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He pulls away from my embrace and tugs on my arm until I adjust my sitting position to face him. He cradles my cheeks and kisses me, his lips forcefully taking mine. It’s a claiming, letting me know he’s not kidding. I didn’t think he was.
“Now, how well did Burg and Freemont fake our deaths?” Tiero asks when we come up for air.
Panting, I have to blink a few times to will my mind back to the conversation.
“Well, your death was freaking believable. It devastated me. I watched the doctors and nurses trying to revive you, but the heart monitor line didn’t budge. It was the worst moment of my life when they declared you dead. Antonio was there, and I doubt he suspected anything. He was glued to my side afterward.”
Tiero pulls me against his body again, holding me tight. “I’m sorry you had to go through this,” he whispers into my hair.
I let out a sigh. “I’m not, if it means we get a chance of a real future together.”
We stay like this for long minutes, appreciating the opportunity gifted to us.
“What about my body?” Tiero asks, breaking the silence. “Mateo would expect Antonio to bring it back to Sicily.”
“Apparently, I didn’t like that idea and signed off on the paperwork to cremate your body and send the ashes back.”
I watch my love as he processes this information. “I need to let Mateo know I’m not dead.”
“We can’t risk that. I know I’m asking a lot, but it would jeopardize everything.” My tone is pleading.
I’m well aware of how close Tiero and his brother are. But what if Mateo ever gets captured and tortured? Could he really keep this secret? Especially if Mateo ever fell in love and his woman was used against him.
“Let’s have that discussion down the track,” I suggest. “After all, it’s the same for me with Rhia.” Though Aiden had promised me, he would find a way to let Rhia know that I was still alive somewhere in the world. I can’t dwell on what this is like for her, or guilt will plague me.
“How did Burg fake your death?” Tiero asks, distracting me from the direction my thoughts were taking.
“It was surprisingly easy. Getting out of that hospital was the only difficult part.”
I already told Tiero about the bomb that was planted in the car we were supposed to take the day we left the hospital. Aiden had disarmed it, but we counted on whoever put it there not to notice. Just in case, though, Ade had a camera pointed at the cars twenty-four-seven, and someone at Freemont monitored all the comings and goings.
“Aiden’s plan worked to perfection. As soon as I left town, the road became winding, often taking me out of sight of the other car. Right away, I spotted the clearing and the shed Aiden had talked about. An identical SUV was waiting there, ready to take my place.
“How they managed to find the exact model with the same external extras on such short notice is beyond me. Even the number plate was identical, though I suppose that bit was the easiest to fake.
“Anyway, I drove into the shed and they closed the doors behind me, while the fake SUV drove out the other end. Nobody was in it. It was controlled remotely. I’m still amazed that this can be done so easily these days.”
I pause to take a breath. It’s like I’m reliving my escape all over again, and adrenaline is rushing through my body.
“I then swapped cars. A driver was already waiting for me to take me to a private airport. On the way there, I heard the explosion. Even from miles away, it was loud.
“Then I hopped onto two different planes, and I got here, just to have the biggest surprise ever waiting for me.”I wind my arms around his neck and rub my nose against his, giving it a tender peck.
“Aiden gave us this opportunity to build something beautiful together,” I say, feeling immeasurable gratitude and love.
“Our happiness is all because of him. It’s a debt we can never repay. We owe it to him to be the happiest we can be.”
Tiero tugs on my body. “Lie with me please,” he says in a voice full of emotions.
I snuggle up close against him, careful not to squash any tubes. Resting my head on his shoulder, peace fills me.
I think he gets just how big a gift Aiden has given us.
It’s confirmed when not a minute later he speaks again, the conviction in his voice unmistakable.
“We’ve been given this second dawn. And we’re not going to waste it. We will live each moment to the fullest and be happy for the rest of our lives.”
We seal that promise with a kiss.
