And this time, I don’t flinch at the endearment.I smile.
He almost pales when he realizes what he just said, but I quickly step forward, sliding my hand in his and squeezing.
“It’s okay. I’m okay.” I swallow. “They don’t own me,they never fucking did.” Stepping up on my tippy toes, I place a kiss on Rusty’s cheek. “Thank you again, for everything.”
I notice the glisten in his orbs when he smiles. It looks a little like pride, then he nods, running the back of his hand over his nose and turning back to the grill.
When I spin around, the rest of the gang emerges onto the deck, and there are smiles everywhere, gleaming eyes and loose laughter. Goosebumps ripple across my limbs, and I rub at my triceps. It is at this moment that I realize I have found what I was missing for so many years…a place where I’m safe, a home.
I slide up behind Harlen, threading my fingers into his and rising onto the balls of my feet. My lips are a whisper over his ear when I breathe, “Come with me.”
We take the steep stairs at the edge of the deck, and Harlen’s hand is still in mine as I begin guiding us through the tall pine trees. The wind is warm, though the shadows of the looming trees make it feel a little cooler.
Harlen doesn’t ask me where we are going, he just follows quietly behind me. Though when we reach the edge of the tree line, and the graying pier falls right into our immediate vision, he steps up behind me, his hands finding a place at my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder.
“So.” He places a kiss on my skin, and I run my fingers through his at my waist. “Fucking.” Spinning me around, he grabs my cheeks and presses a kiss to my forehead. He stays there for a moment longer, inhaling deeply, and when my hands fist his shirt, I feel his chest expand beneath me. “Brave.”
I shiver, closing my eyes as he pushes his forehead down onto mine, and when my eyes flick open, I latch onto his ocean blues. They’re glassy, full of tears, full of fucking pride.
“Will you do this with me?” I ask quietly, a tear rolling down my cheek. “Will you help me set myself free?”
He exhales heavily, licking over his lips. “Fuck yeah, Cherry Bomb.”
A small smile touches my lips, then I whisper, “Throw me over your shoulder like last time.”
He instantly bends down, and I squeal when he does exactly as I ask before taking off toward the pier. The sound of thetimber creaking beneath his feet doesn't make me feel anything but joy, because with Harlen, I know I’m safe. With Harlen, I know I can conquer it all.
When he reaches the end, he slides me off his shoulder swiftly, placing me on my feet instead of leaping off.
“Wha–” I begin to ask, but he cuts me off, grabbing my waist and pulling me into him. His hand slides around the back of my neck, his thumb tracing across the angle of my jaw, tilting my chin upward, right against him.
He licks his lips, his warm eyes pinned to mine. “Take the leap, baby… I’ll be right beside you.”
I blink, then I smile, nodding when he wipes the rivulet that falls off the edge of my chin.
Harlen’s hand is locked in mine, and when we start to count down from ten, I squeeze him tightly, and he pauses, turning to look at me.
“You okay?”
I grin brighter. “Yeah, I just don’t think I ever told you this…but I love you too, asshole.”
Harlen bites into his bottom lip, the look in his eyes vibrant and so goddamn content, and when we start to countdown again, a voice dances through the air.
“You’ve fucking got this, Cherry.” Turning back over my shoulder, I see Cameryn sitting over the railing, watching us, and beside her is Tyler. Keaton is there too, and next to him is Rusty. Chase holds a beer in the air, as Harmony curls into Asher’s arms. They all start to count.
More tears trail down my cheeks, and when I turn back to Harlen, he sucks on his bottom lip, a smile tilting the corner. “You will never be alone again, Cherry Bomb.Welcome home.”
And as they all reach three, I squeeze Harlen’s hand, never taking my eyes off the man I love so deeply, with my whole heart, when he yells with excitement, “One!”
I suck back a lungful of air.
And as my feet leave the pier for what I know will not be the final time, I smile as we sink below the pulse,together.
Fate fucked me.
But I made it my bitch.
Twice.
