Page 136 of The Grief We Hold

He smiles. “Okay. You rest. I’ll go tell the others you’re okay. Everyone is worried.”

I try to focus on the clock on the wall but find I can’t as I slide back under knowing Wraith is safe.

When I wake again, the room is full. Iron Outlaws line the walls. But I turn my head, and in the bed next to me is Axel. I reach my good hand for him, but he’s too far away.

“Tell me you’re okay?”

“How could I not be?” he asks gruffly. “I’m looking at my future wife.”

EPILOGUE ONE: WRAITH

FOUR WEEKS LATER

Gingerly, I pull on my jeans and slip my feet into my boots. I still get the occasional pain in my abdomen if I move too fast.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Raven walks into the bedroom dressed in cute denim shorts and one of my T-shirts tied in a knot on one side. Her hair is up in a ponytail, and she’s wearing clear lip gloss, which is my favorite fucking thing.

Her hand still looks like a miniature cable car with pins and pulleys and splints. But all her fingers are healing nicely. And she no longer has to wear a sling or do the circulation tests three times a day to make sure she has blood flow. She hasn’t gone back to work, but I told her she didn’t need to. I make more than enough for us to live comfortably, so she’s debating returning to college to retrain as a nurse.

The hospital released her before they released me, and I made her promise that she and Fen would move into my place until I was home. Ember agreed to move in temporarily to help her with Fen and basic things like washing and dressing. Butcher agreed to put some prospects around the place to keep it secure. And Margie helped, bringing meals so no one had to cook. Ithink she’s starting to see Raven and Fen as her family too, now. It’s giving her something…hopeful…to focus on, perhaps even bringing her some happiness.

Marco was arrested, all his assets confiscated. After her surgery, Raven told the police that Marco was headed for the cash in the safe, and they laid a trap for him when he arrived. A friend of Butcher’s made sure it hit the major news channels. If the Bratva know he’s in prison and everything he owns was seized, my hope is they’ll stop chasing Raven.

But we’ve taken security precautions in case. And we move into our new home in twelve weeks. A beautiful farmhouse we bought yesterday, with the huge windows Raven loves. There are two small outbuildings in the back, and I promised Fen I’d turn one into a little nature spotting sanctuary for him.

“It’s the Fourth of July picnic, babe. And you, me, and Fen are going, even if I die trying to get us there.”

She smiles and strokes my cheek. “I had a feeling you were going to say that. Which is why Smoke is going to come and get us all. I organized it yesterday when he took us to look at the house.”

My injuries are healing a little faster than hers. I’m a whole heap of internal stitches. She’s got bones that need to re-fuse together. Neither of us is allowed to lift much right now.

And we’re both the luckiest sons of bitches to be alive.

I put my arms around her, being careful of her hand. “I can drive the truck.”

She shakes her head. “My only rule for going is that you let Smoke drive us there. We can sleep at the clubhouse tonight, and then he’ll give us a ride home sometime tomorrow.”

“I’m fine.”

“And the seat belt passes right over your wound site.”

“Which is healed.”

“Allegedly. But what’s the harm?”

I shake my head. “You guys go in the truck. I’ll follow on my bike.”

Raven raises an eyebrow. “That doesn’t feel like a safe option.”

I look out of the bedroom window at the sunshine. “I need to ride, Blue.”

She’s about to tell me all the reasons I shouldn’t, so I cut off her response by kissing her. Her lips are soft and warm, her tongue eager to meet mine.

In the last week, it’s like a dial has switched back on when it comes to our sex life. Post our surgeries, it was about pain management and wound care and zero lust.

But recently, I’ve wanted this woman with a vengeance. I’m consumed with thinking about all the ways I want to fuck her and make love to her.

My hands slip down to her ass, and I squeeze the cheeks I know have bruises on them from last night. Her ass was ripe for biting, so I bit.

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