Page 125 of Critical Doubt

"I'm the lucky one." His arms tightened around her as he gazed into her eyes. "I'm going to do everything I can to make you happy."

"If I have you, I'll be happy." She pressed her mouth against his, savoring his taste, his heat, and relishing the fact that there was no longer a ticking clock on their relationship. This kiss was just the beginning of a lifetime of kisses, a lifetime of loving each other.

"Now how about that bath?"

Epilogue

Three months later…

Savannah couldn't believe her father was walking barefoot on Santa Monica Beach with Ryker, that Abby was playing in the surf with Tyler, or that Parisa was sitting next to her on a blanket, sharing an afternoon picnic. So much had changed and all for the better.

"I can't believe how warm it is," Parisa said. "I'm not going to miss the DC winters."

"I'm so glad you're joining our task force. You're going to be a tremendous asset."

"I hope so. I'm looking forward to working together, Savannah. Actually, I'm looking forward to being back with everyone. I think when you came to DC, I realized how much I had missed everybody."

"Now, you'll just get sick of us."

"I doubt that. And I have to thank you for the opportunity. The only reason I can make the move is because of what Ryker is doing. I never thought Jared would leave the CIA, but Ryker's new company got him excited for the first time in a long time. He's doing a good thing, Savannah."

She nodded. She was more than a little proud of Ryker. "He couldn’t get past the idea that the families weren't going to be taken care of after the weapons deal went bust. And he blamed himself for not having considered the toll his teammates were suffering. He decided to do something about it. When he first told me he wanted to take care of everyone, I had no idea how he could actually do it. I had no clue that he was wealthy."

"Well, at least he knows you didn't fall for him because he was rich."

"I definitely did not. I knew very little about his family, least of all the fact that his grandfather had left him a huge trust fund. I guess the guys in his unit knew and that was partly why they didn't involve him and maybe why they resented him a little because they were struggling. He was struggling, too, just not with money."

"Well, he's using the money for a great cause."

She nodded. Ryker had decided to create a foundation that would help support the families of fallen soldiers. In addition to his trust, he was going to fund it by running his own private security company. He'd be hiring soldiers who needed to move on to the next chapter in their lives. Jared was going to come on board as Ryker's second-in-command. They'd become good friends in the past three months, and Jared was ready to use his agency and international experience in a different way, one that would give him more autonomy.

"Is your father also joining the company?" Parisa asked.

"I think so. He has really warmed up to Ryker and vice versa. How they're going to work together is still be determined, but my dad will be making more trips to Southern California."

"I'm sure you're part of the draw."

"Maybe. It's still baby steps with us. We can really annoy the hell out of each other, but there's something building." She paused as Abby came running back to the blanket and sat down, her cheeks red from exertion.

"Tyler is having so much fun," Abby said. "He adores Ryker, by the way."

She smiled, seeing Ryker and her dad throwing a football around with Tyler. "I'm glad he's having a good time, and that you are, too."

"I really am."

"I just got a text from Jared and Jax," Parisa interrupted. "They need a hand bringing food down from the parking lot. I'll be right back."

"Do they need our help, too?" she asked.

"I think we can handle it," Parisa answered, as she got up. "If not, I'll text you."

"She's nice," Abby said. "It's fun to see you here in your world with your friends and coworkers."

"I'm so happy you came."

"The trip was a great idea. Tyler has been doing better, but I think we both needed a break from home."

"Has he seen Paul?" She knew that Abby had been hesitant to take Tyler to the jail where Paul was being held. Out of all the guys, he was facing the least amount of charges, but he would serve time for what he'd done.

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