“I had nothing to do with what happened, but I am sorry,” Annabel said, closing her hand over the card. “I’ve been honest with you this morning. Honest enough that it might cost me my job if you were to disclose it.”

“I’m not that kind of person.”

“I know, and I hope you see my honesty as my desire to work together on this,” Annabel said, and Cain believed her.

“Trust me, Annabel. When the time comes, we’ll take care of our mutual problem and do it to our mutual satisfaction. That’s not going to be today, so have a good morning.”

She and Emma nodded before walking away. They sat in the cold car for a moment before she turned the key, and Emma stared at her as if trying to figure out what she was thinking. “What happens now?” Emma asked, not wanting to wait.

“Now we wait. There’s plenty left to face, to do, to finish. I wanted to be done with all this, but there are still pieces in play.” There were a few golfers playing despite the cold, and she ignored them to concentrate on Emma. “Patience is the key, but I did lie about one thing.”

“What’s that?” Emma said taking her hand and kissing the back of it.

“Sometimes I am an animal, and she gave away that she thinks Lucy’s parents, Taylor and Drew, are agents. Her admitting that not all operations are known to the local office proves that. When I find them, I’m going to bury them once they tell me all their secrets. Only then will we be done with what happened to Hannah. Their boss will regret he ever tried this.”

Emma laughed and nodded. “You make me hot when you talk like that.”

“Then all those intimate moments required to make that next baby shouldn’t be a problem,” she said, leaning over to kiss Emma. “Come on, there’s life to enjoy on a beautiful day like today.”

“Yes, there is. Take me home.”

About the Author

Ali Vali is the author of the long-running Cain Casey Devil series and the Genesis Clan Forces series, as well as numerous standalone romances including two Lambda Literary Award finalists, Calling the Dead and Love Match. Ali’s newest standalone is One More Chance.

Originally from Cuba, Ali has retained much of her family’s traditions and language and uses them frequently in her stories. Having her father read her stories and poetry before bed every night as a child infused her with a love of reading, which she carries till today. Ali currently lives outside New Orleans, Louisiana, and she has discovered that living in Louisiana provides plenty of material to draw from in creating her novels and short stories.

Books Available From Bold Strokes Books