michelle adored each other, and he made Emma laugh more than I'd ever heard her laugh before. I didn't know how fast their relationship was moving, but I was thinking a proposal would be happening sooner rather than later. Emma was ready to move on with her life.

Michelle was dealing with her father's death better than a lot of nine-year-olds would have, though it helped that she understood the kind of man he'd been. Over the months, it had actually been Michelle who'd been able to help Lacey the most. Their friendship, even more than my love of Summerville, had convinced Luke and me to buy a house here. We kept an apartment in New York City, but Summerville was home now.

The move had been good for Lacey. Those first few weeks back in New York had been rough. She'd had nightmares, and so had I. The memories of what had happened brought us close, though I knew it would be a long time, if ever, before she would think of me as a mom. She was a tough little girl, though, just like her dad, and Luke and I knew she'd be okay.

Tonight, she was staying with Michelle at the B&B. Tomorrow, Luke and I would return the favor for Emma, letting the girls have a slumber party here in our new house so she and Jasper could have the night together. However, for the time being, the place was empty and all ours.

"I can't believe we were able to get this place," I said as Luke slid his arms around my waist. We stood at the sliding glass doors, looking out at the setting sun. "It's perfect."

"Not quite," he said.

I tilted my head back to give him a questioning look.

"It won't be perfect until every room has a special memory." He brushed my hair back off of my neck and pressed his lips at the place where it met my shoulder. His hands slid up over my stomach to cup my breasts through the t-shirt I was wearing.

I turned in his arms and wrapped my arms around his neck. "And what did you have in mind?"

His mouth ghosted over my jaw and then down my throat. Each word he spoke made his lips move against my skin, sending a shiver through me. "I plan on making love to you in every single room. On the floor. In the shower. On the bed. On the counter. No matter what room we're in, I want each one to hold a memory from tonight. A special memory of us starting this part of our lives together."

I pressed my body close to his and felt him harden against my hip. "Then we'd better get started because there are a lot of rooms." I pushed myself up on my toes and lightly kissed his lips. "Hope you have been working on your stamina.

He chuckled, and warmth spread across my skin as he lowered me to the carpet. He undressed me slowly, his hands lingering on my hips, my sides, my breasts. His touch was teasing, never giving me enough of what I wanted, and I reached for him, desperate to see him, too. He easily stayed out of reach as he pulled my panties off and tossed them aside with the rest of my clothes.

I sighed as his shirt came off. The bruises from his fight had faded, leaving his skin perfect. My hand went to my cheek without thinking and I saw him frown. He pulled my hand away and leaned down to kiss the thin, white scar that cut across my cheek. I didn't have any nerve damage, but I'd carry the inch-long scar for the rest of my life. Make-up covered it well enough most of the time, but I was still self-conscious of it. I could've tried for plastic surgery, but I was a baby about doctors.

"None of that tonight." He cupped the side of my face. "Okay?"

I nodded and he stood to strip off his pants. He took his underwear with them so when he kicked them aside and went back down on his knees next to me, he was gloriously naked. His cock jutted out in front of him, thick and ready.

He held out his hand and I let him help me into a sitting position. Then, before I could react, he pulled me into his arms. We worked together to get my legs on either side of his thighs and then I was sinking down on him, moaning as he stretched me.

I wrapped my arms around him as I settled on his lap, his cock throbbing inside me. I rested my forehead against his as our bodies began to move together. Sweat glistened on our skin, making it slick as we danced. My nipples hardened as they rubbed against his chest, adding to the fire stoking hotter and hotter in my belly.

"I love you," Luke said as our breathing quickened.

I knew he was close. I could feel the tension in his body, building towards an explosion, and mine matched it.

"I love you, too." I tightened my muscles around him and he swore. "Almost there."

He slid his hand between us and the moment his finger brushed against my clit, I shuddered. He did it again and I ground my hips against his hand, squeezing him as I came. His arm tightened around me, his body jerking against mine as he joined me.

We sat together as our breathing slowed and our pulses returned to normal. The air conditioning cooled us until I shivered and Luke moved us so we were lying together under one of our throws. His body curled around mine, my back against his chest, his arms wrapped around me. I gave a sigh of contentment. This was safe. This was home.

"Where to next?" he asked. "Kitchen?"

"You were serious?" I laughed. "I thought you were joking."

"Oh, I'm dead serious. In fifty years, I want us to be able to stand in this room and remember that this was just the first of many times we made love here."

My stomach tightened. "Fifty years?"

Luke tried to make his tone casual, but I could hear the undercurrent of nerves. "I'm not asking you to promise anything, but when I look at the future, I can't see anyone but you."

I closed my eyes, letting myself absorb his words. We'd been through so much, I'd almost been scared to talk about a real future. "I can't see anyone but you, either."

His arms tightened around me and he kissed my temple. "Well, that's not entirely true," he said. "I see Lacey, of course."

"Of course," I agreed.

"Do you ever see anyone other than her?" The question was careful.