Page 93 of The Penalty

My heart bursts, flooding my body with warmth. My numb limbs tingle back to life, and my heart knits itself back together, stronger than before.

“I love you too, but.”

He places a finger over my mouth. “No buts.”

“I have to leave. I’m going to be gone. Who knows where. How is that going to work?”

“You’re not going anywhere. And even if you did, it wouldn’t matter. I already told your brother I would follow you anywhere. I would wait for you as long as it took. Even if it was years. I’ve never felt this kind of love in my life, so at first, I didn’t understand it, but now. Now I know. It means my heart is yours now. It beats for you and only you.”

Beau clears his throat. “Luckily, you don’t have to go anywhere.”

“What are you talking about?” I turn to him, confused.

“I talked to Dad. Worked things out. He’s going to let you stay.”

“Even if I’m dating Dev? Because that’s not negotiable.” This man has shown me more love and kindness in spite of everything he’s been through than my father ever could. I’d choose him every time.

“Yes.”

“What did you do, Beau?” I pin him under my gaze, trying out the twin ESP again, and failing. “Dad wouldn’t just let all this slide.”

“I told him I’d pay for you to stay here. To stay in school. I’d buy you another house if I had to. I would have. I’ve got access to grandfather’s trust now. I would have blown it all for you. But he said no. He said he’d let you stay.”

Those shadows under his eyes have deepened. Dealing with our father must have taken its toll on him.

“Thank you.”

I shift out of Dev’s arms to wrap mine around my brother. “Thank you so much.”

“Always. Anything for my twin. After all, we did share a womb. Even though I’m pretty sure you were hogging your side.”

I laugh around the warm tears leaking on his shirt. They’re happy ones now.

“I don’t think so. Now go back to your man. All I ask is you keep the PDA to a minimum around me. Because you’re still my little sister and I can’t handle seeing that.”

“I’ll try.” I’m not making any promises, because when I’m near Dev, I crave his touch more than anything else in the world. And now that we’ve got each other, I’m never letting him go.

Beau gathers up my roommates, dragging them out of the house.

A comforting silence wraps around us after their voices disappear and the front door clicks shut.

“Hi again.”

“Cece. I need you to know that I never should have hid you like that. You deserve to shine. I’ve never been that great with words, but the way you make me feel. It makes my heart ache in the best possible way. When you’re not around, I can’t stop thinking about you. And I want the entire world to know you’re mine.”

“Same. Don’t worry, I’ll tell them for you. I know you don’t do social media.”

His rare smile appears, and he leans down, cupping my cheeks between his.

Our lips meet in a kiss that promises a long future together. Full of love and comics. Hockey, and conventions. I want him by my side through every second of it, because we both deserve this. This consuming love.

Chapter 30

Epilogue

Dev 1.5 Years Later

The sun hardly evershines in Vancouver. But today, I had to put on shades to drive to Stanley Park. Driving always seems like a good idea until you have to find parking.

---