The Innocent Witness (17 page)

Barb and Dr. Mason had insisted the best thing for Mikey was to immerse him back into his regular school schedule. She knew they were right. And her dear, sweet Mikey had begun to reintegrate smoothly.

Viv could have easily afforded a new house if she wanted after the one she'd shared with Steven had burnt to the ground. Instead, she'd found an apartment in the same building as Barb, needing to be close to a friend. Though Barb had taken a short trip to Boston with Joe right away. When she returned, it had taken every ounce of self-control Viv possessed not to ask about Anthony.

Taking one day at a time had always been her motto. Even more so now. And writing out the week's events in chronological order along with Marshal's confession had been cathartic in some ways. But she was also reminded how brave and heroic Anthony had been.

“What will happen to Marshal?” she asked.

“He'll be indicted and prosecuted for murder and a variety of other crimes,” Kevin replied, taking his seat in a high-back presidential chair behind a solid wood oval desk. “His assistant Wendell Brooks pleaded out for a lesser sentence in exchange for incriminating evidence against his boss. Wendell kept meticulous records of all of Mr. Kent's dealings as well as taping several of their conversations.”

“Poor Millie.” Empathy squeezed Viv's heart.

She could only imagine how devastated Marshal's
unsuspecting wife must be right now. Viv was still reeling from the knowledge her father had basically bartered her life for Steven's silence. The betrayal cut deep. Somehow she'd have to find the strength to forgive him. God would want her to. She knew the path to freedom was through love and forgiveness.

A knock sounded on the office door.

“Enter,” Kevin called out.

As the door swung open Viv glanced up expecting to see Mrs. Olivetti, the AAG's secretary. But the older woman didn't walk through the doorway.

The one man she never expected to see again did.

Viv blinked. The world tilted. “Anthony?”

His onyx-colored gaze met hers. “Hi, Viv.”

The uncertainty, the hope and tenderness flashing in those wonderful eyes sent her heart thumping. Every cell in her body jumped to attention. Her hands clenched the arms of the leather chair to keep from bounding out of her seat and into his arms.

“Right on time,” Kevin was saying as he rose from behind his commanding desk. “We were just finishing up here.”

“Thank you.” Anthony stepped closer.

His familiar aftershave teased Viv's senses, making her ache with the longing to nuzzle against his clean-shaven cheek. She'd missed the way he smelled.

Kevin moved toward the door. “Take your time,” he said before exiting and closing the door behind him.

Viv's mind scrambled to make sense of the situation. Her heart raced. Her lungs squeezed tight, making her voice sound breathless. “What's going on? What are you doing here?”

“I work here, actually.” Anthony took the seat beside her, his knees brushing against hers and sending little tingles bursting through her like Fourth of July fireworks.

He studied her. “You went back to blonde.”

Self-consciously she touched the ends of her neatly styled hair. “The black was fading.”

“You're beautiful either way.”

Her heart hiccupped at the compliment. Warmth spread over her neck and cheeks. “What about Trent Associates?”

He gave a shrug. “They have a great team of protection specialists. And I would have been happy there. But I met someone who made me question my life choices. After some soul-searching, I decided to apply for a job with the DOJ.”

Her throat constricted. “You did?”

Gathering her hand, he nodded. “I did. I don't want to risk my life protecting anyone but you. You and Mikey.”

As happy as she was to know he wouldn't be in danger on a daily basis again, a jumble of confusion assailed her. “We don't need a bodyguard anymore.”

“True.” His gaze searched her face. “But maybe you need someone to share your burdens with? And Mikey could use a father figure.”

Her bewilderment turned to nervous anticipation. She held her breath, barely daring to believe what her heart was telling her. Or what she was hearing. Her tongue felt thick and uncoordinated. She had no idea what to say.

A tentative expression crossed his handsome face. “That is if you want someone to share your life with.”

The vulnerability in his eyes made her want to weep. More than when he told her about being shot. She couldn't bear it. “Anthony—”

“No, please, I want to say this.” The intensity in his eyes entranced her. “I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You and Mikey.”

Dizzying elation exploded through her system. Her dreams, her prayers were being answered. For once in her life she was getting exactly what she wanted. It both thrilled and scared her at the same time. Love overwhelmed her. Tears blurred her vision. She blinked them away.

He squeezed her hand.

Pain tempered his gaze. Confusion dampened her happiness.

“If you don't love me, I understand.”

Her eyes widened. He'd thought her silence was rejection. She lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed his warm knuckles. “I love you. Without exception. And I would love,
love
to have you in my life for now and forever if you want me.”

With a growl of appreciation, he pulled her to his lap and wrapped his arms tightly around her. “Want you? Woman, I can't begin to tell you how much I want you in my life.”

She snuggled close, delighting in his embrace. “I'm so glad, Anthony.”

As she lifted her lips to meet his, she thanked God above for answered prayers. Gone was all the heartache and loneliness to be replaced with peace and love.

And a future full of bright possibilities.

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed the first book in the PROTECTION SPECIALIST series. Developing connected books is always a challenge. But building a team of individuals dedicated to protecting others really appealed to me. I had used Trent Associates in two previous stories (
Chasing Shadows,
a November 2009 release and
Yuletide Peril,
a 2009 eHarlequin online read) so expanding the concept into a series of books, each featuring a different team member, was a natural progression. I can't wait to tell more PROTECTION SPECIALIST stories.

Yet, I really wanted to see what happened to Angie Carlucci's siblings (heroine of
Covert Pursuit,
a May 2010 release). Combining the PROTECTION SPECIALIST with the Carluccis was the perfect way to fulfill both of my wishes. I decided to write Anthony's story because he was the eldest and the one in most need. Former beauty queen Vivian Grant turned out to be the perfect match for him. Each was dealing with some heavy issues from their past that seemed insurmountable. Throwing them together and seeing how they helped each other to grow, to heal and to fall in love was both challenging and rewarding.

As an added bonus, I paired Joe Carlucci with a feisty woman who would keep him on his toes. And you never know, maybe one day we'll see if the pairing stuck.

Until next time.

Blessings,

1. What made you pick up this book to read? In what ways did it live up to your expectations?
   
2. In what ways were Vivian and Anthony realistic characters? How did their romance build believably?
   
3. What about the setting was clear and appealing? Could you “see” where the story took place?
   
4. Anthony carried guilt for the death of someone he was protecting. How did that guilt affect his life? His relationship with God?
   
5. Anthony asks how many times he needs to ask for forgiveness before he feels forgiven. What does God's word say about forgiveness?
   
6. Is forgiving oneself easier or harder than forgiving someone else?
   
7. Vivian could have let Mikey's autism drive a wedge between her and God but instead she turned to her faith. Have you had something happen that drove a wedge between you and God?
   
8. Do you believe that circumstances shouldn't dictate our faith? Can you share a time when you let the circumstances of your life influence your faith?
   
9. Were the secondary characters believable? Did they add to the story? In what way?
   
10. Vivian's relationship with her parents was in stark contrast to the relationship Anthony shared with his parents. What kind of relationship do you share with your parents? Your siblings?
    
11. Did you notice the scripture in the beginning of the book? What do you think God means by these words? What application does the scripture have to your life?
    
12. How did the author's use of language/writing style make this an enjoyable read?
    
13. Would you read more for this author? If so, why? Or why not?
    
14. What will be your most vivid memories of this book?
    
15. What lessons about life, love and faith did you learn from this story?