Shut Up and Kiss Me (31 page)

And then, with another smile—a considerably sad smile—and not another word, his brother left him there staring after him.

Shaking his head, Will leaned back in his bed. His inheritance? Was he actually being threatened with his goddamn inheritance as if he were an errant child?

It was laughable, his father’s threat. He was worth quite a bit of money in his own right; his clubs were a lucrative business—even the ones that eventually failed. If you kept up with the current trends, the best locations, and most intriguing names, you couldn’t go wrong.

Yet his inheritance was worth so much more. And more importantly, his family? Would they cut him out of their lives entirely? He shook his head, still in disbelief that his own family, the people who’d raised him, could be so shortsighted.

And what of Mila? …of Anna? After everything that had happened that night, would she still want to be with him? Now that she would soon be free of her husband, of her secrets, of all that baggage she’d been carrying around for who knew how long… Would she still want him?

Wearing only a towel
, my hair wet and dripping, I stared at my bruised face in the mirror.

I had showered as soon as I’d gotten home, scrubbing my face clean of the makeup, tears, and grime, but my heart still felt dirty, heavy, and loaded down with misery. Only I refused to cry anymore.

The next few months were going to be grueling, and I knew I’d have to be strong to endure it. There would be a court case—possibly two, according to the police who, after speaking with Tennessee law enforcement, were still trying to determine whether or not I was going to be charged as an accessory. I’d been told to stay put—to not, under any circumstances, leave town.

That wasn’t what was hurting me the most, though. It was Will—the memory of the look on his face when he’d realized who I really was, that I’d been lying to him this entire time. And after we’d promised to be truthful with one another. Even that simple promise had been a lie. How could I ever expect him to forgive me?

Throwing on some clothing, I made my way into the kitchen, where I’d heard Nikki puttering around. When I walked in, Nikki handed me a steaming cup of coffee fresh from the percolator and smiled gently at me. I took a sip, relishing the heat—a stark contrast to the cold I was feeling.

“
I’m okay,” I told her.

Nikki was drinking her own cup of coffee and watching me with apprehension, much like she had done since meeting me at the hospital. She had come with me to the police station, held my hand while I’d made my statement, and since returning home had yet to leave my side, save my shower.

Her eyes welled up with tears. “I know, I know. I just keep thinking about what could have happened.”

Setting my cup down on the counter, I moved toward her, wrapping her in my arms. “I’m okay, Nikki.”

“
But—”

“
No buts. It’s over now.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, daring to truly believe just that. Pulling out of the hug, I looked down at my friend, thankful that Luke hadn’t found me here—thankful he hadn’t come after Nikki at all.

Nodding, Nikki forced a smile. “I’m sorry. It should be me comforting you, not the other way around. God, you and Will were nearly killed tonight.” Fresh tears sprung to her eyes and she shook her head. “Oh God, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” Trailing off, she shook her head again. “What are you going to do now? Do I call you Anna now? Will you go home once this is over?”

Shrugging, I leaned back against the counter. She was right: eventually I would be able to go back home. I could be Anna again—I could be and do all the things I’d always wanted. I could start fresh.

“
I’m staying right here,” I told her. “No more running.”

Nikki launched herself across the couple of feet separating us, flying into my arms. “Thank God!” she cried. “I thought I was going to lose you!” Pulling away, she smiled at me. “And what about Will?” she asked quietly.

I shook my head, tears stinging in my eyes. Dammit, I’d promised myself I wouldn’t cry, but thinking of Will, the danger I’d put him in, the damage I’d caused…I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

“
He loves you,” Nikki said.

Pressing my palms to my eyes, I took several deeps breaths, willing the tears to stop. “No,” I said, lowering my hands. “He loved Mila. And I’m not Mila.”

“
Yes, you are,” Nikki protested. “Your name might be Anna, but Mila was still you. You’re still you, regardless of what name you choose.”

Pressing my lips together, I stayed silent. I didn’t know how to explain it to her. I had seen the hurt in Will’s beautiful blue eyes. How could I ever expect him to forgive me? I couldn’t, and I wouldn’t. He deserved better than me.

“
I don’t—”

A heavy knock interrupted Nikki, causing us both to jump.

“
Oh my God,” Nikki breathed, a hand over her heart. Smiling, she shook her head and started for the hall. I followed her, turning toward the living room instead.

“
I kind of liked the name Mila,” I muttered aloud.

“
So keep it!” Nikki called out. “Ooh, and no more being scared to answer your phone, either!”

I turned and faced the window, looking out over the street, watching as people walked to and fro, going about their average lives. I was one of those people now, no longer hiding, but instead just…living. A small smile curved my lips. Living. No more fear. No more running.

“
No more running,” I whispered.

“
No more running.”

I spun around, stopping in shock at the sight of him, of his perfect face and beautiful eyes and adorably messy hair. I’d been afraid that I’d never see him again, and to see him now, so soon, in my apartment, no less…

I was breathless.

“
I’ll, uh, just be…” Nikki shot me an overly dramatic grin as she slowly backed out of the room. “I’ll be washing my hair!” she finished in a singsong voice. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

I stared at Will and he stared at me, a thousand questions between us but neither of us seeming to know where to begin. Did I start at the beginning? Or did I just apologize for everything? Did he even want an apology, or was he simply here to say goodbye?

