Against the Edge (The Raines of Wind Can - By Kat Martin Page 0,126
problem was, once they got there, Claire’s life would still be in danger. Diego Santos and his band of cutthroats still believed she was hiding information she had received from Michael Sullivan. And they were willing to kill in order to get it.
Ben mulled over the problem as Alex landed his plane in Houston and taxied to the executive terminal. As soon as he shut down the engines, Jake opened the cabin door, and they all climbed out. Ben was reaching for one of the gear bags when his cell phone started ringing. Caller ID said the number belonged to Danny Castillo.
“Slocum,” Ben answered.
“I hear you found Claire and your boy,” Castillo said.
“That’s right. We just landed in Houston. We’re on our way home.”
“That’s good news and I’ve got more.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“Undercover cops located Diego Santos last night. When they tried to bring him in, he resisted, and there was a shoot-out. Santos and two of his top guns were killed. Looks like your lady is safe.”
Relief slid like whiskey through his veins. “That is good news. Thanks, Detective. Maybe now our lives can finally get back to normal.”
“Maybe yours can. My job never ends.”
Ben chuckled. “I guess not. Thanks for the call.”
Feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, Ben hung up the phone. “Santos is dead,” he told Claire. “Happened last night. Perfect timing, if you ask me.”
Claire sighed with relief. “Thank God.”
“Exactly.” Ben slid an arm around her waist and another around Sam’s shoulders. “Let’s go home.”
There were things he needed to say to his family. Important things he hadn’t been able to say before. It wouldn’t be easy for a man like him, but he was determined to make things right.
Ben couldn’t wait to get there.
* * *
It was late morning by the time Ben reached his house, everyone got cleaned up and settled in. While Claire went into the kitchen to make a badly needed pot of coffee, Ben led Sam over to the sofa in the living room and urged him to take a seat.
Sam looked up at him, his eyes big and worried. “You aren’t mad at me, are you?”
Ben frowned. “Why would I be mad at you?”
“If I hadn’t gone with Troy in the first place, he and Duke wouldn’t have come back and taken Claire.”
Ben slung an arm around the boy’s shoulder. “None of this was your fault, son. I just called you in here to tell you...how much I love you. You never have to worry about being alone again. And I wanted you to know how much I liked it when you called me Dad.”
Sam looked up at him. “I didn’t mean to. Claire said you would come, but I was afraid you wouldn’t find us. When I saw you by the bed, I was so glad to see you it just popped out.”
Ben smiled. “I’m really glad it did.”
“So it’s okay if I call you Dad from now on?”
Ben hugged him, his throat a little tight. “From now until forever.”
Sam grinned and Ben ruffled his hair. “Go get some sleep, okay? You’ve been up half the night.”
The boy yawned. He’d slept on the plane, but after so much excitement it wasn’t enough. He glanced toward the sofa, where he had been sleeping while Claire was staying in the house.
“Why don’t you use your own room?” Ben said. “From now on, Claire will be sleeping with me.”
Sam looked up at him solemnly. “You’re going to marry her, right?”
“That’s right.” If she’d still have him. The more he thought of the way he had asked her to marry him, the more he worried she might have changed her mind.
“I’m glad.”
“Me, too.”
Sam padded down the hall to his room, went in and closed the door.
Ben took a breath for courage, thought about what he planned to say and headed for the kitchen.
* * *
Claire filled Hercules’s bowl with dry cat food, then returned to the kitchen counter to check on the pot of coffee she was brewing. She hadn’t been able to sleep on the plane. She kept seeing Duke Hutchins pointing his gun at Ben, remembering the raw terror she had felt when she’d thought Ben had been shot. He was badly bruised where the bullet had hit, but the vest had protected him.
As she reached for a pair of mugs, she felt him come up behind her, settle his big hands at her waist. Sliding her hair to one side, he bent his head and