“Among other things, which is why he’s been hiding in the Tennessee mountains for the last decade,” Joey said. “He’ll spend the rest of his life in prison, Kat, I promise you.”
She nodded and laid her head down on Aiden’s shoulder again. She looked bone-weary. He needed to get her home, but first he needed to know she was okay. Giving the guys a nod of thanks, Aiden took her into the dressing room and locked the door before carrying her over to the couch, where he cradled her in his lap.
Stroking her hair, he steeled himself for the answers to the questions he had to ask her. “What happened when they had you, sweetheart? Did they… Did Vinnie…” Godammit, he couldn’t even say it.
She leaned back and stared up at him, her blue topaz eyes like fathomless pools. “No, Sicoli didn’t want ‘damaged goods,’” she said softly. “He wouldn’t let them touch me.”
Aiden heaved a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank Christ,” he whispered as he pulled her into a tight embrace. He blinked back the tears that came from holding her in his arms again.
“I can’t believe it’s finally over.”
“Believe it, kitten,” he said, gruff with emotion. “And I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you ever again, I swear it.”
She maneuvered herself until she sat astride his lap and held his swollen, bloody face in her delicate hands. “Does that mean you’ll stop fighting me? That I can keep you without having to worry you’re going to push me away ‘for my own good’?”
“I’ve come to realize you’re a tough opponent, so I’m tapping out.” Aiden smiled, cracking the dried blood on his face. “I’m yours for as long as you want me, kitten.”
“Good. Because you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I don’t intend on ever losing you. I love you, Aiden.”
“Ah, sweetheart, I love you, too,” he whispered against her lips. “So fucking much.”
Unable to hold back any longer, he captured her lips and kissed her for all he was worth. Breaking the kiss, Kat stood up. “Come on. I want to go home.”
As she crossed the room, it hit Aiden that he’d come so close to never seeing her again. Never having the chance to watch her take command of a room full of drunken hillbillies or make love to her as she gazed into his eyes and touched his soul.
A short time ago, his life had been dull and monotonous, and he’d had no intentions of changing it. Now he couldn’t imagine life without her in it. She brought him joy and spontaneity.
And, miraculously, love.
With a hand on the doorknob, she turned and tilted her head with a curious look on her face. Then she asked him a simple question that held a lot of weight.
“You with me, Irish?”
Aiden grabbed his duffel in one hand and met her at the door. He kissed her then answered honestly. “Yeah, kitten. I’m with you.”
She smiled, entwined her hand in his, and they walked toward the parking lot and their new life…together.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Vanessa was right. Kat loved Hawaii. She’d never been a fan of the busy city life and had always dreamed of living in wide open spaces with lots of nature and little civilization. Oahu was just that and then some.
Taking a break from the wedding festivities, Kat stood on the beach with the ocean foam lapping at her bare feet and the hem of her bridesmaid dress. As she gazed up at the full moon casting its light over the watery horizon, she reflected on how quickly her life had changed over the last few weeks. And how much more it would change in the months to come.
After Sicoli was apprehended, they had decided to leave Alabaster and head up to Aiden’s house in Boston. She’d gotten to spend time with his mother and sisters, all of whom she adored, and according to Aiden they felt the same way about her. His mother had actually pulled her aside one day and thanked her for “bringing her son back from the dead.” She’d responded with, “We brought each other back.”
They also hung out with Joey quite a bit. It made her really happy to watch them reconnect as they recounted old stories and shared new ones with each other, like how Joey went from Boston PD to the FBI or how Aiden saved a spitting-mad kitten in a dark alley.
Then it was her turn to make familial amends. Aiden had finally convinced her to call her sister. She’d been so distant from Nessie for so long that the idea of talking to her, much less seeing her again, had made her nervous. But as she’d dialed the number, Aiden sat with his arm around her, offering his strength and support, as always.
Now they’d been living in this tropical paradise for three weeks as she reconnected with her sister. They’d spent every day together without fail. Some days were spent finalizing all the details for the wedding and sometimes they lounged on the beach while watching Jackson try unsuccessfully to teach Aiden to surf.