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Her first instinct as Saoirse freed one hand and then the other was to run to him. But, as if Saoirse read her mind, she caught her by the wrist and gave her a sharp look. “We’ve got to go, Evelyn.”

“Evelyn.” Walter’s voice was fractured. The cold veneer that she was so accustomed to seeing on his voice fell away and for the first time, she saw the raw vulnerability that existed at the core of him.

She desperately wanted to look away but she couldn’t.

He slowly rose up and sat back on his heels. He drew his hands away from his abdomen and stared at the horror of crimson staining his fingers. His eyes were wide, the first show of fear she’d ever seen in his face. His eyes moved to Saoirse. “You fucking bitch,” he said between gasps for air.

“I’d tell you to remember it, Walter,” Saoirse said softly and blew him a kiss. “But I don’t think you’ll make it that far.”

Then, she took Evie by the wrist and hauled her toward the window. “We’ve got to go,” she said.

“But, he’s–”

Saoirse stopped and looked at her, face lit with a mad fire. “He’s dead,” she said, flatly. “As he fucking deserves to be for what he’s done to my family.” She threw one more dark look at him and then tugged Evie toward the window.

“Evelyn,” Walter called behind her. “Don’t you dare fucking leave me here.”

“Go,” Saoirse said, practically shoving her out the window. In the distance, she could have sworn she heard police sirens. “Hurry.”

Evie took one more look at her dying lover and climbed out of the window.

Chapter forty-two

Epilogue: Evie

SIX MONTHS LATER

The waves rolled in and let out as gently as a breath, leaving the sand wet in their wake.

Soft pastel colors began to tint the sky and glittered on the surface of the water, moving with the rhythm of the waves.

Evie watched from the veranda of her room, chin propped on her hand while the sun sank sleepily below the horizon behind her, casting its colorful lullaby across the wisps of the clouds that lingered over the ocean. Below her on the beach, three figures approached, growing larger and more distinct. The shortest of the three in the middle, the tallest to one side, and the other limping with the help of a cane, a rhythm of movement she had come to love so much.

They were still too far away for her to catch any distinct words of their conversation, but she could see quite clearly when Lindsay stopped walking and stooped topick up a handful of sand. Ryan and Alex, oblivious to the imminent attack, walked on, their hands punctuating the air dynamically while they talked.

Her men. Bound together by kinship and by love. Moments like these came and stole her breath away and she couldn’t understand how she had ever gotten so lucky. Sometimes she thought about Tommy and a melancholy came over her, settling heavily on her heart. She remembered as she had many times before that if not for his death, she likely wouldn’t be here. It was just another one of life’s brutal ironies that she had to contend with gratitude that was centered around a tragedy.

But she was grateful to have them, all three of them. Each unique. Each perfect in his own way.

She had never never thought this sort of happiness would ever be hers again. Even after Walter’s conviction, even after her divorce from Linus, she had kept holding her breath. Waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting for something to fall apart.

But instead of falling apart, the small intricate beauties of love and life drew more closely around her every day. The very thought of it made the backs of her eyes sting while she smiled, watching the three men below cross the beach on their way back to her.

Her men.

Lindsay cocked back his arm and launched the clod of sand, nailing Ryan right in the back of the head with it. Evie stifled a giggle. Not even the roar of the waves could mute the sound of Lindsay’s laughter or Ryan’s raised,angry voice. Alex turned in time to get a face full of sand. And Evie had to bend forward and put her hand on her stomach, she laughed so hard.

Lindsay, being less mobile than the other two, had no hope of escape when they both launched themselves at him. Alex tackled him to the ground and began to pour sand down the back of his shirt while Ryan stood over them, probably barking orders and taunts.

At last, Alex granted him mercy and got up, swiping his hands together to release the sand from his skin. Lindsay turned slowly to sit on his butt. Alex and Ryan both hauled him to his feet and Ryan handed him his cane.

They started off toward the house again, jostling each other with their elbows and bickering.

They’d been gone from the house for several hours. Ryan had been intent on finding a good spot to go fishing, and they had taken the liberty of exploring the island after lunch. Evie had opted to stay home and nap and get more of her luggage unpacked, savoring the time to be alone before they would all be together again.

She was still standing on the veranda, looking out onto the ocean when the door opened below, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps and the low rumble of male voices that sent a pleasant tingle through her.

She turned slowly and leaned back onto the railing, listening for them as they moved about and climbed the stairs.

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