Page 332 of Rangers Last Promise

“Thin walls.”

Rylie elbows him.

“What?”

“Important information.”

Mara’s face turns red.

I pick up the key.

“Room seven sounds perfect.”

She looks at me.

“You’ve planned all of this.”

“I had help.”

Every Ranger at the bar suddenly finds something else to look at.

I laugh.

Grant’s dog tags rest against my chest.

For the first time, they don’t feel like a punishment.

They feel like part of the road that brought me home.

Mara squeezes my hand.

“You’re really staying.”

“I think I told you that already.”

“You said you thought you were staying because of me.”

“I was wrong.”

Her smile fades slightly.

I lean closer.

“I know I’m staying because of you.”

Her smile returns.

I kiss her beneath the warm lights of the Last Stand Tavern.

Rangers cheer.

Trigger whistles.

Someone pounds on the bar.

I don’t pull away.

I’m done running.