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An ambulance pulls up and the crew starts treating Scout.
The radio on my hip squawks again as I hear motorcycle pipes approaching in the distance. “We have a fresh bear kill, but we can’t get the grizzly to leave it.”
“That’d be Phantom,” Scout says.
“We should take her in,” the EMT states.
“Nope. I need to take my bike back. If you want, I’ll go in after that.” She climbs out of the back of the ambulance, not caring that she’s moving slow. That she won’t be able to hold up her bike very well, and she’s still recovering from several broken ribs from several weeks ago.
The motorcycles pull in and her truck is bringing up the rear. Rivet moves toward Scout’s bike. “Nope, Prez, take your expensive ride back to Fairbanks. We got your bike.”
River is looking around, her eyes wild, and she advances on Scout. “Where is he?” she demands.
Reaper took off to get his bike as the paramedics treated Scout. He said he’d be back in a bit. We all turn when we hear the pipes of another motorcycle approach. Reaper is barely stopped and River is jumping in his arms, kissing his face. He holds her tight to his body as they talk quietly.
I want to kiss and hold my girl, but she needs to be evaluated more before I can do that. Once I get my hands on her though, it will be a while before I let her go again. I will blister her butt for what she did, but then I’m going to make love to her.
FOURTEEN
THAD
Hours later I’m holding her against my body in her bed. She doesn’t have any broken bones but is one giant bruise with a concussion. I thanked Reaper for saving my girls, and he just shook his head.
“Have a feeling you are a part of my family now, lawman.” He laughed. It’s funny that he’s calling me lawman when he was law until just recently.
When we got back here to the compound and her home above the garage, she insisted on lying in her bed with the kids in her arms. Skyler doesn’t have any physical injuries, but we both know she watched him kill Monica and was terrified watching him attack Scout. Come Monday I’ll be finding someone for her to talk to because I don’t want her to suffer. Ryder clung to both of them and it made me realize how much he needs a mother in his life. Scout has only been around him a few times and he’s already looking at her for that comfort. She’s not afraid to give him the love that he needs. The three of them laid in that bed with myself or Violet lying with them off and on until the kids fell asleep. I carried Skyler to her room and then Ryder to an open bedroom Violet said he could sleep in.
Now I’m lying here thinking of everything that happened. They found parts of Phantom’s body. His kill was determined to be an accident. According to Reaper and Scout, he had a bucket of kitchen grease and was going to use it to get rid of Skyler. Scout said when she was fighting with him, they knocked the bucket over and he ended up in the grease. He was braced up against the tree when they fled from him. He never expected Reaper to show up and help or for Scout to fight back as vehemently as she did. There are troopers still out searching for the old miner’s body and for the young girl we are pretty sure is Avery’s sister. Phantom was on a killing spree and was going to kill anyone blocking his path to Scout and his revenge for her putting him in prison.
“No,” Scout cries out and jolts, her body trembling.
I wrap her in my arms and she clings to me, wrapping around me like a blanket. I’m worried she’s going to struggle with the fact that she didn’t intend to kill Phantom and yet he died because of his own actions.
“I’m here, Sunshine.” I kiss the top of her head and she settles down.
“I was scared.” Her voice trembles and I look down to see her looking up at me. Her eyes shining in the late-night brightness. “But I wasn’t scared to die or kill him.” Her words give me pause. “I was scared for Skyler and of never being right here again. I don’t want to live without you again. I can’t. I won’t survive it.”
I lean down and kiss her, a soft kiss that she takes deeper. She rolls me to my back and straddles me. She pulls her shirt over her head, leaving her in tiny sleep shorts and a thong. I help her out of those, being careful of her injuries, and then slide my sweats down and watch as she impales herself on my cock. We make love slowly. Her riding my cock. I watch as her body tightens and every emotion crosses her face, but I see the love most. After she comes, I hold her hips and move up into her a couple more times before my balls pull up and I explode inside her. Marking her as mine from the inside out.
“I love you, Thad.” I hear her soft, sleepy voice.
“I love you too, Sunshine.” I kiss the top of her head before I pull the blankets up over us, and we fall asleep with me still buried in her and her lying on me.
EPILOGUE
SCOUT
5 MONTHS LATER
The Christmas lights shine on most of the downtown businesses as I move out of the clinic. I look down at the engagement ring on my finger. Thad didn’t wait even a month before he was proposing and moving into my place. His dad is living at his place while he goes through his divorce, and their family home is up for sale. My mother is still living with us. But come spring, we will be breaking ground on building her a house on the property so she doesn’t have far to travel to the café.
I look down at the paperwork and images in my hand. I knew my shot was due months ago, but Thad and I were still discussing if I wanted another baby. We have one of each. Sure Ryder isn’t physically my son, but we are already looking into me adopting him. I love him like he’s mine.
“Scout.” I hear my name yelled, and I look around as I shove the paperwork into my bag. Running toward me is Avery. She has taken the road name Badger very well. She fought to have as much of her sister’s remains returned to her and held a funeral for her. “I got it.” She jumps toward me and I brace myself. We are about the same height, but she’s on the skinnier side.
I hug her and smile because I know she had an appointment with a potential investor. I tried to give her the money, but she insisted she do it herself. I look over her shoulder and smile at my uncle’s partner. She did all the business portfolio paperwork and cost analysis for the tattoo parlor. So coming soon to Ptarmigan Falls will be its first tattoo parlor. I’m going to be happy with that because it means I won’t have a damn pain in my rear hanging out in my garage as he stares down River every day. Reaper does tattoos and will be working with Avery.
“Congratulations.” I smile at her and move toward my truck. I pull myself up into it and look around. There was a time I thought I’d never be back here and another time when I thought I didn’t need to be here, but this is my home. It will always be that and now I get to raise my kids here. I peek into my purse and the image of my new peanut looks back at me.
