Miles Away (Carrion #1)(96)

Landon nodded his head as a smile creased his handsome face.

“When you get out there, you’re going to have to lay low,” Dustin said. “Everyone in Carrion and New York thinks you’re dead.”

Miles smiled at Letty as the prospect of laying low with her and G came to the forefront of his mind. Giving Letty a sly wink, Miles replied, “Yeah, I think I’m good with that. “

“Your father’s here,” Landon said to Letty as he moved out of the way so that Juan could get by.

Carrying G in his arms, Juan approached his daughter with a genial smile on his face. Passing G to Letty, Juan said, “Bella. Just be happy. That’s all I want. Just be happy.”

“I am, Dad. I’m so relieved,” Letty said as a smile finally broke upon her face.

“I can’t come with you. Your mother and I made that house together. But I will come to visit.”

Letty nodded in understanding. “I’ll let you know when we get there.”

“There’s prepaid phones in the trunk of the car. Use them. Don’t use the landline,” Knox said. “There’s always a paper trail.”

With G in her arms, Letty gave a look of amazement at Miles. Holding his hand out to her, Miles smiled. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here. Let’s get miles away.”

With a final smile at her father, Letty clenched on to Miles’s hand as they walked towards the boardwalk. Corina sat waiting in the parking lot adjacent from where Dustin had parked, but it was no wonder Letty didn’t recognize the car. Dustin had painted the car glossy fire engine red.

“Be safe,” Knox said as he held out a hand for his brother to shake.

Miles skipped it and instead acted like he was going to break Knox’s nose again. At the last minute he held back, laughed, and reached for Knox’s hand.

“Thank you for everything,” Miles said. “All of you.”

“Brothers stick together,” Landon said.

“Now if only our sisters weren’t so effing shady,” Dustin said with a perplexed look on his face.

“You better go,” Knox said. “Beach patrol will be around soon. You don’t want anyone to recognize you.”

Miles nodded, turned and walked away. Strolling hand in hand with Letty, Miles unlocked the car doors and helped his fiancée and his future step-son inside the car. Giving a final look back, Miles gave Knox an appreciative nod. Knox held Miles’s gaze for a moment as a kind smile crossed Knox’s face. Opening the car door, Miles didn’t look back again as he prepared to embark on his future. Inserting his key into the ignition, Corina’s engine roared to life. Letty gave Miles a happy but nervous smile.

“Ready?” Miles asked.

“I’ve been ready for seventeen years. Hit it,” Letty said with a toothy smile.

Miles flicked on the radio as a familiar song blared from the speakers. Hitting the gas pedal, Corina sped out of sight as “Born To Run” pumped loudly from the speakers. Burning tire against the black asphalt, burning hearts finally together again, ready to forge a new future. Exiting Atlantic City, Miles revved the engine loudly as Corina stretched her legs on the open road.

Miles and Letty could breathe at last.





EPILOGUE




Two months later

December 14, 2015

Pocono Mountains

Lords Valley, Pennsylvania

SMOKE ROSE FROM THE chimney of a three story home set in the midst of Channing Forest. The smoke drifted away in the cool mountain air as twilight set over the land. The home was in desperate need of a paint job, but a warm glow shined out of the windows that were simply decorated for the holidays with strands of white lights and a single candle. A bright red mailbox sat adjacent to the house bearing the name Cormack.

The low hum of a TV set could be heard outside the house as a doe and her fawns passed under one of the living room windows. The deer peered observantly through the window as a family relaxed inside. Miles lounged with his feet up in an old blue recliner. He had kicked off his boots which lay haphazardly on the floor. Miles’s eyes appeared calm and reflective as he looked down at a stack of papers that sat on his lap. Miles very intently read his mother’s words as he soaked in the experiences of the woman he so admired.

Breaking his eyes from the manuscript, Miles stretched and let out a tremendous yawn. Letty looked up from her laptop with a smile. She had never seen Miles so at ease before. Her eyes grazed over Miles’s face. His eyes, which were so dark and cold that night in New York, were now soft and inviting, like pools of hot chocolate tempting her senses. Miles’s beard had begun to grow back and as he read, he scratched at the whiskers that ran along his jawline. Resting at his side, G sat in an almost identical recliner, fast asleep with Miles’s leather jacket draped over him like a blanket. Letty smiled as she looked at her men, a feeling of supreme gratitude flooded her body.

Clicking her fingers against the keys of her laptop, Letty sent an email to Knox. Her email address was cryptic. Registered to an Amanda Juarez, the email [email protected] didn’t even hint at Letty or Miles’s identity. Knox, of course, would know who the email was from, though, because he was the one who created the account in the first place.

Hey,

Just checking in. The weather’s amazing here. Hope you’re well. See you at Christmas. Peace.