Epilogue
Six months later
“Science fiction romance?” Vaughn reads the label on a cardboard box, eyebrow crooked sardonically. “What does that even mean?”
I giggle and point to the spot where I want him to deposit the box. “Hot aliens, basically. Horns, scales, extra appendages, that kind of thing.”
A growl bursts from his lips. “Is one appendage not enough these days?”
“Oh—” I go to him, loop my arms around his neck and pull him down for a kiss. “Your appendage is more than enough, trust me.”
He growls and snarls a little, but eventually he relaxes into the kiss, holding me tight against his body. He’s kind of joking, but there’s a thread of real jealousy beneath it, and I absolutely love it. Love the way he’s so possessive and fixated on me.
And in another moment, I feel that familiar sensation of his cock hardening, swelling against my stomach.
I pull away, laughing.
There’s that tell-tale amber glow in his eyes. “Want me to remind you how my appendage works?” He tilts his head toward the back room.
That spot between my thighs tingles and my body lights up with need. “You know I would love that. But I need to finish getting the shop ready.”
He growls some more. “Okay, but you’ll be getting it double time tonight.”
I turn back to the bookshelves, pretending like his words haven’t just sent a shudder all the way through me. I love his bossiness, too. His insatiable appetite for me.
But I’ve got to quit thinking about his appendage if I’m going to get any work done today.
The store is due to open tomorrow, and if I get any more excited, I think I’ll burst.
I tear open a box of books and get to work stacking them on the shelves.
Vaughn gave Anthony a real hard time on the particulars of my dad’s debts.
In the end, he agreed to sell the entire territory, which covered the outstanding amount, and left enough for me to buy an unused store on the corner of Perdue Town’s Main Street.
Vaughn wanted to buy the store for me, of course, but I wanted to do it myself, using what should’ve been my mom’s legacy.
Instead, he used the nest egg that his own parents had been saving for him to buy back the house next door, and it’s now official Firemont pack territory.
I absolutely love having the whole pack living next door.
Friends and family, all rolled into one.
Onyx and Kellie both fell pregnant three months ago, and their due dates are two days apart.
I can’t wait, and I’m feeling kinda broody, but there are a few things I want to accomplish before Vaughn and I create our own little litter.
Like this store. It’s so darn cute. All my bookstore dreams, rolled into one.
I’d never seen a bookstore in real life before, so when I decided to buy this place, Vaughn secretly put together a list of the cutest independent bookstores in the tri-state area, and took me on a romantic weekend tour.
I made a ton of notes and snapped a bunch of photos, and when we got back to Perdue, I designed my perfect shop.
I’m not sure if folks in Perdue are big readers.
But with so many of them hiding away from the world, I’ve got a feeling they’ll love to lose themselves in books.
It’s only a small store, but I’ve tried to stock plenty of different genres.
There’s a small section of used books that people can borrow if they can’t afford to buy, and a cozy sitting area with beanbags and a couple of armchairs.
I’ve also got a zillion ideas for themed events, books of the month promotions, and book club evenings.
Maya, the mate of the tattoo shop guy, and Savannah, who runs a cute little fashion boutique a couple of doors away have been real sweethearts, spreading the word about the store and passing on tips about how to thaw the notoriously frosty hearts of the town’s residents.
Vaughn and I spend a couple more hours stocking the shelves, and by the time dusk arrives, the store is ready.
“Are we done?” I ask, turning to him, hands clasped excitably.
“We are done, baby!” He sweeps me up into one of his massive hugs. The ones that tell me he’ll always protect me. Always be there for me. Elation floods through me.
He disappears out the back of the store and returns with my winter coat. “Let’s see how it looks from the street?”
“Yes! Good idea.” I slip my arms into my coat as he holds it tenderly for me.
There’s a chill and a hint of snow in the breeze as we step outside, and I give a pleasurable shudder, all wrapped up warm.
We cross the street, and as I see my store all lit up for the first time, I give a little gasp.
It’s just like I pictured it. An inviting beacon of light, glowing from the darkness.
It’s how I felt when I was being raised—that books were a secret escape from the dark life my father created for us all.
“It’s perfect, isn’t it, baby?” Vaughn says, arms wrapped around me from behind.
“Sure is,” I say. My gaze drifts up to the little sign above the door—Elizabeth’s Little Bookshop—a beautiful memory of my mom.
Vaughn lets out a sigh and I know—in the way that my mate and I know things about each other—that he’s thinking about her.
It wasn’t until we got back from dealing with my father that I really understood the burden of guilt he’d been carrying around all these years.
He’s been able to put it to rest now—at least I hope so.
Now he understands that he did protect my mom by taking care of her house and being there to rescue me when I needed him.
I’ve got a little lightning bolt tattoo on my shoulder—courtesy of Dark moon Tattoos—to commemorate that moment when Vaughn saved my life.
“Can you feel her?” I ask him.
“I really can. And I realized something else today,” he says, his voice gravely with emotion. “I knew Elizabeth wasn’t my mate, but I also knew this connection between us was more than friendship. I think deep down, I must’ve always known she’d be the mother of my soulmate.”
“That’s beautiful,” I whisper as I turn in his arms and press my face to his warm chest.
“And I’m sure she’s looking down on us, too.”
I nod, blinking back tears. “I think so, too.”
When I turn back to the store, there’s a slim male figure at the door, peering through the glass.
A customer! I dash across the street, excitement darting through me.
“Hi, there!” I call. “We’re still getting the store ready today, but we’re having our grand opening tomorrow—”
The figure turns to me. He has a pained, almost haunted-looking face. But when he smiles, there’s something in the quirk to his lips, the slight crookedness of his front teeth.
My breath catches in my throat. “Uncle Tommy?” I gasp out.
“Little Lily pad!” He throws his arms around me and hugs me tight. Now the tears really stream down my cheeks. My mom’s kid brother, who ran away from the compound a long time ago.
At last, I draw back and take in the familiar, beloved features.
“Look at you, all grown up,” he says, clinging onto my forearms, and grinning with delight.
I look across the street for Vaughn. There he is, standing beside someone else—Beau—the mate of Savannah, the fashion boutique owner. They wave.
“Vaughn hired Beau to track me down,” Tommy says. “He wanted to surprise you. And so did I.”
“This is the best surprise ever,” I say as my incredible mate and his friend join us.
“Where were you all this time?” I ask Tommy.
“Oh—” He ruffles his hair. “There’s a lot to tell you. But I’ll save that for another night. Tonight, I want to catch up with my favorite niece and hear about how you and my childhood hero—” he nods at Vaughn. “Found each other.”
I look from Tommy, to my mate and break into a grin as I remember they also have a shared history.
Vaughn wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Let’s lock up the shop and all go home,” he says.
Brushing off our thanks for his hard work, Beau goes off to see his mate. Then my Uncle Tommy, my mate and I head back to number 34 Loganberry Lane—the house where we’ve always belonged.
THE END