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He nods and presses his lips together.
“What I want to know is how was Cooper the one to get your distress call?” Wilder asks.
“He was a former communications specialist. He would recognize Morse code in a heartbeat.”
“And he was the only one left manning the hub at that point while we were out on missions or searching for any information we could find on you guys. We didn’t even know he’d found you or had gone to get you. Heck, we thought he was in Russia until we got the SOS,” Evander grunts out, pissed.
“Gotta admit that was some slick thinking, bro,” Oz says to me.
“You have Salem to thank for that. I wasn’t sure she’d remember or know what the fuck I was talking about.”
“Looks like your girl is the real hero in all this, then. Give her a few months around me and I bet she realizes she could upgrade,” Slade jokes.
“Sorry, Slade. You’re cute and all, but unless you’re carrying an extra appendage I’m not aware of, I’m gonna stick with my twins and all their big dick energy.”
My head whips around at the sound of Salem’s voice. She’s standing at the door, leaning on Orion, who has his arm wrapped around her shoulders.
“Turns out there is a woman alive more stubborn than your sister,” he states wryly, looking at me.
I stand and walk over to them, scooping her up in my arms.
“I’ll go raid the kitchen and get her something to eat,” Orion says, looking at Salem softly.
“Thanks, man. Appreciated.” I sit back down in my chair with Salem in my lap, resting against my chest.
“What’s going on?”
“We’re just talking,” Oz tells her, taking her hand and linking his finger through hers.
“Oh, about me?” she asks, glancing around nervously.
“Yes. The guys here would like to know if you’ll stay here with us all.”
“What?” She jolts in surprise, sitting uup. “Really?” I hear her voice crack as she looks at them again.
I look around as well, taking in the rough-around-the-edges men I’ve known for years, and see them all staring at my woman with adoration in their eyes.
“Really. Please say you’ll stay,” Greg urges.
“You...” She swallows before blowing out a deep breath. “You have to know the danger—”
Crew cuts her off, moving closer to kneel in front of her. “Fuck the danger. We want you here. Oz and Zig want you here. Let us help keep you safe. Say you’ll become part of the Apex family.” He bats his lashes at her like a teenage girl at a pop concert.
She chuckles, nodding rapidly, tears running down her cheeks. “Okay.”
They all cheer as I pull her closer and murmur words of comfort into her hair.
“I have one question, though,” Jagger asks as everyone quiets down.
We all look at him, Salem tensing slightly in my arms. “What?” she whispers.
“You can cook, right?” He looks so damn pathetic that Salem bursts into fits of giggles as Crew punches Jagger in the arm.
I look at Oz and nod. This is what it’s all about. Family and the love of an exceptional woman.
EPILOGUE
Eight months later
