Epilogue #3
And then he struck, his canine teeth elongating as they sank into the tender flesh at the junction of her neck and shoulder. The pain was sharp and immediate, but it transformed almost instantly into something else. A pleasure so intense it bordered on transcendent.
Violet closed her mouth over his neck, stifling her scream of joy, her body convulsing as the most powerful orgasm of her life tore through her.
Dimly, she was aware of Arlo’s own release, his body shuddering above her as he spilled himself deep inside her, his teeth still embedded in her neck, sealing their bond permanently.
The marking lasted only moments, but the effects would be forever. As Arlo’s teeth retracted and he licked gently at the wound to soothe it, Violet could feel the changes beginning. The bond was complete now, unbreakable, and with it came a sense of rightness she’d never experienced before.
Afterward, they lay tangled in her sheets, hearts still racing, skin slick with sweat. Arlo’s arms were wrapped around her protectively, and she could feel the steady beat of his heart against her back.
“How do you feel?” he asked quietly, his breath warm against her ear.
Violet considered the question. How did she feel? Complete. Claimed. Utterly and irrevocably his, just as he was hers.
“Perfect,” she whispered, and meant it.
Afterward, Violet lay tangled in his arms, sated and happy.
Her head rested against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart.
Neither of them spoke for a long time. There were no words for what had just happened.
For what it meant for them and what it had changed.
They were mated now, fully, and there was no going back.
She felt his fingers trace slow, lazy circles along her spine, his touch absentminded but deliberate and possessive.
Like he was still claiming her. Like he wasn’t going anywhere.
Violet sighed, her lips curving slightly as she let her eyes drift shut.
For once, there was no urgency. No mission waiting.
No danger lurking in the shadows. Just this, just them and it was terrifying.
Not because she didn’t want it, but because she did. So damn much.
Violet sighed, nuzzling against Arlo’s chest, her mind pulling her back to reality.
To everything that had happened. To everything that was still happening.
The trafficking case. The arrests. The loose ends.
Voss and his men were done. His entire operation had been dismantled and at least for now, it appeared that no one else had the resources to pick up where he had left off. It was finished.
Silence settled between them, comfortable and warm, but Arlo was the first to break it, his words catching her off guard.
“I’m staying in Miami.”
Violet stilled. Her heart tripped over itself, her breath catching in her throat. She lifted her head, meeting his gaze.
“What?”
Arlo watched her, his expression unreadable, but his eyes held no hesitation.
“I’m staying in Miami,” he repeated.
Violet searched his face. “What about the CIA, your team?”
“They’ll still be my team,” he said, his fingers tracing a slow, lazy circle against her hip. “I’ll still go where they need me to go. But my home base?”
He brushed a knuckle against her cheek. “That’s here.”
Violet felt something tighten in her chest. Something wild and reckless and terrifyingly permanent.
“Arlo…”
“I already talked to the guys,” he said quietly. “I told them to get used to flying without me. I’ll be there when they need me. I can work out of the Miami field office when I’m not need to go abroad, but when I’m not working, I’ll be home with you.”
Home. The word lodged deep inside her ribcage. Violet’s pulse raced, her brain scrambling for something to say. But Arlo wasn’t done.
“I was thinking…” he murmured, his hand sliding down to rest against her stomach, warm and steady.
Violet’s entire body shivered at the touch.
“We could get a bigger place.” His voice was low and thoughtful.
Violet blinked. “A bigger place?”
Arlo nodded. “I could sell my condo. You could sell yours. If we pool our money together, we could get something with more space. Somewhere Riley can have a backyard to run around in. Somewhere…”
His thumb brushed against her stomach again, slower this time. More deliberate. His eyes met hers.
“Somewhere we have room to give her a brother or sister one day.”
Violet’s world tilted. Her breath hitched and her heart pounded, and all the while Arlo held her gaze, steady and certain. No hesitation and no doubt.
Despite the mate bond, Violet had been bracing herself for something temporary. She’d thought Arlo might think he’d be giving up too much to stay with her in Miami. But what he was proposing was forever.
Her throat felt too tight. Her chest, too full.
“Arlo…” she whispered.
He brushed his lips against hers, soft and unhurried.
“I mean it, every word.” His voice was gravel and warmth. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Tears burned the backs of her eyes. Not because she was afraid or because she was overwhelmed. But because for the first time in years, maybe ever, she believed that she could have this—have it all. She swallowed, pressing her forehead against his, exhaling shakily.
“Okay,” she whispered.
Arlo’s arms tightened around her. “Yeah?”
She let out a small, breathless laugh. “Yeah.”
Arlo grinned. That dangerous, toothy grin that used to make her shiver. He rolled them over, pinning her beneath him, his weight solid and comforting. Violet gasped, half-laughing, half-breathless.
“You’re sure?” she asked.
His lips skimmed along her jaw, his voice a slow, delicious growl.
“Sweetheart, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
The End