Page 207 of After the Burn

Wren stood beside her. Self-appointed maid of honor.

Naturally.

She wore a deep green dress and looked far too pleased with herself.

And beside them—Max.

A narrow leather pouch had been tied around his neck. Our rings tucked inside.

He looked intensely proud of himself.

I was too until he took off at a run right for Beck.

“Wiggles!” Wren frowned. “Bring your ass back here.”

Laughter filled the chapel, and even Ben smiled.

Taryn looked towards us. When she made eye contact with me, everything else disappeared.

For one second, I saw her at eight.

Skinny legs, and big gray eyes. Following me through a house neither of us understood would eventually disappear.

Then I saw the teenager I’d watched from a distance because going back hurt too much.

Then the woman she’d become without any of us.

Brilliant, infuriating, dangerous… wonderfully flawed and willing to entertain the crazy idea I had to keep her alive.

Beck breathed beside me. “Fuck. She’s beautiful.”

Lucas exhaled slowly.

Neither of them had anything better to contribute, and for once, neither did I.

Wren hummed the bridal song as Taryn followed behind her on Ben’s arm.

I’d spent years trying to calculate every possible threat to Taryn. Every weakness, every contingency. Every way the world might try to take her away.

I couldn’t have predicted all that had happened. But my hope for us, was not just to survive in this new world, but to thrive.

As Taryn reached us and we surrounded her, I truly believed that we would make it happen.

One way or another…

EPILOGUE

ADRIAN

By the time we got Taryn back to the cabin, she had threatened to kill Wren twice.

Possibly three times.

I’d lost count somewhere between the second toast and Wren loudly informing the entire chapel that marriage meant Taryn was now ‘Legally obligated to make her an aunt.’

Nothing about this was legal, but trying to convince Wren of anything had long since proven pointless.

Taryn kicked the cabin door shut behind us. “I’m never speaking to her again.”