Melissa didn't want to look Colin in the face or let him see that she was about to cry.
"Don't run away from me, Melissa", he said. "Not this time".
"Low blow, Colin", she shot back ,trying to regain her equilibrium.
"Is it? You keep running and I'm just trying to help you",he said. "You're not telling me everything. I still know you well enough to know that. And that's fine if you don't want to talk to me. I get that there are things between a husband and a wife that other people don't need to Know. I can see that you don't trust me. You didn't before and that's most likely why you walked out in the first place".
Melissa sucked in a burst of air.
"You don't think I believed in you" she fired the words like buckshot. "In us? After everything I've told you? You still don't get it?"
"Don't worry about it. I'
She didn't immediately answer. "What do you mean?" She finally asked."You hear my question",he said. "We're getting off track here", Melissa said.Colin paused before asking,, "Tell me more about the Colorado deal". "One of his buddies planned to sell the hotel to him and they kept talking about using offshore accounts and a dummy company". Richard had set up several networks to help other criminals disappear. Any one of the men he'd harbored would help him in a heartbeat if asked."It would be a very good way to launder money",Colin said. "Isn't that one of his forms of income?" She nodded. It was one of many illegal activities that Richard managed to keep a hand in."Maybe we should start there",Colin said. "I have to say that I don't like the idea of getting close to R
She didn't immediately answer. "What do you mean?" She finally asked. "You hear my question",he said. "We're getting off track here", Melissa said. Colin paused before asking,, "Tell me more about the Colorado deal". "One of his buddies planned to sell the hotel to him and they kept talking about using offshore accounts and a dummy company". Richard had set up several networks to help other criminals disappear. Any one of the men he'd harbored would help him in a heartbeat if asked. "It would be a very good way to launder money",Colin said. "Isn't that one of his forms of income?" She nodded. It was one of many illegal activities that Richard managed to keep a hand in. "Maybe we should start there",Colin said. "I have to say that I don't like the idea of ge
Melissa glanced up in time to see a pair of men in a truck staring at them from twenty feet away. "Dallas's license plate must've given us away", Colin said. "I don't think they know we've figured then out so no quick moves". Melissa looked at the cooing baby in her arms and then at Colin. "What am I supposed to do with her while I drive?" "Give her to me", he said, holding her arms out. "And then slowly slide over to take the wheel." She handed over the baby,regretting that she hadn't given Angelina to Dallas sooner. Melissa eased over to the driver's side as Colin fluidly slid over the seat. Angelina was lying against his chest, giggling. The notion must've tickled her tummy. By the time Melissa buckled her seat belt, Angelina was strapped in. "Get ready to go when I say", Coli
COLIN HAD BEEN driving for more than two hours before he'd said it was safe enough to run through a fast-food chain's drive-thru. He'd already been in touch with Dallas to arrange to meet. "I never thought a plain cup of coffee could taste so good", Melissa said,enjoying every drop of that first sip. The tension was starting to break from their earlier run-in with Richard's men. Colin had been too focused on making sure they were far away to get too comfortable. His grip on the wheel had been tight and his gaze intense on the stretches of highway in front of them. He'd made several defensive maneuvers,moved from Highways to roads and back before exiting and then pulling under the golden arches. Since then,the baby had been changed and fed,and slept peacefully. She was safe. For now. Those two little words wound through Melissa's mind.They sat in the parking lo
"So,as soon as your location leaks he'll head directly towards you",Colin said. "What if....." She couldn't even bring herself to say the words."I'll be there 24/7", Dallas offered. "She'll stay with me and Kate while you guys lead Richard far away and to his arrest" "Unless you agree to go into protective custody right now",Colin said.Had he been saving this so he could drop the bomb last minute? "I already told you how I feel about us being separated. It's bad enough that I won't be with our daughter,let alone he stuck in a strange with with no idea what was going on". She realized her mistakes almost the instant the slip left her mouth. Dallas's gaze shot towards Colin, who gave a nod of acknowledgement. The brothers were so close that they didn't need words in a situation like this. Dallas now knew that Angelina w
