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“I had a suspicion,” he says.
“Smart arse,” Callen grumbles.
“Can we…” I pause. “Can we go home?”
Seb’s smile warms my heart as he puts an arm around my shoulder, and Bram takes my hand to lead me out of the hospital.
“Yes,” Seb says. “Let’s go home.”
EPILOGUE
IVY
“Callen!” Little Ivy throws herself at him like a cannonball. Much to Hale’s dismay, Callen has become her favourite person. However, even Hale can’t stop himself from smiling at Ivy’s delighted giggling when Callen scoops her into his arms and throws her into the air.
Pippy runs around Callen’s ankles in circles, barking excitedly. As soon as Ivy laid eyes on her, it was love at first sight. Although the guys were sad to let her go, Pippy belonged with Daisy, and she’s adjusted to her new home—and the hectic play schedule of a child—quickly.
“Again, again!” Ivy orders. “Higher!”
“He’ll be knackered by the end of the day,” Daisy says knowingly as she hugs me.
Even though a few months have passed since Alaric died, and we’ve been seeing each other regularly, I never want to let her go every time we hug.
“Ouch!” she groans at my tight embrace. “Too tight!”
I pull back and grin apologetically. “Sorry.”
“I’m still recovering, you know,” she says as Hale wraps a protective arm around her waist.
Despite my trepidation after finding out he was Alaric’s brother, the more I get to know Hale, the more I like him. Sure, he looks like a big, scary hunk of muscle, but he’s a teddy bear who’d do anything to protect his family.
“Who wants pizza?” Freddie yells from the garden.
“Me, me, me!” Ivy calls enthusiastically.
“Come on.” I jostle her along, and Pippy trots after us. “Let’s head out back.”
Since returning to the Duke’s old house, everything has changed. After I decided to stay with them, the guys let me take the reins on decorating with the condition that they’re allowed to keep their man cave. I’ve added homely touches to the house to make it more cosy and comfortable, including too many—in Callen’s opinion—rugs and colourful cushions.
In the garden, Freddie stands behind his new pizza oven, which he takes care of like a newborn.
“I’ll help,” Seb volunteers, but Freddie bats him away quickly. Seb’s the worst chef in the world. He could burn a piece of toast. “I guess I’ll help eat it then.”
Bram brings drinks over to us. He kisses my forehead before joining Seb on the reclining deck chairs in the sun.
“Hale!” Seb waves. “You owe me, remember? They lost the game!”
Hale starts arguing about whatever football match they had a wager on and joins him, while Daisy and I take a seat away from the action to drink our Pimm’s. It tastes nasty, and I’ve never seen the appeal of fruit floating in a drink, but Seb insists it’s a non-negotiable for a garden party.
“I don’t know how you do it,” Daisy says. “Living with all these guys…”
“She has a big appetite,” Callen chips in with a wink, conveniently eavesdropping at that moment.
“Cal!” I’ll throttle him when we’re next alone, but Ivy draws him away with her cries for attention. “What an arse.”
“You seem happy,” she comments, then smirks. “Which one is your boyfriend again?”
I swat her arm playfully. The truth is, life has never been better. My sister and I are reunited, I’ve started building a relationship with my niece, and the Dukes…
