Epilogue
Lacey
I’ve been staying with Cameron at Starlight Vineyards in one of the luxury cabins for the last week. My face has healed a lot and the bruises have faded. By the time Saturday rolls around, I’m itching to start my new role at Barringtons on the following Monday.
But today is about celebrating new beginnings along with a hosting a big barbeque for the new recruits that Cameron’s teaching.
“You excited about the promotion?” Riley asks as she stirs a big bowl of potato salad.
“Yes. Seems like everything went from zero to sixty miles an hour since I started the paperwork, signing the contracts and hammering out my schedule with Human Resources.” I finish lining up the lettuce, tomatoes and other fixings for the burgers on the platter.
“And Cameron’s loving the new role as recruiter and trainer for Select Protectors. ”
He’s got a group of twenty women and men in training and more recruits in the wings. The nearby military college is an excellent place to begin the process along with utilizing all the connections he and Beckett have from their former military careers.
“I’ve enjoyed having you around,” Riley says. “My folks too. You think your dad might come out and visit with that new family of his anytime?”
“Maybe,” I say with touch of wistfulness.
But even if my father isn’t involved in my life and has a new family that doesn’t really include me, I have one too.
“I’m good with whatever he decides to do.
Especially now that I’m part of the Select Protectors’ world.
” For the first time in many years, I’m not alone.
Cameron and his brothers in arms, along with Riley, have my back.
Cameron walks into the kitchen. “Burgers and dogs are ready,” he announces. “Need any help carrying this stuff outside?”
“Take the potato salad.” Riley gives him the bowl. “We’ve got the rest covered.”
“Sure thing,” he says, then crosses over to me, and locks his whiskey-brown eyes onto mine. His gaze is filled with love, reverence and has a bit of a twinkle in it. “My parents and sister adore you, by the way.”
They’ve come up for the big barbeque to meet me. “Good. Because I think they’re terrific too.” They’re over the moon happy that he’s staying in the region and no longer risking his neck on the regular.
We all exit the kitchen and make our way across the expansive lawn to where outdoor tables and chairs are filling the space.
A couple of young recruits immediately join us and take the food platters to set them on one table already bursting with platters of burgers, hotdogs, condiments, paper plates, and cutlery.
“Line up,” Beckett calls as he places another platter of veggie burgers and dogs on the tabletop.
I hang back, taking in the scene of the young recruits, older former military men, Cameron’s family and Riley’s mom lining up to partake in the feast. Warm spring air brushes against my cheeks and lifts my hair. I inhale a deep breath, savoring this moment and holding it close to my heart.
The scent of pine, fresh earth and newly mowed grass flows through me. I’m here. I’m protected. And I’m loved.
Cameron walks over to me and drapes his arm around me. “You doing okay?”
“I’m doing better than okay,” I say. “This day is perfect. It’s hard to believe that a little over a week ago, I thought I’d lost you. That I’d never live through the hell Vale’s henchmen put me through. But you rescued me. And in more ways than one.”
“I think we rescued each other,” Cameron says softly.
“I guess in a way we did.” I turn in his arms and caress his cheek, then lift and brush my lips against his. “And now we can say hello to each other every day.”
“Yeah. I like that, but I’d also like to make those hellos more formal.”
My heart skips a beat. Anticipation races through my veins when I see the question in his eyes, the hope stirring through them. “Oh? How so?” I ask on a whispered breath.
“Hold on. I’m going to do this right,” he says, sounding a bit nervous as he takes my hand and starts moving toward the tables where everyone is beginning to sit down to eat. “Uhm, folks. I’d like to take a moment to interrupt dinner.”
Everyone stops and looks at us and I suddenly feel like I’m under a microscope. I flick my gaze over to Riley who is smiling from ear to ear and holding a bottle of Starlight’s best sparkling wine.
Happiness bubbles through my nerves, making my head spin and I sway slightly when I realize what is about to happen. Before I can ask him what he’s doing, he drops down on one knee and withdraws a small box with a blue ribbon tied around it.
He flips open the top and there’s a platinum ring nestled inside. One emerald cut diamond, a simple yet beautiful one, sparkles up at me.
“When we first met, I didn’t believe I could ever love someone again.
