His eyes softened and filled with worry. “Angel?” he whispered on an anguished cry as he opened his arms to her.
Kenzie launched herself into them. There was her love. “How? How are you alive? I saw the bullet hit you in the heart.”
Ryker didn’t answer her right away. Instead, he kissed her as tears sprang to her eyes. He was alive. Her love was alive.
Cheers went up around them, but Kenzie was lost in Ryker’s kiss. Slowly he pulled back, his eyes full of concern as he looked her over. “Did they hurt you?”
Kenzie shook her head, but she couldn’t stop staring at the black spot over his heart. “No, but you’re shot. I saw it. I did.”
Ryker smiled at her then and she wanted to scream at him. He was shot! He shouldn’t be smiling. He shouldn’t be alive.
“This jacket is a gift from my cousin, Piper. She’s developed this ultrathin nanotech clothing that’s bulletproof,” Ryker said, showing her that there was no hole in the jacket from the bullet. “Hurt like hell getting shot, but nothing was going to stop me from protecting you.”
Kenzie stared in wonder as she fingered the fabric to make sure there was no hole. Then she burst into tears as she flung her arms around him. “I love you so much. Don’t ever scare me like that again!”
“Me scare you? You turned yourself over to the mob!” Ryker yelled at her.
“Yeah, but it was to save the town,” she replied as she pulled back to look up at him.
“Haven’t you realized this town doesn’t need saving? Look around? You almost gave me a heart attack.”
Kenzie paused then and looked around. The fog was thinning and all around her the townsfolk were armed to the teeth, just like the pirates who founded Shadows Landing. Inside the circle were Kord, Dare, Paxton, Peter, and Granger, holding the surviving men at gunpoint as Miss Winnie and Miss Ruby lectured them with the tips of their swords pressed to their hearts.
The giant pirate swaggered forward from the church doors with a grin on his face. “That was some right good fun.”
“Gator?” Kenzie gasped, as she realized who was beneath the wig and beard.
Gator took off the giant pirate hat and swept a bow before putting his COCKS ballcap back on. “Yes, ma’am. You were right brave doing what you did, but we had your back.”
Ryker took her hand in his and turned her to face him. She saw raw emotion in his eyes and it took her breath away. “Kenzie, you’re my angel. You’ve pulled me from the darkness and rescued me in every way a man could be rescued. I’d walk through the fires of hell to be with you. You’re smart, brave, determined, and the most kind, good-hearted woman I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. When you love, you love with your whole heart. I can only hope to love you as you love me. You would have sacrificed yourself to save me and I wouldn’t think twice about doing the same for you. Imagine what we can do when we walk side-by-side supporting and loving each other through life. The happiness, the love, and the future I’d once thought I could never have, I see with you.”
Ryker dropped to one knee and Kenzie’s mouth dropped open and her hand flew up to cover her surprised gasp. “I’m sorry, angel. I was planning something more romantic, but almost losing you has changed my timeline so I don’t have the ring I was planning on buying next week.”
“Wait!”
Kenzie turned to the cry that seemed to echo louder than the church bells and saw Olivia dash forward with a blue velvet box in her hand. “I had a feeling you’d need this.”
Kenzie laughed as Ryker shook his head, but there was a smile on his face as he took the box and opened it. He took the ring out and held it up to Kenzie. “Kenzie Carys, will do me the greatest honor and marry me?”
Words failed her. They were popping into her head so fast she couldn’t say them. Love. Trust. Loyalty. Friendship. Instead, she nodded until she could finally shout, “Yes!”
29
Ryker couldn’t let go of Kenzie. FBI agents had swarmed the town and were busily taking statements while everyone helped clean up the mess from the shootout. But he couldn’t take his hand from hers. He had to touch her in some way to reassure himself she was okay.
The bar was put back to rights, Porzio’s men had been hauled away, and a team of glass repairmen Ryker hired was already working to get new windows for the buildings along Main Street.
“What’s the latest on Georgina?” Ryker asked Granger as they sat in the bar waiting for Peter to give them an update.
“Kord texted that she’s out of surgery. Thanks for sending them in your helicopter,” Granger told him.
“It was my fault she was shot,” Ryker said with a heavy heart. He made sure the hospital knew it was his friend on the way in and had the top surgeon in the area was waiting for her.
“What was the final diagnosis?” Kenzie asked.
Granger looked down at his cell phone and read off a text Kord had sent. “Gunshot wound to the shoulder. It missed her ribs and shoulder joint, but did take a centimeter off the top of her scapula. However, doctors say she’ll recover fully.”
“Thank goodness,” Kenzie said, letting out a deep breath. Ryker moved his hand to her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze.
The door to the bar opened as Peter and Paxton walked in with matching frowns. “What happened?” Ryker asked Peter as he pulled Kenzie to his side as if he needed to protect her from whatever they were going to say.
“My men lost Bianca. She didn’t get into her car. Instead, she walked down the street. They pulled over to arrest her and she went into a restaurant. They never found her after that.” Peter’s frown deepened. “The men we arrested won’t talk. They won’t even tell us their names. However, we got a facial match on two of them. They’re both Porzios from Italy, backing up what others said about being sent by Little Joey Porzio.”
Ryker clenched his jaw as thoughts of all the ways he was going to destroy them went through his head.
Olivia cleared her throat. “Why don’t you call our friend to help find Bianca?”
Ryker’s phone rang with Kale’s number. “That’s freaky,” he muttered as he answered it. “We were just talking about you.”
“Not with my name, I hope,” Kale said. It was part of their agreement. Kale, Roxie, and Alex were to remain anonymous.
“Of course not. But I do need your help.”
“You’re missing a Bianca,” Kale said with amusement. “Also, congratulations. I see the ring. I think we picked well.”
“We?” Ryker asked, looking around for Harper’s security camera and staring at it knowing Kale was watching.
“Olivia and I had a little chat. Based on a social media and browser search history analysis, this was the style that best fit Kenzie. Olivia did the rest. Does Kenzie like it? Marcy Davies is thrilled for you. I’d expect an apple pie any day now if I were you. You’d also better call her. She’s expecting you to deliver the news yourself that she’s invited to another family wedding.”
Ryker shot a look at Olivia who smiled back innocently at him. Even his meanest glare did nothing to elicit anything other than a neutral, peaceful smile. “Kenzie loves it. Now, where’s my Bianca problem?”