Cutter arrived as the oldest of the EMTs told Santiago that Veronica Archer was dead.
“You head on over to the hospital with your woman,” Cutter said. “I’ll go break the news to the mayor…ex-mayor.”
In the ambulance Lauren was given meds and Santiago’s shallow chest wounds were cleaned.
“This isn’t over you know,” she said groggily.
He moved a few braids out of her face.
“What’s not over? What have we missed, little wren?”
“My mother. She’s going to be out for blood,” she mumbled. “I have never been shot before; been shotatbut never shot.”
Santi smiled down at her, wiping a smear of blood from her neck.
“You’re blaming us for being better shots than you city folks?”
“Ma Mable is absolutely going to blame you. Figure out your cover story now.”
He pressed another kiss against her temple and closed his eyes.
She was safe, she would live.
He breathed deep, breathed her into his soul.
She wasn’t leaving him. Ever.
“Your mama can blame me all she wants. Hell, you can blame me, but you’ll be doing it by my side. You try and do a Derrick on me, I will find you, shackle us together at the ankle, put a detail on you, whatever. You’re mine, little wren, and I’ll fight you, your mama, and whoever else if they try to keep you from me.”
He pressed his lips to her temple closing his eyes. “You’ve won. In the war between us, you are the victor. But I’m not letting you go.”
He leaned back with calm clarity.
If he was forced to, he’d become a deranged kidnapper to keep her, barricade them both in his house until his heart became her only home.
“I was just engaged to get married?—”
“And that was a foolish on your part. But you turned it around, made the best choice, and ran straight into my arms.”
She laughed, then winced. “You literally threw me over your shoulder.” She smiled softly, her eyes crossing due to her growing sedation. “Like a caveman.” She slurred.
“Like an Appalachian Mountain man.”
“You could only do it,” she said, fighting to remain conscious. “Because I’m so…delicate and petite.”
The EMT snorted with derision, and Santiago’s laughter filled the cab.
“I absolutely did do it because you’re delicate and petite. I couldn’t have stopped it if I wanted to; couldn’t have stoppedusif I wanted to.”
She was already unconscious when he said the words, but he planned to spend a lifetime on the lake proving how unstoppable they could be together.
EPILOGUE
Lauren woke up shaking,feverish, unable to catch her breath.
She groaned, hurting, not because of her wound, but because Santiago’s head was buried between her thighs, her legs resting on his back as he ate her out as if her pussy was ambrosia cake.
She begged for release, but he was deaf, dumb, and blind to anything that wasn’t?—
