Page 88 of Till Death

Still unsure, I fought the urge to run to him and jump into his arms, so instead, I became a statue, rooted to the spot.

“This is your gift,” Hank continued in my silence. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Cole. “Your gift for winning the war. You have your love back. I gave you a chance to save him and once again you went above and beyond.”

“I…” For the first time in my entire afterlife, I was speechless. Utterly speechless.

“Technically, he’s dead,” Hank said. “But he’s been freed of his curse.”

He’s no longer a Halfling?

Then God grinned at me. “I like to think of it as a silver lining.”

Cole strode over to us, leaping over the gate to meet us in the middle of the road. Even with him so close, I couldn’t move, so he took my hand in his and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles.

He felt real. He felt solid and masculine.

I stared down at his hand holding mine, smiling on instinct.

Maybe I wasn’t dreaming.

“It is you…” I whispered.

He beamed down at me, and my pulse galloped. “Surprise, surprise.”

“Go. Enjoy your happily-ever-after. You deserve it. It’s all yours.” Hank pushed me lightly by the shoulders, sending me right into Cole’s arms. He wrapped me up and pulled me against him instantly. Then his gaze dropped to my mouth, and my skin heated.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said before leaning in and pressing his lips against mine.

Every neuron in my brain fired off at once, and I melt against him, unable to think about anything else but having him again, here with me. And when his tongue sweeps into my mouth, the passion increasing tenfold, I savor the taste of him and the feel of the hard planes of his body.

It’s been too long… There were times when I thought I never would have this again.

Tears prickle in my eyes, but I force them away. I don’t want anything to ruin this moment for us.Nothing

Who would have guessed my heaven would be found in a crumpling Victorian manor by the harbor with a former half-demon hitman?

Sounded like a Jade-perfect happily-ever-after to me.

When he pulled away, he peered down at me, his gaze roaming my face. He gingerly swipes away a stray piece of hair. “I fucking love you. I hope you know that.”

“I fucking love you too,” I replied automatically and without fear. Then I remembered Hank was still there watching us. Except when I glanced over my shoulder, I saw he actually wasn’t with us anymore. We were alone in the street.

“Do you think our kiss scared him off?” Cole laughed.

“Let’s hope so.”

“Yeah, he wouldn’t want to see what I plan to do to you later.”

Oh, hot damn.“Is that a promise?”

Mischief sparked in his eyes—now fully blue again. No red in sight. “Absolutely.”

Heat travels south, pool in my lower belly.

“I have you for forever now, Jade Blackwell. And I plan on not wasting a single second.”

With his hand on the small of my back, he led me toward the house. He kicked the door closed behind us and, unable to help myself, I laughed. How was this happening?

A gift, Hank had said.

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