Epilogue
Two Years Later
Drake
The steaks sizzled on the grill. The patio was hopping with activity. Children were playing in the pool, parents keeping an eye on them…mostly…while the rest of the visitors lazed on lounge chairs, drinking beer or fruity drinks.
“Man, that’s some grill you have there.” Brick blew a low whistle and handed me a beer.
“Thanks.” I welcomed the cool drink by taking a mighty swig.
“I want mine bloody.” My friend cheekily put in his steak request before shifting his eyes back to the sixty-inch grill.
It was built into a stack of natural stone and was the centerpiece of the outdoor cooking station.
To the left of the grill was a stainless-steel top that could serve as a dining area and on the right was a smoker, also built into the structure.
“Must have cost you a pretty penny to put this in.”
I smirked. “Helps to have a wife who’s well-connected.”
“Is Maddox bragging about his grill?” a voice spoke behind us.
I spun around, my grin widening. I dragged the newcomer into a one-arm hug. “Hank, brother, so fucking glad to see you.”
“Wouldn’t miss the housewarming or the MadDog special,” Hank said. “Must say, you’ve gone all out with the house.”
“It was all Izabel.” Building our dream home evoked an ever-present excitement and happy ache inside me because it marked the many milestones of our way back to each other.
The house had a similar design to the Georgian we’d lived in prior to moving.
We’d put a lot of thought into the outdoor space, making sure the sunroom could accommodate Izabel’s plants like her orchids.
She’d begun collecting them again and the Cymbidium I’d gotten for her became her new favorite.
The slate patio had a fire pit that could convert into an area for a hog roast. Which was why a barbecue was the perfect party to celebrate the culmination of our dreams after an unexpected delay.
The delay being the precious bundle that was squirming in Izabel’s arms.
Our one-year-old daughter, Ana Lisa Carmen Maddox, named after Izabel’s mother and a spitting image of my wife.
When Izabel approached, I quickly turned back to the steaks and flipped them before handing the tongs to Brick. “Watch them. These should be medium. I’ll throw on the next batch later.”
“Hey, Hank,” Izabel greeted.
“Look at that little one,” Hank replied. “Thank God, she looks like you and not Drake.”
I pretended to scratch my cheek, but gave him the finger.
Izabel laughed. “Me too.”
“Hey.” I mock-glared at my wife.
“But if we have a son, I want him to look like his daddy.”
Daddy.
Could my heart clench any harder with so much love for my family?
“So where are you off to after this stop?” I asked. “You’ve gone nomad for a while. Still tired of Garrison?”
Hank chuckled. “Nah, I miss his ugly ass and the team. But I got business to take care of in Sonoma and I’ll be swinging by LA first. Then we’ll see.”
“How much longer until the steaks are ready?” Izabel asked, getting back into hostess duty. “I need to tell Cindy to get the sides out of the oven.”
“Another twenty minutes for the next batch.” Cooking steaks for a crowd was no easy feat. Everyone had their preference for how they wanted their meat, but I refused to cook well-done steaks except for kids below the age of fifteen.
“Poor Marcus is on lifeguard duty.” Izabel looked toward the pool at my business partner. “And looks like he needs a beer.”
“Here, let me take her,” I offered. Izabel gratefully handed our daughter over and walked away to check on our guests around the pool who were mostly her coworkers from Stockman and Bose.
Harrelson and I started our own security business a few months ago. Task Force Deadly Spear was disbanded after Mitchell and Tierney were charged with treason.
“Where’s Viktor?” Hank asked. “Heard a lot about him, but never seen the man.”
Brick barked a laugh. “He would never be caught dead at a barbecue.”
“Yeah, he likes living in the shadows if he can help it,” I murmured.
Everyone chuckled, but there was a truth that the AGS boss man had no patience for family get-togethers unless his wife forced him to attend one and play nice.
I hadn’t heard from Viktor since the senate hearing. Though I felt a measure of relief that I got to spend plenty of time with my family…once a SEAL, always a SEAL.
However, after my experience living life as a ghost, I relished this normal life and there was nothing more normal than having a barbecue with family and friends.
Later that evening, I tidied up the kitchen, unloading the dishwasher while Izabel put Ana Lisa to sleep.
The barbecue was a resounding success and, thankfully, I didn’t have to lecture anyone regarding the proper way of cooking a steak because I’d had not one complaint about the MadDog special.
Although that could have been because Izabel’s coworkers were afraid to criticize her SEAL husband.
It’d also been great to see Hank, and I would have loved for him to stay overnight and catch up, but he had several stops to make in the SEAL community before he headed for the West Coast. I owed a lot to him in keeping me sane these past three years I couldn’t be with Izabel.
A sound like a car door closing reached my ear.
I carefully lowered the plate I was holding, opened the cabinet directly above me, and pulled out the Sig.
I checked the round in the chamber before I lowered it to my side.
Moving quietly to the staircase, I listened for sounds of activity. I heard Izabel singing to Ana Lisa.
Protectiveness surged through my system. If that was a thief, he picked the wrong house to rob.
My ears picked up the scrape of boots on the pavers and before I could sneak up on the door, the knock came.
I was familiar with that staccato rap.
Irritation and relief battled inside me. I double-checked our visitor through the peephole and confirmed his identity.
I threw open the door to Viktor Baran.
A ghost of a smile played on his mouth, but I suspected the man was feeling amused because of the irritation on my face.
“Good evening, Maddox.”
