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From: Cecilia Shaw
Subject: Re: Could you look these over?
Hilda,
I’d very much appreciate it if you could set up interviews as soon as possible.
Regarding that beautiful young man, he’s all that and so much more.
You mean the world to me, too.
CeCe
I set my phone on the side table, toe off my shoes, pull my feet up on the vinyl chair, tuck my knees under my hoodie, and situate myself until I get comfortable.
When we walked in the hospital, Nour, AJ, and Bennett were in the waiting room, having no idea what was going on, but had heard Locke flipping out and took him to the hospital.
Gwen is out of surgery. The bullet was removed successfully, and she’s going to make a full recovery. Chloe and Whitley are waiting for her to wake up. Locke is outside her door, refusing to leave.
Aggie was picked up at the airfield by Pope and is most likely sound asleep at their house. Danny is at the airport, waiting for Cora’s father to land and catch him up. Nour, AJ, and Bennett took Cora back to the house. Abe O’Donnell followed them with Fawna.
Marks is no longer behind bars and is with Justice and Gabby Steel, working with the New Jersey and California authorities to get William extradited as soon as possible.
Zandor Steel told me right before he left Rome’s room that he wouldn’t go to sleep until he knew we had landed and asked that he woke him up. He was right to let him sleep.
Tears sting my eyes again as I take him in, my worst fears all having come to fruition. He’s hurt, and everyone in his circle knows he’s connected to me. He’s going to be linked to my past, that monster William, and there is nothing I can do about it, nothing at all but love him until he doesn’t want my love anymore.
* * *
“Let her sleep,” I hear Rome whisper.
I feel my lips turn up and slowly open my eyes to see light coming through the windows. Sitting up, I turn to see him wearing shorts, a T-shirt, and sunglasses to shield his eyes from the light.
“Good morning, Cecilia Angel Shaw.”
Emotions erupt, and my eyes grow hot. “I need to see your eyes.”
He walks toward me quickly. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, Red.”
I sniff back tears. “I need to see you.” I stop when he pulls his sunglasses up, and I nod. “Again.”
“Again?”
“She wants you to say her name again,” Chloe whispers.
“Cecilia.” His deep voice cracks, and he swallows hard before continuing with such raw warmth as he walks to me and takes my hands. “The perfect middle name for you is Shaw because, one day soon, I’m going to beg you to take my last name, which makes complete sense because you already own the one that beats hardest when you’re around.” He pulls me against him, one hand moving to my hip. “It’s a good morning, yeah?”
Smiling, I nod. “It is. It’s a really good morning.”
Lips to my head, he whispers, “I love you.”
I look up into his beautiful chestnut-brown eyes. “I’m gonna love you Hart-er.”
* * *
Walking into the house, I am greeted with the smell of bacon and sausage. Elle is at Nour’s side at the stove, and AJ has his back to us as he butters toast.
