Page 88 of Finding Home with You

“Now,” Finn says, pulling out a map of the area and spreading it out on the kitchen table, as we all move the cups and plates to the side. “We come up with a plan to catch this bastard.”

Forty-five minutes later we are all in place. This whole thing is happening far quicker than I’d like and while I never expected Anthony to be so close, I know that we can’t afford to waste this opportunity.

“The sooner it happens, the sooner it’s over,” Erin says, squeezing my hand as we sit in her car.

I nod. “I know. I just hate that it has to happen at all.”

Her fingers slide into mine as she lifts our joined hands to her lips. “I’m sorry I dragged you into all of this,” she says against my hand. “I never meant for things to turn out like this.”

“This isn’t your fault, babe,” I say, turning in my seat to face her. “None of this has ever been your fault.”

Erin nods. “I never expected to fall in love with you,” she whispers. “I never expected to have any chance at the future and the life like the one you’ve given me.”

It suddenly occurs to me that Erin has spent her whole life hiding. Hiding who she is, where she came from and all the secrets and lies she knows. I can’t imagine the impact that has had on her over the years, but I know that it makes everything that’s happened between us all make so much more sense now.

Why she was so reluctant for us to become serious, why she’s always been so scared to admit how she feels or what she truly wants. The barriers she’s been forced to put up have closed her off to the belief that she can have a life, that she can be loved by somebody without getting hurt.

It kills me to know this fucker has done this to her.

“Erin,” I say, pulling our hands to my lips now.

“I should go,” she says, staring out the window.

“Babe, look at me,” I say, waiting until she does. “I love you, okay? No matter who your family is or what’s happened in the past. I love you and none of that other shit matters to me.” I watch as she swallows hard, her eyes roaming my face. “This will all be over soon,” I continue. “And then we have the rest of our lives to look forward to.” She nods now, but doesn’t say anything. I lean over and press a soft kiss to her lips. “I’ll be watching you the whole time,” I whisper against them. Then I get out of the car.

I watch as Erin drives to the end of the pier before moving into position. I check in with the others using the radios Finn brought from his station. Everyone is all set, eyes and guns trained on Erin as she parks at the end of the pier and gets out of the car.

A heavy weight sinks in my gut, a feeling of dread washing over me as I watch her from my vantage point. Even though I know there are six sets of eyes on her, I can’t help but think how isolated and alone she looks.

Suddenly a black town car turns down the road, slowly cruising to the end of the pier.

“He’s here,” I say. “Erin, do you see him.”

I watch as she nods, not giving away the wire she’s wearing.

Then he’s parked, getting out of the car and walking toward her.

“Erin,” he says. “So nice to see you again.” He moves as though to kiss her on the cheek, but she flinches away, her hands going up defensively.

“Don’t,” I hear her voice in my ear.

He smiles at her, but it’s fake as he holds up his hands before slowly moving in to pat her down.

My heart pounds in my chest as a swirl of nausea starts up in my gut watching him with his hands on her. He’s slow and deliberate too, as though he’s enjoying touching her like this when he knows she must hate it. Luckily, he doesn’t find the wire we hid in her cast, or the tiny ear piece that’s hiding behind her hair, so she’s safe. For now.

“How badly are you hurt?” he says when he’s done, his eyes taking in the fading bruises on her face before going to her cast arm.

“I’ll live,” she says. “No thanks to you.”

“Erin,” he says, stepping closer. “If I’d have known you were going to drive the car, I never would have…”

Bingo. I can’t help but think as this fucker all but admits to tampering with my brake lines.

“Listen Anthony,” she says. “I need this to stop, alright? I’m tired of trying to live my life in secret, of hiding who I am and what I know from the people I care about.”

“You mean your detective,” he says with a sneer.

My blood boils at his comment, my hand sliding onto my gun as I pull it from my holster and take a step toward them.

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