“I-I'm sorry, Captain, that I didn't phone it in right away. I happened to be in the area, right around the corner actually, and Hank knew I could get there fast.”

  Captain Miller raises his brows. “And you couldn't pick up the fucking radio and call it in?”

  “I wasn't in a squad car. I didn't even have my gun on me since I've been on my little vacation. Hank said someone would meet me there to assist. I'm sorry. I didn't even get the guy’s name.”

  Hank squares his shoulders. “And you're not going to, either, Captain. I'm perfectly prepared to face the ramifications of what I've done, but the people who helped me did so to save those poor girls. I’m not about to let them all go down for that when I can protect their identities.”

  Good God. He’s really taking this all the way…

  The captain releases another heavy sigh and leans back in his chair. “You’ll likely be criminally charged.” He cuts his gaze to me. “And internal affairs is going to be all over both of you like white on rice.”

  Hank inclines his head. “I know, sir.”

  I do the same. “I'll tell them whatever they need to know and cooperate with any investigations. But I can't offer you any names if I don't know them.”

  That should protect Reaper, Mouth, and Chaos from any criminal prosecution, assuming there isn't additional evidence somewhere that can be tied to them. But I'm not even worried about that.

  They’re true professionals who know what they're doing. After Chaos and Mouth took care of the few remaining men elsewhere in the facility, they did a full sweep to ensure nothing was left behind before they came to locate us. If there was anything to find, they would've found it and ensured it was taken care of. I have zero doubts about that. Which means they should be in the clear.

  Hank, on the other hand…

  He still sits, shoulders back, head held high despite the fact that he’s tanking his career. And he’s doing it for me.

  I can barely find the words, but the captain stares at me, waiting for me to say something. “I'll take whatever punishment IA deems necessary for what I've done.”

  He shakes his head and scowls. “You could lose your badge over this, Viktoria.” Another heavy sigh slips from his lips. “And I would ask you if it's worth it, but I've seen those girls. I heard about the conditions they were living in and what those fucking Russians intended to do with them. So, I know it was worth it. As angry as I am about the entire situation, I can't fully fault you for what you did.” He turns his attention to Hank. “Now, Hank, I’m sorry to have to do this.”

  “I know, sir.” Hanks reaches for his waistband and sets his badge and gun on the desk.

  Is this really happening?

  “Viktoria?” The captain raises an eyebrow at me. “I'm going to need yours, too. At least until IA finishes their investigation and determines if any further action is required.”

  I incline my head. “I understand.”

  Pulling out my badge and gun that I stopped at my place to grab on the way over here feels surreal, and my hand shakes so violently, it’s almost embarrassing.

  The captain nods to both of us. “Expect to hear from them soon.”

  I push up from my chair and follow Hank from the room in a trance, the last few minutes playing through my head like a bad horror movie. The moment we’re far enough down the hall, I grab his forearm. He turns to face me, and I release my hold on him and scan the hallway to ensure we’re alone.

  “Are you insane? Why did you do that? Why would you—”

  He steps up to me and embraces me in a very un-Hank-like hug. “I did it because you don’t deserve to go down for any of this. I, on the other hand, knew the risk going in. I accepted it. Made peace with it. I can get another job, Vik. What I can’t do, is watch you lose everything you worked so hard for all because your partner got a wild hair and went fucking rogue.”

  “Jesus, Hank…” I shake my head and pull back from him. “I really wish you hadn’t done that.”

  He smirks at me. “I know, Vik, but I had to. Just stick to the story, and you’ll be fine. You might get a mark in your file, and I wouldn’t rule out a temporary suspension, but they won’t fire you. This city needs good cops more now than ever. You’re one of the best.”

  “What the hell are you going to do?”

  Hank glances over his shoulder down the hallway and offers a shrug. “Maybe I’ll join a motorcycle club.” He tosses me a wink. “Right now, I'm going to go check on Anastasia and the kids to make sure they’re settling in.”

  “You really like her.”

  He shrugs again, his eyes darting around the hallway, purposely avoiding mine. “It’s complicated.”

  I snort. “You totally like her.” I shake my head and sigh, “It can’t be any more complicated than things are between me and Reaper.”

  He smirks. “Yeah, I bet. The two of you are like oil and vinegar. So, what’s the deal? Is he planning on sticking around?”

  “I wish I knew.”

  Fuck, I really wish I knew.

  REAPER

  I shuffle out of the bedroom, scrubbing my hand over my face, and find Chaos and Mouth sitting at the counter with what looks like might actually be edible pasta half-eaten in bowls in front of them.

  “Hey, man.” Chaos turns toward me on his stool and leans back against the counter. “Good to see you up. How you feeling?”

  Mouth inclines his head toward me, then returns to his food.

  I offer Chaos an annoyed look and heave myself onto the stool next to him with a grunt.

