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“No.” She grabbed his shoulder. “You brought it up, and it’s obvious that we like each other, but I want you to understand a few things about me.”

“That would be the point of taking a trip together and then seeing how we feel when you go back to Pensacola, and I stay here.” He took her mouth in a hot, passionate kiss. It was the kind that excited the body, warmed the heart, and eased the soul. He wanted to show her that he cared enough for her to risk it all. That he could put it all on the line to see where it might lead.

“Wow,” she whispered. “You certainly know how to kiss.”

“It’s all about the lips on the other end.”

She patted the center of his chest. “Here’s the thing. The last long-distance relationship I got into was with Alex.”

“Please don’t compare me to your ex. I won’t ever do that to you.”

“This isn’t about him,” she said. “I moved to be with him too quickly because I had become consumed by him before I really got to know him. Looking back, there were signs at how unconnected to me he was. Things like him rarely coming to see me. I always had to go to Atlanta.”

“I like Pensacola. I’ll come visit you first.”

She smiled. “You’re sweet.”

“I have no idea where this is heading, but I want to find out,” he said. “What do you say? Want to take a trip to the Bahamas with me?”

She kissed him.

Hard.

“I take it that’s a yes,” he whispered.

“Hell, yes.”

Movement around the side of the house caught his attention. “Rhett’s here. Why don’t we sit down by the pool? I don’t like being this close to the beach. It would be too easy for someone to breach the perimeter. With that said, if I have to go anywhere, please stay in the house, okay?”

“If you’re going somewhere, so am I.”

“Not if I’m taking someone down.” He rested his hand on the small of her back. “I’m not taking the chance of you getting hurt.”

“I want to be there to look her in the eyes when you arrest her,” Trinity said, her voice thick with emotion. “I want to tell her that I hope she rots in Hell.”

“Save that speech for the courtroom, and then tone it down,” Emmett said. “But I’m more concerned about the hired hitman. If Kathy was willing to have all those men murdered, she wouldn’t have any problem putting a hit out on you.”

* * *

Trinity stoodnext to Emmett and dug her fingernails into his hand. Her heart beat so fast it hurt her chest.

“Hey,” Rhett said. “This is Shawn Lewis.”

A tall man, who looked a lot like the old pictures Trinity remembered of Paul, stood before her. He wore jeans and a designer button-down shirt. His shoes looked as if they were Italian leather, but she couldn’t be sure.

“This is my brother, Emmett, and of course, this is Trinity Hughes,” Rhett continued.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your father,” Shawn said. “I want you to know that I will do whatever it takes to help find my sister and whoever else she’s pulled into her crazy scheme.”

“Why don’t we all sit down?” Emmett pulled out a chair.

Trinity flattened her hands on the table and lowered herself onto the cushion. She took in a deep, calming breath, using one of the techniques she’d learned in yoga—shit. All that did was remind her of Kathy—or Rayna. “Do we know where she is?”

“I have a buddy of mine looking for her in Pensacola, but so far nothing,” Rhett said.

“I’m told she’s going by the name Kathy?” Shawn asked.

Trinity nodded. “She’s a yoga teacher at the gym I belong to. She and I became friends about a year ago.”

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