Page 42 of Moonlit Hideaway
Ruth sighed, shaking her head. “All right, Hank. I’ll hold off until tomorrow. But remember. This is my town, and I won’t let it be threatened.”
“And I won’t let Sierra face danger alone.”
Chapter Fifteen
Sierra’s fingers trembled slightly around Hank’s note. The paper was warm with the heat of her nervous grasp as she bid a distracted goodnight to Emma and Mabel. The drive back from the town hall was awkward, with Hank’s attention fixed on the road, barely glancing her way as Mabel and Emma chatted about their roles in the upcoming festival. Sierra had signed up to carve pumpkins for the little ones, but deep inside, she wasn’t sure she would be sticking around long enough to help.
Liam’s appearance had shattered the illusion of safety she had built on Hattokwa Island. She needed to put her escape plan in motion before he reported back to the family. Yet thoughts of Hank tugged at her mind. He had asked to meet her on the beach by the lighthouse at midnight. The nature of this rendezvous hung in her mind—was it going to be an intimate moment under the stars, or was Hank having doubts about her presence in his life?
Wrapping her electric neon pulse scarf snugly around her neck, Sierra felt a fleeting comfort from its familiar texture. She zipped up the windbreaker jacket borrowed from Emma. Taking a flashlight, she tiptoed down the back stairs and stepped outside. She could understand why Hank didn’t want to havea troubling conversation inside the inn with his daughter down the hall and his mother’s room downstairs.
The air was damp and breezy underneath the pulsating sweep of the lighthouse, and the moon left a silvery trail across the calm sea. The gentle crash of the waves against the shore provided a soothing backdrop to the turmoil brewing within her. She spotted Hank’s figure in the distance. He was hunched over with his hands in his pockets, staring out to sea.
Her pulse quickened as she approached him. Seagrass fluttered in the soft sand, and her feet sank with each step as she closed the distance. He’d spotted her, of course, and she couldn’t read the emotions on his face. His posture was tense, and his gaze was fixed on her, not quite stony but not as open as he was earlier this evening.
The knot in her stomach grew as she drew closer.
“Hank? You wanted to talk?” she called out softly. To her relief, he opened his arms and drew her into a hug.
“Before I say anything, I want you to know you’re safe with me.”
She blinked at him, wishing it were so, but he had no idea what she was up against.
“You are a good man, but there are things I need to tell you. I shouldn’t have kept them a secret from you.”
“I’ve been waiting until you’re ready to share them.” He cradled her face and kissed her tenderly.
She wanted to settle into the kiss and let her emotions flow, but they both knew words needed to be said. Reluctantly breaking the kiss, she lingered, with her forehead against his, both breathing hard, as she gathered the courage to break his heart.
“I always knew I had to leave, but I didn’t think it would be so soon.” She couldn’t meet his eyes while delivering this blow. “Liam’s arrival means my family’s found me.”
He waited without comment, so she continued, “I have a dysfunctional family. I told you my father recently passed away. It’s complicated, but I was hoping to escape their influence for a while. I thought if I went underground, things would die down, and then I could return.”
“Did Liam follow you?”
“He must have. I must have had a tracker on my belongings, or he was tipped off. Either way, he’s found me, and he’s surely reported my location to the family by now.”
“He won’t get the chance to hurt you. I’ll make sure of it.” Hank’s voice was a low vow. “Sheriff Davis is already on alert, watching his every move.”
He tipped her chin up to look into his eyes. His obvious concern and adoration made her heart ache with the bittersweet knowledge of what might have been.
“It’s not only Liam. He’s just a lookout. My father’s death caused an imbalance of power in the family. It’s not fair to get you, Emma, Mabel, and everyone on this island involved.”
“This island was once my refuge. My mom and I found safety here from an abusive past. When my father showed up, threatening us, the people here protected us. Let me do the same for you.”
Sierra closed her eyes, wishing her problems were as simple.
“Oh, Hank, you are so good to me. But this is too big. My father wasn’t just any abusive father—he was a crime boss. This crime family… they control everything. I can’t drag you into this. I have to go back and face them.”
Hank cupped her face in his hands, his gaze intense and unwavering. “Listen to me. I care about you more than I’ve ever cared about anyone. I can’t stand the thought of you facing this alone. Stay with me, and we’ll think of some way out.”
“I wish I could. But the only way to fight the mafia is to hit them from all sides and reveal their secrets. It will be dangerous and risky, but I have to do it.”
“How?” His face paled, and worry creased his brow. “How can you take on the mob by yourself?”
“Liam’s dad, Uncle Tony, was the linchpin in my father’s shadowed world, his fixer. He and my mom are ... complicated. If I can sway the rest of the family to his side… strike deals with my sisters’ husbands, the enforcer, and the police chief… then we can bring Marco down and let Uncle Tony take over.”
“Marco?” Hank’s brow furrowed. “Is he the one you’re afraid of?”
