Anna closed the door behind the last police officer with a weary sigh. She turned back into the living room to see Robert stretching out his left arm with a grimace.
Instantly she was at his side. "Is your chest all right?" she asked anxiously as she reached up to lay her palm lightly on his shirt over the spot where he had been shot.
"It's fine," he reassured. "Just sore."
Anna nodded, biting her lip. She could have lost him again just now. If things had gone wrong Barrett could have shot him, killed him – she wrapped her arms around herself, breathing hard as reaction washed through her, suddenly barely able to stand, her legs going rubbery beneath her.
Robert gripped her shoulders, lending her his strength. Feeling her body trembling against his hands he reached his good arm around her waist and gently eased her down onto the sofa, then sat close beside her, knees touching, one hand in hers.
He stared at her for a long moment, his heart throbbing painfully, aching in his chest. Taking in her expressive brown eyes and those long, silken tresses that cascaded over her shoulders like waves. He'd never forgotten it, the feel of her hair. Unable to stop himself he reached up and tucked a stray lock behind her ear, letting his fingers slide slowly, deliberately, through the soft strands before dropping his hand back to his side and releasing a deep sigh. How precious this woman was to him. The idea of losing her was incomprehensible.
And yet it had so nearly happened. Once again she had so nearly given her life for his.
"I heard what you said to Barrett," he said thickly as he relived the horror of that moment for what he knew would not be the last time. "That you would die before you would let anyone hurt me."
"Yes." She gazed at him, her eyes glowing like embers of starlight. "I've always felt that way, Robert," she whispered.
He nodded, knowing in his bones he felt the same. He would protect her and Robin with his last, dying breath. And right now nothing in his life was more important than the knowledge that she was safe here beside him. He needed her so much, and he wanted her so much…
For a moment his longing for her took his breath away. With no other thought in his mind he lifted the small hand that still sat in his and pressed a fervent kiss into her palm. As he did so, the ring on her third finger glinted in the light.
Robert let go of her hand in consternation. Once more he had forgotten. Forgotten that there was a ring on her finger, that she was engaged to marry another man.
And yet, and yet… He'd heard nothing from her these past weeks about a wedding date, and what's more, she had just kissed him as if her life depended on it. Was it possible that she wasn't as fully committed to Lavery now as she once had been, after all that had happened over the past few months? Suddenly it was important for him to know.
"That morning –" he finally said, and he knew he didn't have to specify which morning he meant – "you said you were having second thoughts about getting married."
Anna nodded, her heart beginning to pound.
"Are you still?"
Was he – was he asking what she thought he might? She swallowed hard. "Yes."
Robert, feeling his way with great care, gave a slow nod, his blue eyes unblinking. "Then the two of you haven't set a wedding date?"
Her own eyes as she looked at him were as dark and fathomless as the sea. "No."
He released a slow, contemplative breath. "I see."
"I just – we couldn't," Anna went on, "not after everything that's happened."
"You mean –" he leaned close, still holding her gaze with his own, "what Sean said?"
Anna's eyes never left his. "Yes."
"I see."
Yes, what Sean said, she thought. That what she and Robert had shared had been something very special. That they were really meant to be together. She'd always felt that, always. Even now, nine years after their marriage had so cruelly ended.
What she'd had with Robert was so precious, so perfect – Sean was right when he said they'd had something that only came along once in a lifetime. If there was any chance of getting it back…
Despite the very real risk of rejection and heartbreak, she had to try. After all, all her life she'd been a risk taker. This was the ultimate risk – but if it succeeded then it was worth everything. Because another chance with Robert was all she had ever wanted.
Reaching deep inside herself for courage, she lifted her chin and captured his gaze with her own. Holding it, making it clear that what she was about to say was of the utmost importance. A matter of life and death, in its own way. "Robert –" she began.
"Yes."
It was now or never. She licked her lips, preparing to bare her heart. "There is one man I wouldn't hesitate to marry –"
For a brief moment the words hung crystalline in the air. Then the front door burst open and Duke rushed inside on a blast of cool evening air.
"Anna! Are you all right?" He rushed to the sofa and pulled her up into his arms in a crushing grip. "I heard on the radio there was a break in. Are you and Robin okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Robin is away at Philomena's cousin's for the night."
"Thank god!" Duke's expression of gratitude came from the very depths of his heart. He eased his fiancée back down onto the sofa; loosening his hold on her only enough to lift one hand and brush her hair carefully back from her face.
Robert exhaled a breath, not failing to register the similarity of Lavery's gesture to the one he himself had made just a few moments ago. Nor could he help noticing the way the man was sitting with Anna tucked against his side and his arm locked possessively around her waist. An uncomfortable, almost suffocating, feeling began to well in his chest. Hoping to quash it he stood and cleared his throat. "I should get going."
Anna looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. He wasn't really leaving, now, after everything that had just happened? "Going? Where?"
"Down to the station."
"At this time of night?" Duke pitched in.
Robert nodded. "Yeah. I should go check that Barrett is actually being held securely in custody this time."
Duke stared. "Barrett? Wasn't he the guy who was with Elena?" He turned to Anna. "I thought he was in jail in New York City."
"He was," she said. "Until now, apparently." She cocked her head at Robert. "How did you know he was here?"
"Our mate Matt Pendleton from the WSB called the office. He said Barrett had broken out of jail last night and was on his way here."
Duke's expression darkened. "To put you in danger once again," he said to Anna with anger clouding his voice. "You could have been killed!"
"Yes, but I wasn't," Anna replied, soothing, reaching up to cup his cheek in reassurance. "I'm right here."
Robert found his discomfort building like the distant rumbling of a storm. It was time to get moving. He jiggled the car keys in his pocket. "I'll see you later."
