Epilogue
LINCOLN
One week later
I stood at the window of Cord’s hospital room, giving him and my girl their privacy while still keeping her in my sight.
I knew the threat was gone—I’d seen to that by taking out Vlad Ivanov while Marco and Hayes took out his enforcers, and with everything on that flashdrive Shep Brenner provided, police in three states were dismantling his operation piece by piece.
But it would be a good long while before the sight of Eden’s limp body stopped waking me up in cold sweats in the middle of the night.
Until that happened, I was going to be vigilant.
I’d almost lost her once, and I wasn’t keen on experiencing that feeling ever again.
While she was healing beautifully, there would be scars from what those men had done to her for the rest of her life. She had to walk on crutches thanks to the bullet in her leg, and while the bruises riddled on her face and ribs were lighter, they were still very much visible.
But where I was still struggling with the events of that night, my woman proved once again just how fucking strong she was by going about her life like nothing had happened.
Shep had turned himself in in order to save his sister, so he was currently locked up, awaiting a court date on all the robberies he’d committed in our town, not to mention the ones he was wanted for all over the country.
Needless to say, he was going away for a very, very long time.
His running days were done, but he’d purposefully made that choice, knowing it would be the result of saving Eden’s life, showing for the first time that he knew how to be a good brother by handing over his freedom to ensure hers.
The act didn’t instantly repair a lifetime’s worth of damage to their relationship, but it went a long way in providing Eden with the closure she needed to move on from the pain of the past, and she’d always appreciate what he’d done for her.
He led cops to the abandoned house he’d been squatting in for weeks, and they’d recovered everything he’d stolen from the residents of Hope Valley.
The only thing they didn’t find was proof that Shepley Brenner had a hand in the break-in and murder of one of our residents.
As Eden had said, he hadn’t done it, so for now, that case was still open.
But everyone was doing what they could to move on.
She’d been out of the hospital for a few days now, but Cord would be in for a while longer.
Eden’s gut shot went through clean and hadn’t hit anything major, but he hadn’t been so lucky.
The four shots he took to the chest and stomach had done some serious damage.
He was on the mend, and for as long as he was holed up in the hospital, Eden was determined to come see him every day.
Each time she walked through that door, his face would light up. I’d stand aside and give them their time together, watching, pride swelling my chest, as she worked her magic and made him laugh as they talked together in hushed voices, their heads huddled close.
She had the same effect on him that she had on everyone, and Cord adored her. I was thankful to have a woman who could give him that.
Cord’s loud laugh pulled me from my musings, and I turned my head away from the window to watch as Eden giggled through a story she was telling, and he held his gut as he cracked up.
My woman had a gift for making people laugh, even when they thought they had nothing to laugh about. I knew that for a fact, because she’d done that very thing for me.
It was one of the millions of reasons why I loved her.
“Swear to god, if I ever see that woman, I’m gonna rip her hair out,” Eden seethed from the passenger seat of my truck. I couldn’t blame her, but that didn’t mean I didn’t find her mama bear reaction adorable, so I kept my mouth shut.
Cord’s now ex-girlfriend hadn’t stepped one foot through those hospital doors the whole time Cord was laid up there fighting for his life, and Eden was mad enough to spit nails.
There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that what she said was the truth, so for Laurie’s sake, I hope she never crossed paths with my woman, or me and my guys for that matter.
As far as every one of my men was concerned, that bitch needed to be run out of Hope Valley, and as soon as my caseload lightened, I was going to make sure that happened personally.
“I mean, what kind of bitch doesn’t come see her boyfriend in the hospital after he’s been shot! What a fucking bitch!”
“Calm, baby,” I ordered gently as I turned the truck. “Doc said you shouldn’t get riled up.”
“Well then you need to get riled up on my behalf. You’re being way too calm about this.”
“Oh I’m pissed, believe me. I just don’t always show it on the outside. But me and my guys are gonna get off on making life very, very uncomfortable for as long as it takes for her to pack her shit and hit the road.”
I caught her smile from the corner of my eye as I made another turn and pointed my truck toward our destination. “Have I told you yet today that I love you?”
“Yeah, but I’ll never get tired of hearin’ it, so feel free to say it whenever the spirit moves you.” I hit the brake and threw the truck in park a minute later, announcing, “We’re here.”
Eden bent to look through the windshield at the woods surrounding us. “And where is here, exactly?” she asked in confusion.
“Hold on a sec and I’ll come around to get you.
” I hopped out of the truck and jogged around the hood to her side.
Pulling the back door open, I let Rocky out so he could do a bit of exploring, then grabbed her crutches, propping them against the truck bed.
I gently lifted her out and placed her on her feet before giving the crutches to her so she could hold herself up.
“So?” I asked, stepping back so she could take it all in. “What do you think?”
“Of what, honey? I’m still not sure what I’m looking at.”
Going behind her, I lowered my chin to her shoulder and pointed in front of us as I explained, “We can put a barn over there at the edge of the property, maybe a paddock for a couple horses. Then a couple buildings to keep the ATVs and snowmobiles. But right here I was thinkin’ we’d clear about five acres.
No more than that or it’d ruin the effect. ”
“The effect of what?” she asked, turning her head to look at me.
“Of the cabin I’m gonna build you, tucked in right here at the base of a mountain.”
Her eyes went big, and her head whipped back around at the land I’d purchased just a couple weeks ago, having found it not long after our date at The Groves.
Like I’d told her before, it might’ve taken me longer to admit it, but I’d known from the beginning she was it for me, and the moment I shelled out for that parcel of land, I knew exactly what I intended on using it for.
“Oh my god,” she breathed, whirling around on her crutches to face me. “You’re gonna build me a cabin tucked into the base of a mountain?”
I smiled so wide I felt the dimple press deep into my cheek. “Absolutely, baby. Complete with diamond-paned windows and everything. I love you, and I want to give you your forever home in your forever town.”
“Oh my god!” She dropped her crutches and launched herself into my arms. I caught her easily and pressed my mouth to hers.
“I love you so much, Lincoln Sheppard,” she breathed against my lips. “And I’m so happy I moved here.”
That made two of us.
The End.