Epilogue
The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees as Eli leaned against the porch railing, and he waited for Delaney to arrive.
At his feet was a takeout bag of barbecued ribs with all the trimmings and a carrier with two cold drinks.
The spring air was warm, spiced up with blooming sage and freshly cut grass.
And everything felt just right.
Perfect, in fact.
That was a hell of a lot different from just ten days ago when he and Delaney had been in the middle of that shitstorm on County Line Road. Ten days ago that had changed everything.
Lawrence was dead. Nothing could have been done to save him after Eli’s shot landed center mass. The man had tried to kill his own daughter, and Eli had pulled the trigger that stopped him.
The medical assistant, Kent, and Hale had both survived their injuries and were now facing serious charges.
Kent for his role in carrying out Vivian’s twisted plan, and Hale for the crimes uncovered at his institute—abuse, coercion, illegal confinement, and medical experimentation.
Neither man had committed the murders themselves or launched the attack against Delaney and him, but that didn’t make them innocent.
Not by a long shot.
In fact, none of the central players—Vivian, Kent, Lawrence, or Hale—had clean hands.
Every one of them had used manipulation and fear like weapons.
Lawrence by having Grant murdered and sending hired thugs to stop Ava and Olivia from escaping the institute.
And now Olivia and Ava were left to deal with the wreckage.
Their grandfather was dead. Their mother was behind bars and would spend the rest of her life in prison.
For now, the girls were going to live with their paternal grandparents. It was temporary until they were both of age, but at least it would be stable. Safe. Delaney had said Olivia barely spoke at all, and Ava had been holding tight to Jason as if afraid she’d lose him next.
The damage would take years to undo. Some of it might never heal. But at least the worst of it was over. At least the truth had come out.
He heard the rumble of Delaney’s SUV as it pulled into the gravel drive, the tires crunching to a stop near the porch.
She stepped out a moment later, her hair tousled from the wind, loose strands brushing her cheeks.
When her eyes met his, there was something in them that hit him low and deep. Something that never failed to gut him.
She smiled the moment she saw him. “You stalking me again, Tarrant?”
He stepped toward her. “Only when you look this good.”
She didn’t bother with a reply. She just went up on her toes and kissed him. He kissed her back, thoroughly, the kind of kiss they’d shared a lot of over the last ten days.
When they finally broke apart, she laughed and rested her forehead to his. “You bring food or just that mouth?”
“Food, mouth,” he said, grinning as he tipped his head toward the takeout. “And dinner for a date. We had a deal, remember?”
She held out her arm, turning it so he could see the neat row of butterfly bandages and the fresh dressing over the spot where the stitches had been.
His smile softened. He ran his fingers lightly along her forearm. “Then I guess it’s time.”
“For dinner?” she questioned.
“For that date.” He tipped his head, his voice low. “We’ve earned it.”
She nodded. “Yeah. We really have.”
Eli grabbed the takeout bags and drinks from the porch and followed Delaney inside. The scent of warm food filled the space as they kicked off their boots and headed for the kitchen.
“I saw Noah,” Delaney said, brushing her hair out of her face. “He told me everything’s wrapped up on the mission. They found solid proof that Lawrence hired those goons. One of them was the one who killed Grant.”
Eli set the food on the counter and opened the containers, but his eyes stayed on her.
“We might never know the exact motive,” she added. “But Noah thinks Lawrence saw Grant as a threat. Maybe he figured Grant would stop him from controlling everything. He was right.”
She fell quiet for a moment, then let out a soft breath. “Anyway. Enough about work.”
Before he could say anything, she stepped in close and kissed him.
Long and hot.
Everything in Eli tensed, then melted. He kissed her back, dropping all thought of dinner. His hand slid around her waist and pulled her closer, and the world narrowed to the feel of her lips, the way she sighed against his mouth, the heat that surged every time they touched.
She eased back from the kiss just enough to look up at him, her breath still a little uneven. “How are your ribs?”
