When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine. “I’m never letting you go again, Ellie.”
I smile softly. “Good. We talked about this because I’m not leaving.”
Relief flashes across his face before he hides it quickly.
Before I can assure him again, Bennett walks up to us. He kisses my cheek. “You look beautiful, Mom.”
I adjust his already perfect tie. “You look pretty handsome yourself.”
He smiles at me, but the smile drops when he looks at his dad, and the mood shifts.
“What is it?” Bobby asks.
Bennett lowers his voice. “Still no sign of Victor.”
Bobby’s jaw tightens slightly.
Since the day he confronted me on the street, Victor Sterling has disappeared completely.
I wish I could just forget that Victor Sterling ever existed, but we all know that’s not possible. And now the fact that he’s gone silent is even scarier.
Bobby wraps an arm around my waist again. “Keep looking.”
Bennett nods once, gives me a soft smile, and walks away.
I glance up at Bobby. “You think he’s planning something.”
“I know he is.”
Fear flickers briefly in my chest, and Bobby immediately notices.
He brushes his thumb across my hip. “Hey.”
I look up at him, and he’s watching me closely. “He doesn’t get to steal this from us,” Bobby says quietly. “Not tonight.”
Emotion swells in my chest as I look around the ballroom, at our family, at the life we built together.
Even with everything going on, we’re happy again.
And as Bobby pulls me closer against him, I realize something important.
Whatever comes next… we’ll face it together.
EPILOGUE
ROBERT
I stare at my wife standing at the end of the aisle, and for the first time in my life… I’m nervous.
I’m actually really nervous, and I pull at the hem of my jacket.
After everything we’ve survived together, after thirty-five years of marriage, after raising our boys and building an empire and nearly losing each other… my damn hands are sweating.
Knox notices too because he mutters beside me, “You look terrified.”
“Shut up,” I mutter back.
Cole laughs quietly while Bennett smirks.
