Epilogue #2
"Because the storm is coming," he says, leaning down to capture my mouth in a kiss that tastes of promise.
"And I want to have you in the one place where the only thing watching us is the sky.
I want to hear you scream my name while the thunder rolls, and I want to fill you until you forget you ever lived anywhere but on this mountain. "
My breath hitches. "Is that a request, Road Captain?"
"It’s the plan, Alexandria. And you know I never miss a destination."
The drive up the mountain is an ordeal that would terrify anyone else. Tristan’s custom 4x4 climbs the trail with a violent grace. The engine roars, the suspension groans, and the air thins as we ascend past the clouds.
When we finally reach the summit, the world is silent.
No town noise. No club drama. Just the haunting cry of a red-tailed hawk circling overhead and the wind whispering through the ancient spruce trees.
Tristan opens my door and offers his hand.
I take it, stepping out onto the uneven ground.
My leg twinges, a sharp reminder of the fall, but I don't flinch.
I have him. I am no longer afraid of the height.
We walk to the very edge of the cliff. Below, the Grizzly Peak District spreads out like a lush green map. I see the winding thread of the river where I used to track martens, the dense stands of timber I fought to protect, and the tiny cluster of buildings that is Pine Valley.
"That land," Tristan says, pointing his large, scarred hand toward the expanse of green to the east. "That’s the habitat you saved. The pine martens are already reclaiming the lower draws on the north face. We really did it."
I lean into him, my head resting against his shoulder. His arm comes around me like a heavy, protective cloak. "We saved it, Tristan. If you hadn't found me..."
"You did the saving," he corrects me, his voice a low rumble of pride. "I just made sure the woman I love lived long enough to finish the job."
I look up at him, my vision blurring with tears of joy. "You gave me my life back, Tristan. You gave me a home I didn't even know I was looking for."
He turns me to face him, his hands cupping my face. "I was wrong. I wasn't protecting the land. I was waiting for the person who made the land worth protecting."
He kisses me then, a slow, deep, soul-sealing kiss that tastes of the wind and the wild. It is a vow made of blood, bone, and mountain stone. It is the sound of a cage door being locked from the inside—and me finally throwing away the key.
"Let’s go inside," he whispers against my lips, his eyes flashing with that familiar, possessive fire.
"I’m going to strip you bare in front of that window," he growls, his voice a low, rough rasp of absolute possession. "I’m going to spread your thick thighs and watch the sun hit your drenched pussy while I slide my cock hilt-deep inside you. I want to hear you scream for my seed while the whole mountain watches. I’m going to ruin you for any other man, Alexandria, until you’re marked as mine forever. "
My pussy pulses, a heavy, wet throb reacting to the raw authority in his voice. I want to feel the weight of his balls slapping against my thighs as he slams into me. I want his thick cock bottoming out against my cervix until I’m sobbing his name.
"I’m exactly where I’m meant to be, Tristan," I whisper.
Hand in hand, we walk toward the small stone cabin. The heavy timber door shuts behind us, locking out the world. I don’t just survive the fall; I surrender to the predator who caught me.
We are isolated together once more. This place is our kingdom. And as the first drops of rain begin to lash against the roof, I realize that I didn’t just survive the fall.
As Tristan pulls me into the shadows of the cabin, his phone buzzes on the small wooden table. He ignores it, but I catch the name on the screen. Chase.
My husband’s jaw tightens. "The Enforcer is down at Town Hall," he rumbles against my neck. "There’s a new lawyer in from the city—some high-priced shark named Cassandra Preston trying to block the club’s expansion. Logan sent Chase to 'handle' her."
A shiver that has nothing to do with the mountain air races down my spine. I’ve heard of Cassandra Preston; she’s cold, brilliant, and untouchable. But I look at the raw, checked power in Tristan’s eyes and realize the city lawyer has no idea what happens when a Gunnar decides he wants something.
"Chase is charming," I murmur, leaning into Tristan's heat. "Maybe he can negotiate."
"Chase doesn't negotiate," Tristan growls, his hands sliding down to grip my ass, pulling me flush against the iron ridge of his cock. "He conquers. That lawyer thinks she’s walking into a courtroom, but she’s walking into a cage. God help her when he decides to shut the door."
Outside, the first crack of thunder rolls over the peak—a warning of the storm Chase Gunnar is about to unleash on the woman who dared to say 'no' to the Broken Halos.
The End
Swipe to the next page for a sneak peek…