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“Hello?” I called out. My voice echoed through the cavernous space of the barn, bouncing off weathered wooden beams and rusted farm equipment. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, the curse I’d heard earlier was repeated, followed by the clang of metal on metal.
My heart pounding, I moved closer. “Hello?” I called again, my voice barely above a whisper.
Rory
I was so focused on tightening the last stubborn bolt that I almost missed the soft voice calling out. But then I heard it again, closer this time, and my heart nearly stopped. I knew that voice. Every night I had dreamed of it for weeks.
“Kat?” I called out, my own voice rough with disbelief. I scrambled out from under the truck, not caring about the grease smeared across my hands and face.
And there she was, standing in the barn doorway, backlit by the golden hour’s light. For a moment, I thought I must be hallucinating. But no, she was real - her auburn hair glowing like a halo, her stormy gray eyes, wide with a mix of relief and uncertainty.
“Rory,” she breathed, and the sound of my name on her lips broke whatever spell had frozen me in place.
I crossed the distance between us in three long strides, pulling her into my arms. She melted against me, her body racking with sobs as her fingers clutched at my shirt as if afraid I might disappear. I buried my face in her hair, inhaling the familiar scent of lavender and home.
“You’re here,” I murmured, still hardly daring to believe it. “You came back.”
Kat pulled back just enough to look up at me, her eyes swimming with tears. “I heard there was an explosion, an ambush. I thought... I was afraid...”
Understanding dawned, and I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up from my chest. “Those assholes.”
Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What? Who?”
I grinned, unable to contain my joy at having her back in my arms. “Declan and Wren. Let me guess, you had a visit from two bikers, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.” Kat’s eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. “The bikers at the bar... that was...?”
“Declan and Wren in disguise,”
For a moment, she just stared at me, her expression unreadable. Then, without warning, she smacked my chest. “You bastard!” she exclaimed, but there was no heat behind her words. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?”
I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her fingertips. “We talked about it, but I didn’t know they actually went to see you!”
Her eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and relief. “You talked about it? So, you knew they were planning something?”
I ran a hand through my hair, suddenly feelingsheepish. “Not exactly. We had talked about ways to get you to come back, but I didn’t think they’d actually go through with anything. I swear, Kat, I had no idea they were going to pull a stunt like this.”
She shook her head, a rueful smile tugging at her lips. “I can’t believe I fell for it. I was so scared, Rory. I thought... I thought I might have lost you.”
The helplessness in her voice made my heart clench. I cupped her face in my hands, my thumbs gently wiping away the tears that had started to fall again. “Hey, look at me,” I said softly. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
She leaned into my touch, her eyes searching mine. “Promise?”
“I promise,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “God, Kat, I’ve missed you so much. These past weeks without you... I felt like I was missing a part of myself.”
She smiled then, a real smile that lit up her whole face. “I missed you too. More than I thought possible.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer. I leaned in, capturing her lips with mine in a kiss that was equal parts tender and passionate. She responded immediately, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pressed herself closer.
When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I rested my forehead against hers. “Stay,” I whispered. “Please, Kat. Stay with me this time. You can take over from Declan as Captain, that way you will always be safe.”
She smiled, and snuggled closer to me, resting her head on my chest. “If I do, does that mean you will be my right-hand man?”
I chuckled softly, wrapping my arms tight around her. “For you? I’d be anything you want me to be.”
She lifted her head to look at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Anything? That’s a dangerous promise, Mr. Hennessy.”
“One I intend to keep,” I said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “So, are you staying?”
