“Congratulations, Fiona,” he says, putting me down and kissing my cheek. “You’ll do well by each other.”
“Oh, aye,” Cormac says, shoving past Keenan to give me a hug of his own. “Come here.” The big bear of a man hugs me so tight, my heart melts. They love me, all of them, in their own special way.
Nolan shoves Cormac out of the way. He takes my hand and places it in Lachlan’s. He leans in and kisses my cheek. “I’m so proud of who you’ve become,” Nolan says. “And it’s my honor to see where you’ll go from here.” He winks, then says in a stage whisper for all to hear. “And if he hurts you, I will personally see to his painful, bloody, and very permanent demise.”
I laugh out loud. “Thank you.”
Sheena’s crying like a mad woman when she reaches me, and later she blames the hormones. “What hormones?” I ask her. She says with a sheepish smile that she’s expecting again. We hold each other for long moments, neither of us able to find words to express how far we’ve come. How changed things are. How grateful we are to be loved by a family like this.
But it’s Tiernan who pauses to stand in front of me, who holds both my hands in his, and gives me a look so tender, tears spring to my eyes.
“You look beautiful,” he says. “And I’m so proud of you.” He leans in and kisses my cheek, and I wrap my arms around his neck.
“Thanks for everything, Tiernan. Everything.” And I know he knows I don’t just mean what he’s done in recent months or even years, but the way he protected me when I was a child, defended me when I was defenseless, with his fierce, loyal protection. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.” I know I wouldn’t.
“Love you, sister,” he says, in rare sentimental moment. Then he looks to Lachlan. “And even though I love this bastard, I’ll fight Nolan for the chance to end him if he hurts you.”
Lachlan grins at him. “I won’t hurt her, brother. You have my word.”
“Maybe a little hurting?” Aisling suggests. “Like, the good kind. And honest to God, Fiona, are any of these men single?”EpilogueLachlan“I’ve decided to do distance learning,” Fiona announces, sitting at the dining room table in our flat, thoughtfully chewing the end of a pencil. I’m sitting on the loveseat, watching her apply to school.
“Don’t pout, Lachlan, it doesn’t become you,” she says with a haughty air. I push myself up from the loveseat and stalk over to her. Her eyes widen, then quickly flit to the left, then right.
“I’m not pouting. The men of the Clan don’t pout, we brood.”
“Well, don’t brood, love, I’m only applying to school. You’re acting like I’ve just joined a convent.”
“Bloody hell,” I mutter. “Not sure I’m a fan of distance anything.”
“Distance learning means I stay here,” she says, with one of those fetching grins that make me want to kiss her senseless. “Right here. After what happened, and you guys took all those insane safety measures to be sure this place is safe, I think I’m most comfortable just staying right here.” She rolls her eyes when I reach her. “Not that you’ll let me get anything done.”
We decided to temporarily forego a honeymoon while I got our guard secured. Keenan’s appointed me head of the guard, and it’s a job I’ve taken seriously. But we took our vows two months ago, Christmas is coming, and I have a surprise for her.
“Well, in that case, I approve.” I knead her shoulders and she sighs in contentment. I wait until her eyes close before I take the envelope out of my pocket and slide it on the table in front of her. I begin to wonder if she’ll ever open her eyes and see her surprise, so I finally bend and bite her neck, which makes her squeal. Her eyes flutter open.
“Exactly what I mean,” she says. “I’ll be online doing a class and all of a sudden I—oh. Lachlan, what is this?”
“Bit of a wedding gift,” I say, suckling the sweet skin I just bit. “And Christmas gift,” I say, licking her collarbone until she shivers. “Open it.”
She reaches with trembling fingers to the white envelope and slides it open.
“Oh my God,” she whispers. “Seriously? You’re taking me to Paris? I’ve always wanted to go. How did you know?”
“Had a little help,” I admit with a shrug. “I don’t care much where we go, as long as you’re with me.”
She smiles shyly at me. “Well, look at you, with all the romance? And just so you know, I got you a wedding gift as well.”
“Did you, lass?”
“Aye, but you have to stay right here.” She frowns. “It’s not anywhere near as fancy.”