Sweet Justice by Christy Reece Read Free Book Online

was thirteen years old. Her family had humored her when she was a kid, thinking she’d change her mind. When she was twenty-two and applied to the FBI, it hadn’t been as amusing to them.
    Though her parents had never tried to discourage her from joining the FBI, she knew they’d never given up the hope that she’d follow family tradition. Even though her dad had been gone for almost five years now and Honor’s career choice was no longer under discussion, she knew her mom still harbored some hope.
    “I’ll explain what LCR does. She’s got to support that.”
    Nick shrugged, his expression doubtful. “Anyway, your friend Moss wants to speak to you. Said he had some information you’d want to know.”
    Had Shelly been found? Was she perhaps not dead after all? Please, God, let her be alive. Honor was so very tired of being too late to save them. She tried to sit up; agony zoomed through her.
    “Hold on, Sprite. Why the hell do you have to be so gung ho with everything?”
    If she hadn’t been hurting so much, that comment would have earned Nick a snort and an eye roll. They’d been trained from birth to go all out and be gung ho. She’d seen her brother overdo it on multiple occasions.
    Lying back against the pillow, she allowed Nick to press the button on the hospital bed to raise her head.
    “I’d better let the doctor know you’re awake.”
    “How long was I unconscious?”
    “On and off about ten hours.”
    Funny, she didn’t remember the conscious moments, although she vaguely remembered seeing her dad’s face. When she was at her most vulnerable, she often imagined she saw him. Wishful thinking? Absolutely, but still it gave her comfort.
    “Get the doctor in here before you tell Mom I’m awake or she’ll come along with him, giving him instructions and drilling him.”
    Nick grimaced as he headed out the door. “Too late; she’s already done that.”
    Smiling at the image of her tiny mother shooting questions and advice at her doctor, Honor leaned back against her pillow. After her release, she would go stay with her mom, but it wouldn’t take two weeks to make the decision she’d been tinkering with for several years. It was time for a change.
    After the horrible experience with Seth, she’d moved on and taken the job offer she’d delayed accepting. And she had continued to breathe, think, and go through the motions. Yes, she’d done some good work, saved lives and put several people behind bars, but she had lost the fire she’d once had. Had she been living in limbo, thinking Seth would come back, beg for forgiveness and they’d live happily ever after? She hoped not, but she greatly feared that had been in the back of her mind.
    Well, no more. This incident had been a wake-up call. It was time to let go of the past. Time for Honor Stone to get on with the rest of her life and forget that Seth Cavanaugh ever existed.

four

Three months later

    His feet propped on the railing of his balcony, Seth looked out over the small resort town that was now his home. Compared to Key West, San Saria had little to offer other than the beach, a couple of decent restaurants, a nice hotel, and some ratty, storm-damaged beach houses. He’d lucked into the nicest of the ratty houses. Making all the repairs himself was taking forever. Not only was he a perfectionist, but he wasn’t quite sure what he would do once he finished. At some point, he figured, there’d be a day when he wouldn’t have a reason to get out of bed. That thought didn’t sit well with him.
    Living in paradise had its advantages, but not having a purpose, a reason to get up in the mornings was going to suck. So, to delay the inevitable as long as possible, he’d make sure every shingle fit just right, every nail was hammered completely straight, and, what the hell, if he didn’t like one color of paint, he could always repaint.
    Seth took another swig of his icy cold Pepsi. This was what he’d told himself he wanted. And for a