Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
SIRE
Jace rubs his abs, grumbling, “When are we stopping for lunch?”
I catch Loch, who’s driving, rolling his eyes in the rearview mirror, so I kick Jace’s boot. “Quit being fungry.”
He scowls, “What’s fungry?”
“Fucking hungry. We just ate breakfast.”
“But that was two hours ago.”
Wren blurts from the passenger seat, “I’m always down for hashbrowns: scattered, smothered, and covered.”
My tiny woman is sitting tall. It’s like a burden has been lifted off her shoulders.
Does the fact that I removed an evil man’s head from his shoulders help?
Yeah, it may have a lot to do with it.
Feeling no regret, I tell her, “Then, it’s a lunch date at The Waffle House. Don’t say I don’t spoil you, Angel.”
She turns, giving me a heart attack of a smile, while I remember last night and how I only wanted to hold her.
After the day we had. After the blood we shed. After the possession left my body and we got rid of Waylon’s, we met back at our campsite.
Loch reported that Mr. Grinzer will be okay. For Wren’s sake and for the new home we’ll pay to build him, Mr. Grinzer agreed to stay silent about what happened.
To cover our tracks, Axel placed an anonymous call to the local police, reporting Waylon’s disappearance after he went hunting. Not like the cops give a shit about finding a man like Waylon.
Wren seemed relieved. She said Alan wanted to go into treatment and would keep in touch. He didn’t seem to care about his father; in fact, she said he seemed relieved, like he was finally free.
At first, we were subdued, eating MREs around the campfire, but then it came time to clean up, and when six brothers are in a river, bathing blood off?
Yeah, we got rowdy, choking, and dunking each other.
But Wren?
I guess the sight of six nude men made her more than wet. In her pink bra and panties, she bathed beside us, chewing her lip, so I carried her out of the river as Axel cut me a look. So did Grant.
They were willing to serve our queen last night, but I felt possessive. Protective. I’m so fucking proud of her, yet something keeps making me fear I’ll lose her, too.
I held her until dawn, then pulled her into my lap while we ate breakfast by the campfire before packing up our gear.
“We’ll stop in Asheville,” Loch promises Jace, but I’m focused on where we can stop now.
It’s a sunny day.
It’s perfect.
To get Wren in the mood, I take over the playlist and put on our Dolly her hand is trembling in mine, and I’m getting choked up.
Jesus, Jesus. I can preach to thousands, but don’t take my voice with the one who matters the most.
Clearing my throat, I turn to kneel before her, but halt.
Wren’s already crying.
I cup her face. “Oh, Angel, don’t cry yet.”
She beams through sweet tears. “But I’m so happy. Finally.”
“You’re home.” I kiss her lips. “Finally.”
Glancing to my left, I make sure Jace is recording this, and he is. So are Grant and Loch, who look like they’ve FaceTimed our mom so she can witness this, too.
God, they’re such mama’s boys. Fuck it. We’re all proud mama’s boys.
Axel and Nash stand, arms folded and side-by-side on the edge of the road. Even they’re smiling.
I love my brothers. Soon, I hope they’ll claim their queens, too. I hope they let me make everything right again, like this…
Lowering to one knee, I take Wren’s hand in mine. It clenches my heart how her hand’s so small and shaking. When I lift my eyes to hers and find them full of light and tears, mine fill, too.
My heart pounds, fast and true with my words.
“Wren Chapel, I prayed for you. I prayed to be a man worth having a woman like you, and I’m not sure I ever can be.
You’re brighter than any light I’ve seen.
Wiser than every year I’ve lived. And so damn beautiful, I fall to my knees for you.
You’re my immaculate angel, and I belong to you: pinky, heart, and soul.
I vow to live and die for you as my wife and queen. ”
She chews her lip, tears steaming down her smiling cheeks. I swallow, lifting the ring from my pocket, holding it over her trembling finger.
“Wren Chapel, will you save me, too? Will you marry me?”
I wait a heartbeat and a lifetime for her answer, panic and peace tumbling through me until…
“Yes.” She nods, choking back a sob or laughter; I can’t tell. “Yes, I’ll marry you!”
Carefully, I place the ring on her finger, and she gasps at it, “Oh my God. A butterfly ring?”
I lift it to my lips. “Four karats of marquise cut diamonds, shaped into four butterflies. One for you, me, and the two souls we’ll make together.”
“Sire! It’s so perfect!” She jumps on me, wrapping her arms around my neck, making me laugh as we fall back in the grass.
Butterflies erupt around us. Hoots, hollers, and whistles can be heard from my brothers on the side of the road. I suppose our mom is clapping, too.
But all I can see is the halo of the smiling woman above me.
Lacing my hands through her hair, I pull her lips to mine. “I’m still a fallen angel, Wren, but now I’m the one who’s fallen so goddamn in love with you.”
“I love you, too. So much.” Her tears salt our kiss, her tongue a promising tease. Her body may be tiny, but her passion is as strong as mine. So is her will. “Please, don’t make me wait any more, Sire Rutledge.”
I grin. “Is someone getting impatient?”
“Someone’s getting married. Soon.”
“Soon? No, Angel.” I brush a curl from her face. “We’re getting married tomorrow.”