“Jesus, Viktor, ever heard of texting?” I waved my arm to let him in. “I could have shot you.”
“You’re not that reactive.”
I pointed to the second floor. “My world is up there. I don’t give a shit if I’m overreacting as long as they’re safe.”
“Nice house,” Viktor remarked as though I hadn’t just given him the third degree about showing up unannounced.
But this was exactly how this man operated—in the shadows—and I knew if Viktor really wanted to sneak up on us, I wouldn’t have heard a sound.
“You missed a good barbecue,” I told him.
“Not fond of them.”
“Why are you here?”
“No!” Izabel cried. She flew down the stairs and ran right up to us. Before I could stop her, she inserted her tiny frame between Viktor and me. “You’re not getting your hands on him again.”
“Izabel.” My fingers grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against me. “I’ve got this.”
She spun around, color heightened, eyes blazing as if she was spoiling for a fight. “I know you do, but I’m here by your side. And I will fight for you.”
“That’s well and good, baby, but you get I’m the man in this house.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” she shrieked.
“It doesn’t sit well on my balls that my wife is facing up to a man triple her size trying to protect me.”
Her eyes flashed. “Then what’s the use of training me in self-defense to protect against men your size?”
I clamped my mouth shut.
Viktor emitted a rare chuckle. “She has a point, and I’d volunteer to test your skills.”
“Don’t put ideas in her head,” I muttered.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Maddox. I just came by to congratulate you on a beautiful house. And I believe I haven’t congratulated you both on the birth of your daughter.”
Izabel wasn’t convinced and looked at Viktor doubtfully. “This isn’t a trick, is it?”
“It’s not. In fact, Maddox, could you please retrieve the box in my vehicle? Marissa wanted to send you guys something for the house and the baby.”
“Why didn’t you bring it in yourself?” I asked, baffled.
Viktor grimaced, didn’t say another word, and pivoted to walk out the door. We followed him to his SUV, and I realized why Viktor didn’t want to be caught dead holding the box.
“My wife’s been messing with me,” he muttered. “It was enough I had to carry that thing from the loft to the car.”
In the cargo area sat a big box wrapped in pink wrapping paper with a unicorn print. If that wasn’t enough, a large white bow finished the look. I couldn’t help cracking up with the vision of Viktor carrying that thing.
I leaned in and lifted the box from the SUV. “You should try having kids, Viktor. Then you’ll get over this aversion to pink wrapping paper.”
Fuck off Viktor mouthed as he slammed the back closed and opened the driver’s door.
“Care for a drink? Scotch? Beer?”
Viktor shook his head. “Marissa’s expecting me back tonight.”
“I’m touched,” I teased. “You mean you came all the way down from DC just to deliver this?”
Viktor emitted a wry chuckle. “Yeah. Guess I’m getting soft in my later years.”
I barked a laugh as the other man started the engine and backed out of our driveway.
“That was a weird visit,” Izabel said, bemused as we went inside.
I didn’t answer. It was Viktor’s personality. Beyond the cold facade that he projected, there was a man who cared deeply.
Izabel
I snuggled close to Drake, our bodies still glistening with a sheen of sweat from making love.
He loved me slow and sweet, which wasn’t our usual style, but, given how hectic the day had been, I welcomed the pace.
Usually I’d fall asleep after sex, especially since Ana Lisa sucked up so much of my energy, but the appearance of Viktor had started the gears in my head, trying to understand this sudden peace that had settled in my heart.
“Full circle,” I whispered.
“What was that, baby?” Drake murmured drowsily as he shifted beside me.
“There was always that niggle of fear,” I said. “I told you this, but this last year, it hasn’t been about my trust in you. You’ve had it. Ever since I drew those plans for this house, I was ready for a new beginning with you.”
Drake was silent, then with a heavy exhale, he said, “Not quite following, Iza.”
“I didn’t trust the people who’d influenced your decision to leave me.”
“Viktor?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “I know you’ve always been annoyed at him, but I see a grudging respect.”
“Grudging is right,” Drake muttered.
I laughed softly. “He’s not all that bad, it seems.”
“Is it because he got Ana Lisa that electric car?”
“No. It’s because I see how he loves his wife.”
“Because he carried that pink box for her? If that’s all it takes to prove how much I love you and Ana Lisa, I’d carry a damn pink box every day.”
I pressed my body closer. “Have I told you how much I love our life?”
“I’d rather you say you love me.” There was amusement in his voice.
I pinched his ab muscle.
“Damn, woman, what was that for?” he mumbled. “Can’t help it if your husband wants to hear it all the time…I’m a needy son of a bitch. Deal with it.”
“Oh, Drake…”
He moved and covered my body. Propping up on his elbows, he cupped my face as if there was something very important to tell me.
“I’m madly in love with you, Izabel. I thought I was crazy for you before, but now you’ve given me a daughter to love as well.
Both of you are my entire life. Nothing is going to take me away from my family.
This is forever, baby. You, me, Ana Lisa, and all the tiny replicas you plan on giving me. ”
“You want all daughters?”
“Son. Daughter. Doesn’t matter as long as they’re from you, I’ll love them.”
“Love you, Drake.” I touched his chest. “You have my heart…forever.”
I hope you enjoyed Drake and Izabel’s story.
Curious about the mysterious Viktor? Find out more about his softer side in his book Smoke and Shadows.
Hank’s book is Forced Protector. It can be read as a standalone but is part of my Rogue Protectors series.