Sinful Longing

“But Lee’s dad is in prison, so what would he have against Marcus or Elle?”

“That’s what we’re working on. My belief is that Kenny Nelson and T.J. Nelson were supposed to look out for Lee Stefano and keep him out of trouble. They did for a while, but then they stopped keeping him away from the gang and brought him into it instead. He’s one of them now, and I’m willing to bet that Lee is doing his part to look out for the men he thinks of now as his brothers—Kenny and T.J.”

Colin knit his brow. “How is he looking out for them? Especially since they’re on the run.”

“That’s exactly why Lee’s looking out for them. So we don’t get to them. This is Lee protecting them, and they don’t like that Marcus is talking to you. I have some leads I’m chasing down, but my gut is telling me that these guys figure the more Marcus talks to your family, the more they’re at risk.”

“Do you think Marcus knows something?”

John paused and clenched his jaw, his eyes hardening. “I have my suspicions.”

“Jesus Christ,” Colin muttered in utter frustration. “This is like a fucking onion. Peel off one layer and there’s another one underneath.”

“Believe you me, I know. But we’re getting closer to the key suspects, and now it looks like Lee Stefano just put a sign on his back that says arrest me for grand larceny. After all, iPhones aren’t cheap,” he said with a wry grin. “And on that note, I need to cut out of here and get on with paying a visit to a certain longitude and latitude.”

*

He couldn’t wait to tell Elle, to let her know that the end was in sight. They had a name, and the name was in the hands of the cops, and the cops were doing their job. She was going to be safe. Safe with him.

When he returned to the bar, he reached for her hand, pulled her up, and led her into a quiet corner. He grabbed a small booth and told her every detail. She cycled through surprise, shock, and fear.

He threaded his fingers through hers, trying to reassure her. “But John’s on his way to make an arrest.”

She parted her lips to speak then simply said “good” in a voice that was devoid of emotion. He wanted to reach back in time and recapture some of that magic she seemed to feel moments ago. Maybe it had all disappeared. Abracadabra. Now you see it, now you don’t.

“Elle, this is a good thing, isn’t it?”

She shook her head then she nodded, as if she couldn’t decide. “It is good. It’s wonderful. It’s everything I hoped for. But he’s not in handcuffs yet, and we don’t know if he’ll be at his home when John goes there to arrest him. We don’t know what will happen,” she said, fiddling with her necklace. “All I know is my son is freaked out, and he’s barely talking again. I can’t take this chance right now. He is my son. He is my world.”

“Oh.”

His heart cratered. It fell from the sky and crashed hard at his feet, in pieces.

“I want to,” she said, squeezing his hand. “You have to know how much I want to be with you.”

He nodded. He didn’t doubt it for a second. “I understand,” he said, though the words cut his throat.

She let go of his hand and ran her fingers through his hair. Fuck, he would miss this. He would miss her touch. He would miss all of her.

“I think we just need to cool it for a bit, until things settle down.” She kept her chin up but the trembling in her shoulders gave her away. “This is temporary.”

But temporary had never felt so miserable.

All that joy, all that happiness, all that possibility unwound into a heap on the floor of the bar at New York-New York. He’d always known Elle was his Everest. He’d always suspected he’d never have her the way he had hoped. But he’d been wrong about why. He wasn’t losing her—whether temporarily or permanently—because of his bad choices. Instead it was due to the choices of others. Choices he couldn’t control. He had no notion what was next for them, or how long this separation would last. Maybe a day, maybe a year.

But there was one choice he could control. He brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek and gazed into her hazel eyes. In them he saw everything he’d ever wanted. Love, peace, acceptance, understanding, and so much passion.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” he began. “I told you I’d always be honest with you. And I don’t want you to think that will stop even if we can’t be together right now.”

“I don’t want you to stop being honest with me. What is it? Tell me.”

He drew a breath and then said the easiest words in the world. “I’m madly in love with you.”