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Soon, I feel her breathing even out and know she’s fallen asleep. Only then do I follow, knowing when I wake, she’ll still be there.
In a short amount of time, Arwen Petruccelli became a part of my life and soon took over my world. Without her, I can’t breathe. She’s become the very ecstasy I strive off of to feel alive, and I’ll forever hold her close, knowing just what she means to me.
EPILOGUE
ARWEN
Four Months Later . . .
Christmas Eve. I’ve never been much of a fan of holidays. I didn’t want to celebrate. Not with the family I was born into. The only ones I’ve ever cared about were my brothers.
Now it’s different. Totally different.
Since the night everything went down with Cesare, Cedric doesn’t allow me to go anywhere without him or one of the men who work for him and Finley. Most of the time, it’s Cedric himself. He takes me to work with him, and while he does his thing, I do mine. Then when it’s time to go home we go together. The man even moved my office down to his. This was fine since I really didn’t need a large office. I just needed a computer and a few other things.
When Cedric needs to do something and can’t take me with him, he puts either Colton or Link on me. That’s if I’m not at the Fort. I’m usually with Vex and Finley along with their little boy Dom and sweet new baby.
Being our first Christmas together, Cedric decided to go all out. He knew from me telling him how I’ve never really had a good memory of the holiday.
The Fort was decked out with garland everywhere. The tree was massive, and there was Christmas in each and every room. You couldn’t get away from it even if you tried.
But the fact Cedric did it all for me was the best gift he could give me.
All of us had just sat down with hot cocoa in front of the fireplace when someone banged on the front doors.
“What the hell?” Mara-Lee snaps.
“I’ll go see who it is,” Cedric declares smoothly like he knew who and what was going on.
“I’ll go with you,” Finley says, getting up swiftly and following Cedric.
Vex, Mara-Lee, and I share a look between the three of us, all asking the same question.
A moment later, my brother, Amer, comes storming into the Fort, his eyes locked on Mara-Lee.
“Amer,” I call his name, but he doesn’t even look in my direction. Instead, he’s got his entire focus on Mara-Lee.
He moves in, takes the cup from her hand, and sets it down on the coffee table next to her. My eyes widened when he, no joke, bends and lifts her in a fireman’s hold.
Mara-Lee starts shouting, but I glance to both Cedric and Finley to see if they are going to do something. But they don’t, instead, they’re grinning.
Amer turns with Mara-Lee over his shoulder, looks at me, and smiles. “Merry Christmas, Arwen, I’ll see you later.” With that said, he leaves, taking the woman with him.
“Uh, can someone fill me in on what just happened?” Vex asks, holding her and Finley’s baby.
Finley snorts, shakes her head, and moves to Vex. She gives her a kiss on the lips and takes their baby. “I’ll fill you in on what you witnessed later.”
“I’d like to know myself,” I mutter, looking to Cedric.
He grins. “Same goes for you. I’ll let you know later. For now, it’s time for your gift.”
I blink at him, stunned by the fact he’d let mybrothercome in here and carry Mara-Lee out of the Fort the way he did andbe okaywith it. And he wants to give me a gift?
“Gift?” I whisper. “You didn’t have to get me anything. I thought the whole Christmas thing was my present.”
“Babe, that’s from all of us,” Finley announces, settling back in on the couch.
“Yep, now I can’t wait to see this gift. So let Cedric give it to you,” Vex states, waving her hand in front of her, pointing at the tree.
