Epilogue #3
Crossing the room, Cal pulled her into his arms. He couldn’t think of anything to say that would make things better, so he just held her, letting the quiet and the warmth between them speak for him. Letting her feel how much he loved her.
Keeping her arms around him, Io leaned back to meet his eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay, Cal? I know it was hard for you.”
It was tempting to downplay it, but Io deserved honesty.
“It was hard.” He pulled her a little closer, needing the anchor of her body against his.
“You know I almost chickened out, and even though we had places at the table, I kept waiting for them to change their mind, to tell me to get the fuck out.” Reluctantly, he gave her the whole truth.
“I kept waiting to hear that if Elena wasn’t there, I shouldn’t be there either.
It took a while before I trusted the welcome was real. ”
Her hug tightened, her gaze unwavering. “They love you. They’ll always love you. Once you understood that, you blended right back in. Watching you and Ben try to keep up with Shane…” She let her voice trail off, shaking her head with a soft smile.
“If Ben and I didn’t team up, Shane would roll right over us. He’s shameless. Mom and Dad always let him get away with murder.”
“He’s funny, though, you have to admit that. The three of you together? It was like watching gears click back into place.”
Cal huffed out a laugh tinged with disbelief.
“I didn’t think it would be that easy, but once Shane started in and Ben looked to me for help, it felt natural.
And then Ma scolded the three of us like we were kids again.
” He flexed his fingers at Io’s waist, the truth settling deep.
“That’s when I knew I was home. That’s when I knew they weren’t going to tell me to leave. ”
“Callum Andrew,” Io said, voice soft, “the only person in that house who questioned whether you belonged there was you. They’ve loved you your whole life, even when you stayed away. You just needed a reminder.”
His lips curved again. She had his mother’s cadence down perfectly when she used his full name. “Now you’re scolding me,” he murmured, amusement threading through the words.
Io’s smile deepened. “Maybe. But only because I love you.”
Cal kissed her then, slow and certain, his hand firm at her waist. When he pulled back, his voice was steady. “I love you, too, Io. It feels good to have you to belong to. To belong with my family again.”
“You’ve always belonged. You just needed to remember that.”
Her words settled deep, steady and sure, and for the first time in years, he believed them. The ache that had lived in his chest for so long eased, replaced by something solid. Home.
He knew there was still work ahead. Therapy had only just begun, and the ghosts from his past wouldn’t vanish overnight. But now he had confidence he would do whatever it took to heal.
Cal tightened his hold on Io, breathing her in, knowing he’d carry this moment with him wherever he went. He belonged with her.
And he wasn’t letting go.
WICKED ATTRACTION
He’s a soldier clawing his way back from disgrace.
She’s a scholar desperate to prove she’s more than a prodigy.
Together, they’ll face a mission that could cost them everything.
Special Forces Sergeant Ian “Rusty” Sinclair has fought to rebuild his career and the trust of his team.
One wrong move could send him back to probationary status, and he refuses to risk it.
The last thing he needs is a civilian complication—especially Ellis Vandenhoff.
Brilliant, restless, and bold enough to follow the trail of a centuries-old treasure map she never meant to find, Ellis is determined to step out of her ivory-tower life and into the real world.
But her discovery has put her in the sights of Jorge Torres, a ruthless arms dealer who believes the Lost Treasure of Trujillo will secure his legacy—and make him untouchable. Twice the Special Forces team has tried to bring him down. Twice he’s escaped justice. This time, failure isn’t an option.
Now Ian’s mission is clear: protect Ellis, even if it means risking the career he’s rebuilt. For Ellis, survival means trusting the soldier whose relentless focus on safety both infuriates and tempts her.
As bullets fly and passions ignite, they’ll discover the greatest danger isn’t Torres or the treasure—it’s the attraction that could shatter their defenses and change their lives forever.