That part I remember in all its technicolor glory. Another growl sounds from the back of my throat. When I finally get my hands on Paul, he better watch out. You do not threaten what’s mine and get away with it.
“You went all yippee-ki-yay and launched yourself at Paul, spraying him in the face with dish soap.” He makes his feelings about my weapon of choice perfectly clear.
What was I supposed to do? It was the only thing I had to work with.
“His shot went wide from your surprise attack, so it hit you instead.”
Well that gives a whole new meaning to the saying I would take a bullet for you. Look at me taking things in the literal sense. My shoulder screams at me as if to say Yeah, thanks for that—bitch.
“Luckily the Coast Guard showed up and we were able to get you back here in time for surgery.”
“What happened with Paul?” I let out a pained groan as I jerk upright, a sickening thought hitting me all at once. “Oh my god—what about Justin? And Dad? Are they hurt? Is that why they aren’t here?”
The Tink Train pops out, and I know what he’s about to say isn’t going to be good.
“Paul is dead. Justin shot him when his gun went off, and he and Jack are fine. They are dealing with all the fallout and paperwork.”
I should feel bad that someone lost their life, but I cannot scrounge up much empathy right now.
“But not you?”
“They left after you got out of surgery to give their statements. I was just waiting for you to wake up so I could say goodbye before I left.”
“Goodbye? Left?” My eyes bounce around the room, searching for answers. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Maddey—”
“I swear to God, Dexter Stone, you call me Maddey one more fucking time, I’m putting you in the bed next to mine.”
“Your room is a single.”
“Now is not the time to be cute.”
I want to hit him; it’s such a shame I’m too injured to do so. I need to remember to ask Rocky—or better yet Gage since he’s the professional—to do it for me later.
“We just went over this. You are not the one who put me in this bed. When you showed up, you promised to slay my dragons and catch my crocodile.” I roll my hand and reverse our grips so now it’s my hand on his wrist, and then I pull. “Guess what, Hook? You did just that. No more ticking clock to be heard.”
The chug-chug-chug of the Tink Train tells me he still wants to argue. Time to push it off the tracks.
“I love you.”
He rears back in shock—which is ridiculous since he’s been the one telling me I’ve loved him since long before I was able to realize it.
“You were right. I love you.”
He frees himself from my hold and takes two steps backward. Where the fuck does he think he’s going?
“Don’t you dare walk away from me, Dexter Stone.”
He stops but doesn’t return.
“You heard me, right?”
He stubbornly stays too far away for me to touch.
“I. Love. You.” There are those melty chocolate eyes I love. “Now stop acting dumb, be a good book boyfriend, and kiss me.”
I hold my breath, waiting for him to comply
He closes the distance and slips a hand behind my neck, gripping it in that possessive way that makes my panties wet. His thumb wraps around until it rests on the vein pulsing away—not that he needs it because the heartbeat monitor is blowing up my spot, telling him exactly what his nearness does to me.
The frustrating man still doesn’t kiss me. We’re nose to nose, our lips close enough to brush when he speaks, but not enough to fully touch.
“You love me?” he asks.
My eyes cross trying to hold eye contact, and I nod.
“You’re in love with me?”
Another nod.
“You want me to put my ring on your finger?”
“And your babies in my belly…if your boys are able to handle it after my electrocution,” I add cheekily, because he still won’t kiss me.
“Fucking hell, Tink.”
There it is.
“Kiss me, Hook.”
The tip of his tongue brushes across my lower lip when it peeks out to wet his.
“I’m going to do so much more than kiss you, Tink, so much more than all those things you just asked for.” A quick peck then he’s back in the same maddening position. “I’m going to give you the best damn happily ever after you’ve ever seen.”
And he seals it—haha, I’m so punny—with a kiss.
Epilogue 1
Ten days later
* * *
For as long as I live, the sight of Maddey surrounded by a mountain of colorful pillows and sea turtle bedding will never get old.
After three days spent in the hospital, the staff was more than happy to see my girl leave. It wasn’t her—Tink was a model patient—but the constant stream of visitors with a side dish of drama that drove them insane.
Sure, they mollified the staff by having the professional athletes visit the pediatrics floor and cheer up sick children, but there were more than a handful of noise complaints that started to outweigh the good.
With only a few days left on my three-week liberty, I stare down at the only person fierce enough to demand I get over myself and just love her.
And I do. I love her so fucking much.
The memory of her, curls a wild mess, hospital gown falling off one shoulder, arm not supported by a sling waving wildly in the air while she put both Ryan and me in our place still manages to give me a semi. I’m a sick fucking bastard for being turned on by being scolded, but that’s what my baby does to me.
Under Maddey’s watchful and don’t-you-dare-test-me eye, the hockey captain and I kissed—not literally, much to Lyle’s disappointment—and made up.
I think learning about some of the details of Paul’s elaborate abduction of Maddey helped as well. It’s unfortunate most of what happened we will never know because they died with Paul.
The jingle of metal sounds to my right, and I look down at Trident as he sits on my foot, taking up his own vigil.
“You ready for this, bud?”
The wet stroke of a tongue licking across my forearm is his answer.
Now or never.
With a jerk of my chin, Trident jumps onto the mattress and snuggles into his mom’s side. Following his lead, I round the end of the bed and pull my girl to spoon against me.
Unfortunately, thanks to the feathers of a million geese in the way, I don’t get to enjoy the feel of the soft curve of her ass against my dick. The Admiral has been feeling a bit neglected with Maddey on the disabled list.
“Mmm.” Maddey stretches, her back arching in that delicious way that never fails to turn me on.
“Hey there, Sleeping Beauty.” I nose her curls out of the way, breathing in the sweet scent of coconut as I kiss along the back of her neck.
“Have I ever told you how much I love when you use Disney references on me, Hook?” she mumbles sleepily.
“A time or two.” My hand fumbles with yards of fabric as I try to snake my way under it so I can hold a person and not a duvet.
She growls in frustration at not being able to stretch back and touch me with her injured shoulder, having to settle for stretching out her other arm to pet Trident.