at a small desk in a room at the same resort she’d checked in to when she’d first arrived in Jackson Hole and documented the events as she remembered them. Now that she was no longer in danger of someone breaking into her room, she had no good reason to remain at the ranch. Staying in town seemed like the right move.
After the debacle of the break-in and the resulting ransacked room, the manager had been only too happy to offer her a room at no cost. A deputy had dropped Rae off here after another visit to the Bridger County Sheriff’s Office to give her statement and answer questions asked by multiple agencies involved in the task force to unravel Malcom’s intricate trafficking scheme.
Fortunately for Liam, Brad had already been cleared. He hadn’t been connected with the plans his main investors—Enzo Astor and Devon Winters, aka Malcom Fox—had made to take advantage of the new ski resort. Those plans included using the shell company that Enzo Astor had created for another protective layer to launder money earned from their exclusive sex trafficking scheme.
Rae debated whether to write the travel article, but she couldn’t even attempt it until she’d poured every ounce of her sordid experiences onto the page. This story could land her a coveted position or open more freelance doors. Except finding Zoey hadn’t been about a story. She couldn’t do that to Zoey or her brother. Still, parts of it could be extrapolated for an article about Malcom Fox and Enzo and Simon Astor, and she hoped it would lead to freeing those already caught in the trafficking net. Fox’s dark web operations were being dismantled, thanks to Zoey’s extensive knowledge about his organization. Enzo Astor’s properties had been raided, and he’d been taken into custody.
Zoey remained at the heart of this story.
She was in deep water with the government, though the extenuating circumstances regarding Simon Astor’s stalking were being considered. Alan told Rae the feds would likely work with Zoey and use her skills for their own purposes. Rae hoped that was true—for Alan’s and Callie’s sakes as well.
At least they were all out of harm’s way.
Rae continued typing her thoughts until she finally came to the man who had never been far from her mind. She’d been avoiding this moment when she had to face Liam McKade. Face him on this page as she typed, face him in her heart and mind.
Their relationship had ended in the worst possible way before, and it could have ended tragically this time. What else could she think but that her presence in Liam’s life was dangerous to him?
That would no longer be an issue though. Her flight left tomorrow morning, and she honestly wasn’t sure she wanted to see him again, even if only to say goodbye. She didn’t want to hurt him again. The irony was that she would be hurt if he didn’t try to see her before she left. He was the reason for her crazy, foolish heart.
Relationships were painful. Could end in tragedy. Even Zoey and Alan’s relationship teetered on a precarious ledge—but Rae had no doubt their love would weather the coming storms. Their relationship was an example to her, though the commitment Zoey and Alan shared was rare indeed.
Rae closed her eyes and thought about her parents’ relationship. She had idolized her father, but for all his brilliance, he had his flaws. Her father had told her it was his responsibility to speak up. “Don’t keep silent,” he’d said. But his family paid the price for his efforts. Missed birthdays and anniversaries. Fear and worry that his endeavors would get him killed. Mom had planned to divorce him before his death. If he had known that he was about to lose his family, would he have left that dangerous war-zone journalism to someone else?
As for Rae, in the past, she’d given Liam up for her story. True, she’d saved Dina’s life, and she wouldn’t change that. But she’d suffered the emptiness, the loneliness, when she’d lost Liam. It scared her to death to consider how much she loved him. She couldn’t take that heartbreak again and might prefer to suffer through being alone.
A knock came at the door, startling her. Her pulse jumped. “Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
Liam.
Moisture bloomed on her palms as she walked to the door and opened it. Liam, in a Stetson, filled her vision. She’d never seen him in a cowboy hat, and for that she was glad, because