Epilogue
One Year Later
Olivia
“Are you sure you have to go?” Tobias asks with a frown as he gently bounces his baby girl, Natalie, against his chest. “You’ve only been back a few days.”
His wife, Lauren, sits in the armchair next to him. She looks radiant, a tender smile on her face as she watches my brother with their daughter while stroking Harlow’s head.
The birth was thankfully fast and uncomplicated, with little Natalie joining the world nearly six months ago.
She looks exactly like Lauren, with the same nose and facial structure, but her eyes are the same emerald that Tobias and I share.
She also has shockingly light blond hair that I’ve been told will darken as she gets older.
When the baby had first been born, everyone—aside from my guys—had watched me like a hawk every time I interacted with her.
It’s like they were expecting me to break down sobbing or something over my sterility or be overwhelmed with baby fever.
Not likely, considering I’d hastily hand Natalie back to her parents whenever she started fussing or soiled her nappy.
The sounds and smells that little humans can produce are horrifying.
Definitely not for me.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” I say, returning my attention back to my brother. “Rhys got a tip from one of the other settlements up the coast that this air base hasn’t been touched yet, so we want to scout it out as soon as possible before someone else gets there first.”
Our ammo supply is dwindling fast since we’ve spent the past year freeing any captives we can find and wiping out all gangs in the area, including what remains of the Scourge and Lodge.
Plus, with this being the UK, there aren’t many stockpiles available, so raiding an untouched military base is a top priority.
Maybe we’ll get lucky and find one of those machines to re-shell our bullets. At least, I think that’s what it does. Rhys tried explaining it to me, but I got a little distracted by how good he looked in his combat gear.
Of course he noticed and promptly punished me in the best way possible; fucking my mouth against a nearby wall and edging me until I was delirious before finally allowing me to come. That had been a good day. Made even better when Alex and Theo joined in.
“I’m sure that’s important and all, but why do you have to go?” Tobias asks as he hands a sleeping Natalie to her mother. “I’m sure the guys will be fine without you, and I miss having you around.”
I sigh. This is an argument we’ve been having for a while. Although at least Tobias isn’t as pushy and overbearing as he used to be, even if he still doesn’t understand why I constantly throw myself into danger. “I enjoy being out there and being useful,” I say.
“But you can be useful here. God knows there’s always something to do around here.” He grimaces and rakes a hand through his messy hair.
My lips twitch. “You’re the one who wanted to be a member of the council. Not my fault this place is a shitshow half the time.”
He huffs out a humourless laugh. “True, but my point still stands. You don’t have to risk your life to be useful, Liv.”
“I know, but I can’t stay here for long periods of time. It’s too… stifling.” Case in point, the guys and I have only been back for a couple of days, and I’m already itching to leave again.
While it’s amazing to have a comfortable bed, warm showers and hot food, the walls feel restrictive rather than protective.
Plus, everyone is constantly in my business.
The old biddies have nothing better to do than gossip about my fantastic love life, and people constantly ask for my help.
I don’t mind helping, but when it happens multiple times a day for the most basic things, it gets old.
It’s even worse for the guys.
Hell, right now all three of them are in a security meeting Anthony dragged them into because people were trying to change the safety protocols they’d put in place into something borderline dangerous.
And just before that, Alex had all but been forced into the communal kitchen to overlook food supplies and cooking equipment while Theo and Rhys were helping with self-defence training.
I’ve barely seen them since we got back.
Yet another reason why I prefer life outside Haven’s walls.
It’s Tobias’s turn to sigh. “Yeah, I get it.”
And he does, considering that when the guys and I are away, he’s the one who gets dragged everywhere.
Luckily, he can use the excuse of looking after his daughter and supporting his wife to fend off the worst of the vultures.
Not that it’s an excuse, since he’s an amazing father to Natalie and a wonderful husband to Lauren, going above and beyond to make sure his girls are well taken care of.
“Can you at least promise me you’ll be careful? I don’t want another warehouse incident.” He shoots me a hard look.
“That was one time! Besides, it was Theo’s fault, not mine.”
Theo’s the one that pissed off the guys who’d taken over the warehouse we’d found enough to where they’d charged at us with makeshift spears and knives.
Of course, because my luck is shit, I’m the one that took a spear to the leg before I killed the guy.