"Wait, Robert –" Anna called after him, but he was already in motion.
When he reached the front door he glanced back over his shoulder at the two of them. "Don't forget to close the window in Robin's room," he called, and made his escape.
Anna exhaled a sigh as the door closed behind Robert. Barely thirty minutes ago he had kissed her, and now he was gone.
Robert had kissed her. Her breath caught in her lungs at the thought. He had kissed her, and not just a peck on the cheek, but a full-blooded kiss that had burned through her like wildfire. And he'd felt it too – she was certain he had.
"Anna?"
Duke caught her chin between his fingers and with a gentle touch lifted her gaze to meet his.
She blinked. "Yes?"
The kiss hadn't felt anything like a quick kiss between friends, or like the affectionate kiss of family, or like any other platonic kiss she'd experienced across the years. He had kissed her like he wanted her. Just thinking back on it made her heart race. She'd never imagined that –
"You're sure you're all right?"
Anna nodded as a soft smile stole across her face at his obvious concern. "I'm fine. Really."
"I should have been here," Duke said with frustration and guilt burning in his eyes. He held her gaze firmly with his own. "I would have been here, if we were married."
She sighed. "I know. But I'm all right, really."
"Yes, and I can't tell you how grateful I am for that. But isn't it time you stopped putting yourself at risk?" His grip on her waist tightened. "For Robin's sake? And for mine?"
She knew what he was asking. This was a conversation they'd had before, just after Robert had moved out, when he'd wanted her to give up her job as a PI. And her answer was still the same. "You know I can take care of myself."
He nodded. "Of course. But as your husband it'll be my job to take care of you. To be there for you, not put you in more danger."
"Duke, I don't want to go over this again," Anna replied wearily. "Not tonight." His subtle digs at Robert and their work together were beginning to test her patience. Couldn't he see that she was perfectly capable of looking after herself, and that what she and Robert were doing was important? After all, they had taken down Elena Parsons – and now they had taken down Barrett as well.
And then they had kissed. And he had tasted just like she remembered, sweet and tangy and just a little bit dangerous as their mouths moved together as one.
"I know, I know," Duke replied. He slid his fingers through her hair, devotion shining in his dark eyes. "I just want to protect you, keep you safe."
Anna's shoulders slumped. "I know. But your idea of protecting me is to wrap me in cotton wool and – and keep me in a drawer somewhere. I don't need that kind of protection, and I don't want it. And I'm not going to give up my career."
Duke's hands lifted in capitulation. "Look, I'm just saying maybe it's time your priorities changed a little bit. If you want a career you can have a career. Just choose one that doesn't involve all the dangerous stuff."
She huffed out a frustrated sigh. How many times had she and Duke been down this road? Just the thought of giving up her work as an investigator – work that she was good at, work that she relished – made her feel smaller, less significant, somehow. How could he still not understand that after all this time?
Robert, on the other hand, never tried to limit her, or to stop her from doing something she loved. He would never ask her to give up her career – regardless of the dangers involved…
She recalled him sitting beside her as Duke was now, kissing her palm, the intimacy of the gesture making her heart throb. And she recalled the consternation in his eyes when he caught sight of the engagement ring on her finger.
She knew that he would never seriously consider rekindling their relationship while she was engaged to Duke. He was far too honorable a man for that. If she was going to have any chance of getting him back, she really was going to have to risk everything.
Somehow the decision wasn't as difficult as she thought it might be. Taking a deep breath she tugged the gold circlet from her finger.
"Here." She dropped the ring into Duke's palm and gently closed his fingers over it.
He jerked his hand back as if scalded. "What is this? I don't want this."
"I know. I'm sorry."
He opened his hand. Stared down at the ring, and then at Anna. "Anna, what are you doing?" he pleaded, his eyes wide and uncomprehending. "We're going to get married."
"I know. But not right now. I can't, I just can't," she said, willing him to understand. "I just need some time right now – to figure things out –"
"What is there to figure out?" he demanded in a voice as low and cutting as the blade of a knife. His fist closed around the ring. "Is this because I'd rather you didn't work? Because I –"
With a sigh Anna said, "No, it's not that. It's just…"
Duke reached out and caught her shoulders in a firm, reassuring grip. "I promise you, once we're married everything will be all right."
Anna paused. How many times had she heard him say that? How many times had she wanted, desperately wanted, it to be true? Too many. But it was becoming clear to her that clinging to the belief that their future would be perfect was just a way of avoiding the problems that faced them today – that had faced them from the very start. Shaking her head, she slipped from his grasp and stood, running a hand tiredly through her hair. "I'm sorry. I can't do this with you right now. I just can't."
He rose and took a step towards her, holding out the ring. "I'm not taking this back. I lost you once and I won't lose you again. You and I are going to get married –"
"Duke, don't do this now, please," Anna said again, more firmly, her frustration mounting. As much as she loved him for his adamant refusal to give up on the two of them having a future together, tonight his relentlessness was beginning to wear her out.
"If this is about Robert –"
"It's not about Robert!" she gritted. Feeling her tenuous hold on her temper start to slip. "I've just been attacked in my own home. I need to call Robin and Philomena and then I just want to take a bath and go to bed."
"So I'll still see you for dinner tomorrow?" he asked in hopeful appeal.
She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, I can't. I just…I need some space right now."
He reached for her with a pleading expression on his face. "Anna –"
Anna backed away, moving towards the door. "I'll call you later, I promise."
He proffered the ring again. "Please, just take this back," he begged as she turned the handle and crisp, cool air began to slowly filter into the room. "I need you to take this back."
She held the door open. "Please. Just go."
"All right, I'm going," he replied finally as he gazed at her with hurt, mournful eyes. He slipped the ring into his pocket and stepped outside. "But this isn't over, I promise you."