Page 116 of Declan

And when my legs gave out, my big sister was right there to catch me.

Chapter 36

Having exchanged the company SUV with my truck, I pulled into Autumn’s driveway and shut the truck down. Then I sat there a moment thinking about what I was going to say. My eyes went to the front door and my concern grew.

I’d forced Autumn to meet with Emerson.

It was a dick thing to do but it was necessary.

Autumn needed her sister and I was going to make sure she had everything she needed for the rest of her life.

I’d spent a lot of years angry at the universe for the shit hand I’d been dealt.

I’d spent years in the Marines learning what it meant to be a brother. All artifice had been stripped away, all pretense gone. We were simply Marines. Rich, poor, race, religion didn’t matter. You had one option—depend on the man next to you or perish. And suddenly it didn’t matter that I was an orphan because I was a Marine. I had brothers.

The memories never faded but the chip on my shoulder had healed.

And there had been a short time I’d been happy, deliriously so. I’d held the world in my hands. Then I didn’t, and I was left with nothing but overwhelming pain and I’d let it overtake my life.

I had many regrets in my life, loving my wife and daughter were not among them. Nor was finally laying them to rest. I’d carried them with me for the sole purpose to torture myself. It was time they were at peace, time for me to tuck them into my heart instead of using them as a weapon.

So there I was, sitting in Autumn’s driveway not knowing what I was going to walk into, but knowing I was in love with her. Not the idea of having a woman to spend my time with, to share my life, my home, and bed with. I’d fallen for her—completely and totally—and there wasn’t a single trace of guilt.

On that thought, I got out of my truck and made my way to the door. With one last deep breath, I opened the door, got one foot inside, and my heart stuttered.

Yes, stuttered. I was a grown man—my heart didn’t stutter. It certainly didn’t beat wildly in my chest at the sight of my woman sitting on the couch, leaned into her sister while her feet were tucked under her ass.

Both women looked up at me.

Both smiled.

Fucking, fucking, hell.

“Hey,” Emmy greeted.

As rude as it was, I didn’t spare her a glance, I was too enthralled by Autumn’s smile. I’d never seen it so bright, so carefree.

And suddenly I was questioning my plans.

“Everything all right?” Autumn asked and her smile faded.

Hell, no.

“Run away with me,” I blurted out.

“What?” She untucked her legs and sat upright.

“Leave with me,” I semi-repeated and closed the door.

“I don’t understand.”

“When you came back, you asked me if I’d run away with you. So let’s leave all this behind and just go. Me and you someplace quiet. I don’t care where. But no more assignments, no more missions, no more missing women, no more fighting, no more bloodshed, no more pain. Just us.”

Autumn stood and Emerson followed.

“Are you serious?”

“I gave Violet what I needed to give her, then I went to see Zane and quit. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. I can’t fucking do it anymore. But more, baby, I cannot watch you do it. I cannot watch you give more than you have. A wise man knows when to step aside and let a more capable body take his place. I am no longer capable and I’m strong enough to admit it.”