Page 149 of Tiger's Destiny
I lifted my voluminous skirt and darted toward the waiting limousine. Over my shoulder I called out, “You’ll have to catch me first, tiger! Perhaps you’d rather be chasing monkeys.”
I squealed when I heard a growl right behind me and was suddenly lifted off my feet. After he bundled me into the limo, Ren pressed his cheek to mine.
“I’ve caught your scent, Mrs. Rajaram, and you’ll never escape my clutches again.”
“I sincerely hope not.” I giggled as Ren swept me into a passionate kiss that, despite my protests about my hair and makeup, didn’t end until we were halfway to the reception.
“I started off with a tiger and ended up with a husband,” I said as Ren wrapped me in his arms.
He kissed my nose. “And I started off with nothing and ended up with everything. I love you, Kelsey Hayes Rajaram.”
I smiled, loving every syllable of those three little words.
EPILOGUE
rising generation
Ren drove the McLaren roadster, my birthday present from Mr. Kadam, along the tree-lined road to the pretty South Salem duplex we had lived insomany months ago. Ren had shipped the car and bought up a significant amount of property in the surrounding forested hills with the intention of building us a home on what we both thought of as our mountain. We were finally starting our new life together, and in some ways, returning to our old one in Oregon.
Hopping out of the car in the driveway, I smiled, enjoying the pine and rain scent I lovedsomuch. I’d just pulled a bag from the backseat when Ren nudged it off my shoulder and scooped me into his arms.
“You weren’t going to deny me the opportunity to carry you over the threshold, were you?” Ren said, kissing me softly.
I stroked the hair at the nape of his neck and grinned. “Despite what you think, I’m not in the habit of denying your requests.”
“I think you may be in denial about your denials, Mrs. Rajaram.”
As Ren strode to the front door of our duplex, he listed all the things I’d denied in the time we’d known each other, stopping only when I pressed my lips against his.
He murmured finally, “I like the way you change the subject. Feel free to stop all our disagreements in the same fashion.”
I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’ll keep that in mind. You know, you really don’t have to carry me. Your super-strength is gone now, and I don’t want to be the cause of my husband’s back problems.”
He narrowed his eyes playfully. “There is nothing wrong with my back,hridaya patni, and though I may not have the strength of a tiger any longer, I still have the ability to seize willful women who cross my path.”
“Is that a threat or a promise?”
“Yes.”
Ren unlocked the door, stepped inside, and kicked it closed. Then he proceeded to make good on his promise. I protested briefly that our bags were still outside but his fingers had already unwound my braids and after another minute I no longer cared about our bags.
We broke apart when the doorbell rang. Outside on the front steps stood a mail carrier with a package.
“Can I help you?” Ren asked.
“Delivery for you, sir,” the man said and handed off the package.
With a nod and a smile of farewell, Ren closed the door and tore open the mysterious package. Inside it lay a heavy, wooden box.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” Ren said as he clicked open the lock. He lifted the polished lid to reveal a scroll perfectly encased in glass.
“It’s the Scroll of Wisdom,” I whispered. “The ocean teacher said we weren’t to read it until after the fifth sacrifice had been made. How did it get here?”
“I don’t know. I thought it was in the safe.”
I picked up the packaging. “Ren, there’s no shipping label.”
