It will take us a few days to get home, not that we are in any rush. We use the time with Reign, without anyone else prying, to heal together. For the first night, we stay in a rural hotel on a lake with hardly anyone around, and as I approach the firepit they sit around, my eyes are drawn to my girl. She has on one of our oversized sweaters and her leggings, but she looks so beautiful that I just stare for a moment.
Reign loves deeply, and I know we are damn lucky she forgave us.
Finding my seat at her back, I hold her in my arms as the others joke and laugh. This is the happiest they have been since she walked out of that boardroom. I know we still have a lot to talk about and work through, but that will come in time.
For now, this is all I need.
Our job as her bodyguards might be over, but as her lovers, we will be at her side until death calls us home. Where Reign Harrow goes, we go.
A few hours later, I lift her into my arms. “It’s late, and you need rest.”
The others quickly agree, and we work as a team to get the room organized. We sweep it for bugs and cameras and then push the beds together. Once she’s showered, I clean and redress her wound for her and give her medication before she crawls into the middle of the bed. I turn off the lights, and we all pile in around her, protecting our heart.
It isn’t long before snores fill the air, and I move closer.
I hold her in the dark while the others sleep, watching her lashes crest over her cheeks as she sighs. “Thank you for forgiving us. We’ll never hurt you again.”
“You better not,” she whispers with a wicked grin, and I smile.
“There’s my girl.”
“Raff,” she whispers later.
“Yes, Miss Harrow?”
“What happens now?”
“Whatever you want. It’s your life. We are just along for the ride,” I promise.
“You’ll stay?”
“Like you could ever get rid of us.” I almost snort. “We didn’t need this job, Reign. We took it because some deep part of us knew it was important. I never could have guessed how much, but it’s time to settle down at your side, where we belong.”
“Okay.” She grins, her eyes fluttering open. “Because I still have a whole lot of trouble I want to get into.”
“Oh, I have no doubt about that, my little anarchist.” I kiss her lips, savoring every moment. “Good night, Miss Harrow.”
“Night, Raffy.”
CILLIAN
Reign is tired, but she refuses to rest when we get home. The only way I can get her to relax is to lie next to her on the daybed out back, trapping her in my arms. A lot has happened over the last few weeks, so I let her lapse into silence, just happy she’s back in my arms where she belongs. I know Raff has hurried away to pick up our fur baby, knowing she needs him right now. Plus, he belongs here, in our home. With us.
“If you want to talk about what happened,” I begin. She went through a traumatic experience. We are used to it, but she isn’t.
“I’m okay.” She snuggles closer, but she must feel my questioning glance because she sighs. “Really, I am. I always felt like I was waiting for something bad to happen, but now that it finally has, I’m relieved. I can get on with my life, and that’s all I want. For now, I just want to be happy. Can we?”
“Of course.” I bend my legs, getting settled, and my shorts ride up.
“What’s that?” She pushes my shorts up and gasps as I grin.
The new tattoo is still healing, but her lyrics are easy to pick out. “Cillian.” She stares at me.
“We are forever, Reign Harrow, and I wanted the moment you realized you loved me on my skin for just as long.” Her eyes widen, and I chuckle. “I might not be a lyrical genius, but I know a love confession when I read one.”
Giggling, she traces it with her fingers as she leans into my side. “I never thought we’d be here again. I thought it was over.” She lifts her head as my heart clenches. “Even when I was hurt and angry, I missed you. I missed you so much, it made it hurt more.”
Kissing her head, I hold her tighter. “You will never miss us again. We aren’t going anywhere, and we’ll earn your forgiveness every day for the rest of our lives.”
“Deal,” she whispers as I kiss her head.
“And my skin is your notepad anytime. Cover me in your lyrics, Reign, like my heart is covered in you.”
