Ben put cuffs on Derrick, who surprisingly was still conscious. And Cade had the big one. Officers pulled their cruisers up to where we were, one of them cuffed the bearded guy who had run out with Lily.

She shuddered against me. “I’m okay. You can put me down, Luke.”

I couldn’t do it, I wanted to keep her close and never let her out of my sight again. I could have lost her. I’d almost lost everything. Again. Instead of setting her down, I released her legs, then held her up with my arms around her hips. Her arms wound around my neck. With her breath on my cheek and her heartbeat next to mine, I calmed down.

“I knew you would come,” she whispered. The only thing I could think to do was kiss her. My mind had gone blank. Everything had rushed out of it but the relief I felt from having her in my arms again. I put her down. She held my hand and stood at my side.

“That’s Jeff,” she said and pointed to the bearded guy. “His dad is in there somewhere. He’s the one who was following me around and watching from the backyard. He’s the one who broke into Gram’s house. He was trying to help me in his own stupid way. He was locked up in there too.” She addressed the officer handcuffing Jeff, “Don’t let him go. You should probably keep arresting him for now. I’m sorry, Jeff, but you know it’s true.”

He just looked at her and nodded.

“They should arrest his dad too if he’s okay and doesn’t need an ambulance or something,” she said to Ben, who had just finished putting Derrick into the back of a cruiser.

“Dad!” Jeff yelled as two officers led an older man down the warehouse stairs.

“I’m okay, son!” the man yelled back.

Ben pulled Lily into his arms. “You scared me, baby girl,” he said into the top of her head. That started her tears up again.

Cade finished securing the second kidnapper, rushed to Ben and Lily, and took over the hug. “You really kicked his ass, Lily. Dad had to scoop him into the handcuffs.”

“I did? I don’t really remember,” she said sheepishly.

“Blind rage,” Liam said. “Now you know what you’re capable of. Bet your head hurts. That was one hell of a headbutt. Not to mention your hand.” He held out his fist, and Lily bumped it softly with hers, then threw herself into his arms. He looked surprised but leaned over and hugged her back.