Her heart skipped a beat. She still couldn’t quite believe it. “I know.”
“He’d do anything for you. Kill for you. Die for you. Give you everything you need.”
She looked down at her hands.
Ryder put a finger under her chin and tipped it up. “If you let him. You guys are two peas in a pod. You take on all the responsibility for everyone and everything, then drown in your guilt when you feel you don’t live up to all those expectations.”
“Ryder—”
“Neither of you believe you deserve the good stuff. Let him love you, Savannah. And show him that he deserves that too, despite whatever fucked-up shit from the past, whatever shit he sees daily on the job, messes with his head.”
“I love him, Ryder. So much it scares me.” She felt Cam watching.
“Then I guess that’s how you know it’s the real deal,” Ryder said.
“He’s right. I do love you.”
She looked up and saw Hunt on the stairs. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, a bandage on his arm.
Cam stood. “That’s our cue to leave.”
Ryder hesitated. “I was hoping to bum lunch.”
“I’ll buy you a burger,” Cam said.
Savannah barely glanced at them as the two men left.
“I just finished speaking with my lieutenant,” Hunt said.
Her pulse jerked. “Walkson?”
“Is locked up, baby. Forever.” Hunt circled his hands over her shoulders.
“There’ll be a trial—”
“He won’t be getting off on murder. Or for attacking you and Ella-Mae, or hiring someone to shoot a cop. I’ve already been in contact with the other states where Killian clocked potential victims. Brynn is taking point, and my cousin misses nothing. Walkson will die in prison.”
Savannah nodded. “How come you aren’t taking point?”
“Because I asked my lieutenant for some time off.” Hunt rubbed a thumb over her lips. “I told him that I needed to heal. And spend some time with my woman while she heals. So, I have two weeks off.”
Two weeks of just her and Hunt. It sounded like heaven.
“You ready to see your mom and brother?” he asked.
Her belly clenched. “Soon.” She’d talked with them on the phone. They’d been hurt and angry that she’d run, even to protect them. But they’d also been happy and relieved she was alive and okay. Her mom had cried. Ezra, who sounded so grown up now and had finished college, had been quietly furious.
“We all need a little time to adjust,” she said.
Plus, she realized it was hard to go back. Things, people, feelings morphed and changed over time. You could only ever move forward.
Savannah was ready to do that. With this man right here.
He kissed her slowly and steadily. He’d been so careful with her since they’d left the hospital last night. She pulled closer to him, and tried to deepen the kiss, but he leaned back.
She growled. “I’m fine.”
“You were stabbed. I’m going to make sure you’re fully healed before we get naked.”
Savannah looked at the ceiling. “I guess it’s my fault for falling for a do-gooder, overprotective, alpha-male detective.”
“At least you finally admit you fell for me.”
“I did. I never stood a chance.”
He pulled her close. “So, you’re going to stay? Here in San Francisco? Move in here with me?”
Everything in her trembled. Just weeks ago, she’d been terrified, living on the run, unable to live a normal life.
Now, this man meant everything to her.
“I’ll stay. Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be.”
His smile lit up his rugged face. Oh, she needed to sketch him, just like that. This time, she kissed him. When he pulled back, she was extremely gratified to find that he was hard, his cock nudging her belly.
She rubbed against him and he gripped her hip. “Tease.”
She liked the growl in his voice.
“I bet we could find something non-jostling and not too strenuous to do in bed,” she suggested.
He frowned.
“Please, Hunter?” she begged.
Heat flared in his eyes. “I think, if you promise to lie on your back and not move, I could think of something to do to you—” he nipped her lip “—with my hands, my mouth…”
Flames licked her insides. “I’ll meet you upstairs.”
As she carefully made her way up the stairs—her wound didn’t let her move very fast—she loved the sound of his laughter behind her.
Hunt sat in his chair in the park, under the dappled shade of the trees. He had his sunglasses on, and the squeal of kids playing in the nearby playground filled his ears, but his focus was on Savannah.
She stood at her easel, painting. He’d helped to set it up, while arguing with her about lifting anything.
In the four days since she’d been stabbed, she was healing well. Both inside and out.
She was blossoming, slowly coming out of the shadows of her years-long ordeal, and believing that she was free and safe.
She slept soundly in his arms every night, smiled as they shared meals, and the look on her face when he touched her body always took his breath away.
His gorgeous artist was starting to believe.
The gang had descended the night before with takeout, beer, and wine. Savannah had snort-laughed with Gia, Haven, Harlow, Maggie, and Brynn. Only Sofie and Rome had been missing, off at some charity engagement in Los Angeles.
Hunt watched Savannah frown and daub more paint on her canvas. She was in one of his old shirts, tiny black shorts underneath. His shirt was already covered in splatters of paint.
He wanted his ring on her finger, wanted to talk about looking for a house in the suburbs. One with a huge room for an art studio. A home that could be theirs.
But he knew it was still too soon. He wanted to wait until the last of the shadows that Walkson had put in her eyes were gone.
There was time. She loved him and he loved her. He’d know when the time was right.
“I can feel you staring at me,” she called out.
“You’re mine, and you’re good to stare at, so I don’t see the problem.”
She shot him a smile.
“I was thinking you owe me quite a few shirts.”
Her smile widened and she set her brush down. “Maybe I’ll get you some nice, tie-dyed ones.”
She grabbed a water bottle and sipped.
“I got a phone call earlier,” he told her.
“Oh?” She raised a brow.
He didn’t miss the faint tension in her. She still expected bad news. It would fade in time. “Marcie Garoppolo filed for divorce.”
“Oh.” Savannah dropped the water bottle and clapped her hands together. “That’s great news!”
“Yeah. She didn’t press charges, but she’s left him and moved back in with her parents.”
“I hope she gets a second chance and a happy ending.” Savannah wandered over to him.
He nabbed her and tumbled her onto his lap.
“Hunter, I’m not sure this camp chair will hold us both.”
“It’ll hold.” He nuzzled her neck, discreetly checking his watch. Cam was due to arrive soon with a surprise.