Page 94 of Striking

“Oh God.” Lennon tears up immediately. “What did he say?”

“He told her he would. That he’d be there with her the same way your mother was with him.” I wipe my own eye and watch my girl flip a page in her book. “Then he told her the most important thing he’s learned as king is to keep your family close. Their duty is to serve their country, but their life is meant to serve their family.”

“He’s the strongest of all of us,” Lennon sighs.

“He is. Any chance you’ll keep an eye on the kids, so I can go find him?” I have a good idea where he’ll be, and when Lennon agrees, I head to the hammock on the other side of the beach. The one away from everyone else. It’s Rhys’s favorite place to come when he needs a quiet minute. And with twenty of us spread out throughout multiple villas on the island, quiet minutes are few and far between during the weeks we spend here each year.

“Hi,” I whisper as I stand, blocking the sun and forcing this man I love more than my own life to open his eyes. “Got room on there for one more?”

“That depends.” He shields his face from the sun so he can see me. “Did you bring that pink and white bee bikini like I asked?”

I drop my hand to my hip and shake my head. “I told you that doesn’t fit anymore.”

“And I toldyouI didn’t care.” He moves over and drops a foot to the sand, steadying the hammock so I can lie next to him without flipping us both over to our asses. “I will always love that on you.”

He lifts his arm so I can slide into my spot next to him and rest my face against his heart, the way I always do.

“I may have shoved it in a suitcase.” I press my lips to his and hear him hum contentedly.

“Where are the kids?” He pushes off the sand, and we sway in the warm wind.

“Estella and Ophelia are reading a book. Jake is teaching Frederic how to body surf with Ares...”

“And what about Katerina?”

“I think her little eight-year-old heart has its very first crush,” I tell him wistfully.

The hammock stops abruptly. “What the hell? She’s related to everyone on the island.”

“Technically, she’s not related to Joe . . .” I know he’s going to lose his mind in three . . . two . . . one . . .

“His mother is our sister-in-law, and your best friend.”

“Technically, she’s your sister’s sister-in-law, not ours. And Katerina is only eight. It’s a crush. Don’t worry about it.” But even as I say the words, I smile.

Stranger things have happened.

“Close your eyes, my king. Rest. We’re surrounded by our family. Everyone is safe and happy and healthy, and I’m in your arms. Everything is right in the world.”

His lips press against mine, and he closes his eyes. “Only you can do that, Bellamy.”

“Do what?” I ask softly as I relax in his arms and feel the warmth of the day begin to sit heavy on my eyes.

“Calm my soul.”

“I love you, Rhys.”

“Until my dying breath, little bee.”

The End