“I love you,” he whispers. “Fuck, I don’t know what I would’ve done if something happened to you.”
He looks up, tears in his eyes, focusing on something behind me, before looking back down at me.
“You two okay?” Maverick asks, appearing next to us out of nowhere.
“Get something to untie her,” Graham orders, just as Detective Keller approaches us. Mav produces a knife from his pocket and quickly releases me of the restraints. My wrists cry from the pain.
“You’re lucky you didn’t get yourself shot. We found enough ammunition in his car to do some serious damage. What were you doing coming in here by yourself and not waiting for us to arrive?” Keller questions.
“With all due respect, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make sure that woman was okay.”
“Well, if it’s alright with you, I’m going to have her taken to the hospital to get checked out. Make sure there’s nothing wrong. We’ll meet you up there to get her statement.”
“I’m okay,” I say, looking back at Graham shaking my head.
“She’s okay. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to just get her out of here.”
Glancing over, I see them loading up Krate on a stretcher with his hand clutching his shoulder. I want to be angry all he is left with was a gunshot to his shoulder and a busted-up face when Gage lost his life, but I know he’ll be in prison for a long time.
“Alright. We’ll be by your place to talk to you. I will just need your information,” Keller says, looking at me.
“I can get you that information,” Maverick says, interjecting. “I’ll let Graham get her out of here, if it’s alright with you.”
“You can just come by my place. She’ll be with me.”
The next few days are a blur. After we left the salon, we went back home and later that evening the detectives came over to Graham’s to question us. I knew Marc and Isaac Krate had been involved in what happened to Gage but hearing about Graham finding the car was bone chilling.
There was no denying after what he said that day in the salon, the warnings he’s given both me and Graham to back off, and finding the car he was responsible for Gage’s death.
What happened afterward was the first big step Graham needed in getting the justice Gage deserved. The night we found out that charges had been filed and Marc wouldn’t be released on bail, this was the first night Graham was able to sleep.
As for me, the only time I’ve been able to get any rest is when I’ve had Graham’s arms around me. We never discussed it, but we both knew without needing to talk about it that we needed each other right now.
Having lost Graham once before, I felt the fear of losing him and saw life without him again flash before my eyes.
Waking up the next morning with the sound of rain pattering outside the window and Graham’s soft breathing behind me is its own piece of heaven. I remind myself to appreciate the little things in life. These are the moments I won’t take for granted again.
“Good morning,” I whisper, as Graham presses a kiss against my shoulder.
Rolling over in his arms, I smile at his sleepy eyes. His facial hair has grown out longer, having not shaved over the past few days.
“Morning,” he croaks, as I reach up and run my palm over his cheek.
He closes his eyes at my touch, as I run my thumb over his face. I feel him jolt in surprise when I lean over, pressing a soft kiss against his lips.
“I love you,” I whisper against his lips. His body relaxes, as he reaches down to grab my leg, curving it over his so our legs tangle together.
He doesn’t say anything but when his eyes open, the evidence is there. The love shining back at me nearly takes my breath away as his lips press against mine, this time with more force and conviction. His hands run up my forearms, holding me closer to him.
When his tongue skims over my bottom lip, seeking entrance, I give into him. Every damn time I give into him. I can feel everything he’s saying to me, but the connection between us is so deep, there are no words necessary.
Pressing his forehead to mine, he breaks the connection. Tilting his head back, he looks at me for a moment before whispering, “I love you too.”
Tears fill my eyes and his brows furrow with confusion and concern.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“I’m just so happy to hear you say those words again,” I say, my voice quivering with every word spoken.
“After so much time passed after you left, I never thought I’d see you again. If I did, I never expected we would be together. All the time we were apart didn’t change how much I love you. I was scared I was going to lose you and, God, I don’t think I’d ever be able to get through it again.”
“Halle,” he replies, cutting me off. The soft voice he used a moment ago gone and the take charge man is back in its place. “You will never lose me again.”
“But what if,” I say, before he interjects.
“Hear me, Halle. You won’t ever lose me. I’m yours.”
“Promise?”
“Until my last breath.”
A tear slips out of my eyes, trailing down my face, as he continues.
“I know what I did hurt you, but I need you to understand, walking away from you was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life. I won’t let myself make it again. I am so in love with you and the thought of living without you again, I won’t do it. It won’t happen. I want to wake up every morning with you in my arms. I’ll spend every day for the rest of our lives proving to you I’m not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.”
If I was emotional before, I’m in full on ugly cry now. Everything he just said to me is what I’ve longed to hear from him.
We can’t go back and change the past. If we could, there are many things I’m sure we’d love to re-write. All we can do now is focus on the here and now, and everyday forward. Just knowing he wants to wake up with me in my arms is all I needed to hear, but everything else sealed the deal.
Epilogue
Graham – Three Months Later
* * *
“You nervous, man?”
I glance over at Brannon and his shit eating grin spreads wide across his face. The fucker knows I’m nervous, which is why he’s even bothering asking right now.
“Shut up,” I growl, earning me a laugh.
“It’s about time you wised up already. Five years, dude—took you long enough. That girl’s a ten, man. I’m glad you came to your senses.”
“I could say the same to you, asshole. Why don’t you shut your mouth?”
He stops, looking at me confused, and I laugh back at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Lissa,” I respond, drawing it out. He has the gall to stare at me, continuing to look confused.
“We all know what happened in Chicago. The look on your face, the one saying you don’t know what I’m talking about, isn’t going to get you anywhere.”
He doesn’t respond right away, instead takes a throwback of what’s left in his can of beer. Come to think of it, I’m certain I just saw him up at the bar not even five minutes before this, so he has to be chugging the entire thing.