Dean and I stripped down to our underwear and slipped under the covers in the guest room. I snuggled against him, grabbing onto him like a koala and resting my cheek on his bare chest.
“Did you speak to Medina?” I whispered. “Did he come to the cabin himself?”
Dean kissed my hairline. “Yep, he did. Along with a dozen guys from Crosshairs who I assume he trusts implicitly. Given the potential for a mutiny within his company, he wants to get it snuffed out as quickly and thoroughly as possible.”
“Helps that Garrett is now a prisoner, Woodson is dead, and several of their allies are dead too. Thanks to us.”
“Medina seemed appropriately grateful. He told me to pass on his thanks to you. And repeated his offer to give you evidence of Garrett’s suffering. I assume your answer is still no?”
I shivered. “I’m done with Garrett.” But there was something else I didn’t fully understand. “When you walked into that room and shot him, you could’ve killed him. You shot him in the shoulder and leg instead.”
“Either shot could’ve been lethal. Depending on where exactly I hit.”
“But theyweren’tlethal. You knew what you were doing. They didn’t call you Bullseye for nothing.” I looked up at Dean and found him smirking, but that hint of a smile disappeared quickly. His arms tightened around me.
“Would you prefer that I’d killed him?”
“No, that’s not what I mean. I just want to understand why you didn’t.”
Dean rolled his tongue over his teeth, blue eyes contemplative. “When I killed Garrett’s friends, it was because they were armed and trying to kill me. Garrett was threatening Stephie, and of course I’d have done anything to ensure her safety. But you’d already taken his gun. I had a split-second to decide, and…I made my choice. Medina will ensure Garrett doesn’t harm you or anyone else again. It didn’t have to be me.”
I brought my hand to his upper chest, where the bullet pendant used to be. Now it was just his soft skin and the muscle underneath. “You told me once that good people always have a moment of hesitation about taking a life. Even when it’s justified.”
“And you toldmeI’m a good person, so…” Dean rolled onto his side and faced me. “Maybe you’re right.”
He hadn’t spared Garrett for that man’s benefit. Dean had made the choice forhimself.
“I know I’m right. You have a good soul.”
“I lost it for a while, but you helped me find it again.” He brushed his lips over mine. “It’s probably tattered, but whatever soul I have, it belongs to you. All of me belongs to you. I love you.”
“All of me belongs to you too. All my love. My future. But that future is up for discussion, you know. If you ever get the itch to wander again. If you ever get tired of Hart County and want to spend a season somewhere else, I could take time off work and…”
“No. I’m done wandering.” Dean placed my hand against his heart, and then he mirrored my position, pressing his palm flat to my beating heart in turn. “I have everything I need right here.”
Epilogue
Dean, One Year Later
Guests started arrivingin the early afternoon. We heard their cars pulling up out front, parking on the gravel.
“Crap, I think we need more hamburger buns,” Keira said, looking panicked. “Why didn’t I buy more? Do you have time to run to the store?”
“The store that’s half an hour away? No, baby. I don’t.”
“Do you think I made enough mac and cheese? You’ve seen how Colby can eat. Not to mention Vivian’s boyfriend and her brother. Toby polished off half of Trace’s birthday cake.”
“C’mere, sweetness.” I hooked her waist and tugged her to me, leaning my hip against the kitchen island. “You’re adorable.”
“I amnot. I’ll have you know I can be very scary.”
“Yeah, I do know that, Senior Deputy Marsh.” I kissed her. “But I also know we have tons of food. Today will be easy. We’ve had these people over plenty of times before.”
“Yes, but not everyone all at once.” The doorbell rang, and her eyes darted to the side.
But I pulled her in for another quick kiss, just to savor the moment.
I loved her so damn much.
