Page 28 of Phoenix

Vin wrapped his arms around her, tugging her closer. “Now, how about you put me out of my misery and move me out of the friend zone?” he asked.

“I think that can be arranged if you promise to stop dating barflies,” she challenged. She was always going to keep him on his toes, and he had to admit, he liked it.

“I think that I can arrange to never date another woman again, as long as you agree to marry me,” Vindicator said. “I’ve been in love with you forever, Aggie, and I want to spend the rest of our forevers together. How about it?”

“Marry you?” she squeaked. God, everything about Aggie did it for him.

He waited her out and when she didn’t answer him right away, he worried that he had rushed her into something she might not be ready for.

“Yes, Vin,” she agreed. “I’d love to marry you.” And just like that, one little word from Aggie, and Vin was the happiest man on the planet.

Aggie

They had spent two months in the safe house, and she had to admit, she didn’t really want to ever go back home. Well, except for the fact that she missed her family. Phoenix was seven months pregnant, and Aggie wanted to be with her for this baby’s birth since she had missed Lydia’s.

Riggs had taken his family home and Savage posted a few guys to watch their house and Aggie’s house. Nothing had happened in weeks, and a part of her wondered if she couldn’t go home, just to visit her family, but every time she brought it up, Vin flat-out told her, “No”. He told her that it wasn’t safe and that the Ghosts meant business. She knew that, but Aggie also hated being apart from Phoenix for so long. They had already lost so much time.

The one good thing about the two of them spending so much time alone was they got to map out their future together after they got married. Vin promised to move into his place if she agreed to marry him the day after they got back home. She didn’t think that was much of a compromise since she won both ways.Aggie would be able to stay in her house, and she’d get to marry Vin.

At least they were safe up at the house that Savage had found them. They were laying low but were also able to sneak into town for food and sometimes, even dinner. Vin had to run into town to get a few groceries and she decided to use her free time to read a book she had picked up at the local library in a bubble bath. She was looking forward to relaxing and of course, her cell phone rang as soon as she was about to step into the hot water.

“Great,” she mumbled, pulling her robe back on. “Vin probably forgot his list.” She found her cell on the bed and noticed that it wasn’t Vin’s number. She quickly answered the phone, worried that something was wrong back home.

“Hello,” she breathed.

“Aggie, it’s Savage. I have Banshee here with me, and we have some news.”

“Oh, God, is it Phoenix or Lydia?” she asked.

“Um, no,” Banshee said. “It’s Vindicator.”

“Oh, he’s fine. He ran into town to get some groceries,” Aggie insisted.

“Aggie, he’s not fine,” Savage said. “I got a call from someone in the Ghosts, claiming to have Vindicator. They said that they’d trade him for a file for an old case that he worked on about ten years ago.”

“Naturally, we had no idea what he was talking about, but Vin told us to call his partner, Wolf. He said that he’d know where to find the file,” Banshee said.

“How the hell has all of this happened in just an hour?” Aggie asked. “He just left here and you’re telling me that he’s been taken by the Ghosts?”

“Yes, and I’m sorry to spring all of this on you, but I need you to stay in the house and lock yourself in,” Savage ordered.

“We’re worried that the Ghosts will come for you next,” Banshee warned.

“Let them try,” Aggie said, “I can take care of myself.” Why didn’t anyone believe her when she said that? She wasn’t a helpless old woman. She could handle herself in most situations.

“We believe that they are holding Vin at a local warehouse, and they have given us three hours to exchange him for the file,” Banshee said. “Savage is heading in to meet Wolf at the precinct and then, he’s going to grab a few of the guys and meet the Ghosts.”

“I’d like to go to,” Aggie insisted.

“No,” Savage and Banshee said in unison.

“It’s not safe,” Banshee insisted. “If this works out, Aggie, you and Vin will be able to come home.” She knew that it was true, but she wanted to be the one that Vin saw first when he walked out of that warehouse. He had to walk out of there because nothing else would do.

“Fine, just bring him home to me,” Aggie insisted.

Three hours felt like an eternity and Aggie felt as though she was going to lose her mind. When she finally heard a pickup truck pull into the driveway, she practically ran to the front door. As soon as she saw Vin get out of the truck, she ran out to him and jumped into his arms.

“Easy, honey,” he said. She looked him over and realized that he was black and blue again, and she quickly let him go.

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