Page 110 of Redeem Me

‘Actually, he was worried about you.’ She quirks a brow. ‘He said he thought of you like a brother, but didn’t expect you to actually become his brother.’

‘So, we’re forgiven?’

‘Not entirely, but after everything, we will be. Maybe if he has you to boss around, he’ll finally stop babying me.’

‘He’d better put on one hell of a stag do when the time comes,’ I tease. ‘Speaking of which, I need to organise James’s.’

‘Huh, one day at a time, Tortured. Let’s just get you better first.’

‘Lie with me.’ I pat the bed and Ivy gently curls herself around my body, careful not to touch my torso.

The soft purr of her slow soft breath is the perfect sleep soundtrack. ‘This is the best medicine of all.’

‘I love you, Caelon Beckett.’

‘I love you Ivy Beckett-To-Be,’ I murmur. The desire to sleep slithers over me.

‘If that’s your idea of a proposal, you may need to rethink it,’ she tuts, nestling her face against my arm.

‘I’ll be the prince and you be the princess; it’s a love story, baby, just say yes,’ I croak.

‘I knew you were a secret Swiftie, but you got the words wrong!’ she exclaims, tears welling in her eyes.

‘No, baby, I got them just right.’

My eyelids flutter closed and I drift off to the soundtrack of her soft laughter.

EPILOGUE

November

Ivy

It’s a balmy twenty-five degrees in St Barths and Caelon and I are basking in the sunshine on Flamands Bay. The kids are with their new nanny, Nikkita. I take care of them most of the time, but Caelon insisted we need time together, too. Especially given we’ve decided to try to expand our family sooner rather than later.

Scarlett and James got married here last week in the most beautiful, intimate ceremony. We decided to stay on for another week by ourselves when they left for their honeymoon.

‘Do you think the dog’s okay?’ Caelon asks. He and Roxy bonded while he was recovering from his surgery at home. The two of them are joined at the hip, whether it’s on the couch –Italian leather or not – or in the garden. Roxy follows him round like a lovesick puppy. I can’t blame her. He’s pretty fucking spectacular, even if I do say so myself.

‘Liz and Samuel are probably spoiling her.’ I swat a handin front of my face. ‘Let me rub some cream on your back.’ I roll up one of the hotel’s plush daybeds and straddle my fiancé’s backside. The sunlight glints off the enormous diamond ring on my left hand as I reach for the sunscreen.

Caelon proposed properly three weeks after he was discharged from the hospital, when he’d had the chance to meet my parents and ask their permission. I’m not sure they were utterly convinced it’s the right move for me, but they’ve finally accepted I’m old enough to make my own decisions. And Dermot couldn’t stay mad at Caelon after everything that had occurred, especially given that they’re going to be brothers now. We’ve yet to set a date for the wedding, but we will, soon.

‘Only if I can rub you down afterwards.’ Caelon twists his head to face me. The sight of his burning eyes is enough to send a lightning bolt of desire flashing through my core.

‘That’s exactly what I was hoping you’d say.’ I shimmy my hips, wiggling on top of him.

As I massage the sunscreen into his broad, strong shoulders, I trace the lines of the tattoo that turns me on so much. ‘When did you get this ink?’

‘A couple of years ago.’

‘What’s the significance of the phoenix and the flames?’

‘At the time, it was the largest design the artist could offer,’ he shrugs. ‘I wanted to feel the pain of the needles everywhere. I wanted to hurt on the outside, like I did on the inside. But you know what the phoenix represents?’ Caelon flips beneath me, so I’m resting on his pelvis instead of his ass cheeks. I squeal, but he steadies me with two strong hands.

‘The Bennu bird that bursts into flames upon its death? I studied Egyptian mythology in high school, but that’s as deep as my knowledge goes.’

‘As the tattoo artist was inking me, he told me the story. In Greek mythology, the phoenix is a legendary bird thatafter its death is reborn from its ashes, signifying immortality and renewal. The phoenix rising represents the circle of life, death and rebirth. I didn’t believe any of it, of course. Rebirth seemed like a load of bollocks until I met you.’

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