Melissa wrapped her arms around him,holding on like tomorrow was a question instead of a guarantee. Reality said that that was true. There were no more certainties while Richard was free. And the pain of being away from her daughter nearly impaled her. She tightened her grip around Colin. "She's safe", he said,his lips moving against her skin. "He won't get to her. No one will ever hurt our daughter".It wasn't the first time he'd spoken those last two words together. But this time was different. In them,there was hope for a future for the three of them. No matter what happened in the coming hours or days, Melissa would cling to that thought___the one where Angelina grew up with loving parents who were able to set aside differences and always put her first. All they had to do was live long enough to see her again.They said there for a moment that stretched and extended around them. Car
COLIN HAD BARELY closed his eyes when the first light peeked through the windshield. He'd scarcely moved when Melissa bolted upright, practically gasping for air. "You're okay", he said, keeping his voice level so he didn't give away his true level of concern."He was here" she said, out of breath. Her gaze drifted around."It's just me". Between her flinching every time he reached for her unexpectedly and the nightmare,he was begining to see the true scars from the past year. Richard had to be stopped. Colin was starting to get a better picture of what her life must've been like. Melissa relaxed on an exhale when she seemed certain that she was safe. She fumbled around for the lever on her right and then repositioned her seat in the upright position.Colin grabbed the pack from the backseat and pulled out bottled waters, toothpaste and toothbrush. Seein
Colin put his arms around her waist and, in one motion,swept her beside him. Their outer thighs touched and he felt the same trill she did based on her reaction to the contact. "He was all I had growing up and he did the best he could", she said, and her voice held less sorrow now. "Without him,I was afraid of being alone. "You had me,My family", he said in a low voice. He understood not being able to turn her back on her father. Colin was even more grateful for his own parents in comparison."I know. But how could I turn to you?". She asked. "We were building a life together, Melissa" he said."You don't think I would've understood about your father? Helped him?" "Please don't be upset. I was embarrassed . I was marrying you. Your family is perfect. They have principals and do the right thing for ot
"He's asking for you", Philip said, motioning for her to follow him. She glanced at his brothers as she hurried behind Philip. It had to be a good sign that he was talking. She'd take what she could get. Melissa had expected to feel differently as he watched the cruiser pull away with Richard in the back. She'd thought she'd feel lighter somehow. Except that she didn't. Not while Colin lay on a stretcher being worked on by two EMTs. Her life had blown up before her eyes. She knew that Colin could never truely trust her again, but she loved him with all her heart and had to be okay. "You were so cold", she said, her chest squeezing at seeing him on that stretcher,wrapped in thick blankets. "I'll be warmer if you'll slip under the covers with me", he said with that wry grin that was so charming. His gaze fixed on a spot behind her. &nbs
Richard made to knock Colin off him. Colin fisted his hand and belted Richard. His jaw snapped right and he spit blood. Colin could hear footsteps thundering from behind and voices that he recongnized as his brothers'. He listened for the sweet sounds of Melissa's voice and tensed when he didn't hear it. He refused to give Rancic the satisfaction of seeing his fear."You're about to be arrested and face your crimes. Know this. If you or anyone you know ever messes with my family again from either side of the bare that you're about to send a very long time getting to know,there won't be place in Earth you can hide from me". Colin said through clenched teeth. Richard sneered. "We'll see about that".It took pretty much everything Colin had inside him at that moment not to out his hands around that my men's neck a d choke the life out of him for what he'd done to Melissa. He
The ground was cold and hard. Colin's shoulder took the brunt of the fall,and that was going to hurt later. Right now, Colin's adrenaline pumped and all he could think about was stopping Richard.With a couple seconds of a head start , Richard was retreating down the hill by the time Colin got to his feet. There was no use trying to use his backup weapon. There were too many trees in the way to get off a clean shot. So, he started down after Richard . There could be a trap set up, so Colin needed to stop Richard. Now!Anger and rage fueled Colin's movements. Pouring on the speed,Colin dove down the hill , aiming at Richard,who was running at a decent clip. He couldn't outrun Colin. Richard was shot to find that out as Colin made contact just below the men's knees. Richard fell backwards and on top of Colin. The two,connected by momentum,r
