Page 130 of Point of No Return

I smile all the same. “I’m alright. Want a shitty cup of coffee or anything?”

“Just as long as it’s not made how you drink it,” she smiles, and I’m surprised when she reaches up and grabs hold of my hand. “What… happened?” she asks gently, and I know it’s because everything after her going over the bridge was a blur.

“Crew came with me to find you. And Aleks stupidly followed behind without us knowing. But… by the time Crew got to the bridge, it was too late. Eva… was already gone. And so were most of the others.”

Her eyes fall shut, and she nods, her fingers delicately tracing my tattooed knuckles. “Dead?”

“Yes.”

She releases a slow breath as her eyes open. “And my father is missing, I’m guessing?”

“Disappeared without a trace.”

I can only guess the things going through her head right now. My fingers trace the bruise on her cheek, the black and blue fading to an upset shade of green.

“Have you heard anything from Liv?” she asks quietly, brokenly, and her eyes flutter closed at my touch.

Something painful twists in my chest as I realize just how much my family lost the day my wife left the last time. “We called and let her know you were here.”

Her brows furrow, and her chin wobbles as if she’s fighting down a wave of emotion. But she steels herself, opening her eyes and looking at me again. “She hasn’t responded?”

I nod, and I clench my teeth just to keep myself from revealing more. A lot changed in the time that she was gone. But she already has enough to deal with right now as it is. That will be a conversation for later- when there’s more time and she’s not dealing with the loss of both of her parents.

“I can’t worry about that right now.”

My mouth lifts ever so slightly, and I raise my hand to her neck, tracing the slim column of her throat as I look at her. “I thought you were going to die on me there for a minute, Highness.”

“You’ll have to kill me to get rid of me,” she chuckles, wincing as she reaches for the pain in her side. But her emerald eyes are still smiling as I lower my mouth to hers and kiss the need for words away.

She sighs, one of her hands dragging into my hair to kiss me deeper.

The doctor enters the room with a loud‘hello’,and I pull back enough to whisper against her ear: “As soon as they sign the release forms, you’re fucking mine.”

“Mrs. Benenati,” the doctor begins as I plant another kiss on her lips. I withdraw to the end of the bed, far enough for them to examine her. “We’re going to check you out, and then how would you feel about going home?”

Epilogue

Charlie

The coffee machine whirrs, finishing the brew just as Aleks wheels himself into the kitchen. He raises a brow as I cap the thermos and package it away with the two others. With the basket of goodies I packed finished, I carry it over to him, ceremoniously dumping it onto his lap.

“Are we going somewhere?”

“We…” I begin as I stroll around the counter. “-are going on an adventure.”

His usual devious smirk falls into place. “Look at you. Disobeying the doctor’s orders already?”

I scoff as I wheel him toward the back door. “It’s been a week. I’ve had more than enough rest. Haven’t you?”

He grins again, and I take it as a good sign to push him over the threshold. We make it as far as the porch steps before I offer my hand.

“Think you can walk down the dock with me?”

He takes my hand, swinging upright and hopping on his good leg to adjust the weight. “Why are your adventures always so much work?”

I know he’s referring to the events of the past few weeks, and I jut a thumb over my shoulder, smiling. “We can always turn back.”

“Not a chance.”

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