Fatal Exposure - By Gail Barrett Page 0,88

her some time to think about it, okay? She just got out of surgery.”

“Fine. We’ll talk about it later.” He looked at Brynn again. “We need another statement from you, too, but that can wait until you’re ready.” He gave Parker a nod and left the room.

For a minute, neither spoke. Parker finally broke the silence with a sigh. “As much as I hate to agree with Delgado, he’s right. This isn’t a joke. They don’t put people into protective custody unless there’s a good reason.”

“I don’t need to think about it. I’m not going.”

“Brynn—”

“Listen, Parker. I know you think I’m being unreasonable. But I’ve spent most of my life on the run. Ever since I left home I’ve been hiding, always looking over my shoulder, always worrying that Hoffman would catch up to me. And when Tommy got shot it was even worse. I had to keep moving all the time. When you showed up, it was the first time I’d allowed myself to do anything even remotely permanent—to own a house, to have a garden, to have even a hint of a normal life. And I can’t go back to hiding out again. I’m not going to keep living in fear.”

“It’s only until they track this guy down.” He shifted forward, taking hold of her hand again. “For God’s sake, Brynn. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you. That moment when Lieutenant Lewis shot you...” His voice broke. A huge lump blocked his throat.

Her eyes softened, all trace of her temper gone. “I know,” she whispered. “I felt the same way in the cabin when Hoffman shot you.”

“Then you can see why...”

“I can’t do it, Parker. It would kill me to hide again.” Her gaze held his. “Are you going to do it?”

“I can’t. I need to stay here and help track him down.”

“Then you’re not quitting your job?”

“I thought about it,” he admitted. “First Hoffman, then Lieutenant Lewis...”

She squeezed his hand. “I know how much that hurts.”

“Yeah.” Their betrayal hurt all right. Even after his father’s arrest, he’d believed in the integrity of the force—an idealism he’d now lost for good. He’d become more realistic over the past few days, more jaded. The blinders he’d worn were gone.

“I might switch to internal affairs, though. There seems to be a need for that.”

Her eyes warmed. “You make a wonderful knight in shining armor, Parker McCall.”

“Hardly.” He’d nearly failed her. “But the bad guys are still in the minority. Most cops are good.”

“Like Delgado.”

“Yeah.” He shook his head. Delgado had turned out to be one of the good guys, even if he was still obnoxious as hell. “But the main thing is that I can’t give up. You taught me that.”

“I did?” She looked surprised.

“Yeah. Your courage... You never gave up.”

“How can you say that? All I’ve ever done is run.”

“You survived. There’s a difference. And you stopped running when people needed you. You risked everything to help them, even when no one believed you. You’re the most courageous person I know.”

Her face turned pink. Her gaze dropped to their joined hands. “You took risks, too. You didn’t hand me over to Hoffman, even when you thought I’d caused Tommy’s death.”

The corner of his mouth edged up. “Yeah. I’ve been breaking the rules since I met you.” But he no longer cared. He didn’t need the regulations to guide him. He knew who he was inside.

And he knew who he needed. Brynn.

His heart drummed hard. His throat turned parched, nerves stampeding around in his chest. Now or never. “I love you, Brynn.”

Shock flickered through her eyes. Then she covered her face with her hand, her sudden silence damning, as if she couldn’t bear to look at him.

His heart plummeted. He’d waited too long. She wasn’t going to forgive him. He’d destroyed any chance he’d had at love.

Desperation clawed through his gut. He had to convince her. He couldn’t stand a lifetime without Brynn. “I need you,” he said. “I love you so much.”

She opened her eyes, and the joy in them crashed through his heart. “I love you, too. I didn’t want to. I was scared. I’ve spent my entire life trying to keep people out. But you snuck through all that. I couldn’t keep you out of my heart. And I fell in love with you.”

Happiness swelled in his chest. Lightness flooded through him, demolishing years of loneliness. “I know this isn’t romantic. The hospital. These machines. I don’t even have a ring. But I promise