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“Let’s go, lass.”
When night falls, Cillian builds a fire in the barbeque pit out on the terrace.
We sit side by side on a blanket and watch the fire blaze and burn.
Cillian made me hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, so I sip on that while he watches me.
We didn’t do much talking when we got home earlier. He took me straight to bed.
As much as I wanted to talk to him about what’s going to happen next, I had no complaints. I was happy to be his and happy to feel like his wife again.
“Are you okay?” His voice is a soft rumble in my ear as he brushes my shoulder with his.
“I am now. Yesterday was a lot, though.”
He nods and gazes ahead at the flames. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt such fear as when I had to let you leave me to go back to Lance. I didn’t know if our plan was going to work.”
“I know. I was scared, too. Thank you for trusting me.”
He smirks. “I always trust you. It’s everyone else I don’t trust.” The seriousness returns to his face. “If I had been a minute later, I don’t want to think what could have happened. After poisoning that bastard, he still nearly shot your mother, and he might have had just enough energy to kill you, too.”
The dark dread of the same realization grips me, but I push it aside and tug on his arm. “It didn’t happen. You got there in time and saved us.”
He leans in and plants a kiss on my forehead. “I hope that never happens again.”
“Me too.” I set my mug down next to me and shuffle so I’m facing him. “How do you feel now that you got justice for your parents?”
He drags in a deep breath. “I’m not sure. It doesn’t feel like it’s enough. But I guess it feels like it’s something. Now the chapter is closed, and I can truly move on.”
“That sounds like something good.”
“It is. My parents would have loved you.” He smiles and touches my cheek.
“I wish I could have met them.”
“I do, too. They both would have been happy that I found my soul mate.” His eyes lock on mine, and his words warm my heart.
“Cillian… that means a lot to me. You are my soul mate, too.”
“I’m sorry it took you leaving me for me to see sense. Or for Jessica to cause a wedge between us.”
“It sounded like she was bitter that you didn’t choose her.”
“She’s always been bitter about that.” Tension fills his eyes. “I didn’t choose her in the past either when she tried to ruin my relationship with her sister. Erika—that was her name. If you were wondering why I’m so hostile toward Jessica, that’s the reason.”
“She seriously tried to ruin your relationship?”
“There is nothing that woman won’t do. She set me up so it looked like I was cheating with her. Erika saw us. She had months to live by then but she decided to take her life. I never knew if what she saw pushed her or if it was just everything. That’s the whole story. So, I guess I do keep that picture you saw for memories.”
I keep my eyes on his, my heart hurting for him. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks. I never want you to feel like I don’t want to plan my future with you. Or like you aren’t my everything and she was. It was never about that. Death was my enemy and I didn’t want to bring you into my world, knowing I wouldn’t always be around to protect you.”
“I understand that now.”
“And now you know for sure. So, how about we start planning for forever?” He gives me a hope filled smile.
“I like the sound of that. What do you have in mind?”
