Delta: Rescue: A MacKenzie Family Novella (The MacKenzie Family) (13 page)
Read Delta: Rescue: A MacKenzie Family Novella (The MacKenzie Family) Online
Authors: Cristin Harber
“Freeze!”
Maddy jumped and screamed, even though she had known it would happen.
“Federal agents! Everyone, hands in the air! Hands in the air.”
Where they’d hid and how they swarmed, Maddy had no idea. But the task force, dressed in full tactical gear, surrounded them. Voices yelled. They were pushed, and everyone went facedown. Her father, the bastard, never once reached for her, never checked her safety. No, he wanted to protect his product, his business, his way of life.
They were cuffed, Mirandized, and separated, all while she still waited for Papa to look at her with any emotion. Years of pent-up hurt teared in her stinging eyes and streamed down her face.
Harsh hands that she didn’t know moved her out of the room. Her tears still fell, but the guilt she’d expected never showed.
As her father and the buyers were separated, an agent pulled her to a poorly lit hallway. “Wait here.” He parked her on a bench, her hands cuffed behind her.
She was all alone until she heard the steady rhythm of boots coming for her. “Luke?”
He rounded the corner, and his eyes landed on hers. “Beautiful.”
His hands cupped her cheeks, hauling her up to meet his kiss. Her eyes sank shut when he stopped kissing her, and he swiped the last remnants of her tears away. “You did great.”
She sniffled.
“Are you okay?” he asked, spinning her around to remove the handcuffs.
Maddy nodded and rolled her wrists as she turned back. “Better than I expected. Thank you.”
“Always with the gratitude.” He kissed her again. “Not sure what you’re thankful for this second, but I’ll take it.”
Two years later…
“Never, in a million years, did I think I would marry you.”
Luke laughed, tossing his head back as they dangled their feet over the edge of the infinity pool in the penthouse suite of the Mira House. “You’re telling me you thought you’d get married, just not to me?”
Maddy joined him in the laughter, leaning against him. The moon was high overhead. She took his other hand, pulling his forearm out so she could see the word
beautiful
newly tattooed on his skin. “What I thought was that I’d never have sex with you in this place after you walked out on me.”
“The night’s still young. We can always leave—”
She slapped his chest. “You better not play.”
Kissing her quiet, her husband lifted her off the ground and carried her into the bedroom. “Ready for your wedding present?”
Still laughing, Maddy wrapped her arms around his neck. “I thought the sex was a given, not a present.”
Luke’s eyes danced as they both dropped onto the bed. He reached under a pillow and pulled out a nondescript black box with a simple silver ribbon. “Take it.”
Maddy picked up the deceptively heavy box, watching him watch her, and then tugged it open. She pulled away a layer of tissue paper.
Handcuffs.
Excitement rushed through her as she remembered all their handcuff teases, and she tossed the box after pulling them out. They were
engraved
handcuffs with the word
Beautiful
etched on one side.
“So it’s going to happen.” She kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You’re finally going to have a chance to cuff me.”
“Definitely going to happen.” His chest rumbled as he kissed her back.
It was perfect. In the suite where it had all started, reminding her of where they’d come when she promised him he’d never restrain her.
“Hands above your head, baby.”
One cuff clinked around her wrist. Then the other. She smiled as she complied. “
Je t'aime.
”
He hauled her back to the headboard. “Love you, too.”
The End
* * * *
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On behalf of 1001 Dark Nights,
Liz Berry and M.J. Rose would like to thank ~
Liliana Hart
Scott Silverii
Steve Berry
Doug Scofield
Kim Guidroz
Jillian Stein
InkSlinger PR
Asha Hossain
Kasi Alexander
Chris Graham
Pamela Jamison
Jessica Johns
Dylan Stockton
and Simon Lipskar
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