Chapter 29

The room went silent,and then Lucas"s phone lit up. He looked down to see a text from Declan, who was outside. Eight men. Three coming in front. Two from the back. Two going in through the basement. One going in a second-floor bedroom.

"Eight men," Lucas said quietly, into the darkness. Some of his family had the night vision goggles, but he hadn"t grabbed any yet. He kept his hand on Maddie"s shoulder. "They"ll be going for Maddie, the dog, and Huck. I"ll stay with them in the living room. Everyone, take them out as they enter." He relayed Declan"s message, and then the room went into immediate action.

Someone shoved night vision goggles into his hand. He put them on, and saw that Maddie and her dad already had them. He grabbed Maddie"s arm. "Both of you, come with me. Maddie, put a leash on Violet. They"ll be ready to shoot her if they see her."

Maddie grabbed Violet"s collar. "Where?"

"Living room. Behind the couch." He helped Huck to his feet, then the four of them raced across the downstairs. He pulled out the couch, shoved it to the corner, and then sent them all behind it. "You stay down," he said. "I"m covering you."

Maddie grabbed his arm. "I"m coming with you."

"Not today, my love. Today, you"re the treasure we"re protecting. If you move, you"ll mess it up. We need to know where you are. You both have to stay, because you two are the targets tonight." He looked at Huck. "Got it?"

Her dad had been in battle enough times, and he nodded. "We"re ready. Mads, come on."

Maddie looked at Lucas once more then, gave him a look of impatience, pulled out her gun, and then ducked behind the couch with her dad.

Lucas let out a breath, then he went down on his knee beside the couch, watching. Ready.

Game on.

Maddie kepta tight grip on Violet"s collar as she crouched next to her dad.

He was crouching, his gun and his body ready. He wasn"t looking at Maddie. His head was cocked, and he was fully focused on listening.

He looked fierce and focused, the dad she"d counted on as a kid.

How many times had they played games like this? Pretending the bad guys were coming. Figuring out strategies to escape. To defend.

She realized now that it hadn"t been just games.

He"d been preparing her for this moment.

Thanks, Dad.

He looked over at her, as if he"d heard her thoughts. He gave her a grin, then turned his head again to listen.

She wanted to peek over the edge of the couch, but she"d played enough games with her dad to know that being hidden was her best choice right now. She had a whole bunch of Harts and Stocktons who were her eyes right now.

As long as the bad guys didn"t know where she was, they would have to keep looking, and that gave the Harts and Stocktons a chance to take them out.

Maddie was worried about all the people out there trying to save her, but at the same time, she was inspired by them. Especially Meg and Bella. Those were women she wanted in her life. Sassy, fun, and refusing to live life in fear.

Violet"s head was cocked, and she was listening as well.

Maddie heard a thump from upstairs, and she instinctively inspected the ceiling. Had a Hart gone down? Or a bad guy?

There was another thump from the direction of the kitchen, and then another. Maddie"s heart started to race. How would they know if it was Harts and Stocktons who had gotten hurt?

No. It wouldn't be.

There were so many of the Harts and Stocktons, and they were ready. Waiting. Skilled.

Les"s men wouldn"t be prepared.

Another thump.

Then another.

Still no shots fired.

She laid down on the floor to see if she could see under the couch, but there was no gap.

She just had to wait in the dark, trusting that she would be safe, trapped in her little corner behind the couch. Trapped. She was trapped, but it made her feel safe. How amazing was that? Maybe because it wasn"t a trap when she was surrounded by love.

She waited, listening for each thump. Counting them. Five. Six.

Then, suddenly, she realized that she wasn"t panicking. She was calm. Listening. Trusting.

Her hands weren"t shaking or clammy. Her heart was full of adrenaline, but not the panic that would make her incapable of reacting.

Triumph filled her, the most exhilarating feeling.

Two weeks ago, she couldn't have sat behind the couch, trapped in a little dark hole, while evil raged only a few yards from her.

But now, tonight, she"d done it without even thinking about it.

Because of Lucas, his family, Jacob, her dad.

But most especially Lucas. He"d given her strength and confidence, and acceptance, and he"d unlocked the doors with her dad, Jacob, and the rest of his family.

Maddie closed her eyes, as the most immense sense of gratitude swept over her.

She had her power back. Power that she"d given away when she was a little tiny girl, before she"d even known what she was doing. Of course, she"d still have her moments, but the core of her, the core deep in her soul, was healing, becoming whole, becoming her authentic self.

Lucas suddenly leaned over the couch, grinning. "It"s over. Les came. We got him. Night vision goggles off. Declan"s turning the power back on."

She ripped the goggles off, and launched herself to her feet, throwing her arms around Lucas, holding onto him with all she had. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice raw with emotion.

Lucas wrapped her up in a big hug, laughing. "I didn"t take anyone out. I just sat here."

She pulled back. "You gave me my heart back. I love you, Lucas. I do. Let"s make this work. I can do a long-distance relationship. I"ll go back and forth. Whatever. I love you."

He grinned and looked over her shoulder at her dad. "Huck, I"m going to marry your daughter. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but she"s the one."

Her heart turned over. "Aren"t you going to ask me first?"

"No. I need to work this out with your dad. He needs to understand and accept me." Lucas hopped over the back of the couch, landing with a foot on either side of Violet, who jumped up and started wagging her tail fiercely.

The lights came on, and Maddie covered her eyes to adjust. As she did, she saw the Harts and Stocktons appearing, dragging inert figures with them, and putting zip ties on them, laughing and clearly enjoying themselves, and she grinned. These were her people.

But first, she had to manage the men in her life.

She turned to her dad as he stood up, drawing his shoulders back to full height, making him almost as tall as Lucas.

He held out his hand to shake Lucas"s hand, and Maddie"s heart tightened.

Lucas grinned and shook his hand.

"You"re a good man, Lucas," her dad said. "Your family is loyal, honorable, and courageous. We"re lucky to have you." He paused. "I consider Jacob my son, and if you marry my daughter, I"ll get another one."

Maddie"s throat clogged with emotion at the expression of raw vulnerability on Lucas"s face. She threw her arms around both of them and dragged them into a hug. Both men wrapped their arms around her, and each other, holding on as if they"d never let go.

They stayed that way for a long moment, until Violet barked and jumped up on her, knocking her off balance. She burst out in tearful laughter and crouched down. "And you, too, Violet. We"re a foursome."

Lucas knelt beside her. "Maddie, I"m in. For flowers, for you, for your dad, your friends, for a new start here."

"You"re sure?" Her heart was pounding, pure joy, pure love.

He grinned. "Yeah. It"s time for this billionaire slacker to get an actual business that he cares about. I"m starting with the flowers, but I"m guessing it might become something else. Gotta feel my way."

She nodded. "That sounds perfect."

"But I do know one thing I want." He slid his hand under her chin and leaned in, a mischievous sparkle in his eye.

She grinned. "What"s that?"

"You." Then he kissed her, and she knew that a new adventure was about to begin. An adventure that included a world that had suddenly become so much bigger, in so many ways.

And she was ready.