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“Tash?” Dare’s head came up as her sisters were slipping out the door. His eyes widened. “Tash? Baby, are you awake? Am I awake?”
He was so beautiful, even though his clothes were wrinkled and his hair was going twelve different ways. He sat up.
She shifted on her side, being careful with the IV in her arm. She felt remarkably good for being half dead for the last week. She would have to thank Rebecca for all her hard work. Tasha was sure she was in for about a million blood draws to figure out how the drugs had affected her system, and she would smile through each one.
Because she was alive. Because she was with Dare.
“You’re awake. I’m awake. Are you okay, baby?”
He stared at her for a moment, like she was some kind of miracle. His hands came up and gently traced the lines of her face. “I thought you were going to die. I couldn’t…”
“I’m tougher than that,” she promised. “And I’m not fragile. I feel strong, Dare.”
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. “I love you. I love you so much. I don’t care how we started. All that matters is that we end together.”
A shudder of relief went through her. “I love you.”
He pulled back, and his face went stony though his eyes were suspiciously bright. “You will never do that again.”
This was the danger zone. “Do you mean saving you or working?”
He huffed. “I mean stepping in front of a bullet and nearly dying, Tasha. That’s what I mean. You will never do that again. There are going to be so many rules from here on out.”
She was sure there would be, and they would all fall away when he was more comfortable. This was bargaining at its finest stage. “Yes, Sir.”
That seemed to mollify him a bit. He sighed and leaned in, his lips brushing hers. “I don’t know what I would have done, Tash. Don’t ever leave me.”
That was one rule she could follow.
The door came open and Lou rushed in, followed by Tris and Cooper and her sisters. She was told her mom and dad and brothers were on the way. Zach stood in the doorway, his big body in a hospital gown and an IV at his side. He sent her a smile.
Her team was here. Her love was here. Her family would be here soon.
All was right with the world.
Epilogue
Dallas, TX
Three weeks later
Ian Taggart loved having a sleeping baby on his chest. If anyone asked, he would tell them it was because a sleeping baby was a good excuse to take a nice nap, but it was more than that. He put a hand on his grandchild’s back and sighed.
Travis was an idiot, but damn he loved this kid.
There was a huff as a big canine joined them, putting his fluffy head on Ian’s thigh and joining the all-male nap fest that occurred most Sunday afternoons. Ian liked Sundays.
“Pops?” Said idiot who he also loved way too much but who didn’t listen to sound advice was staring down at him. “You want me to take Colton?”
Travis was the last of his kids still at home. He was also the last of his kids still in school. Law school. It made Ian shudder, but at least the kid would likely be able to support his son at some point. All the rest of his kids were out in the world. Kala and Kenz lived with Lou in a house that was both frighteningly clean and filled with weapons, and a strange set of pop culture toys. Seth had an apartment he shared with his cousin Lucas, and Ian knew not to go over there without prior warning because those two boys knew how to go through a box of condoms. Between the singing thing and the fact that Lucas was an up-and-coming chef, they kept women churning through that place.
“He’s fine. We’re napping.” He was laid out on the chaise on the patio in the backyard, the sound of the pool soothing. Colton was easy. Colton merely wanted someone to hold him and shove a bottle or spoonful of food in his mouth and make sure his diaper was clean. That was all. Colton didn’t jump in front of bullets and damn near tear his father’s heart out.
Travis sank down to the seat beside him, the one where his Charlie usually sat, but today she was out looking at condos with Tasha and Dare.
Dare. The new VP of sales for McKay-Taggart. He was going to handle the whole sales force across all the branches, and Damon and Ten already loved him. In the week he’d actually been on the job, he’d taken charge and streamlined processes and generally made everything work better. It was good to have him around the office, but even better to see the way he made Tash smile.
