“Did I?” she asked, breathless.
“Then Randall kept telling me that you were his woman.” He grimaced. “I thought he meant you really were his, in every way. I was mad as hell. I felt trapped. I never meant to hurt you so badly,” he added, regret in his tone, in his black eyes. “I felt like kicking myself when they told me you were trying to walk in the snow to the front gate, to get away from me. That was when I really knew what I felt. And it was too late.”
“I thought you hated me,” she confessed.
“I hated myself. You were in danger already, and I let you put yourself in harm’s way. The killer had access to my land, and I didn’t know it. He could have shot you where you stood,” he added huskily. “I thought about that, after you left.” His eyes closed. “I would have died with you, Meredith. Because nothing I have in the world would ever make up for your loss.”
“Oh, Ren!” She curled against him, her arms tight around his neck. “That’s exactly how I feel!”
He hugged her close. “Paul came to get you. He told me the truth, about what you went through at home. I got so drunk after you left,” he said, sighing. “I never hated myself so much.”
“I tried to hate you, too. But I never could. I went home in so much pain!”
“You’ll never know how I felt when Randall came by to tell me you’d been hospitalized. I went crazy. I flew straight to Jacobsville.” He made a face. “I thought Sari was going to have me on toast. She was furious. But when she saw how torn up I was, she backed down a little. She loves you very much.”
“We’re sisters,” Merrie said gently. “All we had was each other, in that torment of a life. I love her just as much.”
He wrapped her up against him. “We had a rocky start,” he said. “But things are going to be better now. For both of us.”
She drew in a drowsy breath, so happy that she could have died of it. “I just hope that Tony Garza was right, about the killer. I don’t want to die and leave you. Not now, when we’ve just really found each other.”
His arms tightened. “He promised. I don’t know him, but Mikey does. He said that Tony has more power than we realize, and that if he makes a promise, he keeps it.”
“I feel a little better,” she said. “It’s scary, knowing somebody wants you dead. They said that Leeds man who hired him is having a hard time in jail. He’s not all there, and he loved his mother so much. Our father killed her. It’s a mess.”
“Things will work out the way they’re meant to, in spite of us,” he said with a smile in his voice. “I’m happy not to have to be worried about losing you every minute of the day.”
“Me, too.” She sighed. “I’m sleepy.”
“We’ll drowse for a bit. Comfy?”
“So comfy!” she enthused.
He chuckled and kissed her soft hair.
*
THEY WERE LIKE children together, on fire with love of life and each other. Ren took her into the shower with him and bathed her, then coaxed her to do the same to him. They held hands on the way downstairs, in the car, while they were being tourists walking around the most exciting city in Africa.
Every day, Merrie fell more in love with her husband. He lost his constant worried look and began to relax. They shopped and strolled and rode camels and went to the bazaar and spent the rest of the day looking at expensive rugs, although he made her rest often. She was still weak and sore from her recent trouble. They chose carpets that they both liked and had them shipped back to Wyoming. Along with the rugs, Merrie found beautiful embroidered caftans for herself and Sari and Delsey and Mandy, and even Ren’s little mother, and had them sent home, as well.
“It’s been the most exciting, wonderful trip I ever took,” Merrie told Ren as they were on the way to the airport.
He squeezed her hand. “Yes, it has for me, too.” He smiled at her. “We’ll come back again.”
“I’d love that,” she said, and meant it.
*
THEY WENT TO Texas first, to see how things were going at Graylings.
Cousin Mikey was sitting in the dining room with Paul and Sari and Mandy when they walked in.
“What, no Avengers?” Merrie teased as she hugged her sister and Paul.
“No need,” Mikey said, chuckling. “You’re in the clear, baby doll,” he told Merrie with a gentle smile. “Tony sent word back from Jersey that the situation was taken care of.”
“I’m so glad.” Merrie sighed. “It was nice of the killer to agree to give up the contract.”
“Sure it was.” Mikey didn’t meet her eyes. He glanced at his watch. “I’ll miss my flight!”
“You can fly home in the family jet,” Paul said. “You’re family, right?”
Mikey chuckled. “I guess I am.” He pursed his lips as he looked at the newlyweds. “No need to ask if you two had fun.”
“Morocco was extraordinary!” Merrie said. “I’m going to paint it!”
Ren pulled her close. “We’ll order more paints and canvases,” he assured her.