Page 127 of Never the Same

She turned to face me, eyes glossy. “I remember,” she blurted out as if unable to hide the secret any longer.

She opened her palm and held it between us, and I hesitantly rested mine on top of hers. A tear fell down her cheek, disappearing beneath her jawline.

“I remembered my place of peace. You. Our kids.”

I froze, worried I’d passed out in the shower and was dreaming.

She sniffled, swiping away tears with her free hand. “Then it all came back to me,” she cried. “And, I, um, heard you were operating, so I wanted to wait until you’d be back and surprise you.”

I about keeled over. Instead, I snatched her in my arms and hauled her against me, crushing my lips over hers.

She tangled her hands in my hair, then ran her nails over my back as I made love to her with my mouth. I was fully aware I was on my driveway in only a towel, and couldn’t give two shits about it because she’d found her way back to me.

Ranger howled with excitement as I continued to ravish this woman, my heart stitching back together in real time as my world tilted.

“Your towel,” she said against my mouth, her fast reflexes saving me from exposing myself in public.

“Maybe we continue this inside,” I said, my voice husky, as I stepped back and fixed the towel.

I shut the back door, then took her hand in mine.

Once in my kitchen, she went still the second she peered at the table. “You already got the fifth chair.” She whirled around toward me, her hands landing on my chest.

“Of course I did. I knew you’d be back.”

“Guess we’ll have to amend that dream to four kids to fill the other seat.”

I pulled her back into my arms, and this time, when the towel slipped, she didn’t save it from falling as we kissed.

A few dog howls later, her lips broke from mine, and she dipped her chin between us, catching her lip at the side of her mouth as she took in the size of me. “How, um, long until we make my dream a reality?”

“Is the courthouse open now?” I was only partially joking. I curled my mouth back to hers, laughing against the kiss, and she melted into me.

My hands slid over her hips, lifting her tight to my erection. I pressed her back against the closest wall, and she hooked one leg around me. “We’ll wait until we’re married. I want that for both of us,” she whispered, shaky but certain.

“Whatever you want,” I promised, resting my forehead against hers.

“There is something else I want, though.” Shit, that sounded heavy.

She slung her arms over my shoulders, clasping her hands at the base of my neck. “I’m still processing everything. Lyra. People we trusted betraying us for power to claw out of the shadows.” Her long, dark lashes fluttered shut. “And Lyra, she needs a lot of help. I visited her before I came here and forgave her, but those are just words. I still need time to actually feel the weight of forgiveness, if that makes sense.”

I understood that a little too much. Though I’d yet to do the actual words part of that equation when it came to forgiving my parents.

“My family has to reevaluate everything and reorganize. No more protectors, only teammates. Stuff like that. Gideon will take over when Dad and Mum step aside. I’ve made up my mind that I don’t want to be in charge. In fact . . . I don’t want to be part of it at all. No ring. No power. None of it.”

My heart thundered wildly against my ribs as I absorbed what she was saying.

“I want to be a mother. A wife. Not a human weapon. I—I want some peace. I’m going to have my tattoo removed, too. No more tracking me.” She pointed her green eyes at me, and they shimmered with resolve. “That vision when I was drugged came to me for a reason, and it’s because it’s what my heart wants. My soul. I’m allowed to change my mind. I made a choice once, and now I’m making the choice to do something different,” she whispered, her voice catching from emotion. “I want to be here with you. This is where I’m most myself and happy.”

“Are you sure? I mean, nothing is set in stone. If you change your mind again, you—”

“I’m certain. Gideon is more than capable of leading everything, and if I get the operator itch, I can convince POTUS to let me spin up with you here and there like Trevor does. Heck, I can be part of the attachment unit, even. You know, maybe later, if I want to be.”

“I support you, whatever you want. Always,” I said firmly, meaning every word.

“I should apologize for violating your privacy. I promise I didn’t mean to find that letter from the hospital about your dad. I was checking out your books, and it fell out.”

“I could never be mad at you. Only fake hate, remember?” I smirked. “And as for a cure . . . maybe one day there will be one.”