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I get an ice pack for my bruises, bandages for my wrists and ankles, and a mild sedative that will not affect my baby. I am thankful it’s not any worse than that.
“I’m getting tired of this crap,” I tell Kellan, Fallon, and Luke once they’re done giving their statements.
Leaning against the passenger door of Kellan’s car, I find myself comforted once more by their presence. I rest my head on Kellan’s chest, finding love and safety in his embrace.
“We didn’t think she’d do something so insane,” Kellan says. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all this. We should’ve done a better job protecting you.”
“Wasn’t there supposed to be a security detail parked outside my house?” I ask, suddenly startled by the prospect of two more Wolfhound Security agents dying because someone was out to get me.
“Toby kept them distracted,” Luke exhales sharply. “He arranged for a diversion, paying some hood kids from the southern edge of town to mess with Pike and Langley, your detail for this evening. Rest assured, they will be thoroughly reprimanded.”
“I don’t know if they’re to blame,” I say.
“They bear a certain degree of responsibility,” Luke replies. “You were their precious cargo, and instead of keeping an eye on you, they wound up chasing hood rats down the road. Avery, it’s unacceptable.”
Fallon clears his throat. “It had been so quiet at your place for so long, they probably didn’t think anything was going to happen. Besides, from what Pike told me, those little fuckers managed to steal some of the GPS tracking equipment they had in the car.”
“What about Helen?”
“She’s in the hospital,” Kellan says. “She’ll be okay. When Pike and Langley came back, they heard Miley screaming from inside the house. Helen just got out of surgery; I spoke to her attending physician. It was a through and through, no vital organs affected. And the girls are okay, too. They’re with our agents at the house.”
“I still can’t believe all of this happened. It’s like a scene out of a thriller movie.”
“Yeah, I would’ve gone for a smarter villain, though,” Fallon chuckles dryly.
“I’m confused. How did Charlene think she was going to get away with any of this?”
Kellan lets a heavy sigh roll from his chest. “From what she told me, just before I put her in the back of the deputy’s car, Charlene figured my parents would apply the right amount of pressure—financial, legal—anything they could to keep Fallon and me tethered and unable to retaliate.”
“It’s still delusional,” Fallon insists. “Charlene should’ve known better, or at least enough, about the three of us to understand that she can’t just waltz in and terrorize the people we love in order to get us to submit to her maniacal whims.”
“Keep in mind, Charlene was drunk on the illusion of control,” Kellan adds. “She didn’t account for Toby going off on his own the way he did.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t suspect anything either,” I say.
Kellan thinks about it for a moment. “I think she did, but her ego kept her blind and focused solely on getting close enough to you.”
“Well, I’m glad it’s over. It is over, right? She’s going back to prison?”
“Oh, yeah, and then some,” Kellan replies.
Luke plants another kiss on my temple, then Fallon cups my face with both hands and tenderly kisses my lips as I begin to relax.Granted, that mild sedative is starting to work its way through me, as well.
“And we’re going to get back to our lives, one way or another,” Luke says. “Or, better said, our life together.”
“Right,” I mumble in my sleepy haze.
“Will you be coming back to stay with us? We do miss you, Avery. More than words can express,” Kellan says.
Their gazes settle on me—three pairs of eyes overflowing with love and affection. I feel like such a fool, now, such a reckless fool. This was all so crazy. Calculating on Charlene and Toby’s part. Confusing enough to throw my senses for a loop. Yet I didn’t stop loving these men, not even for a second. And while I do accept the bitter taste of my own hesitation, I’m relieved to see how things turned out. This whole thing could’ve torn us apart but instead, I think it’s only made us stronger.
Stronger together.
“I’m coming back. Our child needs the whole family,” I tell them. “And I need my men with me, now more than ever.”
“You’ve got us,” Fallon says. “You’ve always had us, baby.”
I let them hold me close and tight as the red and blue lights flicker behind us. The crime scene techs will be here a while, turning Charlene’s house upside down. I’m sorry I won’t be involved in remodeling the house anymore, but I’m not sorry as to the reason why. I’m sorry she turned out to be such a horrible person, but I’m not sorry that she will suffer terribly for what she did to us. I know Kellan will make sure she never gets out of prison.
