Page 49 of Tangled
Brad raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure she’s just gone and notgonegone?”
“Not one little bit,” Ryan responded. “Once we confirm the DB is Petrov, we’ll reach out to Sussurri and let them know she might be in danger. They might know where she is.”
Brad shook his head. “For a woman whose death didn’t even register with the LAPD, Gracie had a lot of ties that the Feds probably wouldn’t have minded knowing about. The Wolf and Sussurri primarily.”
“I think the lesson we take from this is never make any assumptions,” Ryan said, then nodded toward the two women. “Shall we join them?”
Brad pushed off the counter and led his cousin into the room. A heavily pregnant Olivia lounged in a chair with her feet propped up, and Scarlett had retaken her seat on the couch. Less than fifteen minutes had passed since Olivia and Ryan had arrived, and already Olivia was enlisting Scarlett’s help with the Hedy Experience, a program she ran at the high school to encourage girls in STEM. The project overlapped, in philosophy, with the foundation Sabina ran, and Scarlett was asking all sorts of questions.
Content to listen, he and Ryan sat back and sipped their drinks as the women talked. He knew it wouldn’t always be smooth sailing with Scarlett. They were still getting to know each other—while also tracking a killer and getting used to the idea they were going to be parents. But right now, in this moment, his life was pretty damn near perfect. Outside, fresh snow coveredthe landscape like bright frosting, delighting the weekend skiers. Inside, a fire roared in the fireplace, Scarlett was tucked under a blanket, and he had family visiting.
His gaze lingered on Scarlett. From the moment he’d laid eyes on her, he’d known that she’d mean something to him, that she’dbesomething to him. Then, when he’d touched her, what thatsomethingwas had crystallized into one thing—his future. Those memories of the future that he’d glimpsed their first night together? They’d happen. He had no doubt. The only thing he regretted was not trying to find her sooner. But what was done was done. She was here now—they were here. And regardless of what came at them in the years to come, they’d still be here.
Perhaps there was a little bravado in that. Or naivete. He didn’t think so, though. He knew relationships took work. He knew they went through hard—and sometimes terrible—times. But he’d also seen his parents, his grandparents, and his aunt and uncle work through those times. He’d seen the other side.
He’d once asked his dad how he and his mom did it—how they stayed such a strong unit. His dad had shrugged and simply reminded him that he could be gone from this life in the next breath. A morbid thought, but he also heard what his dad hadn’t said. If he could be gone in the next breath, how should that reality shape his words and actionsnow? What would hereallywant to say, or how would he really want to act, if he had no second chances?
A piece of advice he’d never forgotten. He wasn’t perfect—he lost his temper, he got frustrated and overwhelmed. But the memory of his father’s words always followed his outburst or anger, grounding him to what was important.
And Scarlett was important.
“What do you think?” Ryan asked.
He shifted his gaze away from Scarlett to his cousin.
“Hmm?” he asked.
Ryan smiled. “Scarlett was asking about stopping by to see Tia, Cody, and the babies tomorrow.”
“I’m happy to stay here, but it might be nice to get out for a little while if it’s not unsafe,” Scarlett said.
With Petrov likely dead, she was safer than she had been two days ago. But there were still people out there looking for her—or for the information she had. Although, a walk in the woods around Cody’s placewouldbe nice.
“Will you let me know what you hear from Akers?” he asked Ryan.
Scarlett frowned. “Who’s Akers?” Brad grimaced, wondering if Ryan had wanted to keep that information to himself. His cousin waved him off, though, and he relayed the same information to Scarlett and Olivia that he’d provided earlier.
“Wow,” Scarlett said. “That’s an interesting—and not altogether surprising—development. If Katz really is trying to find Gracie’s killer, he may go after the madam, or Kimmie, next.”
“Once we confirm it’s Petrov, we’ll call Kimmie’s employer,” Ryan said.
Scarlett nodded, then turned back to him. “What do you think? If they are up for visitors and Petrov is out of the picture?”
“Then I think it’s a great idea. I bought a few things over the last couple of months for both Tia and the babies. We can take them over,” he said. By “a few,” he meant about a dozen things. The man who ran the gift shop in the lodge had a keen eye and access to all sorts of vendors. As soon as Tia’s pregnancy became obvious, he’d started sending Brad suggestions for gifts, most of which he ended up buying.
“Depending on how things go with that one,” Ryan said, nodding to his wife, “we’ll join you.” He rose as he spoke and, taking his cue, Olivia swung her feet off the table and held her hand out. Ryan smiled as he walked over to help her up.
“As much as I’d like to see Tia and the babies, I would not mind giving birth sooner rather than later. Some women are fine until the day they deliver. I’m not one of them. It’ssouncomfortable—heartburn, achy feet, sore back. Not to mention a rib cage that feels stuffed with a bunch of organs that have been shoved up there to make room for this girl,” she said, setting a hand on her belly. Despite her words, she smiled as she spoke.
“I’d do it for you if I could,” Ryan said, holding her jacket out for her to slip into.
“I know,” she said. “Since you can’t, could you draw me a bath when we get home? And rub my feet?”
Ryan kissed the back of her head. “I’ll even throw in some of that bath oil you like.”
“You are a prince among men, Ryan Warwick,” Olivia said, turning and lifting her lips to him.
Brad smiled and took Scarlett’s hand as he watched his cousin kiss his wife. Ryan’s attentiveness to Olivia surprised no one. Before realizing he needed to get his shit together if he wanted to be with the woman he loved, he’d been taciturn and distant. But when he committed to the path, he committed 100 percent.Nothingwas more important to him than his wife and their growing family.
