What comes next, though?
Do I tell him everything that happened; how I won the game?
Do I finally get to stop hunting for the truth?
“Huntress, we’re here,” Langston says, kissing my forehead. He doesn’t realize I’m already awake.
I open my eyes and smile at him. The sky is dark, but I spot the plane behind us.
Langston pops the door open and then lifts me out of the car. He carries me honeymoon style on the tarmac and then up the stairs to the private jet.
“Daddy!” Rose’s voice screams happily as we walk into the plane’s cabin.
I think Langston is going to set me down so he can scoop Rose up, but instead, he somehow scoops up Rose until she’s lying on my lap. She gives Langston a big hug.
I can’t hold back my own smile.
“Liesel!” she yells happily when she recognizes me and throws her little arms around my neck.
My first hug.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
All I can feel is the beat of her heart against mine. A strange, wonderful feeling I never thought I’d get to feel.
“Thank you for saving me,” Rose says when she leans back.
“You did a pretty good job of that yourself, but gladly. I’d save you any time.” I will save you every time.
Rose smiles brighter. “Good, I’d save you too.”
I smile. “I know you would.”
Her bright eyes look between Langston and me curiously. I don’t know what she sees when she looks between us, but I can see the wheels turning in her head.
I give Langston a worried look. I’m not ready to tell Rose that I’m her biological mother. I’m not ready to tell her that we’re married or make any commitment to stay in her life.
“Have you eaten, Rose bug?” Langston asks, trying to change the subject.
She nods. “But I could use dessert.”
Langston laughs. “Let’s see if we can find you dessert.”
He sets her down and then puts my feet back on the ground while keeping a hand at the small of my back. We both could use a shower, change of clothes, food, and sleep. But first, we need to take care of Rose.
We find Enzo and Kai sitting on one of the tan couches in the back of the plane. They both stand when we come back. Kai walks over to me. “You okay?” she asks quietly.
I give her a quick nod. “We’d be better if we found some dessert.”
Kai smiles down at Rose. “We have a couple of different flavors of ice cream. Which is your favorite, Rose?”
She thinks really hard.
“How about one of everything?” I say.
Rose nods happily.
Kai winks. “One of everything coming right up.”