past him, making a beeline for the door. Paul shot out an arm, stopping her cold.
“I want the rings. And I want them now.” A hand came out of his leather jacket holding a knife—something curved, sharp, and ugly. “I don’t want to cut you, but I will if I have to.”
“Are you crazy?” Fin did the only thing she could since her pepper spray was empty, which was stall for time. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But I do know my mother won’t marry you if she finds out about this.”
“Don’t play dumb ’cuz it ain’t gonna work.” He was on her in a second, dragging her against him. His hands trembled. He stank of booze and marijuana. The knife pressing the side of her neck nicked her skin. “Give me the goddamn Claddagh rings or I’ll slit your fucking throat!”
He held her too tight, an arm slammed against her diaphragm. Fin couldn’t breathe, couldn’t get the words out. “Stop. I’ll t-tell—”
A hand came around and shoved the knife away. Paul released his hold and she collapsed. She rolled on her back. Ryan had him by the front of his jacket, his fist connecting with Paul’s face. Bone cracked, Paul’s nose spurting blood as he slid to the floor. Ryan picked up the knife and stood over him, barely breathing hard. “Fin? Are you okay?”
“Just peachy,” she said, slowly getting to her feet. “But I don’t know what we’re going to tell my mother. Not if we don’t want her texting the world about the rings.”
“We’ll figure something out.” Ryan hauled out his cell phone and hit speed dial. “Drive down to the guesthouse. There’s someone here you’ll want to arrest.”
****
Fin walked to the main house with Ryan, his arm around her shoulders. He’d finally told her the significance of the rings and why so many people were after them. Millions of dollars were at stake. Another agent had collected Paul from behind the guesthouse, although she hadn’t seen him. Ryan had wanted the arrest far away from prying eyes, especially her mother’s. He’d also said Paul was in for one heck of an interrogation, since so much hinged on finding the other people involved.
Her mother met them at the front door and came down the steps. “I saw a car leaving before. Who was it?”
Ryan came up to her, taking her by the shoulders. “It seems Paul got cold feet and decided not to go through with the wedding. He had one of his buddies pick him up.”
“I’m so sorry, Mom.” Fin took her mother in her arms, expecting a total meltdown. “I don’t know why he changed his mind.”
Poppy looked her in the eyes and patted her cheek. “Sweetie, it’s no great loss. I’ll spin news of the breakup to my media pals waiting inside; tell them I booted Paul out on his drug-saturated ass.”
“But, all the money you’ve spent.” Fin wanted to cry, even if her mother didn’t seem upset at losing her fiancé. “The caterers, the cake, the music…you’ll have to cancel everything.”
“Not if we get married instead.” Ryan winked at both of them, picked Fin up, and swung her in a circle. He set her down on her feet again, crushing her against him. “There’s no point denying we love each other. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” She kissed him full on the mouth, joy rushing through her until common sense prevailed. “But it can’t be tomorrow. We don’t have a marriage license.”
“I think I can fix that.” Poppy clapped her hands together like a gleeful schoolgirl. “I’ll call Judge Miller. He was going to perform my ceremony anyway and he’s right here in Nantucket. He can have the town clerk open the office today to issue your license. Then he can waive the waiting period if there is one. It’s perfectly legal.”
“Do you think he’ll do it?” Ryan stared as if her mother had magical powers.
“He will.” Poppy laughed, planting a kiss on Ryan’s cheek. “We’ve been friends since high school, and he owes me. I always take him around,
“I want the rings. And I want them now.” A hand came out of his leather jacket holding a knife—something curved, sharp, and ugly. “I don’t want to cut you, but I will if I have to.”
“Are you crazy?” Fin did the only thing she could since her pepper spray was empty, which was stall for time. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But I do know my mother won’t marry you if she finds out about this.”
“Don’t play dumb ’cuz it ain’t gonna work.” He was on her in a second, dragging her against him. His hands trembled. He stank of booze and marijuana. The knife pressing the side of her neck nicked her skin. “Give me the goddamn Claddagh rings or I’ll slit your fucking throat!”
He held her too tight, an arm slammed against her diaphragm. Fin couldn’t breathe, couldn’t get the words out. “Stop. I’ll t-tell—”
A hand came around and shoved the knife away. Paul released his hold and she collapsed. She rolled on her back. Ryan had him by the front of his jacket, his fist connecting with Paul’s face. Bone cracked, Paul’s nose spurting blood as he slid to the floor. Ryan picked up the knife and stood over him, barely breathing hard. “Fin? Are you okay?”
“Just peachy,” she said, slowly getting to her feet. “But I don’t know what we’re going to tell my mother. Not if we don’t want her texting the world about the rings.”
“We’ll figure something out.” Ryan hauled out his cell phone and hit speed dial. “Drive down to the guesthouse. There’s someone here you’ll want to arrest.”
****
Fin walked to the main house with Ryan, his arm around her shoulders. He’d finally told her the significance of the rings and why so many people were after them. Millions of dollars were at stake. Another agent had collected Paul from behind the guesthouse, although she hadn’t seen him. Ryan had wanted the arrest far away from prying eyes, especially her mother’s. He’d also said Paul was in for one heck of an interrogation, since so much hinged on finding the other people involved.
Her mother met them at the front door and came down the steps. “I saw a car leaving before. Who was it?”
Ryan came up to her, taking her by the shoulders. “It seems Paul got cold feet and decided not to go through with the wedding. He had one of his buddies pick him up.”
“I’m so sorry, Mom.” Fin took her mother in her arms, expecting a total meltdown. “I don’t know why he changed his mind.”
Poppy looked her in the eyes and patted her cheek. “Sweetie, it’s no great loss. I’ll spin news of the breakup to my media pals waiting inside; tell them I booted Paul out on his drug-saturated ass.”
“But, all the money you’ve spent.” Fin wanted to cry, even if her mother didn’t seem upset at losing her fiancé. “The caterers, the cake, the music…you’ll have to cancel everything.”
“Not if we get married instead.” Ryan winked at both of them, picked Fin up, and swung her in a circle. He set her down on her feet again, crushing her against him. “There’s no point denying we love each other. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” She kissed him full on the mouth, joy rushing through her until common sense prevailed. “But it can’t be tomorrow. We don’t have a marriage license.”
“I think I can fix that.” Poppy clapped her hands together like a gleeful schoolgirl. “I’ll call Judge Miller. He was going to perform my ceremony anyway and he’s right here in Nantucket. He can have the town clerk open the office today to issue your license. Then he can waive the waiting period if there is one. It’s perfectly legal.”
“Do you think he’ll do it?” Ryan stared as if her mother had magical powers.
“He will.” Poppy laughed, planting a kiss on Ryan’s cheek. “We’ve been friends since high school, and he owes me. I always take him around,
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