Page 33 of Utterly Dauntless

"Aries—"

"Wait." She straightened to look him in the eye. "I know you can't trust me, and I can’t blame you. Maybe no one will ever trust me again. But if you'll take me back...I will try with every fiber of my being to make you not regret it. And maybe someday, you will be able to forgive me."

He sighed. "I forgave ye, love. Each time I saw yer face again, ye were forgiven. Now all that needs tendin' is for ye to forgive yerself."

"I'm working on it. It will be a lot easier to do, though, if you come home with me." Tears slipped down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Grey. Sorry for running, sorry for hurting you. Sorry for not trusting you enough with what was happening in my head."

"Ye're telling me now."

"Because I finally understand it myself. And because I love you. I never stopped loving you, I just couldn’t let you know it. It would be harder for you if you knew." She tightened her grip on his fingers." And as soon as I get out of here, I'll prove?—"

"Hush now." He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Then, loudly and clearly, he said, "I reckon that will do." Then he stood and stretched.

She blinked the tears away so she could see him clearly. But he wasn't looking at her. He waved the guard back who had brought the gelato. The man grinned and bobbed his head, then set his hands on his hips as if waiting for orders.

Aries didn't understand. "What's going on?"

"Sorry, lass. I just cannae stand to sit here for two long days, especially when ye've made me so happy, aye? I'm fit to burstin’."

"So, you're going to go get comfortable at the hotel?" She shrugged. "Of course you should. After all, it wasn't you who ran out on a bill."

He handed his chair off to a second officer. "Ye're right there. I didnae run out on my bill, nor on yers."

His biggest fan in the next cell pointed at the container he'd set on the floor. He cheerfully scooped it up and handed it through the bars. The grin on his face proved he was relieved to be getting out, but she couldn't help but feel abandoned. Also, he'd wasted a lot of money on bribes if he didn't intend to stick around and cash in. And without him, she'd probably get mush for breakfast.

He nodded to the first man who then sorted through the keys attached to his belt. She watched in shock as he slipped one in the lock and opened the cell door. His grin matched Grey's, which meant they were in cahoots.

She lowered her voice. "You bribed them into letting me out?"

The men exchanged a look and Grey bit his lips together before ducking his head. "Truth be told, lass, I bribed them into puttin' yein."

"I don't understand."

"Give it a minute. Auch on second thought, I'll just explain, shall I? I told Shug I was headin’southto put some ghosts to bed. I thought it would be obvious I’d come to theAlassio.Like ye said, it couldn’t be anywhere else, could it? I’d chased ye all over heaven and back again, but this was the only place we were ever together.

“The way Shug had taken on the job of yer protector, I thought for certain he’d let it slip. So I half-expected ye. In truth, I’d prayed ye’d come, and I made arrangements with these fine gentlemen accordingly. But no matter how it came about, it’s only important that ye came.And that I caught ye."

"You caught me?"

"Aye. And when we are tellin' the tale to our grandchildren for the fourth time, or the hundredth time, ye'll admit I'm a canny man."

"Grey Strachan, are you telling me I'm not under arrest?!"

"Aye, I am. And I'm sayin' welcome home, Aries. Welcome home."

He pulled her out of the cell and into his arms and kissed the pique right out of her. And all the while, the inmates and guards cheered as if a great race had been won. Which, Aries realized, it had.

"I have a hundred things more to say to ye, Aries Strachan. A thousand maybe. But they must be said in private."

THE END

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