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“Absolutely,” she said without hesitation.
“And why should we believe you?”
There was a challenge in the question. But she would rise to meet it. “No one understands better than I do that some secrets are life and death. And I love your cousin enough to keep them.” James’s fingers flexed on her waist, and she leaned into him, into his warmth.
“Love fades.”
“Only if you don’t care enough to tend it,” she replied. “And I care. More than I ever thought possible. I already know enough to go to the cops.” Declan’s nostrils flared, and Evie raised a brow. “But I haven’t. Because doing that puts James in jeopardy as much as all of you. And I would never do that.”
“This life isn’t easy,” Viv pointed out.
Delaney nodded. “No. I don’t imagine it is. But I’ve lived through worse. This is the choice I’m making. James, this life, this family, if you’ll have me. All I’m asking for is a chance to prove myself. We can take the rest as it comes.”
Evie looked at Declan, and they shared a conversation between them without words. Declan looked away from his wife, gaze intense and searching. Finally he gave a curt nod, lifting his glass to his mouth and taking a slow sip.
“A chance, then.”
Biting back a grin, Evie raised her glass in a toast. “To taking it as it comes.”
Everyone murmured their agreement, and conversation resumed as if nothing had happened. Delaney exhaled long and slow, her fingers tightening on the glass in her hand. James shifted her in his arms and reached up to cup her face, brushing his thumb over her cheek.
“You’re incredible,” he said softly, leaning down to brush a kiss against her lips.
“You make me remember who I used to be. Before everything went off the rails. You brought me back to life.”
“You brought yourself back. But you deserve every good thing, Delaney. And I’m going to make sure you have it.”
She pushed onto her tiptoes to press her lips to his again, smiling when someone whistled and everyone laughed softly. There was nowhere else she’d rather be, no one else she’d rather have by her side. She’d walk through hell and back to keep him safe, to keep the people he loved safe.
She’d keep as many secrets as it took to have the opportunity to love him until her last breath.
