Thirty-Nine Ella
THIRTY-NINE
Ella
I’m in the hospital waiting room, happily eating vanilla ice cream while Aura, Mags, and Jos dig into their own cups.
Leo is at my feet, tail thumping, licking something that looks an awful lot like a pup cup.
Dogs aren’t supposed to be in the hospital, but when they tried to make him leave, Justice changed their minds without even standing up. I don’t want to know how he did it.
“Everybody good?” Fergus asks, looking up from a root beer float like he’s discovered a new religion.
I have no idea where he got that in a hospital.
He’s planted at the table and keeps eyeing Mags.
I’m not sure how I feel about that, or the fact that my godmother called Merlin to make kissy noises earlier.
“We’re all good,” I say. “What’s the news?”
Justice walks into the room, blood still across his neck.
“Kaz is still in surgery to remove another bullet, but the doctors are optimistic. Alexei was shot through the clavicle. The bullet missed his heart by millimeters and he’s going to be fine.
Rosalie’s with him and his room’s well-guarded.
He’s yelling at the nurses, so I think he’ll be out soon.
Bronco’s got a pretty bad concussion but can go home tomorrow.
Wesley’s been stitched up from a bullet wound and is still professing his love for you. ”
I wince. “He did try to save me, and he got everyone to the hospital in time.”
Justice shakes his head. “He was rather helpful today. I don’t want to have to kill him.”
I’ll take that as a win for now. “Corinda?”
“She’s dehydrated and in shock,” Justice says, looking around at the various occupants of the waiting room like he’s not sure how he got into this situation. “Should be okay in a couple of days.”
I shudder. “I can’t believe Stacia killed Sylveria and was ready to sacrifice her sister.” Tears try to prick my eyes and I push them back. “I’m sorry about Wynd. I would’ve never suspected him.”
“What about the police?” Fergus asks.
“We gave statements and pretty much told the truth,” Justice says dryly. “There’s CCTV of everything. Plus we’ve got statements from Aura, Mags, and Jos.” He glances at them. “By the way, you three have very impressive resumes. The police nearly snapped to attention when I used your names.”
Mags smiles and gives Fergus a sly wink. Aura claps her hands and chuckles with delight. Jos just digs a new hole in her ice cream.
I’ve been mulling a few things over, especially since they admitted to finding me because of the CCTV at TimeGem. “It’s time for you to confess.”
All three of them pause, two with spoons almost to their mouths.
“To, ah, what?” Aura asks.
Just how much do they have to confess? “About the virus? The newest one that infected the diamonds.” I narrow my gaze.
“Oh.” Mags waves a hand in the air. “Yeah, that was us. We knew you’d eventually want to take down Sylveria, so we weakened her diamond and her by using a mutated version of your virus. It wouldn’t have killed her, just so you know.”
Aura smiles. “That also made you necessary to her, so she’d stop trying to kill you.”
Jos nods. “Win-win, as they say.”
Do they really say that? I sigh.
Jos snorts. “That Kaz kid? He’s pretty good. He cyber attacked us back, and it burned a bit. For a short time.”
Aura lifts her head. Mags catches her breath.
“What?” Jos asks.
I blink. Once and then again. Justice stills. I swallow. “Kaz attacked you back?”
“What the fuck?” Justice mutters.
“Justice. Language,” Aura says, pressing her lips together.
I shake my head. “No. Wait a minute. Don’t change the subject.” My head starts spinning.
“What subject?” Jos asks innocently, smiling at Leo.
I can’t breathe.
Justice lowers his chin and glowers at them.
Mags is the first to break. “Oh, all right. The fifth player on the board? The one messing with everyone a little bit? That was us.”
“You three?” Justice growls out.
Aura smiles at him like he’s a prized pupil. “Of course, dear.”
I shake my head. How does this make sense? “Why?” It’s the only word that comes to mind.
Aura blushes.
Jos looks at her ice cream.
Mags winks at Fergus.
I wait. My chest hollows out because I’m not breathing, so I force my lungs to work. “Ladies?”
Aura’s eyelashes flutter. “Fine. That Wesley is a nice man, but you walked all over him. We figured you needed somebody …”
“Stronger,” Jos finishes for her.
