Just One Night Part 23

"You don't have time to secure one of us and two hostages put you in more danger. You know that."

"Come closer, let me see you."

"No, Rob. Don't," she cried, feeling her captor's hatred for the man she loved.

Rob was walking forward, hands held up and high as though he were surrendering.

"That guy really p.i.s.ses me off," Dennis Thurgood said and fired.

"No," she screamed, even as the bullet hit Rob in the chest, knocking him down and backward.

As the man she loved hit the dirt, something snapped inside her. A terrible scream was ripped from her throat and anger so red and hot rushed through her that she had no conscious thought-only action. She grabbed his gun hand before Dennis could fire again, squeezing it with both hands, driving her knee up into his groin with every bit of adrenaline-fired strength in her body. She caught him off guard and he grunted and swayed but didn't let go of the gun.

They wrestled for it, and she knew her superstrength couldn't last for long and he'd only be incapacitated for a few seconds. She had to get that gun. She bared her teeth and fastened them onto his wrist like a frenzied pit bull.

She had no thought of her own safety, was only determined that he wouldn't get a chance to hurt Rob anymore.

Rob wasn't dead. He wouldn't be dead. He couldn't be. Life without Rob was not an option. And she was going to put everything she had on the line, including her life, to make sure that Dennis didn't have a chance to finish him.

He kicked her but she didn't let go. She tasted blood and bit down harder. If she could just get the gun out of his hand....

Suddenly she wasn't alone anymore.

A shadow appeared in her peripheral vision. There was movement. Impact.

Dennis gave a grunt and the gun dropped.

"You can let go of his arm now," Rob said gently.

She did. Realized Rob was standing with the gun trained on Dennis who was sagging against the nearest car.

She took a few steps away from him, tried to figure out how Rob could be standing, decided that believing in miracles was a healthy option and bent over to draw in some deep breaths.

Rob pulled out his cell phone. She heard him say, "The fugitive has been subdued, the hostage is safe. The man holding the gun is friendly. Understood?"

And within minutes, all the sirens and flashing lights she could have wished for converged.

Rob was quickly relieved of the gun, her client/date/kidnapper was led away in handcuffs. While a number of people in various uniforms were suddenly swarming, giving orders, asking questions, Rob put up a hand. Turned to her.

He took a step forward. She took one and suddenly they were in each other's arms. As she grabbed him tightly into a hug he winced.

"Oh, I forgot. He shot you. How did you..."

He lifted his shirt and she saw the dark vest. "Kevlar," he said. "I wear it in the field. Decided to throw it on tonight. Most of the time you don't need them, but once in a while-"

"They can save your life."

She touched the spot where the bullet had hit. "You'd have been killed."

"Probably."

Her eyes filled. The stress and pent-up anger and fear of the evening roared up. "What would I ever do without you?"

"Hailey, G.o.d willing, you are never going to have to find out."

As she looked up, she found him smiling down at her and then they were kissing, hungrily.

Yes, everything inside her shouted. This was so right.

Yes.

"WE'LL WORK IT OUT," he said, holding her so tight she could feel that he was trembling, too. "I got a book deal. I can stay home more."

"I love you enough to let you go."

"And about Bellamy House..."

"I don't think Dennis Thurgood is going to buy it," she said, with a faint laugh that would go hysterical if she wasn't very careful.

"n.o.body's going to buy it," he informed her.

Hope filled all the places where fear had lived a few seconds ago. "No?"

"I'm taking it off the market. I'm keeping it."

"Oh, Rob."

"I don't know exactly how all this is going to work. But I'm not losing you. I can't lose you."

"But your job..."

"It's only a job. The thing is, I thought I was like my mother. I thought I couldn't settle down. But I'm not. I was running away. I've been running away since I was fourteen years old." He touched her face where a raindrop skidded down her cheek. "I don't need to run anymore."

"Mr. Kla.s.sen?" a uniformed cop asked, coming close.

