Page 117 of Nanny for the SEAL

“I told her the gist of what was going on, and she could tell I was dealing with a lot. She suddenly mentioned that she was moving out of the city really soon, actually. To a small town called Red Lodge. I didn’t understand why she’d mention it, but then she said that if I ever wanted to leave the city, get away from what was making me so upset, I could join her in Red Lodge.”

“Ivy, that’s…oh my God. What are the odds?”

We both laugh lightly, but Ivy is still staring out into the middle distance wistfully. “I know. She said, ‘You won’t regret it. I promise.’ So, I knew that when I finally got the chance to leave the city, when I couldn’t stay there, Red Lodge would be safe place for me.”

There’s a beat of silence, and Ivy’s eyes go glassy. “Hun? What’s wrong?”

She shakes her head, smiling over at me through the tears. “I’ve been thinking about that day a lot. It’s been on my mind since I got here. I…I wanted to find her. To go look for the woman I met and thank her for getting me here. It took until I was giving my statement to the detective for me to put it together that I was never going to get to say it to her.”

I frown, my brows crinkling together as I take Ivy’s hand. “Why not?”

Ivy glances at the photo of Maeve on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. I can see the tears sparkling in her eyes even as she holds her smile.

“Because it was your wife, Xaden.” She looks back at me as my jaw drops open. “Maeve told me to move to Red Lodge.”

Everything in the world crystallizes into a fixed point of connection, and I realize that Maeve, however unknowingly, is the reason for Ivy coming into my life.

If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now—with a new baby on the way.

A sob breaks free, and I don’t even care. I let the tears fall as I look up at the picture and then back at Ivy.

“She…”I shake my head, thinking about Daisy and Ivy and this life and the child I’ll be lucky enough to meet soon. “Do you think she knows? Do you think Maeve knows that I’ve found you, foundthis?”

Ivy nods, her own tears raining freely down her face, and then presses herself into my arms.

“I do. I think she knows, Xaden. Because I can feel this love so profoundly in my bones…I think she’s saying good luck.”

Another sob racks us both, and I pull Ivy tighter against my chest.

I don’t know what happens after all this. I don’t know what the future holds or whether there’s some grand design that made all this work out.

But whatever it may be, I’ve never been more grateful in my life. Even more, I’ve never been happy like this, and as I feel Ivy’s heartbeat against my chest, I can’t stop smiling.

It’s a moment before I pull her face up toward mine and lock eyes with her.

“I love you, Ivy.” I look down toward her belly. “And I love whoever is in there getting bigger every day. I don’t know how I got this lucky, but I promise you with everything I have, I’m never going to let this go. Not for anything in the world.”

Ivy smiles, taking my face in her hands as her forehead touches mine. “You and me both, baby. Whatever it takes, I’m going to make sure you always know how much I love you.”

She kisses me, and I give everything I have to it. Because this is where I belong—right here with Ivy and our family.

Epilogue

Ivy

One year later…

I’m right on the edge of release, and I’m not sure if I can keep being quiet at this rate.

“Fucking hell, Xaden,” I groan, grinding myself down onto his mouth as my head falls back. “Oh, shit…I’m so…fuck!”

The rough bark of a noise escapes me as the orgasm detonates, rocking me with the force of a sonic boom. I’m shaking everywhere as his tongue circles around my clit again until I’m begging for breath, his fingers so damn deep.

After a moment, he yanks me down onto his lap, and his erection drives home in one swift motion. I’m falling apart all over again as he crashes his lips to mine and silences the almost too loud sounds with his kiss.

I can taste myself on his tongue, and it’s more than enough—together with how he pummels into me—to get me coming again.

Clamping down around his shaft, I chew on his full bottom lip, desperately trying to stay quiet so we don’t wake up the kids.

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