He removed his coat, scattering snow on the floor. “We took Madison’s body and the bodies of the two soldiers to the compound near Boise to be found there. She has no connection to us.”
Noni swallowed rapidly, trying to keep from going into a panic attack. “What about the explosives?”
He rubbed his shoulder. “We think we found most of them, but the Montana gang is sending experts over tomorrow to scan the entire property. We’re out of it now.”
She took several deep breaths. “What about any of Madison’s soldiers from the compound who survived the attack earlier?”
“They’re long gone,” he said. “Probably on their way out of the country.”
Relief made her knees wobble. She watched how slowly he was moving, and concern took her. “God. How are you?”
He shook his head. “Fine.”
She studied him. Clear eyes, firm jaw, shoulders tense. “You shot her, Denver. Even though she was nuts and just an egg donor, she was biologically your mother.”
“Fuck biology.” His grin didn’t reach his eyes, but the tension started to dissipate across his jaw. “My family is Ryker and Heath. The Gray brothers. And now you and Talia. That’s family.”
She gulped. Family? “You saved us. Protected us.”
“That’s my job, baby,” he said softly, his gaze lightening. “I’m okay. Trust me.”
She did. With everything she had. “How’s your chest?”
“Good.” He took off his shirt and kicked off his boots. “How’s the baby?”
“She’s fine,” Noni said. Talia had no idea the night she’d just had. “We took the tracker out with tweezers and flushed it down the toilet.” Ryker had instructed them, and it had been relatively easy. “I put a mermaid bandage on her.” Why did she tell him that silly detail?
His grin did reach his eyes this time. “Mermaid?”
“Yeah.” That was why she’d told him. They needed all the grins they could get, and if a mermaid did it, she’d run with that.
He moved to the bed and lay down, his chest a blend of different bruise colors. “You okay?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, following him, her stomach kind of cramping. “I’m worried about you. About what you had to do.”
He held out his good arm, and she stretched out next to him, her face on his biceps. His warmth and strength gathered around her, and she settled right into it, breathing deeply. “I warned her, and I had to protect you,” he said, his voice rough. “I’m so sorry you had to see it all happen.”
She flattened her hand over his heart, careful of his injuries. His skin was warm and his heartbeat steady. “She was threatening my baby and me. There wasn’t a choice.”
“No, there wasn’t.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “We’re safe now, Noni.”
She leaned into his touch. “Are we free? Finally?” Could it be possible that it was all over? That they were actually safe?
He rubbed down her arm. “Kind of.”
“Meaning?” She lifted her head to see his eyes darken to a midnight blue.
“You’ll never be free of me. I love you, Noni. You and Talia. I want us to be a family.” He reached for her right hand. “I’ll protect you both. Love you both. Be whatever you need me to be.” Slowly, he slid the ring free.
Tears caught in her throat. It was all too much to be real. He was being so open and true, and she trusted him. She needed him. “I only need you to be you.” He was more than she could’ve ever imagined she’d find. She wasn’t sure she could hold on to so much happiness after such tragedy. But she had right now and right here and Denver. “I love you,” she whispered.
“Marry me?” he asked softly, taking her left hand. “Move with me to the wilds of Montana and consider living with my overbearing, slightly crazy, definitely dangerous family, and I promise you’ll never doubt for a second that you’re loved and safe. So damn safe, Noni.” He slid the ring onto her left ring finger, watching it sparkle. “Please.”
“Yes,” she breathed out, her life landing where she wanted. More than a year ago she’d given her heart to him, and she’d never gotten it back. He now held it even stronger than before, and she couldn’t imagine her life without him. She and Talia could give him a family where he could just be himself. Where he could express himself without fear and be truly loved while keeping the crucial bonds of brotherhood he’d created and lived for his entire life. “I’ll love you forever, Denver. I promise.”
He smiled and kissed her so gently she could feel beyond him to what they could be. What they could have. The life they could live together filled with love and passion and security. “I love you, Noni. For eternity.”
CHAPTER