  “That good, huh?”

  “Fuck you, man. When was the last time you were shot?”

  He rubs his jaw and pretends to think about it even though all three of us know exactly when it was. “Twelve months ago.”

  “Maybe you’re due.”

  He shakes his head and chuckles. “I’d like to keep myself bullet-free for the foreseeable future.”

  “Wouldn’t we all?”

  Mouth snorts and nods, polishing off his meal.

  Chaos opens his mouth, likely with another smartass remark, but we all freeze at the whine and rumble of the garage door downstairs going up. “Sounds like your woman's back.”

  I scowl at him. “She's not my woman.”

  He pops a piece of bread in his mouth and chews. “Sure seems like she is.” With a shrug, he shoves away from the counter and motions for Mouth to follow him. “Going to grab a smoke out on the fire escape. Catch you later.”

  They climb through the open window onto the back fire escape, and I sigh and run a hand over my face while the elevator makes its way up with one very big complication inside.

  I didn't know what to say when she left earlier. How to tell her that I might not be here when she got back. And honestly, if it weren't for my arm in a sling and a hole in my shoulder, all three of us would probably be long gone by now.

  Watching her stand at that door with her back to me felt like waiting for a piece of myself to walk away, but I just couldn’t get out the words I wanted to say. Not when I don’t know what she wants. Not when our lives are so completely different. When we’re so different.

  The elevator reaches the loft, and Viktoria pulls open the metal gate and steps out. Her eyes lock with mine as she slowly makes her way across the room and settles on the stool next to me, her dark hair flowing around her so soft it makes my fingers itch to touch it.

  “Where are Mouth and Chaos?”

  I incline my head toward the fire escape. “Having a smoke.”

  She nods and blows out a long, slow breath like she’s releasing all the stress of her day. That suggests her meeting did not go as planned.

  I’m almost afraid to ask. “How did your meeting go?”

  “About as well as can be expected. Especially because Hank threw himself on the proverbial sword and took the fall for everything.”

  “What?”

  She nods, the exhaustion of the last few days creating dark bags around her eyes. “He told our captain that this was all him. That he called me with the location of the girls because he knew I was in the area and wanted them secured while he arrested Yankovich so that nobody would harm them.”

  “He arrested Yankovich?”

  “Yep.” She pops the P and leans forward, resting her elbows on the counter and shoving her hands back through her hair. “Surprised the hell out of me, too.”

  “So, you’re getting at least half of what you wanted. He’ll go to trial.”

  She shrugs. “Maybe. We'll see.” Her gaze darts to me and softens slightly. “How are you feeling?”

  I offer a little shrug, then wince and instantly regret it. “Pretty good.”

  Lightly drumming her nails on the counter, Vik swallows thickly and casts a glance in the direction the boys went. “When are you guys taking off?”

  I sigh and run my hand through my hair, turning on the stool to face her. “I don't know. What's going to happen to you?”

  She squeezes shut her eyes and releases a frustrated groan. “IA will be up my ass. I’m supposed to meet with them tomorrow, and then…” One of her shoulders rises and falls, and she finally opens her eyes to peer at me with a look that forms an ache in the center of my chest. “I don't know.”

  “Is there a chance you might keep your badge?”

  “I hope so.”

  I clear my throat. “And…if not?”

  She releases a long, heavy sigh and runs her hands through her hair, tugging at it gently. “I don't fucking know, Reaper. I feel like I don't know anything anymore. The last few weeks have been nothing but one mind-fuck after another.”

  “Is that what I am? A mind-fuck?”

  Where the hell did that question come from? And why the hell do I sound so defensive?

  It doesn’t matter. It's hanging out there between us now, thickening the air with tension I could cut with the knife I keep in my boot.

  She freezes and turns to face me, throwing up her hands—but whether in anger or frustration…it’s impossible to tell. “I don't know what you are, Reaper.”

  “Yes, you do. You said it yourself…I'm a heartless killer.”

  “You're not heartless.” She shakes her head and leans to brush her fingertips along my cheek and her thumb over my lips. “You try to hide it, but I can still see it in there under all those scars you don't want me to touch or tell me about.”

  Fuck…

  There comes that damn tightening in my chest again, and I pull away from her touch, averting my gaze from her toward the window to the fire escape—where I would much rather be enjoying a smoke than having this conversation.

  “You don't want to hear about that, Vik. You don't want to hear my horror stories.”

  “I wouldn't ask if I didn't want to.”

  “What happened last night at that warehouse…” I glance at her and tighten my fist on the counter. “It’s nothing compared to some of the things I've seen, some of the things I've done.”

  The reasons for the scars and the drinking that eventually got me discharged. The reason I never go home to see Mom and Dad—that I can’t look them in the eye, knowing what I’ve done and continue to do.