Eli gave her a crooked smile. “All healed.”
She raised a brow, not convinced.
He reached for her hand and placed it flat against his chest, right over where the bruise had been. “Took a hell of a hit, yeah. But right now?” He leaned in, brushing his mouth against hers again. “The only thing I can feel is the heat.”
Then he kissed her.
Slow and deep this time.
And just like that, the rest of the world disappeared all over again.
Eli deepened the kiss, his hand sliding to the small of Delaney’s back, anchoring her close. She leaned into him without hesitation, her fingers threading into his hair. The last ten days had been a blur of recovery, reports, and unanswered questions, but none of it mattered right now.
Just her. Just this.
He eased her backward toward the couch, guiding her down with a gentleness that belied the tension coiled in every inch of his body.
She tugged him with her, their mouths never breaking contact.
Her hands roamed his chest, then slipped beneath his shirt.
When her fingers brushed his bare skin, he let out a low sound, half growl, half need.
“Delaney,” he murmured against her throat, tasting the warm pulse there. “You sure?”
She cupped his face, her voice soft but steady. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
That undid him.
He pulled his shirt over his head and helped her out of hers, their clothes scattering across the floor. The room was quiet except for the sound of their breathing and the rain beginning to fall outside. She was warm beneath him, every sigh a yes, every touch a promise.
Eli took his time, relearning the shape of her, the rhythm of her heartbeat under his lips. Delaney arched beneath him, her breath catching as his mouth moved lower, her fingers digging into his shoulders. The kissing deepened, turned hungry, and her hands were everywhere—gripping, urging, guiding.
They shed the rest of their clothes in urgent tugs, the heat between them building too fast to stop. He couldn’t get enough of her—her skin, her mouth, the way she whispered his name like it meant everything.
His jeans were somewhere on the floor, and he reached blindly for them, heart pounding. She laughed softly when he cursed under his breath, fingers finally finding his wallet. He pulled out the condom, grateful for the thin barrier that let him keep his head while the rest of him felt like fire.
Delaney watched him, her eyes dark, her lips parted. “Hurry,” she whispered.
He covered her body with his, their breaths tangling. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and when he eased into her, she gasped, clinging tighter. Eli stilled, overwhelmed by the feel of her—by the way her eyes met his, holding nothing back.
“You okay?” he asked, voice rough.
She nodded, her hands framing his face. “I’ve never been better.”
He moved then, slow at first, letting the rhythm take over, letting the pressure rise until they were both clinging to the edge. Her body tightened around him, her breath hitching as she cried out his name. That sound undid him completely.
Eli followed her over the edge, his release slamming through him like a rush of heat and light.
Afterward, he held her close, his heartbeat still racing. Delaney was quiet, her fingers trailing gently over his chest.
“Still worth the wait?” she murmured.
He smiled, kissed her hair and shifted so they were on their sides and face to face. “More than you’ll ever know.”
They lay tangled together, their bodies still warm from the sex. Outside, the evening light faded to twilight, soft and golden through the cabin windows. For the first time in days, the silence felt like peace instead of pressure.
Delaney ran her fingers lazily over his ribs. “I like your idea of a dinner date.”
“Yeah?” Eli tipped his head toward her, smiling.
She nodded. “Might even be up for a repeat.”
His chest tightened in the best way. “You should know… I’ve fallen hard for you.”
She lifted her head to look at him, her smile real and unguarded. “Good. Because I’ve fallen hard for you, too.”
He tucked her hair behind her ear, heart thudding. “In fact, after about ten or so more of these dates, I might even say something reckless. Like I love you.”
She smiled, eyes soft but sure. “It’s not too fast. Not too soon. In about ten dates or so, I’ll be saying those words right back to you.”
Eli brushed his knuckles over her cheek, kissed her again, and let the silence stretch, warm and full.
They had fought for this. Bled for it. And he knew one thing for certain. Whatever came next, he and Delaney would face it, and they’d face it together.