Glancing up to the window next door, I’d found our culprit. The sky lit up in a spectacular light show, revealing the frightened face of Gemma Sinclair. When our eyes met, she ducked out of view, but it was too late. She’d seen us drag Borelli’s wrapped body to a car.
“Fucking Jesus,” I mouthed, and Lucas followed my gaze.
“She didn’t see anything,” he almost pleaded.
“She saw fucking everything.”
Lucas placed a firm hand on my shoulder, thunder cracking above us. “Leave her out of this, Mason.”
“Go inside, Lucas.”
He didn’t move, his confidence returning. “Promise me you’ll leave her out of this?”
“She’ll talk.”
“No, she won’t. She won’t know what was in the tarpaulin. Promise me you’ll leave her alone?”
The night was fucked up enough without Lucas becoming emotional over some bitch.
“I promise,” I lied. Lucas dropped his hand, foolishly appeased. “But what happened tonight, no matter who was responsible, this shit dies with us, Lucas. We carry this secret to the grave.”
I cast another glance up to the window. “And that means saying goodbye to Gemma Sinclair. Forever.”
Chapter 32
NOW
“Gemma Audrina Sinclair,” Lucas gently teased. “I know when you’re peeking.”
I laughed at his reprimand as he guided me down a small slope. He had blindfolded me, and I had no idea where I was or where we were going. All I knew was that the sun was warm on my shoulders, the air fresh, soft waves rolling onto the shore somewhere in the distance.
“Lucas Aaron Carter, how can I possibly peek when you have both my hands?”
It was almost two weeks since the fateful night at the cabin. We’d both stayed in the hospital while being treated. Me, for a severe concussion that had me in and out of consciousness, and Lucas for his multiple gunshot wounds.
It was there, when the nurses had announced lights out, that Lucas joined me on my hospital gurney and filled me in with what had happened that stormy night ten years ago. He spared no detail and despite it all, accepted full responsibility.
“You can’t say a word of this to anyone,” I’d warned, trembling from his admission.
It was self-defense.
It all came down to survival.
Just like it had at the cabin with Mason.
Survival.
That no longer sat well with Lucas. He’d just killed his brother on top of the secret he’d been harboring for a decade, and the guilt was destroying him. From the hospital, Lucas organized Mason’s funeral, determined to still bury him in dignity, but refused to attend. The toxic mix of hurt and anger was too much.
Lucas could never forgive Mason.
He could barely forgive himself.
Detective Kinross often visited, sometimes for a casual check-up bringing bouquets of flowers, other times hoping more pieces of the puzzle would voluntarily be put together. On the last day he visited, he entered all smiles, but when he returned from talking privately with Lucas, I knew the truth had been revealed. Kinross gave a small melancholic wave as he backed away, now carrying the burden of putting a man in jail for simply protecting his family on both accounts.
That afternoon, Lucas didn’t come and visit.
I cried endlessly.
Fearful I would once again lose him, this time to the system.
I waited anxiously for an arrest, but nothing. We were discharged from the hospital, and after gathering a few possessions from my apartment, Lucas stole me away out of town. A few hours out of NYC in Maryland, Lucas pulled over and blindfolded me. Only minutes later he was guiding me down the slope.
“Are you ready?” he asked, finally bringing us to a standstill.
“Yes. Show me already.”
He laughed while removing the silk from my eyes.
I froze, mouth agape.
“Oh… my… Lucas!”
“For you. For us.” He draped an arm over my shoulders, his thumb caressing my bare skin.
I stared ahead at the most beautiful cabin I’d ever seen. It sat perched only meters from the water’s edge, beautiful blue crystal water. Colorful flowers were in bloom, some having fallen from the lush trees dotting the green lawn like ruby gemstones.
It was magical.
And then my eyes saw it.
The plaque by the door.
Gemma.
“This is the one?”
“The one and only.”
I was breathless. “It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
Lucas took my hand and led me inside. It was clean, fresh and cozy, decorated like something out of a magazine. It was also twice as big as my apartment.
“You did all this?”
He smiled warmly, his fingers grazing my cheek. I loved when he did that. “I had inspiration.”
The entire back of the cabin was framed with glass, allowing the perfect view of the glimmering lake. I could see why he had such a passion for what he did.
Lucas reached into his jeans pocket and pulled a small velvet box free before asking for my hand. “Gem, I’ve waited for this moment for what feels like my entire life. I honestly believed it was never going to happen, but now that it has, I’m sure as hell not going to lose it again. Open it.”
I swallowed hard, and with trembling fingers, I opened the box.
A key.
A beautifully carved, Victorian-style key.
“I want this to be yours, Gem. I want to spend the rest of my life with you in a place we love, making up for the time we’ve lost and creating new memories.” He took the key and placed it in the palm of my hand along with something else that flickered in the light.
I lost my breath, my heart galloping. “Lucas, what are you—”
All I could do was stare at the stunningly gorgeous diamond ring waiting to be eagerly slipped onto my finger. I met Lucas’s gaze, his eyes loaded with sincerity, love, and adoration. The same look he gave me when we were just kids.
“Truth or dare, Gem?’’
“Truth,” I smiled.
“Would you like to become my wife?”
My heart rejoiced. “Truth, and yes! Of course. Lucas… it was only ever you,” I admitted through sobs. “Always only you.”
Lucas slipped the perfectly-sized ring onto my finger and pulled me forward until I molded against his body. Cupping my face, he kissed me with a passion that always had me weak in the knees. A passion so raw, demanding and yet so gentle.
“I’ve waited so long to tell you I love you,” I murmured against his lips.
“And I, equally as long.”
Lucas nibbled gently on my bottom lip, and I groaned with pleasure feeling his cock stirring. Wrapping arms around his neck, our bodies practically begging for each other.
Behind us, someone cleared his throat.
We jumped apart, Lucas pulling me protectively to his side.
“Jesus, Kinross!” My heart was pounding and not totally all from fright.
Why was he here?
This couldn’t be the end…
Detective Kinross stood awkwardly, slightly embarrassed after having disturbed our moment.
“The door was open,” he announced, once again clearing his throat.
Behind him outside, I could see Walsh leaning against the hood of the car, arms tightly folded except for when swatting away wayward bugs.
“Does Detective Walsh want to come in?” I asked, pointing to his partner.
He glanced over his shoulder, before rubbing his jaw. “Ah… no. Walsh as you know prefers to play by the book. She doesn’t like to hear things she can’t unhear… you know what I mean?”
I nodded, although unsure of his angle.
“I can see you’re… ah… busy, so I’ll cut straight to the chase.” Kinross hooked his thumbs in his pockets and rocked a little on his heels, preparing for his delivery. “Ten years ago, at the time of his death, Anthony Borelli was a wanted man facing extensive charges.”
Although his jaw was set like stone, Lucas nodded for Kinross to keep going.