Page 79 of Alex

“Thank you, sir.”

Alex got to his feet, picked up his hat and coat, nodded at the men, and strode out the door.

Once he stepped outside, he breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been terrified he was going to be fired. He knew the rules and he broke them, but he wouldn’t change it for the world, except for Dylan being shot. He’d rather take that bullet than see her get shot.

As he walked to his truck, he removed his cellphone from his pocket, scrolled through the numbers, and when he found Dylan’s, he pushedSend.

“Alex?” she said when she answered.

“It’s fine. I got my ass chewed, but I still have a job. I was warned, however, if I ever do it again, I will no longer be an agent.”

“Do it again? You’d better not do it again. If you think not being an agent is bad, try not having balls. Because I will chop them off if you do this with another woman.”

Alex chuckled. “I have enough on my hands with you. That reminds me, do you remember what you told me the night you were shot?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ll see you when you get back.” She disconnected.

Alex looked at his phone, laughed, and put it away. She was so damn stubborn, but he loved her, and he planned on telling her when he got back. He wanted her and Zoey in his life. He wanted to take care of them for the rest of his life. He climbed into his truck and drove home.

****

Dylan smiled as she put the phone on the arm of the sofa. She couldn’t wait to see him. She was so happy that he hadn’t lost his job. He wouldn’t admit it, but if he had, it would have been her fault. She pushed and pushed, and he had trouble telling her no.

She sighed as she sat on the sofa, watching a movie. Zoey was taking a nap, and although Dylan was in a little pain, she refused to take a pain pill.

After seeing what Travis went through with getting addicted to them, she never wanted to go that route. She could understand how someone could get hooked on them. They helped with pain and made it bearable, but she didn’t want them any longer. They were too dangerous. Travis got in a lot of trouble because of them, and she certainly didn’t want to go down that road. She just didn’t know what was going through his head when he took Zoey with him to buy drugs. What had he been thinking? He’d been thinking of getting his fix, not caring about his daughter.

Dylan blamed herself for the longest time. If she hadn’t been helping her father with the books, Travis wouldn’t have had to watch Zoey. She knew she wasn’t being fair to herself, but it all came down to her not watching her daughter, but it was no excuse for him to do what he did. If Zoey had been hurt, or worse, killed, she would have died. She hated Travis and hoped he rotted in a prison cell and then hell.

The following afternoon, she sat on the sofa with Zoey, watching cartoons, when she heard a vehicle pull up outside. Butterflies took flight in her belly as she thought of seeing Alex.

“Let me up, Zoey. I think we have company.”

“Who is it, Mama?”

“I’ll see. You wait here.”

Dylan stood, made her way to the kitchen, and peered out the door to see the love of her life, getting out of his truck. He opened the back door, and she laughed when she saw Peaches jump out of the truck. She ran to the porch before he even had time to close the door. She saw him shake his head, then walked up the porch.

Dylan opened the door before he knocked, and they stared at each other. Alex stepped forward, kissed her lips, and then her forehead.

“I missed you, darlin’,” he said.

“Not as much as I missed you,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.

“Alex!” Zoey ran into the kitchen and hugged his legs.

He leaned down, picked her up, and hugged her. Then she saw Peaches and wanted down. Alex set her down and laughed when she hugged Peaches, then they ran to the living room. He turned to look at Dylan, and they stared into each other’s eyes.

“I’m so glad you didn’t lose your job because of me.”

“It wouldn’t have been your fault, Dylan. I should have put my foot down, but you’re one stubborn woman.”

“I can be.”

“Can be? You are. You won’t tell me what you said the night you were shot,” he said with a grin.

Dylan stared into his eyes, stood on her toes, and kissed his lips. When she raised her lips, she smiled.