Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
She couldn’t.
How could she tell her that her father had been one of the world’s leading criminals and that she’d done his dirty work?
The panic on their faces floored her.
For some reason, she could now feel their emotions. She knew that sounded weird. But it was like she’d been hidden behind a wall. Everything had felt muffled and distorted.
But their fear . . . their worry . . . it was like a breathing thing wrapping itself around her throat.
Could she breathe?
She gasped.
“Shit! Fuck!” Alexei sat her up and started whacking her back. “She’s choking! She can’t breathe.”
“Put her on her back! Give her mouth to mouth!” Roman yelled.
What was wrong with them?
They didn’t panic like this.
Salem appeared on his knees in front of her. She knew he would be the voice of reason. But the fear she could see in his eyes, the whiteness of his face . . . it slammed into her with the force of a train.
They all cared, didn’t they?
They really did love her.
Because no one could act like this if they didn’t.
A sob escaped her.
And then she broke.
She fell completely apart. There was no other way to put it. She wailed. She screamed. She punched the bed. She might even have punched them, she wasn’t sure.
But then they did what they’d always promised.
They put her back together.
With soft touches and kind words.
Gentle pats and light kisses.
They didn’t leave her. Didn’t push her. They just stayed with her.
Steady and sure.
Finally, they somehow ended up outside on the daybed. It was a squash, but she didn’t care. The sun was starting to rise and it was so cold. But she was surrounded by the three of them as well as a mound of blankets.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
Salem grasped her chin and turned her to face him. “Enough.” His voice was stern. “No more apologies. All is forgiven.”
Roman was on her other side and she was lying on top of Alexei. Roman took hold of her chin next, turning her to him.
“We all made mistakes. But we have to move forward. We’re going to move forward. And we’re going to do it together.”
She nodded, then buried her face in Alexei’s neck.
“Got the rest of our lives together, Bunny. You’re ours. And you won’t ever forget it again.”
To her surprise, she smiled.
It was such an Alexei thing to say. Instead of soft words, it was a demand.
And it was what she needed to hear from him. From all of them. She twisted and sat over his lap, her legs on either side of his hips so she could stare down at them all.
“I love you all. And I want to be what you need, what you deserve. I hope I can be. I think that maybe I should try talking to that therapist again.”
They all sat up, crowding around her, kissing her, reassuring her.
Salem kissed her. His kiss was possessive. “You’re mine, Pet. My baby, my little one. I love you and I will always take care of you. You gave me back a sense of control that I really needed. You showed me that there could be more to life than my job. That I was missing out so much on life by working all the time. You are my everything.”
Roman pressed a kiss to her nose, then both of her cheeks, then her lips. “You’ve taught me so much. I’m grateful to have you in my life. I didn’t know I was capable of love or that someone could love me. You showed me that I have worth and that I don’t have to be afraid to be me. I cherish you, darling girl. I love you.”
“And I love you.” She leaned her forehead against Roman’s for a moment.
Then they all turned to Alexei.
“I didn’t need to change. I was always perfect.”
“Dear Lord,” Salem muttered while Roman snorted.
“But you made me more perfect,” he added. “I love you, Bunny. My Malyshka. My girl. I will always stand between you and danger.”
“I love you too,” she said to Alexei, giving him angel kisses.
Then she turned to Salem. “I love you.” She kissed his lips.
“I never thought my life would end happily, but there’s no way it could ever end any other way with the three of you in my life.”
EPILOGUE
“What do you want, Salem?” Riordan asked as soon as he opened the door. “Are you summoning me here to question me about Patrick? Because I’ve already been cleared of any wrongdoing.”
“That’s not why I’ve brought you here,” Salem said. “Come in.”
God. He hoped this was the right thing to do. Riordan could ruin everything for them. But if that happened, he’d take his family and disappear. Roman already had things set up to take them to Escana, where they’d be protected.
Where she would be protected.
“We have someone who wants to meet you,” Salem said. “And if you do anything to hurt her, you’re a dead man.”