Epilogue
ADRIANNA
Six years later…
Iplonk my laptop bag down by the door next to my overnight case.
“We’re going in five minutes,” I call up the stairs.
There’s a squeal of laughter from Marissa’s bedroom, which makes me think five minutes is optimistic.
I take the stairs two at a time, ready to put on my bossy mom voice if my daughter doesn’t have her bag packed. The kids are staying with my parents while I’m on a work trip. It’s only for two days, but Bronn always comes with me when I travel for work.
We’re taking my dad’s private jet. He doesn’t use it much since he semi-retired so he could spend more time with mom.
He finally realized how sick she was and got her the treatment she needs and some good meds. Now she’s back to her old self, laughing and carefree and an attentive grandma to our kids.
It wasn’t easy finishing college while having our daughter, but with Bronn’s support, I graduated with top grades. I now work for my dad’s firm as a materials engineer.
“Aren’t you packed yet?”
The words die in my throat when I walk into Marissa’s room.
Bronn’s on his back with Marissa doing kung fu moves on his tummy while our two-year-old son sits on his chest giggling.
“We’ve got the baddie,” Marissa says excitedly. “He’s going to jail.”
All of a sudden, Bronn sits up, grabbing the baby and Marissa in his strong arms and making them both squeal.
“Not if I break out of jail.” He puts them gently on the floor, and they both giggle as they chase him around the room.
I lean on the doorframe, resigning myself to being late. But these moments are priceless, and I won’t be the spoilsport.
While they horse around, I finish packing Marissa’s bag, making sure her favorite toys are safely packed.
Bronn manages to extract himself from the kids and marches them downstairs as I hurry after them with the bags.
As the kids scramble to get their shoes on, Bronn slides an arm around my waist and I lean against him.
“I booked us the penthouse suite. It’s got a spa bath.”
He whispers it in my ear, and his hot breath on my neck makes my body shiver in anticipation. Bronn comes on all my work trips. He says it’s to protect me, but I’m sure it’s the kid-free time in nice hotels that’s also appealing.
His security firm has grown over the last six years, taking on a slew of ex-military men. Bronn runs the place with his ex-army buddies. They don’t do much of the security work themselves anymore but hire out other ex-military men as recruits.
Not only is he providing personal security to families on the Sunset Coast, he’s also providing jobs for veterans, giving ex-military men a new purpose.
I love him for it.
The kids have got their shoes on, and with much fuss and chaos, we’re finally out the door. We’ll be twenty minutes late to my parents’ place, which is pretty good time these days.
Before I pull the front door shut, I give my husband a quick kiss, taking the time to let him know how much I appreciate him. Bronn makes me feel safe every day, protecting me and my family and providing a safe home for us. I may have been a brat when I met him, but I’m his thankful wife now.
Although I do like to pretend sometimes. Packed in my suitcase is the special black leather paddle. When we’re alone in the hotel later, I’ll bring out the paddle and play the brat. Bronn will play his part, the disciplinarian keeping me in line.
My body trembles at the thought, and heat courses through my body. My ex-special forces husband knows a thing or two about discipline, and I’m always in need of a lesson.