Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
“Hey.” Brenna’s softly spoken word drew him from his haze. She gazed up at him with so much adoration he almost had to look away. He didn’t deserve that level of love, but goddamn, he’d take it. “I’m okay. I’m right here, and I’m okay. Feel me,” she said as she pulled his hands from the bed to place them on her sides.
Lock bent forward, resting his head on her chest as he breathed her in. There, beneath his ear, beat the most beautiful heart he knew. The strong, steady thud sounded repeatedly, confirming her vitality and life.
“I was scared,” she said as she stroked his hair. “Kelsie told me some of what happened to her to prepare me, and I was so s-scared.”
He lifted his head so he could see her. Silent tears ran down her face. “You were brave,” he said as he thumbed one away.
She shook her head. “I wasn’t—”
“You were.” He tried to convey with his tone how deeply he believed the words. “You were brave. You were strong. You were smart. And you were fierce.”
“But I was scared.”
“You were supposed to be scared.” He kissed the underside of her chin. “When I was in rehab, one of the things that finally got me to accept my sister’s death was when the counselor told me I was supposed to feel horrible after her death. I fought it. I thought I was supposed to fight it, and it led me down a dark path. Once I accepted it was okay to feel like shit, I was able to begin healing.”
“I’m so proud of how far you’ve come,” she whispered.
Easy for her to say since she hadn’t seen him in those days, but he was learning minute by minute to forgive himself for those days.
“You were supposed to be scared. They designed it that way. And now you’re supposed to feel fucked-up over it all. So be kind to yourself. I’m going to make sure to be very kind to you…” He let his voice take on a seductive tone, which had her huffing a laugh. “But I want you to be just as kind to yourself.”
“I love you,” she whispered through her tears.
“Same, baby, same.” He kissed her gently, feeling the wetness of her tears on his face. “Christ, I love you.” Just as he dove in again, harder this time, slipping his tongue past her lips, a knock on the door had him scowling.
The door opened, and Brooke stuck her head in. “Sorry to interrupt,” she said with a sheepish grin. “But someone woke up for a diaper change, heard you were back, and couldn’t wait another second to see you.”
“Caleb!” Seeing the baby had Brenna crying harder.
Lock froze. “Is it too much? Should we wait?”
“No. No. I’m just so happy to see him. Come here, baby,” she said to Caleb.
His son seemed half asleep, but his face lit at the sight of Brenna. Lock held his arms out as Brooke walked into the room. Instead of coming to him, Caleb reached for Brenna.
“Hi, baby,” she whispered.
As Brooke placed him on the side of the bed, he immediately snuggled into Brenna’s side and fell back asleep. Pleasure glowed on Brenna’s face as she cradled the baby. Thankfully, Brooke didn’t linger. She snuck out of the room without another word, leaving Lock and what he hoped would become his little family alone to process while they waited for Pulse’s return.
The moment was one of those rare few that stuck with a person for their entire life. Caleb at Brenna’s side, his woman gazing at him with a serene smile and him watching over them, prepared to protect them with his life.
“This is nice,” Brenna said. Her words slurred slightly, pointing to her fatigue. “The three of us. Like this. Don’t you think?”
He stroked a hand over Caleb’s fuzzy head. “I think it’s perfect.”
EPILOGUE
“BABE, YOU’VE GOT to find some chill.”
“I’m almost done.” Brenna smoothed imaginary wrinkles from the pale blue comforter on the full-size bed. The color had been chosen for its calming effect and soothing undertones. She straightened the pillows for the fifteenth time that hour as two strong arms circled her waist, drawing her against her favorite torso.
“She doesn’t care if the bed is perfect,” Lock whispered against her ear before kissing the side of her neck. “Which it is, by the way.”
Brenna sagged as she sighed. “I’m obsessing, aren’t I?”
She could feel Lock’s lips curl into a smile against her neck. “Just a little bit.”
“I just want her to be comfortable here. I want her to stay as long as she needs,” she said as she spun in her ol’ man’s embrace. Her arms went around his neck, and she received a sweet peck on the lips. “I’ve been so worried about her.”
One of the things she loved most about Lock was his willingness to listen to her. He never once belittled her or made her feel as though her thoughts and feelings were wrong. Even the many times she’d spiraled in the direct aftermath of being kidnapped, he’d validated her feelings, held her through the worst of the breakdowns, and built her back up again. So many times she’d woken in the night sweaty, with tears on her face and muscular arms holding her while Lock whispered words of love and comfort in her ear.