“
Hey,” I said softly, trying to smile.

He frowned and dragged a hand through his hair, and I noticed that he had showered too; the hair around his ears appeared damp.

“
Mila—”

“
It’s Anna,” I whispered.

He laughed lightly “Right. Anna. Yeah, I remember.” He nodded to himself. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”

I sucked in a breath. “You mean…” I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence, unwilling to hold out hope for the impossible.

“
I love you,” he said, shrugging. “That hasn’t changed.”

Gaping at him, tears once again forming, I shook my head. “After everything,” I whispered, “how can you say that? You don’t even know me.”

His bandaged hands hanging at his sides, Will took a step forward. “Do you still like manhattans?”

I blinked. “Yes,” I whispered.

“
Do you still like hotdogs?”

Sniffling, I nodded. “Yes.”

“
Are you still prone to clumsiness at the most inopportune times?”

A small laugh escaped me. “Yes.”

Nodding, Will took another step closer to me. “Are you still from a small town in Tennessee? Do you still hate and love New York? Is your best friend still Nikki? Would she still castrate anyone who tried to hurt you?”

My tears spilled over. “Yes,” I breathed. “Yes.”

He took another step, closing the remaining distance between us. “Do you still love me?”

“
Yes,” I whispered raggedly. “God, yes.”

He shrugged, and smiled crookedly down at me. “Then I know you.”

Oh God, my heart—my poor, poor heart. It was going to break into a thousand beautiful pieces. It seemed insane, completely and totally insane. How could he still love me? After everything I had put him through? After all my lies and the danger I had put him in? But he did. How could I have been so lucky? This man was perfect in every way, and he was mine. He was all mine.

“
Will—”

“
Shh, just listen to me. Meeting you is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you, and I want to know more about you—I want to know everything.”

“
Will—”

“
No,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and gently nudging me into his embrace. “Don’t argue with me. I know what I want. There’s nothing more to say.”

“
But, Will—”

“
No! I know what you’re going to say, and I’m saying no. I know what I want, there’s nothing to think about.”

“
Will?” I looked up at him, into his eyes, a barely restrained grin tugging at my lips.

“
What?”

“
Shut up,” I said, grinning, “and kiss me.”

Will threw his head back and laughed out loud. And then just as quickly he was bending down and pressing his mouth to mine. I kissed him back, losing myself in the kiss, and for that moment forgetting everything that had happened and everything that still had yet to happen. Because whatever did happen, whatever pain was still yet to come, it didn’t matter. I would have Will by my side, through the good and the bad. Through whatever came our way.

“
I love you, Anna,” he said, pressing his forehead to mine.

Closing my eyes, I released a sigh, feeling as if I’d been holding this breath for a very long time. “I love you, Will,” I whispered. “I love you so much.”

Seated on the steps
of the courthouse, Will loosened his tie and freed his top two shirt buttons. To his right sat Anna. On her right was Nikki, and on his left was Richard. The four of them had been sitting there for quite some time. The crowd had long since dispersed, the news crews had gone, and their surroundings were nearly quiet with the exception of nearby traffic and their own breathing.

Tennessee was a beautiful state. The many rolling hills, the thick forestry, and a lot of scenic lakes made for a pretty impressive backdrop. Even so, Will was missing New York fiercely—the noise, the people, even the smell of the city. He was more than ready to go home. It had been a hell of a long couple of years, fraught with emotions, ups and downs, and moments where Will didn’t think it could get much worse.

But the roller coaster ride was over, all had been said and done, and the ride wasn’t just being put away for the season, it was being retired and put to rest.

Literally.

It had taken nearly a year after Luke’s arrest for him to stand trial for his crimes in New York City, and during that year, with the information garnered from Anna, the state of Tennessee had been busy preparing their own case against him.

Anna’s confession had prompted the New York District Attorney to contact the State Police in Tennessee. They’d launched a full investigation into Luke, and the town he’d lived in. Human DNA had been discovered all over his warehouse. That then gave way to a countywide search resulting in the discovery of the buried remains of what was thought to be ten different victims. To this day, only three had been identified. Eventually several witnesses stepped forward, and eventually his ties to organized crime had come to light as well—not that it had mattered much at that point.

After receiving a guilty verdict in New York, Luke was convicted of two counts of felony kidnapping and one count of attempted murder, and given a total of fifty-two years in prison. Immediately following the close of the first trial, Tennessee had extradited him and sent into immediate motion the second trial. Anna, the key witness in the case, hadn’t had a choice but to move back to her home state. And Will hadn’t been about to let her go alone, and neither would Nikki hear of it.

Richard had said, “What are you going to do in Tennessee without a driver, sir? It’s not New York, you know. There aren’t cabs and subways at your beck and call.” And so, despite the fact that Will was perfectly capable of driving himself wherever he needed to, Richard had come along as well.

And now it was over. A little over two years of hell had finally come to a shocking end.

“
It’s hot here,” Nikki muttered for what seemed like the millionth time since their arrival in the South.