"Yes."

"We're going to need to talk to you both down at the station. Get your statements."

"Tonight?" Rob turned, looking tired and frustrated. "Can't it wait until the morning?"

"I'm sorry sir, but-"

"Of course it can wait until the morning," a firm and somewhat familiar voice said.

Hailey stared to see the elegant woman with the pearls step carefully over the puddles to reach them.

"I'm Judge Eleanor Hanover," she said. She handed them each a business card. "We've got plenty of reasons to hold that man in custody. Let these two get some well-earned rest."

"Of course, Your Honor."

"Thank you," Hailey said.

She smiled at them. "That was quite an eventful evening. If you could come by the precinct at nine o'clock?"

They both nodded. She couldn't imagine arguing with this woman.

Julia and John arrived next.

Julia grabbed her friend in a hug so tight Hailey's ribs threatened to crack. "Oh, honey. I am so glad you're okay."

"Me, too."

"And Rob. I'm sorry I didn't believe you. Exactly."

A wry grin twisted his mouth. "You were looking after your friend. I get that."

"No hard feelings?"

He shook his head. Julia put out her arms to hug him.

"Not too hard," Hailey warned. "He got shot."

"Again?"

"It's kind of a bad habit," Hailey said, on another hysterical giggle.

"One that's going to stop," Rob promised.

"We haven't met. I'm John."

The men shook hands.

And then they stood there. The sirens were muted. Most of the cop cars had left. Dennis Thurgood had been taken away.

"Do you need a ride home?" John asked.

"Yeah. Actually, we do," Rob said.

On the way home Hailey demanded to be told the whole story. Between getting three different versions of the tale, she finally pieced together that Rob's instincts had been right all along; that Julia was the best friend she'd ever had and that John was Julia's perfect match.

It felt like the middle of the night when they reached Bellamy House, but when she checked her watch it was only a little after eleven. The stress had exhausted her.

She and Rob pretty much helped each other up the stairs into the master bedroom.

When Rob undressed, she cried out when she saw the bruise already spreading where the bullet had hit the vest. One more wound for a man who couldn't help being a hero.

She kissed the spot.

And he kissed her wrist where Thurgood had left bruises.

They lay together, simply holding each other. Hearing him breathe was such a gift, knowing he was warm and alive and hers, at least for now.

"Rob," she said after a while.

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

"I know."

Her eyes p.r.i.c.kled. "I love you enough to let you go."

He turned to her and she saw again the depths of his feelings for her. "And I love you enough to stay."

"But-"

"I didn't have time to tell you about it, but I've been working on this idea. How all over the world, people have the same problems. They may be different colors and live in mud huts or McMansions but deep down we live similar lives. Where to live? How to earn a living? Courting, raising kids. It's mostly told through pictures. My agent said Fremont comes across like one of the characters. And I realized that I do have a home. I've always had a home. I just never had a strong enough reason to stay." He touched her face. "Until now."

"But your work-"

"Well, first I'll be writing about a certain arms dealer. A World Week exclusive." He chuckled. "Gary will love it. That's my editor. And they want me to write some features around the book. I've got a big enough advance that I can afford to take some more time here."

He touched her breast and she sighed. "You're firing me again, aren't you?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. I guess I am. I'll make up your commission somehow."

She let her own hands wander. Felt his arousal. "How?"

"I could give you half of Bellamy House." Her hand clutched so suddenly he winced. "Are you saying..."

"That I want to marry you? Yes."

"Oh, Rob." They kissed for a long time, and then she said, "I am such a good Realtor. I always end up with the right people for a house."

"I don't have all the answers yet, but we'll work it out. If we love each other, we'll work it out."

"Do we?" she smiled at him tenderly. "Love each other enough?"

He traced her lips with his fingertip. "Oh, yeah," he said, and then he pulled her against him.

Keep reading for an excerpt of Blazing Midsummer Nights by Leslie Kelly!

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