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“We all sacrifice.” My words were thick and husky.
“There’s sacrifice, and then there’s you.”
I gripped his arms, holding on as he pulled away to stare into my eyes. “The moment this is over, you aren’t sacrificing a single thing ever again, do you understand me? Not. A. Single. Goddamn. Thing. You’ll have nothing but happiness. Nothing but safety and love. Nothing but puppies and rainbows and all the vegan food you can eat. I’ll make sure of it.”
My lips curled with a soft, sad smile. The way he said it made me a little scared. Thomas was quickly turning into a man I both desired and feared. But not for myself…no, for others, and I had a feeling this was only the start for him.
“We’re heading to the mountain, gathering supplies, and getting some sleep. Everyone is going to do the same, leaving time for Finley’s man, then Lazarus, to work on Hale’s hunter.”
I held my breath, panic rising inside me.
“They now understand how important he is and they’re smart, really smart. These aren’t your normal men and we need to trust them. I don’t understand this connection you seem to have with them, neither does Riven, but if anything, Finley and Lazarus will set the scene. You can use this to your advantage. Let them try their best and if it’s not good enough, then you use what power you have over him.”
There was that word again…trust.
“Are you ready to do that?” He implored.
I had no other choice, did I? At some point they needed to understand one plan just wasn’t enough when you were dealing with a snake like Haelstrom Hale. You needed more…as many as you could get. There was a fragile pleading in Thomas’ tone, one I heard loud and clear.
“More than ready.” I answered, tilting my head to rest my cheek against the inside of his arm. “I’m ready to be with you…all of you.”
He gave a smile. “I was hoping you were going to say that.”
Footsteps resounded. Doors closed and the faint growl of engines starting sounded. Thomas glanced past me as the steps stopped nearby. I turned around, to find Riven, Kane, and Hunter.
“You ready, Trouble?” Riven said carefully.
He didn’t need to ask twice. We left the Salvatore house and climbed into the four-wheel drive before we headed home. Thomas reached out to grab my hand as I sat between him and Kane in the back seat. Hope filled me, scared and helpless, a scurrying, fleeting feeling. Like it wasn’t quite sure yet.
I guess none of us were.
All we had was this moment…this gathering before the storm.
We were closing in. That I knew.
I met Hunter’s stare in the rear-view mirror.
He felt it too.
The end…
Was finally here.
TWENTY-NINE
Thomas
Headlights bounced against the glass panes of the front door. The towering mountain loomed dark and ominous behind the house I’d come to find familiar. As familiar as any other place we’d lived in. Only, this house had purpose…and a future. I turned my head, finding the moonlight caressing the perfect planes of her face. A future with the woman we’d all fallen for…Helene.
The four-wheel drive pulled up hard, the tires skidding on the loose gravel, and as the towering fence closed behind us, Hunter killed the engine and we all climbed out.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud
Thud.