The guys were fine—lucky bastards—so I had no choice but to stay at Haven for almost an entire month to heal. It was torture.
“Doesn’t change the fact that you got stabbed by a fucking spear, Liv. You came back covered in blood and so pale I honestly thought I was going to lose you.” His expression turns pained. “So please just promise you won’t do anything stupid.”
I scowl. He knows I can’t promise that, not when it’s my go-to move to save the three idiots I’m in love with. “How about I promise to do everything in my power to come home alive and in one piece?”
He blows out a harsh breath. “I guess that’s the best I’m going to get, isn’t it?”
Lauren gives her husband a sympathetic pat on the back. “She’ll be fine, honey. She has three strong, capable men ready to swoop in and save her,” she says with a wink.
“Damn straight she has!” Theo announces as he and Alex stride into my brother’s living room.
“Not if I save your asses first,” I shoot back, unable to hide the grin that stretches across my lips at their arrival. Harlow woofs softly and moves away from Lauren to greet them.
“More likely to be Rhys’s ass that you save, rather than mine.” Theo closes the distance between us after patting Harlow and plants a hard kiss on my lips. “Hmm, missed you, baby.”
“Missed you, too.” I pull away, only to have a large hand grab my chin and direct me to a second set of lips. This kiss is a little softer, sweeter than Theo’s.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Alex murmurs against my lips.
My smile widens as my heart flutters. “Hey, yourself. How was the meeting?”
Alex presses one last kiss to my lips before moving away with a heavy sigh. “Too long.”
“And completely pointless,” Theo grumbles as he throws himself down onto the sofa. Harlow follows him and plants her head on his thigh, demanding pets that he immediately gives her. Spoiled thing.
Rhys finally strides in, his hair a mess as if he’s been running his hands through it, and his jaw so tight I’m surprised he hasn’t cracked a tooth.
“Fucking idiots,” he growls before his amber eyes lock onto mine.
At once, the tension melts from his body and he closes the distance between us.
Without saying a word, he grabs the back of my head and devours my lips, pouring all of his anger and frustration into the kiss.
I melt into the kiss, only just stopping myself from moaning because my brother is right there.
But damn, even after over a year of being together, Rhys’s kisses still knock me on my ass with their intensity.
I’m practically panting by the time he pulls away from me, gazing at me with smouldering honey eyes.
“Did you behave while we were gone, princess?” he asks with an arched brow.
“Would you believe me if I said yes?”
He huffs. “Not really. I don’t think you know the meaning of the word.” He presses a kiss to the tip of my nose. “It’s part of why I love you.”
Ugh. This man is too sweet for his own good sometimes.
Tobias makes a noise of disgust. “You guys are gross when you’re all lovey dovey.”
I look around Rhys to glare at my brother.
“How do you think I felt when I had to endure this type of shit with you and Lauren for over a year? At least there’s enough space to escape when you need to.
I couldn’t even do that. Pretty sure I roughly know when Natalie was conceived.
” I shudder at the memories of having to hold a pillow over my head so I could drown out certain sounds when we lived in my tiny cottage.
Tobias’s eyes widen in understanding, and Lauren bursts out laughing at his horrified expression. Theo joins her, his silver eyes sparkling with humour, and even Alex and Rhys chuckle a little. Thankfully, the sound doesn’t wake up Natalie, who’s sleeping soundly against her mother’s chest.
“I wish you’d taken that to your grave,” Tobias grumbles, shooting a look of betrayal at his laughing wife.
I smirk smugly at him. “You give me shit, big bro, and I’ll give it right back.”
“That’s my girl,” Rhys says affectionately as he presses another kiss to my nose before moving away.
“Our girl,” Theo corrects, having finally stopped laughing. “Sharing is caring.”
Tobias makes a noise of disgust but doesn’t say anything. Smart man. I have a lot of ammunition, and I’m not afraid to use it.
“If you’re done torturing your brother, princess, how about we get back to the cabin so we can pack for tomorrow?” Rhys asks.
“Sounds good. We’ll see you tonight, big bro. Try not to traumatise your daughter,” I say as I give him a quick hug before bending down to kiss Lauren on her cheek and Natalie on her blond head.
“Pain in my ass,” Tobias grumbles with exasperation, although I can see the affectionate smile tugging at his lips. “See you at the bonfire later.”