SO, rather than risk leaving her vulnerable he would go along with the plan he and his brothers had developed last night. He would stay the course. The plan they'd come up with was the best they had to work with under the circumstances. Austin had set up in an adjacent cabin with his attention directed towards the decoy boy cabin. He was visible enough that Rancic night believe he was there to protect Melissa. Colin's job was to set up at the rifle/sleeping bag location and Tyler was situated under the outdoor pavilion. Again,his attention was set to the cabin. Inside,they'd stuffed blankets on a lower bunk in the corner of the room to make it look like the shape of a woman. In reality,the only woman on the campus was in the souvenir shop ticked behind the counter sleeping. If she could wake and this whole ordeal be over without a scratch on anyone he loved,Colin wouldn't complain.Enough time had most likely passed for Rancic to have
"MELISSA COULDN'T SLEEP. it came as no surprise. As the sun went down,the cold settled in again. She thought about the irony if spring,the clash of cold leftover from winter with the warmth from the promise of summer. She thought about how their interaction caused powerful Stroms___stroms bug enough to produce tornadoes that could devastate an entire town. Richard was cold___ he'd tried to keep her in his icy grip. And Colin was the opposite. The thought of those systems crashing into each other,the fallout that would follow,took her breath away. The more Melissa had listened to plans to take down Richard,the more tension had tightened her shoulder blades. Her life with Richard had been like living in an Arctic cave. Colin was the sun__the promise if warmth and sunshine and better days. The wind beneath her weak wings.Both if those lives were about to clash .The O'Briens had brought plenty of ammunition to the fight. So would
" I REMEMBER THIS PLACE", Joshua said to Colin as he studied the area from the center point, the fire pit. "We were kids the last time we were here", Colin said. "Not too much has changed".Colin hadn't been sure what kind of reaction Melissa would get from his brothers and was grateful they'd welcomed her with open arms. He had a lot of catching up to do with them. Hell,first he needed to figure out his and Melissa's relationship for himself. All he knew was that he wanted her in his life. The details of what that meant would have to come later. "That's a good thing", Joshua said. "We don't have much sun left. I'll want to walk the perimeter before it gets dark". "Someone followed us most of the way here. We let him believe we didn't know". Austin said. "Lost him as we got close by cutting through Denver. Joshua had worked for Denver PD be
"Stay low", Colin said to Melissa as he saw an occasional flash of light as a vehicle twisted and turned along the road leading to the camp. He'd already heard the Jeep's engine as it wound up the road. The horn honked twice. Then, nothing for two beats before a third beep sounded. "They're here". Colin pooped to his feet before offering a hand up to Melissa. She accepted the help and then he held on to one of her hands as they walked to the Jeep.Colin let go long enough to embrace his brothers, Joshua and Austin. "Where's Tyler?"Joshua must've seen the panic in Melissa's eyes because he said, "Angelina is doing great and she's safe on the ranch"."Thank you", Melissa said."As for Tyler, he's hanging around at the camp entrance. Ryder stayed back to care for his pregnant wife and offer reinforcements at the ranch". Joshua help up his cell phone. "We'
WHETHER HE LIKED it or not,Colin had a shadow. Based on the wat he stopped every once in a while to pull her into an embrace or plant a sweet kiss on her lips, Melissa didn't think he minded. Her heart wanted to believe that what was happening between then was real again,that it was something they could build on."You should probably try to get some rest before my brothers arrive", he said. "There's no telling when Richard will show now that my brothers have our out word". "What about law enforcement?" She asked."We'll get all that information when my brothers arrive,which should be soon", he said."It makes me nervous that we haven't been able to make contact with them", she said."They won't find if it's not safe", colin said, setting up a sleeping bag and a rifle in the woods near the campsite. He'd located a spot below the campfire an
COLIN'S BROTHERS WOULD arrive son and there was a lot to do in order to get ready. He'd spent the balance of the day napping are around the cabins as though their live depended on it. They did. He'd returned his steps several times,memorizing every tree,every possible escape route,and every potential hazard. There was a pond on the far Eastside of the site. A creek cut across the property in a bear straight line, running North to south. Just below camp,it pooled into a sizable swimming hole. Colin remembered the bright orange vests counselors had strapped on then before allowing them time in the water. A set of tepees clustered on the west side of camp. The camp was straight forward,a throwback to simpler days. Or maybe it just seemed simple when all Colin had had to think about was keeping the twins out of trouble. The older he got,the more he was beginning to realize that life got a lot more complicated with age. He needed to