Rafe claps my shoulder once. “Good work, Commander.”
Rhett gives a sharp nod. Boyd’s gaze is steady. Eli is already checking Kayley for bruises.
The men look relieved—tired, but relieved. We took one monster off the board tonight. And we didn’t lose what mattered most.
Later, when the compound quiets and Kayley is finally tucked into my cabin again, Aidan asleep in his bassinet like the world is safe, Kayley sits on the couch with her knees drawn up, staring at the fire.
I kneel in front of her, taking her hands.
She looks down at me, eyes still bright with leftover fear.
“I thought I lost you,” I admit, voice rough.
Kayley’s lips tremble. “I thought I’d never see Aidan again.”
I swallow hard. “You won’t lose him. Not while I’m breathing.”
Her gaze flicks to my mouth, then back to my eyes. “Gavin,” she whispers, like she’s about to say something she’s scared to say.
I cut her off gently, because I can’t hold it in anymore. “I love you,” I say. The words land in the space between us like a vow.
Kayley sucks in a breath. Her eyes widen, then soften, tears spilling again—quiet this time, relieved. “You—” she whispers.
“I love you,” I repeat, more certain. “I love Aidan. I love this life with you. I don’t care how fast it happened. I don’t care if it scares you. I’m not letting it go.”
Kayley’s hands tighten around mine. “I’ve never been loved like that.”
“You are now,” I say, and I mean it with everything in me.
She leans forward, pressing her forehead to mine. “I love you too.”
My chest aches at her words. I pull her into my arms and hold her like I’ll never let go, like holding her is the only thing that makes sense. Outside, the snow keeps falling. Somewhere down the mountain, Mark Renshaw is running. But our people are captured. The ring is collapsing. The FBI is involved. The walls are closing in. And here, in the warm cabin, Kayley breathes against my neck, Aidan sleeps safe in the bassinet, and for the first time in my life…
I don’t feel like I’m waiting for the world to take something from me.
I feel like I’ve finally claimed what I was meant to protect.
Family.
Mine.
Happily. Ever. After.
EPILOGUE
GAVIN
Aidan’s laugh is the kind of sound that rewires a man.
It’s high and bright and completely unbothered by the fact that the world is full of monsters. He’s sitting on the living room rug in my cabin—ourcabin now—chewing on a rubber moose like he’s preparing for a long winter and needs to stockpile calories.
Kayley sits cross-legged beside him, hair in a messy bun, wearing one of my shirts and one of my flannels like she owns both.
She does.
She looks up at me over the rim of her coffee mug, eyes warm, and I feel that familiar punch in my chest.
Happiness.