“Much tougher,” Mags agrees, her gaze sliding over Justice.
Aura blows him a kiss. “You and Justice worked together to figure it out. Plus, not going to lie, we had a lot of fun messing with these so-powerful companies. For goodness’ sake.”
I gape. “You did all of that to matchmake Justice and me?”
“We’d do anything for you, sweetheart,” Aura assures me. “Getting him named bachelor of the year wasn’t easy, you know.”
He moves for her, and I hold up a hand. “Wait. You three offered to take him out for me.”
Justice’s chin goes down.
Aura chortles. “Yes, and you declined our offer. Of course.”
I can’t breathe. I stare at my man. “Before you get pissed, how in the world did you find me today at TimeGem?”
Justice strides right at me, graceful and unhurried, reaches for me, and lifts me to sit in his lap.
He cradles me like I’m fragile, and the room shrinks to the space that exists between us.
Everything inside me settles. I snuggle in, because why not?
The guy rescued me again and, okay, I kind of love him.
“How?” I ask again.
“I’ll always find you.” He leans over and kisses me, and the three women sigh around us. What romantics. I bet he has a tracker in my jewelry. In fact, that makes perfect sense.
Aura clears her throat. “You owe me a rocket launcher.”
I jolt.
Justice pauses and then nods. “That, I do.”
I frown. He is not giving her another rocket launcher.
“Considering I’m surrounded by most of your family,” he says, smiling, “how about we just do this now?”
I blink. “Do what?”
“We’re going to get married.”
“Yay!” Mags chirps. Jos smiles into her ice cream. Aura claps, which is the least surprising reaction.
“I might even wear a dress,” Jos says, eyes bright.
Happiness engulfs me. “You’re supposed to ask.”
He looks at me. “I don’t think so. You’d try to weasel out of it.”
“I would not.” I grin.
“We’re getting married. Say the words, Ella.” His voice lowers and takes on that same command tone he used the other night. It slides across my skin and awakens something.
“Fine. We’re getting married, but we’re throwing a bash. I want a wedding fit for a princess.” I even have a tiara to wear.
“You’ve got it,” he says.
“I’m sure Alana will figure out a way to show the world,” Mags says.
Justice blinks. “Oh wait. I guess you’ll figure out a way to make TimeGem the key? I think it’s yours now. This is going to get complicated.”
“You like complicated,” I murmur. He must, right? Or he wouldn’t have just proposed.
“No, I don’t.” One of his dark eyebrows lifts. “That’s why I live in a house by myself in the middle of the woods.”
“Now with me and a dog,” I add. Well, until I run again. I’m sure he’ll catch me. It’ll be fun, though. I rub my palm along his whiskered jaw. “When we healed Alexei earlier? I figured out how to heal you. We just need to combine the right stones and energy.”
“Yours and mine,” he says softly.
Yeah. Exactly. “We can try later today.”
Aura clears her throat. “You know, we were talking to Ella about how Alexei’s built a guest house for Rosalie’s boarders. It was blown up.”
Justice’s voice goes short. “Yes.”
“You would never let anything like that happen, would you?” Mags asks softly.
“Of course not,” Justice says, and the answer is so automatic it makes the rest of us smile. “You’re saying you want a building on my property for you three to live in?”
Mags grins like she’s won something.
Aura folds her hands and speaks like it’s common sense. “Just think how much safer you’ll feel close to us instead of working from afar.”
Justice’s bronze skin pales a fraction—if that’s possible. I wrap a hand around his chin and kiss him once. He doesn’t soften, exactly, but I feel it in the way his jaw eases. “I’ll think about it,” he grumbles.
I take that as a yes. If a year ago someone had told me that Alana, Rosalie, and I would be engaged or married to some of the most dangerous men alive, I’d have laughed. I never thought I’d find love like this. I never thought there was love like this.
“Just for the record,” I murmur, because some of my family is here and the moment feels big enough to spill, “I do love you.”
Tears flash in Aura’s eyes.
Justice presses a kiss to my nose and smiles, a little resigned but real. “I love you, too.”
I grin. “This is going to be fun.” I’m teasing him, but he’s everything. Oh, he’s a little rough, and plenty dangerous, but he came for me. Through bullets, through fire, through pain.
Might as well give him forever.