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He frowned and pulled away. “What?”
“I’m fine, I’m not going to die,” I wheezed, pulling up my shirt to reveal the bullet proof vest.
His eyes widened and he stared at me. “How did you-”
“I stole it from Fang before I ever came out here. I figured I would be needing it one day.” I whispered.
He stared at me in disbelief. “Are you even hit?”
“Oh, I’m hit. It’s going to cause some wicked bruising, but I can live with that,” I said with a little grin.
He yanked me closer and held me tight, rocking with me. “I can’t believe you. I just can’t believe you! You’re an idiot!” he said through his laughter.
I chuckled and wrapped my arms around him, shaking my head. “I’m not an idiot. I’m just in love,” I murmured.
I couldn’t help but feel the most hopeful that I had in days. I held onto Ryder, professing my love to him again and again. This was where I belonged; this is where I felt safe. Ryder helped me stand and I leaned heavily on him. We wandered around the half built house, stepping over Fang’s body as we finally met up with everyone. Chloe ran over to me and threw her arms around me, tears in her eyes.
“We thought you and Ryder were gone,” she said, unable to make herself say ‘dead’.
I wrapped one arm around her and shook my head, smiling. “We’re alive and kicking. It’s going to take a lot more than that to get rid of us.”
She laughed and stepped back so that Damien could approach us. He smiled and wrapped an arm around each of us before leaning back. “I’m so damn happy you two are alright.”
I nodded and sighed. “Thank you. Even though this is my entire fault.”
“No, don’t start with that. You more than proved your worth, Brittney.”
I looked up at him with wide eyes. “You mean I can stay?”
He smiled simply and nodded. “Welcome home.”
Chapter Fifteen
Three years. I can hardly believe it’s been three years that I’ve called this place home. I felt so good and I felt so alive here. Everything came together when Damien and his gang finally accepted me. I’d spent so much of my life being bitter and hopeless that I never thought I’d find anything meaningful. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I had friends here and I had love.
I moved in with Ryder that very day, not that I had much to move. I never went back to the trailer I shared with Fang. I didn’t want anything to do with him and I didn’t want any reminders of that life. I wanted to start fresh here in Nashville with Ryder and the rest.
There were no casualties on our side that day. I still thought back to it occasionally and thanked my lucky stars that no one had died because of me. I’m not sure I would have been able to live with myself. I was thankful every day that I didn’t even have to think about that.
A few months after I started my life with Ryder, my mother wandered into the picture again. At first I wasn’t sure it would be a good idea, but Ryder somehow convinced me to give her a chance. We sent her to rehab and she managed to clean herself up. This was the first time she had a real support system and it made me happier than anything else to see her clean. She lives with us now and works at a nearby daycare.
Ryder and I are happy together. Everyone keeps asking us when we’re going to get married, but we just don’t see a reason to. We’re in love and that’s enough for us. Maybe one day we’ll tie the knot, but right now we’re just happy doing our thing.
I turned to look at him, smiling as the light danced over his sleeping face. It reminded me of the first night we spent together. He’d always been a heavy sleeper and he looked so angelic when he was asleep. I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his nose, causing him to wrinkle it. His eyes fluttered open and he looked at me, a smile slowly coming to his face.
“Well good morning,” he purred.
“Good morning,” I whispered back.
“What were you looking at?”
“Just you.”
“Oh?”
“I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you.”
He smiled and caught my lips. “Yeah?”
