Once Upon a Marriage (24 page)

“The guy who was after Liam, his name is Hank Chassen. After his father lost everything in the Connelly Ponzi scheme, he committed suicide. The money Walter was paying back was like salt in his wound. It didn't bring his father back. He's not stable, Marie. How you managed to keep him so calm...you were great.” Her lips were trembling as she smiled.

Marie felt as though she might cry, too. But wasn't sure how at the moment. Everything was still so...distant. As if she were outside her body looking in.

She'd made such a huge mistake—thinking she didn't trust Elliott—convincing him that she couldn't be a good spouse to him. She had to see him. To tell him how very much she loved him. And knew that even a day of happiness with him was better than a lifetime of being safe.

“The woman who was in your shop, the law student, he told her that no one would get hurt as long as she packed up, walked calmly to the door and then pulled the security guard away long enough for him to get the door locked. He said she could call 911 as soon as she got to her car.”

She remembered now. A swarm of people. Calls of “All clear.”

“He told me didn't care if he got caught.”

Liam was answering the male detective's questions. They were speaking softly, and she could only make out the rumbles of their voices. They were in a family trauma area of the hospital and were apparently the only family with trauma that night.

“He knew your routine,” the female detective said. She might have introduced herself at some point. Marie couldn't remember. “And waited for Elliott to leave before making his move.”

“But... Elliott was there...”

“He said something just hit him,” Gabi said, pushing hair out of Marie's face. “He had a letter to hand-deliver for a client, but then wondered why in the heck he'd stop for dinner when you'd said you wanted to talk to him. He was coming in to wait in the shop until you were finished working when he heard Chassen tell you to keep going.”

Marie frowned. “I was going to push him over the rail,” she said, the memory clear and encased in fog at the same time. “It's old,” she said, as if that explained everything.

And she had to know... “How bad is Elliott hurt?”

“He's fine.”

At Gabi's words, tears filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks. She was listening but couldn't stop the tears. Gabi wiped at them as she spoke.

“He has one superficial wound. A bullet grazed his shoulder. Chassen didn't get so lucky. Elliott's first shot hit the ceiling. He'd used it to get Chassen to let you go and turn around. His second and third shots to Chassen's arm and thigh hit their marks perfectly.”

“A hostage negotiation team was on the way,” the woman, who'd taken a cotton swab with something cold to Marie's hand, said as she put her vial away.

“And if I'd waited for them to get there as requested, he could have killed her,” Elliott said. “A life I'd been hired to protect was being threatened. I was within my boundaries to take action.”

Marie swung around, her throat closing up again as she saw the man who'd just spoken coming up behind them. She didn't think about jumping up.

She just did it. And ran straight into his opened arms. He held her so tightly her ribs hurt and she didn't care.

“You can make me doubt myself for the rest of my life,” she said, knowing she probably sounded crazy and didn't care. “I'd much rather have you worrying me than spend the rest of my life living without you.”

The words poured out of her, not at all the way they were meant to. They'd have a long talk. She owed him that. But loving him, being his wife, couldn't wait.

Elliott's eyes glistened as he gazed at her.

The others were there, maybe talking, maybe gawking.

“I am going to spend the rest of my life protecting you from hurt, little one,” he said. “Hopefully you'll make it easy on me and let it be from by your side. I do much better up close.”

“You didn't do too shabby from down a flight of stairs.” Liam had joined them, holding out his hand to Elliott. The detectives, obviously having all they needed for then, were back in the distance.

Gabi came up and Liam drew her to him with his free arm. “You saved our lives.”

Marie missed the warmth of Elliott's arm when he let go just long enough to shake the hand Liam proffered. She didn't want to let go of him at all.

But wasn't going to let herself give up autonomy again. She was a new woman. Standing on her own two feet. Ready to love. And to let herself be loved.

“I trusted Elliott all along,” she heard herself say inanely. “Like Mom. And Gabi. That's why I talked to him so much from the very beginning.” She needed everyone to know. Right then. That minute. Because she'd almost lost her chance to ever say those words.

“We knew that,” Gabi said, looking at Liam. “Just like we knew that this was something you were going to have to figure out on your own.”

“Well, you could have clued me in,” Elliott said, looking at the two of them. His eyes were boldly bright and Marie started to cry again.

Liam grabbed her and pulled her up against him. Gabi's arm came around her, completing a circle. “You, my girl, were going to die for us,” Liam said, obviously choked up. “You're the best friend anyone could ever have, Marie.”

“That's why I'm lucky she's my best friend.” Gabi grinned, teary, too. She pulled back and looked at Marie. “You are the glue that keeps my pieces together, my friend. You always have been. I don't know what I'd have done if anything happened to you.”

Something inside her loosened. Gabi needed her just as she needed her friend. Even married, they needed each other. And that was as it should be. As it was meant to be.

People finding each other. Connecting. Giving and Taking. Trusting.

Elliott took a step forward, Marie felt his body touching hers. For one brief second she was reminded of another body behind her, forcing her forward to witness death—either her own or that of her friends. She shuddered. Elliott's hands caressed her shoulders. Liam and Gabi each still had an arm around her.

“We've got your back, Marie,” Liam said. “The doctor warned that you're going to have some moments. Your job is to trust us with them.”

“He came out and talked to you?”

“Of course. We're your family. The doctor always consults with the family after treating the patient.”

He made life sound so simple.

And in some ways, it could be. If people—like her—weren't so busy making it so complicated.

“You all are pretty incredible,” Elliott said. “You prove that true family doesn't have to be biological.”

“I was just mentioning to Gabi last Sunday, before we headed out to your place, that she should look into modifying the LLC,” Liam said.

He and Gabi exchanged glances. And then looked at Marie.

“I was thinking Fourfold would be a good name for us,” Gabi said. Instead of Threefold.

Everyone was looking at her. Was she ready to take on the marriage she'd dared to start in Las Vegas? Ready to trust herself to have it all?

Marie's eyes filled with tears again. “I completely concur,” she said.

“So it's settled.” Liam dropped the arm around Marie to hold his hand out to Elliott a second time. “The board of directors has voted you in as our fourth director,” he said.

Marie felt his one hand that was still touching her tremble. Elliott might be a professional, used to dealing with guns and violence. But he didn't shoot people on a normal basis. And he wasn't a rock.

“I think we should go,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “It's been a long night.”

“My car's just outside.” Liam led the way, pulling Gabi with him.

Elliott looked at Marie. She looked up at him.

“What happened in Vegas came home,” she said to him.

“It happened at the historic Arapahoe, my love. I walked in the front door of your shop, you smiled at me and for the first time since my mother died, I wasn't on the outside looking in.”

“No one has ever been as far
in
as you are, Elliott. It's kind of scary, you know?”

He nodded. “Like almost losing you tonight?”

“Or almost losing you. So...we take each day, and if I get whacked or paranoid...”

He put a finger to her lips. “We all have faults. We all have bad days. The trick is to not shut each other out. You've got it down, Marie. Better than most. All you have to do is talk about it. Just don't ever stop talking to me...”

Lips trembling, she nodded.

“Hey, you two, you coming?” Liam was back. “I was going to suggest an all-nighter to celebrate, but I'm guessing the two of you would just gaze into each other's eyes all night...”

“Liam!” Gabi nudged him.

“Just kidding.” He threw up his hands. “Can't a guy have a little fun around here?”

Marie laughed. And cried a little more. She held Elliott's hand as they left the hospital and knew, without a single doubt, that she was right where she belonged.

By his side.

* * * * *