Page 45 of Shadows Redeemed
She stepped to the edge of his emergency room and out of the way once they had him inside and on the bed. He looked pale, his arm wrapped in a sling, his expression hard and weary. He glanced over at her, a strange expression crossing his face before he turned to his captain, who stood at the edge of his bed, arms crossed over his broad chest.
“It’s over,” he said, his voice a hoarse whisper. “Luc, Bryce, Nealey, and Sullivan—they were all part of it. Luc’s been running dirty deals through the city for years behind his daddy’s back. When he couldn’t get the cut he wanted even then, he skimmed from the others, but not fast enough. When they figured out someone was stealing from them, he set me up to take the fall for it all.”
Sage clenched her fists, anger surging through her at the mention of Bryce’s name. That was a case she needed to dredge up again. And Luc… The scrawny thief had manipulated everything, twisting lives to suit his needs, stealing from his father, from his twisted crew. But they had him now. They had the truth.
“And Nealey?” the captain asked.
Jacob’s jaw tightened. “Dead. When he opened fire on the Garrison people, one of them took him out. It was self-defense. However, Sullivan and him were the moles we were looking for.”
Sage felt her brow pinch at that.The moles they were looking for? This was about more than the Broussards? The captainknew?She scoffed as she shook her head. She should have known there was more up Jacob’s sleeve than anyone knew.
The captain nodded, taking a deep breath as he stood a little straighter, his face a grim mask. “Well, Luc Broussard is already spilling his guts about everything, worried his father will kill him for his betrayal. He’s too scared to keep quiet, and I’m fairly certain he’ll turn state’s witness. The Broussard family will be scrambling after this.”
Sage let out a slow breath, her mind racing as the pieces fell into place. Luc’s father, who ruled the New Orleans underworld with an iron fist, would show no mercy, not even to his son. Flipping on everyone he could and entering witness protection was the only possible way Luc could hope to stay alive. And even that was iffy.
As Jacob continued to give his report, Sage couldn’t stop herself from leaning back out the open door toward Parker’s room, glancing at him through the glass wall. He sat up in his bed, the doctors and nurses finishing stitching him up, and she could see the exhaustion on his face, the toll the past few days had taken on him. Yet, he kept going.
Crossing the emergency room, she slipped her hand into his. His fingers closed around hers, squeezing gently, and for a moment, everything else faded away. All she wanted was to get him back to the hotel, to hold him, to remind him they were safe now. That they had survived. Of course, there were a couple of other things she wanted to do with him as well.
Parker glanced over at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You all right?”
She chuckled softly, tilting her head to the side. “I should be asking you that.”
“I’m fine,” he assured her, though his voice was quiet. “Thanks to you. You came through for me. For Jacob. After everything he did. Thank you.”
The warmth in his gaze made her heart skip a beat, and she found herself clinging to him even more, her heart thrumming in her ears. Right now, in that moment, nothing else mattered but him, and she couldn’t wait to get him out of that hospital. He had already said he wanted out of there, refusing to stay for observations. Not even for one night.
However, it was another three hours before they walked out of the emergency room and to her car, which Elvis had left for her once he was done at the warehouse—three hours of questions, reports, and the endless noise of the hospital. However, she got him back to the sanctuary of her hotel room, and the moment they stepped inside, the tension that had been coiling inside of her for days finally snapped.
She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close, burying her face against his chest. His free arm came around her, strong and steady, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to relax. To just be.
“It takes a lot to shake me,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “But when I heard that gunshot… I thought…”
Parker’s hand slid through her hair, his touch gentle as he let the strands fall back to her shoulders. “I know. But I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned back, grinning, one brow cocked. “Unless, of course, you’d be all right with me going to Biloxi with you.”
She looked up at him, her eyes searching his, and in that moment, she knew she didn’t want to waste any more time. Life was too uncertain, too fragile. They had come so close to losing each other, and she didn’t want to wait another second to be with him.
“That would be great.” She slid a hand around to the back of his neck, leaning up and kissing him, softly at first, tentative, but then it deepened, a slow burn that spread through her entire body. Parker’s hands tightened on her waist, pulling her closer,and for the first time in days, Sage felt something other than fear and worry.
She felt alive.
When they finally broke apart, Parker rested his forehead against hers, his breath warm against her skin. “You’re incredible,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion.
“So are you,” she whispered back.
And in that moment, as they stood together in the quiet of her hotel room, Sage knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. But at that very moment, all she wanted was him. Grabbing his hand, she stepped away from him, pulling him toward the bed. “And I intend to show you just how incredible I can be.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
PARKER LAY BESIDE SAGE, his heart still racing as they rested in each other’s arms. She took it easy on him, considering his wound, but they still collapsed on the bed in exhaustion, sweat covering their brow. The adrenaline from the mission had faded, leaving him in a peaceful haze. Sage’s warmth against him felt like a dream, and he reveled in the comfort of it. He had been through so much over the past few days, but having her here—both of them alive—was something he hadn’t dared hope for. Her breath was steady against his chest, and as he watched her, he ran his fingers gently through her fiery hair, marveling at how perfectly they fit together.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Parker didn’t feel like he was running or fighting for survival. His future seemed more solid, more real, with her in it. He could finally see past the chaos and danger that had consumed him for so long.
A soft smile toyed at his lips. He was going to Biloxi. It wasn’t just an escape. It was a new beginning, and he was starting it with Sage.
His mind drifted to the logistics of his move, the weight of everything he had to do back in New Orleans before he could leave. First, of which, he needed to make sure his brother wasall right. He wasn’t sure how much the police department would have his back, even though Sage seemed to think Jacob’s captain had been aware—and approved—of everything Jacob did. The idea of packing up his life, of leaving his parents, even if only an hour away, was daunting, but knowing Sage would be there made it easier to face. With her by his side, anything seemed possible.
As the exhaustion from their shared moment overtook him, his hand rested on Sage’s back, and he closed his eyes, letting sleep claim him once more. It was the most peaceful sleep he had in quite some time, with her nestled at his side.
