St. Petersburg, Florida
I wiggle my toes in the sand, feeling settled and for the first time in ages grounded. My heart thumps wildly as I watch Jaxson interact with Madelyn at the water’s edge. He’s thrown an arm around her shoulder and has her tugged protectively up against his side. Is it even possible to love him any more?
We’re picnicking at a private beach in St. Petersburg, Florida. Doing what normal families do. Normal, yeah right. The word makes me chuckle. I’m content, alive, and hopelessly, desperately in love.
Except I can’t give full reign to my happiness until I sort things out with Madelyn. Jaxson suggested I hire a psychologist. For one crazy moment, I considered it . . . just like I considered having root canal. One psycho behind me, no need to introduce another one into the mix. We’ll do this together, Madelyn, me, and Jaxson.
Madelyn breaks free from his hold and makes her way back to our blanket, while my lover, wise beyond his years, stays behind. Allowing my sister and me precious time to reconnect and begin the healing process. We’ve been through so much. Though she hasn’t yet confided in me the full extent of what happened to her while I was running rogue. If I ever get my hands on Declan, I’m going to show him how much I’ve improved with knives . . . firsthand. Because I have a sneaking suspicion that whatever has my typically upbeat sister so bleeding forlorn, that cold bastard is at the heart of it.
“I like you much better since the last time I saw you. You no longer look like a circus clown,” Madelyn tells me, flashing me a quick smile that fills me with hope. “No more secrets, okay?”
I nod. Except there’s one more thing I haven’t mentioned to her. I stare at her, thinking how I never want to be far away from her again. “Better share my major life-altering decision with you before I agree,” I joke, excited to tell her about my plans.
“Kylie,” she exclaims, then a funny look flashes across her face. “You’re pregnant?”
For a second, even the tide seems to stand still as her question carries across the short expanse of sand.
“No, that’s not what—”
“Fuck, yeah. Woot, woot. This is great!” I hear Jaxson shouting like a maniac as he jogs toward me.
“Jeez, I’m sorry I yelled that,” she whispers, her gaze widening on Jaxson a heartbeat before he goes down on his knees, swoops me clear off the blanket, and spins us around in circles.
Terrific. How am I going to break it to him that I’m not carrying his baby?
Or maybe . . . I put into motion remedying the fact.
“I want you inside me now,” I say in a low, seductive voice. Then I press my lips to his and show him I mean business. Our tongues collide and all sense of reason goes out the door. Just as it always does when I’m with him.
He breaks our kiss. “I’m going to be a father.”
“You will be. I’ve no doubt about it.” I kiss his lips lightly, gently. Not wanting to hurt him. Never wanting to hurt him. “But not today.”
“No?” He looks me in the eyes.
I shake my head.
“Guess I’ll have to prove you wrong then. Make damn sure today is the day.” He grins at me, his eyes alight with love.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” I murmur, my heart beating double time and about to burst. “I love you, Jaxson.”
He bounces me in his arms. “I love you too, fireball.”
His lips claim mine and I kiss him with every fiber of my being.
“She’s not allowed to head back to your hotel without sharing her news,” Madelyn says loudly.
Jaxson carries me the few feet back to the blanket and rolls us down into a seated position with me on his lap.
“Well?” Madelyn prompts.
“I’m enrolling in the University of Tampa’s chemistry program.”
“You’re staying in Florida?”
“She is,” Jaxson responds for me.
God, my sister is beautiful inside and out, and her genuine excitement in knowing I’ll be close by has my eyes swelling with tears. Yeah, Mama and Pop are probably smiling down at us right now. “Wherever you’ll be, I want to be close by. But thank God you ended up in St. Petersburg and not Shelby.”
She pulls a face. My sentiment, exactly.
I sigh. “There’s still the matter of my having a little chat with the admissions department . . .”
Jaxson and Madelyn burst into laughter.
“Giggle all you want. I’m going to make damn sure I’m admitted in time for the fall semester.”
This causes them both to laugh hysterically.
I look toward the heavens for help.
“Come on. I have a surprise for you.”
He stands, then helps me and Madelyn to our feet. We quickly gather our beach towels, blanket, and miscellaneous items and begin our walk over the sand dune toward the hotel Jaxson and I are staying at. My sister is living in a beautiful house a few blocks away. I’m not quite sure if it’s TORC property or a rental someone set up on her behalf. Who? Jaxson doesn’t know. Madelyn’s been tight-lipped about it, and frankly, the last person I’ll be calling with this or any question is Hayden. So for the moment, I leave it be.
The three of us parade past the hotel entrance, and I wonder where Jaxson is taking us.
It’s not until I spy a long expanse of white picket fence a short distance from the beach do I realize what this is about.
“This is the house we’re going to make babies inside,” he tells me and points.
My sister gasps. Or is that me? Because the house we’ve stopped before is exactly the home of my dreams. A white picket fence. Daffodils in the front garden bed. Picture perfect.