  Vik slides from her stool and nudges my legs open until I turn to fully face her again and let her step between them. She captures my face in her palms and tilts it up toward her. “I don't know if I'm going to be a cop anymore or not. What I do know…is I want to know you. I want to know Roderick Dixon. And…I want to know Reaper. I want to know what turned you into Reaper. Why you’d rather be him than Roderick. I want to know everything you're willing to tell me. Everything that's happened in your life is what brought you to me, to this moment in time. One I don't want to let slip past us.”

  Her words cut me deeper than any knife ever has. It's the thing that I’ve always secretly longed to hear but have always been terrified of at the same time. “That's what you want? For me to stay?”

  “Or go…” The corner of her mouth twitches up. “And I’ll come with you.”

  “You would leave? Just like that?”

  “I don't even know if I'll have my badge anymore, at least here in New York.”

  If it were only that easy, riding off into the sunset together. “What about what I do, Viktoria? You told me there is no place in this world for vigilantes who act outside the law.”

  She offers a little halfhearted shrug. “I may have taken a hard line on that when we first met, but after what’s happened with Yankovich, I think vigilantism could have its place. And I also don't think what we did over the course of the last few weeks is what you're doing every day.”

  Pretty bold assumption on her part.

  We haven’t exactly discussed what I was doing prior to appearing in New York, aside from my little mission in Manila that brought me to The Big Apple.

  I swallow thickly. “I haven't been doing much since I was discharged. Some favors for some friends, and that's about it.”

  She can make her own assumptions about the types of “favors” I’ve been doing, and something tells me that by now, she won’t be far off from the truth.

  One of her hands slides from my cheek, down my neck, to press against my chest. “And will you continue to do it? Favors for friends?”

  If I told her no, I would be lying. And I don’t want to make promises I can't keep.

  “I've been thinking about setting up a business. Private security firm with Chaos and Mouth and maybe a few other guys who are about to get out. We would likely still do some work and favors for people, but a legitimate security firm would bring in a nice stream of income.”

  A grin plays on her perfect lips. “That sounds perfect for you.”

  “It might be.” I suck in a deep breath, building up my nerve to say these final words to her. Words I never imagined saying to anyone before. “It would be perfect if you're by my side.”

  Her hand freezes on my cheek, green eyes sparkling with unshed tears. “Is that really what you want?”

  It’s the same question I’ve asked myself a thousand times since I first kissed her. The one that has rattled around my head so much that it left permanent marks. But after so long not knowing the answer, now, it seems so obvious.

  “All I know is I want you, Viktoria. I want your smart-ass mouth, your attitude. I want you to challenge me and fight with me so that we can make up the way we have been. I want to be able to sleep at night, and the only time that's ever happened is with you. That's what I want. If you do, too.”

  She doesn't answer me, just leans in and presses her lips to mine in a kiss so sweet that it's almost sickening. But instead of rejecting it, rejecting her and protecting myself like I always have for my entire adult life, I wrap my good arm around her and pull her up against me, ignoring the bite of pain it causes as I devour her mouth and deepen our kiss.

  I knew a reckoning was coming, that someone would have to pay for what they had done to Eva, to all those girls. I just never imagined I would be coming out feeling more alive than I ever have been and with the woman who could have ruined the entire mission.

  The woman who now holds my heart and my future.

  Want more from these badass former military men?

  Grab Off Course, Chaos’ story and the second book in the Scarred Heroes Series.

  books2read.com/OffCourseGM

  * * *

  Want more from the Sins of the Mafia World?

  * * *

  Grab the Sins of the Mafia Collections here: https://books2read.com/rl/SinsoftheMafiaWorld

  * * *

  Also, don’t miss Hank and Anastasia’s story, Dead or Alive, written by Janine Infante Bosco which is available now!

  * * *

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Gwyn McNamee is an attorney, writer, wife, and mother (to one human baby and two fur babies). Originally from the Midwest, Gwyn relocated to her husband’s home town of Las Vegas in 2015 and is enjoying her respite from the cold and snow. Gwyn has been writing down her crazy stories and ideas for years and finally decided to share them with the world. She loves to write stories with a bit of suspense and action mingled with romance and heat.

  When she isn’t either writing or voraciously devouring any books she can get her hands on, Gwyn is busy adding to her tattoo collection, golfing, and stirring up trouble with her perfect mix of sweetness and sarcasm (usually while wearing heels).

  Gwyn loves to hear from her readers.

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  OTHER WORKS BY GWYN MCNAMEE

  The Inland Seas Series (Romantic Suspense)

  Squall Line (Book One)

  * * *

  WAR

  Out on the water, I’m in control.

  I don’t make mistakes.

  But the fiery redhead destroyed my plans and

  left me no choice.

  I had to take her.

  Now I’m fighting for my life while battling my growing attraction for my hostage.

  Grace may have started my downfall, but she could also be my salvation.

  * * *

 

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