Take - Page 102

Bam. Bam.

Auclair dropped.

“It’s over?” I whispered.

Reath kept the gun trained on Auclair. “It is.”

I looked up at him. There was enough light for me to see his familiar features. When Auclair didn’t move, Reath lowered the gun. His other hand touched the blood in my hair, then moved to my neck.

“He choked you.” Rage vibrated in his voice.

“It’s over.”

With a nod, he pressed his lips to mine.

The sound of running footsteps came from outside. I looked up, just as the Fury brothers appeared in the doorway of the crypt.

“Everyone okay?” Dante asked.

“We’re all right,” Reath said.

“Auclair, not so much,” I added.

“Good,” Beauden grunted.

Then Reath kissed me again, and he was all I could think about.

43

REATH

Ifinished talking with the police while keeping one eye on Frankie as the paramedics checked her over.

We were at the entrance to the cemetery. It was now lit up with red and blue lights from several police cars and an ambulance. Nearby, I watched two men pushing a gurney with a black body bag containing Auclair’s body toward the Medical Examiner’s van.

It was over.

Frankie was safe.

Simon appeared, slipping his notebook back into the pocket of his jacket. “We rounded up the rest of Auclair’s crew. A cruiser spotted their Explorer.”

“Good.”

“And we recovered Trent Weare’s body.”

I nodded.

“I’m sorry about your man, Axe.”

“Me too.”

My detective friend glanced toward the ambulance. “How’s your girl?”

“Alive.”

Simon nodded. “Glad you can put this all behind you now.”

“Thanks, Simon.”