Lethal Consequences (32 page)

“And what about Dani?” she asked.

“Dani’s agreed to go into protective custody. I can’t take care of her anymore. I never should have tried in the first place.” He reached for her hand and laid it on his thigh, looking down at her fingers beneath his. “I know she told you I’ve been sending her money. I need you to know why I did that.”

“You don’t owe me any explanation, Landon.”

“Yeah, I do. It wasn’t because I cared about her. I mean, I did—I do care for her, in a very special way. She’s a good kid, and she got a shitty deal in life. But I didn’t send her that money out of guilt. Getting her set up, getting her safe, looking out for her this last year—yeah, that was all done out of guilt. But the money . . . I saw that as my penance. She’s so smart, and she has this great gift that can help people. And after she started up her free clinic, I realized that I could help her with her need to help others. And in some small way, maybe do something good for a change.”

Her heart swelled. He didn’t see himself as a hero. He probably never would. But she did. She always had. And this only confirmed that he’d been one long before she’d met him.

She turned her hand over and laced her fingers with his. “She’s lucky to have you.”

“She doesn’t. She never really did. But you do. If you want me.”

The nurse walked into the room and moved toward Olivia’s IV. Landon’s gaze slid to the side. Olivia looked up as the nurse uncapped a syringe and slowly pressed a clear liquid into her IV.

“What’s that?” Olivia asked.

The nurse smiled.

“A gift,” Landon answered, looking back at her, a twinkle in his dark eyes.

Understanding dawned, and Olivia’s brow lifted. “The serum?” When he nodded, she said, “Dani made it?”

“It’ll probably take a while to kick in. But your doctors know. That’s why the DIA brought you here so fast. They flew in a specialist. You’re going to have to stay in the hospital a few days, probably. Undergo a bunch of tests.”

Olivia glanced up toward the IV. She could handle all that as long as it worked. A new burst of hope slid through her. She wasn’t going to die. She was going to live. See her next birthday. Grow old. But reality trickled in as she watched the IV liquid drip down the tube connected to her arm.

She wouldn’t be doing those things with the man she loved. Not if the DIA was already here.

Landon slid down to kneel on the floor and laid his head on her belly. Her fingers instinctively threaded into his hair, playing with the soft, silky strands even as her mind drifted to a future she didn’t want to think about.

“I know we’ve never even gone out on a date,” he said against her, “but do you think that someday, maybe when you’ve had a chance to get over all this and you’ve discovered all my quirks that bug the hell out of you . . . Do you think then, maybe one day, you might want to marry me?”

Olivia’s fingers stilled in his hair. “Wh-what?”

He lifted his head and looked up at her, tears reflecting in his eyes. “I love you, Livy. I think I have since that day you opened your gorgeous green eyes in that hospital room in Seattle and rocked my world right out from under me. I never thought taking that gig with Aegis would lead me here, but I’m so glad it did. And I know I don’t deserve you. I know I’ve got a long way to go before I’ll even be close to normal, but . . . I’m willing to try. With you, I’m willing to try anything.”

Her heart stuttered, then slowly picked up speed. “How . . . ? I thought . . .” She swallowed hard. “What about the DIA?”

“I’m out.”

Her gaze searched his, hope and disbelief swirling inside her. “How? Why? Who—?”

“Dani.”

“Dani?” Her eyes widened.

“It was the only way she would agree to hand over her father’s research and go into the witness protection program. If they let me go.”

Olivia’s skin grew hot. “She did that? Why? If she goes into protection, you can’t see her anymore.”

“She knows that. She did it so you and I could be together.”

Oh . . .
shit.
Tears pooled in Olivia’s eyes. All this time she’d thought Dani was just a selfish young girl, out for her own gain, and here she’d given Olivia the greatest gift of all. Something Olivia could never repay. Not just her life, but a heart to live it with.

Landon’s eyes went all soft and dreamy. “Say you want to be with me. Because I don’t think I can live without you. I know I don’t want to. You may think I saved you, but I didn’t. You saved yourself. And you saved me. In every way that matters.”

Tears tracked down her cheeks, and she reached for him, pulling him up onto the bed with her and kissing him with everything she had in her.

This morning she’d thought her life was ending. Now she knew it was finally about to start.

He drew back and pressed his forehead against hers, breathing deeply, holding her so close she could feel the beat of his heart melding with hers, exactly as it should be. “Is that a yes? I’ll even settle for a maybe right now. Just say something, baby, because you’re killing me here.”

She blinked the tears from her eyes. “Someone told me never to give in to you. That if I did, you’d lose interest.”

He huffed. “If I haven’t lost interest yet, it’s never going to happen. And for the record, you’ve never given in to me. Not willingly at least. It’s part of the reason I love you so damn much.”

“And the fact you never stop pushing is why I love you.” She slid her fingers over his jaw, knowing that—finally—she was about to do something truly amazing with her life. “Ask me again.”

He stretched out on the bed next to her, fitting perfectly against her, just where she wanted him. Exactly where she needed him. “Will you?”

She lifted her lips to his. “Yes, Landon. Absolutely, positively, unconditionally . . . yes.”

He smiled against her mouth and sank into her. “Ooh-rah.”

Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and opened to his kiss. Ooh-rah was right. Now and always.

acknowledgments

A
fter twenty books, one would think writing would get easier, but it never does. Every time I sit down at the keyboard, I’m amazed at how much work goes into a story to bring it to life. From research to drafting to editing, each book is unique, and every step along the way brings up new challenges, new delights, and, yes, even after all this time, new frustrations.

Lethal Consequences
was a fun book to write, but the subject matter at times created dilemmas for me as a writer, and I know I definitely couldn’t have finished this book alone. Two people not only kept me motivated along the way, but were instrumental in making sure I got it right. During writing retreats from Las Vegas to the Oregon Coast, Joan Swan and Darcy Burke brainstormed plot points and scene action with me, helped me research medical information, and made sure I hit my word count every time I sat down at the computer. And I will never forget watching the two of them scene block the climax of this book with silverware in a quiet restaurant while the sun was setting over the Pacific so I would know exactly who did what and when. The waitress might have thought we were nuts thanks to all my giggling, but I know these two are the reason I was able to stay sane and finish this book on time. So to Joan and Darcy, I say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. And . . . when are we scene blocking the next book?

I also wanted to take a moment to thank my editor, Charlotte Herscher, for her fabulous editorial advice and for whipping this book into shape so quickly. And the entire team at Montlake for all their work promoting this series and getting it into readers’ hands.

And finally, I want to thank you, my reader, for falling in love with the Aegis series. Romantic suspense was my first love as a writer, and I truly enjoy living in this fast-paced, sexy world whenever I can. I’ve heard from so many of you who enjoyed the first book in this series,
Extreme Measures
, and I’m thrilled to bring you the next one. You are the reason I write, and as long as you keep asking for more, I will keep sitting at that computer, each and every day, working on the stories I know you’re anxiously waiting to read.

Happy reading, and I hope as you turned each page you fell in love with Landon and Olivia as much as I did.

—Elisabeth

about the author

Photo © Curtis Almquist at Almquist Studios

B
efore topping multiple bestseller lists—including those of the
New York Times
,
USA Today
, and the
Wall Street Journal
—Elisabeth Naughton taught middle school science. A voracious reader, she soon discovered she had a knack for creating stories with a chemistry of their own. The spark turned into a flame, and Naughton now writes full-time. Besides topping bestseller lists, her books have been nominated for some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, such as the RITA
^®
and Golden Heart Awards from Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Golden Leaf Award. When not dreaming up new stories, Naughton can be found spending time with her husband and three children in their western Oregon home.