And we didn’t exactly hit it off during that first dance,” he says, as he withdraws the ring from the satin.
“But now I can’t imagine anyone more perfect for me than you.
You’ve brought hope and love back into my world.
You’re the air that I breathe, the one I want to see first thing in the morning and the one I want to hold in my arms every night.
Forever. So even though we’ve only known each other for a few weeks, I know there’s no one else for me.
So, will you give me a chance to be that person for you? Will you marry me?”
Tears well behind my eyes, but they’re tears of joy. I can barely speak through the emotion filling my throat, making me ache for him. Around me, everyone stills, hushes. Waiting for my reply.
And there’s only one. “Yes,” I say. “I meant what I said when you finally rescued me. I want to be with you no matter what. You’re my everything. My partner. My future. And I want every hello to be a hello with you. I love you, Cameron. There’s no one else for me.”
He stands and slides the ring onto my finger slowly while I hear the cork pop and people clapping and laughing and shouting their congratulations. “I love you, Lacey.” He brings me into his arms, and fuses his mouth to mine, kissing me and holding me like he’ll never let me go.
Later, after we say our final goodnights to everyone, we seal the deal in bed, with a lot of hellos in the sexy kind of ways. And then, we fall asleep in each other’s arms, knowing that we’re just beginning a journey that will last a lifetime.
I wake up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee permeating the air. Cameron carries two cups into the bedroom and hands me one after I sit up and rest against the headboard. There’s a hint of worry in his gaze.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Feds have a solid lead on Vale,” Cameron says. “Liam is still on duty, protecting Whitney Stratford. They’re not taking any chances, but there’s something else going on that could fuck up our op.”
“Something else that you can’t tell me.” I sip my coffee, respecting the secrecy that surrounds Select Protectors mission and covert ops. “Will you be part of this mission?”
“Feds have got this covered and Liam’s in charge of Whitney until it’s over,” he says. “For now, I’m focusing on training the recruits and planning our wedding.”
“Oh, I doubt you’ll have much of say in the planning with your mom and sister in the mix,” I say, then set my cup on the nightstand.
He laughs, then sits next to me on the bed and drapes his arm over my shoulders, tugging me close. “They can do all the interfering they want, but I’m in charge of making sure you see fireworks during our honeymoon.”
I turn to face him and brush my lips over his. “Why don’t you show me what you’ve got in mind?” I ask, then seal my lips to his again, happiness bubbling through me because we’ve got each other’s backs for the rest of our lives.
Discover what happens between my next couple, Liam and Whitney in PROTECTING WHITNEY: SPSS 5 later this year!
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SELECT PROTECTORS SECURITY SQUAD is an elite team of bodyguards spin-off from the Covert Rescuers’ Undercover Shield (C.R.U.SH./CRUSH) series. Keep reading for a sneak peek of your next Select Protector, , today…
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Liam
“What was that text about?” Whitney Stratford asks as I tuck my cell phone into my jeans pocket.
She’s standing a couple of feet away from me in the safe house living room.
There’s an edge to her tone and a hint of worry clouding her emerald green eyes.
I’ve been protecting the long-legged, super-hot woman for a little over two weeks now.
Ever since we stopped her wedding to the man behind multiple underworld crimes.
Shipping everyday consumer goods throughout the country gave him the perfect cover to move the drugs, not to mention the perfect way to hide siphoning the profits and sending them to offshore accounts.
Select Protectors and the Feds discovered evidence that he planned on murdering her sometime after their honeymoon.
Select Protectors stopped him, but Julian Vale is still at large. So, Whitney isn’t out of danger.
I catch her shooting me a look, the heat and interest gleaming in the dark emerald eyes. One I’ve seen multiple times during the past few weeks. One that mirrors my attraction too. But, like me, she hasn’t acted on the desire simmering between us.
Instead, she covers her attraction with a flare of temper, impatience, snapping her fingers in rapid succession. “Hello?” she asks again. “Earth to Liam. Who was that? Is it about Julian? Have you got him in custody yet?”
Man, she’s got the patience of a gnat. Must be part of her red-headed DNA. But then I can’t blame her for wanting this little arrangement between us to end. “Yes. And no,” I say, holding her gaze with mine. “The Feds have him under surveillance...”