“No one willingly checks into North Mount,” he replied.
“It’s either that or West Ridge.” At least she would be comfortable in North Mount.
He nodded and she struggled as the men grabbed her.
“Head home. You should at least spend the first night at the manor together.”
“Thank you.”
“Whatever,” he muttered, already walking away.
He was a romantic at heart; I don’t know why he tried to deny it.
EPILOGUE
“And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride.”
?Edgar Allan Poe
DECLAN
When I came out of the shower, she was sitting up in the middle of my bed staring at the ring I had slipped on to her finger while she slept.
“Too much?” I asked her as I leaned against the doorframe. “We can keep dating for a while if you’d like.”
“It’s just…wow. So much has happened in such a short space of time,” she whispered as she twisted the ring around her finger. It was a little big, but I would fix that later. I liked seeing it on her.
Sitting on the bed, I took her hand and held it tightly.
“No more running?”
“I took your mother’s money out of WIB. So yes, in the next ten years, it’s going to be me and you.” She smiled.
I leaned in and kissed her.
She fell back onto the bed as I hovered over her. “You and me until we are old and gray, Coraline Callahan.”
SEDRIC
Sitting on the edge of my bed, I pulled on the laces of my shoes when she hugged me from behind.
“She came back just as you said she would,” I whispered. It was because of her that I’d allowed Coraline to have those two weeks. Evelyn had called it perfectly. “How did you know?”
“She reminded me of myself, and I came back.” She kissed my cheek.
“I’m still trying to thank you for that,” I replied as I held her hands in front of me.
“Do you think she’ll make it with us? I don’t want him to be hurt. They still have to visit Ireland, and you know how the clan feels about outsiders.”
“Declan will protect her like you protected me. Like you’ve always protected me.” She leaned down and kissed my head.
If that was the case, then just like she’d done for me, Coraline would keep him sane and grounded.
The wives…they were always the ones who gave us the strength we needed to keep going.
“Protect, live, and die for her.” It was the Callahan way.