Page 16 of Hot For Her Ex-Con

Allison’s been the only thing to stop it, to still that storm in me.

“Killian was in custodial care in a maximum security prison. A terrible example of a man slipping through the cracks into a place he didn't belong. It was by sheer chance the hospital happened across his case, and I’m glad we did. It took some doing, but through his family’s legal team, we arranged for his sentence to be completed in our care.”

“So he’s going back, right?” Allison’s dad frowns, looking braver once he sees a chance to put some distance between a man like me and his daughter.

“Not unless he wants to,” Stanton says, keeping his eyes on mine and lifting his brow. “Killian’s a private patient now. His unsupervised release from the hospital is his sentence served. And when he’s well enough, his family’s legacy is waiting for him. Pending approval from shareholders, of course.”

“And what about all those cops?” I grunt, still expecting the worst when it comes to me and Allison.

Stanton gives a real smile, looking extra pleased with himself. “Oh, don't worry about them. Your neighbor at number sixteen is keeping them busy enough. They only came down to see what we were doing here, which was waiting for you. I knew you’d come back.”

I give him a quizzical look.

“Well, you might have some explaining to do about the car,” Stanton cautions me. “But the man they’re here for is a few doors down. Wanted in three states. Your own little stunt is the least of their concern right now.”

I feel Allison’s hand finding mine and squeezing it again. I turn to face her, stuck for words as much as I’m relieved this has worked out.

“We’ll get through this, Killian. I told you I’m not going anywhere that you’re not.”

I crease a smile. “I willdo better,” I remind her, feeling some of the old me returning.

“We’ll do better together,” she corrects me, kissing me gently as if we’re alone, showing the doc here firsthand just how easily she can manage me.

“I’d like you to come back to the hospital, Killian,” Stanton says, getting up like he's already done here. “But I think you’ve found the one thing that therapy can never give you.”

“And what’s that?” Carol asks suddenly, sounding just as surprised as I do that this the worst is over.

“A stable, loving relationship,” Stanton clips, as if we should all know that already.

He pumps my hand, letting me know he’ll wait outside if I want to go with him to the hospital. “But better than that, a family of your own is going to be the best therapy of all.”

Allison’s mom and dad don't look so easily convinced, but both of them have the same question for me once the good doctor steps out.

“W-what did he say about a family legacy?”

I stifle a groan, wishing maybe Trap had been real after all. The whole business of my family’s money is enough to drive anyone crazy.

“Maybe that’s a story for another day,” I suggest, but both Mark and Carol sure do seem a little more at ease with me all of a sudden.

And Allison?

Well, she just feels better by the second. Like a man’s true destiny should.

Epilogue

ALLISON

Three Weeks Later

The case, as Dr. Stanton keeps calling it, turns my stomach. But if I’m going to be of any use to Killian, I need to know everything he went through. And being so thorough, especially since the change in Killian, Dr. Stanton shows and tells me everything.

It’s stuff that would traumatize anybody, let alone a little kid Killian’s age. It would be nice if it could be ancient history, something he’d grow out of.

But me knowing what set Killian off from day one helps us both. For a first date, it was hectic. The following days of hospital appointments and a brief hearing before a judge.

A ream of papers to sign, and then it was all done—all the legal stuff anyhow. I thought we had no real place to go until Dad let it be known that he and Mom were giving it another shot. Meaning, I thought Killian and I had nowhere else if Mom and Dad were gonna work on their own relationship.

So, the past few weeks have been a blur, really. I can’t believe it’s been three whole weeks.

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