Page 124 of Saving the Last Heir
Christian rolled his eyes. “Thanks,mom.”
Sudden, overwhelming exhaustion overcame me, and my eyelids slipped shut. I had to force them open.
“I need to rest. That okay?”
“Yes,” Mom said. “Of course, sweetheart. Come on. Everyone out.”
Shyanne stayed by my side. “Do you need anything? Food? Some more water?”
Looking at her, I couldn’t help but smile. None of this, not one bit of it, would have been possible without her. I took her hand, running my thumb along her skin. After all that had happened and how close we came to losing everything, there was no reason to hold back anymore.
“I need to tell you something before you go,” I said.
Shyanne’s eyes softened. “Is everything okay? Do you feel bad?”
“It’s not that,” I said, easing myself back down as exhaustion threatened to overtake me before I could have my say. “I wantyou to know how much it means to me. All of what you did. You didn’t have to, but you did. Thank you.”
She rested her free hand on the bed and gave me a shrewd look, her eyebrow cocked. “You do know that you paid me, like, ashitton of money, right?”
I snorted, shaking my head. “You and I both know you’d have done it for free.”
She shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay fine. Sure.Probably.”
“That’s what I like so much about you,” I said, intertwining our fingers. “It’s starting to get a lot more serious than just liking you, too.”
The sarcastic grin vanished, her eyes widening. “What?”
“Shyanne, I can’t keep it hidden anymore. I…Ireallycare for you. I want you. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I’m falling for you. Head over heels. I’m positive that I’m in love with you, and I?—”
She pressed her lips to mine. Sighing, I opened my mouth, relishing the warmth of her tongue playing against mine.
Pulling away, Shyanne put a hand to my cheek and grinned, our faces only a few inches apart.
“I’m in love with you too, Jackson Adelmund.”
Hearing those words come from her, from the woman I loved, sent my dragon into a frenzy. I couldn’t recall him ever being so ecstatic or happy. Hell, I couldn’t remember whenI’dbeenthis happy. The closest I’d come to feeling this joy was when my sister hatched.
“You need to rest,” she said, letting her hand fall from my cheek. “I’ll wait downstairs with the others while you sleep.”
“I’m fine,” I muttered sleepily, exhaustion dragging at me. “You don’t need to stay. You’ve…you’ve got the garage.”
“The guys will handle it while I’m gone,” she said. “It’s all going to be okay.”
Despite everything, all the questions I had, I couldn’t stay awake any longer. Her words were the last things I heard before I fell into darkness once again.
“Jackson! Get up!”
My eyes snapped open, and I looked around in confusion.
“Who’s there?”
A small girl stepped up beside my bed, grinning at me like mad. “It’s me, duh. Jacqueline. Your sister.”
I frowned, my confusion transforming to outright disbelief.