“It’s for sale and I’m buying it for us. But I have two conditions.”
Something in the air changes. Jaxson shifts from playful to what? Thoughtful? He stares at me as if he’s seeing me for the first time. Devouring me with his eyes. Desiring me as much as I desire him.
Loving me as much as I love him.
Taking my hand, he leads me over to stand before the white-picket-fence gate, then drops down onto one knee right there on the sidewalk.
“Oh my God,” Madelyn gasps.
Me? I’m speechless. Nine months running rogue. One lover lost then found. The jokester, prankster, the mercenary assigned to terminate me, now reaching into his beach bag. Jesus, am I happy we both didn’t kill each other.
“How about we take this thing between us to the next level?”
“Thing is a horribly vague word, Jaxson. You’re going to have to be a lot clearer with what you’re asking me,” I manage to say.
Yes. Oh sweet Mary, yes!
“Have it your way, fireball. I love you, Kylie. I don’t want another day or hour or second to go by without you as my wife. This isn’t going to be easy. There’s the job to consider. You going to school here in St. Pete while I’m on assignment. It’s the life I chose. But if anyone can understand what’s required of me, it’s you. We can make this work. I know we can.”
“No women. Tell Hayden. Or better yet, I’ll make sure the message is clear.”
Jaxson chuckles. “Believe me, you’ve already hit him over the head with a hammer while driving that point home.”
“Women?” Madelyn asks, scowling fiercely. She steps toward Jaxson and waves a holier-than-thou finger down at him. “If you hurt her, you’ll be answering to me.”
Who is this person and what have they done with my sweet sister? Jesus, do we have a lot of catching up to do.
“Noted. And although this is a bit backwards and I should have asked your permission first, is it okay if I marry your sister? You’ll get a brother-in-law in the bargain?”
She raises an eyebrow, then her lips curl. Family. We’re a family, the three of us. My heart feels about ready to burst out of my chest.
“Think carefully before you reply, Madelyn,” I quip, choking back my emotions.
To my amazement and Jaxson’s surprise, she bends down and plants a kiss on his cheek. Yeah, my man’s that irresistible. “I’ll see you both tomorrow,” she tells me, kissing my cheek as well before tossing her hair and headed off home, leaving my lover, the love of my life, my future . . . husband . . . hanging.
That a girl.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Jaxson shouts after her.
I drop down onto my knees so Jaxson and I are face-to-face. The only thing between us is the gorgeous diamond ring brilliantly glistening in sunlight. Reaching out, I run my thumb across his cheek. Taking my time in drawing an invisible K over his smooth skin. Marking him just like he’s so fond of marking me. Just like the initial branded on his back shoulder. Yeah, there’s more than a ring bonding us together.
“I love you. I want you. I need you,” Jaxson murmurs. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes. Oh yes, Jaxson,” I respond.
Gently, he takes my left hand, removes the ring from the box, and slides it on.
“It’s beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful.” He grins at me, stands, and helps me back up to my feet.
I frown. No kiss?
Sauntering forward, I wrap my arms around his shoulders and bring him in tight. “How about you carry me across the gated threshold, we check out our new home, then find a secluded room to get busy in?”
He sweeps me up off my feet, kicks open the gate, and steps inside. “Now.”
“Now?”
“About that kiss . . . to new beginnings.”
“To happy endings,” I laugh.
“That too.”
Jaxson bends his head and kisses me, carrying me up the sidewalk and up the few porch steps, where he fiddles with the unlocked door—yep, the devil had this planned all along—and leads me deep into the living room.
If you told me a year ago that dreams can come true for someone like me, I’d have laughed in your face. I’ve been through Hell Camp and through Hayden’s fury. I’ve been deep within a city sewer and have come out the other end. I’ve been fleeing from and sprinting with open arms toward the man of my dreams. I’ve experienced loss and heartbreak, hatred and love, sadness and sweetness. Bliss. Absolute, passionate bliss.
And then there’s Jaxson. A handsome devil I fell in love with in a matter of weeks. A man as stubborn as me but in a far more seductive way. I never stood a chance. I still don’t.
Thank you, sweet Mary.
Yeah, this thing between us is going to work out just fine.
“Which room do you want to christen first?” he asks me with a sexy grin.
“How about I surprise you after we tour the house? Because if we’re going to be married, I plan on keeping you on your toes.” He chuckles. “That a challenge? Do your best.”
We head into a small, formal dining area and that’s when he reminds me about something. “I said there were two conditions to me buying this house. One—you marrying me.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I assumed that was condition one and two. Me saying yes to the house. Me saying yes to you.”
“Nope. There’s another. One I insist on if you want this house.”
He’s giving me that look. The familiar, naughty, thou-shall-give-into-the-sexy-devil one.
“Fine,” I say. “What is it?”
“White picket fence—check. Daffodils—check. But rooster wallpaper, even in a bathroom—no freaking way.”