Page 154 of Boulder's Weight

But I'd do it again in a heartbeat to keep Kelsey safe.

The clubhouse is quiet when I arrive, most members having gone to bed or found other distractions.

I shower thoroughly, washing away the blood, the sweat, the memory of bone against metal.

But some stains don't come clean so easily.

Kelsey is asleep when I enter our room, her face peaceful in the dim light.

I stand watching her for a moment, reminded of why I did what I did. For her. For us. For the future we’re going to build together.

I slide into bed beside her, careful not to wake her.

She stirs anyway, instinctively turning toward me, her body seeking mine even in sleep.

"Boulder?" she murmurs, not fully awake.

"I'm here," I whisper, pulling her against my chest. "Go back to sleep, Montana."

She nestles closer, her breathing soon returning to the deep, even rhythm of sleep.

I lie awake, holding her, my mind replaying the events in the warehouse.

The sounds, the smells, the feel of the saw in my hand.

The moment when I became an executioner rather than a protector.

But looking at Kelsey's face, feeling her heartbeat against mine, I know I made the right choice.

Benji will never threaten her again, never bring that fear back into her eyes.

He'll live with the consequences of his actions every day for the rest of his life.

And we'll live ours, together, without looking over our shoulders.

In this world, they say the right old lady isn't a weight that drags you down, but an anchor that keeps you grounded when the road gets rough.

I was never the kind of man who believed that a few months ago. Old ladies were burdens, a weight I never wanted.

Looking at the woman sleeping in my arms, I finally understand why these women are so precious in our lives.

Kelsey isn't my weight. She's my anchor. My reason. My salvation, even as I dive into darkness to keep her safe.

I press a kiss to her forehead, feeling something inside me settle.

The violence of tonight fades slightly, replaced by a certainty I've never felt before.

This is where I belong. This is who I am now. A man who will do whatever it takes to protect what's his.

As sleep finally claims me, one thought remains: Some debts can only be paid in blood.

Benji Warlow's debt is paid. And whatever darkness now lives in me because of it, I'll carry it gladly.

EPILOGUE

Kelsey

Six Months Later…

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