I heard feet pounding on the planks near us, and I knew my team was coming. I sighed. There was a dead body right next to us, I was bleeding, and so was Breck, and here we were, fighting, or maybe not. There was something happening between us, a shift, and we needed to finish our conversation, even if it was a mistake.
“I thought you were dead,” he whispered.
I reached out, brushing dirt and soot away from his face.
“I’m not.” I paused. “But I might be hurt again in the future, and you being here? I don’t know what it means, but it can’t erase everything that happened.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry that I left. We should have talked it out. I’m sorry. I fucking love you so much, Sparrow. I shouldn’t have walked away. I should’ve been able to deal with my fears. And I don’t know why they’re so irrational, considering my family has always been in the spotlight, and that has an element of danger to it too.”
“That has something to do with it most likely,” I said readily.
I heard Niko shouting and the others coming toward us, and I knew our time was short.
“I know you’re sorry, and I love you too, but this is your second chance. There are no more after this.” I let out a breath as his shoulders dropped. “I love you, but I don’t deserve to be treated like that. I understand why you walked away, but this is me. If you don’t accept who I am, then this isn’t going to work.”
Breck leaned forward and brushed the hair from my face. And then Niko was there with the rest of the team coming along behind him.
“Love you too,” he whispered, and I knew Niko and everyone else had heard. They’d probably heard the entire conversation over the comms, but I didn’t care. They already knew nearly everything about me as it was.
Breck pulled back a little and said, “I might growl at you because that’s who I am. But I’m always going to be there for you.”
“But never as a decoy,” I snapped. “Never again.”
Breck gave me that playboy smirk of his, and I nearly smacked it off his face. “I can’t promise that.”
Then he lowered his mouth to mine, gently brushed my bruised lips, and pulled away. “I can promise you almost anything, but I can’t promise I won’t care for you.”
I looked at him as the authorities arrived, and I knew they’d have questions that needed answers.
And I knew I had fallen. For my prince, the pain in the ass that never went away, and the one person I loved above everything.
Chapter 21
Breck
A cold dark day begins with a colder morning.
* * *
It had been three days since I had shot and killed a man—three days since I had thought that the love of my life was dead.
It had been a long three days.
We were up in the family dining area, the one part of the castle that was for every single member of the Waterford family, and completely off-limits to everyone else. There were staff members available if we needed them, but sometimes we even cooked for each other. Not well, mind you, but we tried. Tonight, however, we had a full catered meal, thanks to Roman. The King of Alden wasn’t happy with any of us. In fact, he looked ready to murder all of us. After we healed, that was.
But since he couldn’t do anything other than glower at us at the moment, he did what he did best. He took care of us, made sure we were fed, and now we’re all huddled around the dining room table, the family sitting there as if we didn’t help rule a country every waking hour of our lives, and sometimes when we weren’t awake as well.
“I cannot believe you didn’t send for us to come back for all this,” London said, shaking her head. She had her hand over her rounded belly, and I wanted to reach out and see if she was far enough into the pregnancy that the baby would kick. But I had a feeling if I went anywhere near her at that moment, Kannon would probably stab me with his dinner fork. He was overly protective, and I didn’t blame him. His team had been under fire while he’d been gone, and he had been protecting his wife, the princess and my sister, the entire time. He was constantly on edge, and I knew he was grateful he had Sparrow to lean on.
But considering I could still see the bruises on her face, and the fact that she had lost some of her hair at the bottom when it was singed off by the fire as she’d jumped out the window, I wasn’t quite sure I was happy that she was second in command.
No, that wasn’t quite correct. I loved that she was so good at her job. She was one of the best in the business, and while I was never going to be okay with the fact that she was in danger, I was learning to deal with it. That was growth. I wasn’t always good with growth, but I was getting better. Marginally.
“Well, I’m glad that you weren’t here,” Sparrow said, and I gave her a sharp look.
“Ouch,” London said, though she laughed.
Kannon nodded. “See? That’s why I like working with Sparrow. She gets it. I wouldn’t want you anywhere near an explosion.” Kannon glared at me then Sparrow. “Not that I liked any of my team being there either.”
“We took care of it, though.” Sparrow looked at me and squeezed my knee. “All of us.”
Wilder tilted his head as he stared at me, and I knew he was searching my face for something. I had a feeling I knew exactly what it was. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked, his voice low.
But not low enough that everyone else couldn’t hear the question. Then they all stared at me, and I cleared my throat before reaching for my water glass. I took a long gulp, just letting them stare before I nodded. “I am. And I’d do it again.” I looked at Sparrow, right into her eyes. “Without hesitation.”
She smiled softly, cupped my face, and then kissed me hard on the mouth before leaning back.
London clapped her hands while Kannon let out a groan. “Really, Sparrow? Him?”
“I ask myself that question every day,” Sparrow said, deadpan, and she was very lucky we were in front of all of my family or I would probably have tossed her over my lap and spanked her ass. She must have seen exactly what I was thinking from the look in her eye, and she raised a single, defined brow. “Try it, prince,” she muttered.
“Oh, I do believe I will, Feisty.”
“Okay, now, none of that,” London said, waving her hands in front of us. “Seriously. No eye fucking at the dinner table.”
“I second that comment,” Roman muttered, but he wasn’t looking at Sparrow and me. No, he was looking at the other couple at the table.
“Thirded,” Wilder said, and I just shook my head and laughed.
“Now that Kannon and London are home,” Roman began, looking between all of us. “I think it’s time we set a few ground rules as to what is to become of this family.”
I groaned while glaring at London. “I’m blaming you for this.”
She held up her hands. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“She lies,” Wilder said, grinning into his drink.
“What exactly is happening here?” Sparrow asked, and Kannon shook his head.