Page 88 of Allison

“I’m sorry you had to see that, sugar. I hate you went through all of this,” Worm pulls away a little to make eye contact with her. Her expressive eyes stare up at him. “But you did an amazing job of investigating those missing kids. Your work will make all the difference in shutting the ring down. Tex told us the FBI is in the process of raiding the places where the kids are being held and they are combing through records showing who had purchased kids and where they might have been taken. It’s going to take time, but eventually they hope to bring many if not all of the missing home.”

Allison’s body relaxes significantly as he speaks which helps Worm to calm down a little himself. Worm’s phone buzzes with an incoming message. He checks it, seeing Hawk has sent him the all clear. “I should take you down where everyone else has gathered,” Worm tells Allison, wishing things were different. Wishing she wasn’t angry with him. Wishing he had the right to hold her, kiss her, make love to her, and tell her everything he is thinking and feeling.

“Russell?”

“Yeah, sugar?”

“What happens now?” He stops moving, breathing, everything. He isn’t sure his heart is even beating. He hadn’t thought about anything, but getting her safe. Now that she is?

“What do you want to happen?” Worm pulls back, turning to face her as best he can when they are sitting side by side. He keeps one arm around her lower back, not yet ready to lose contact with her.

“I…I don’t know,” Allison lets out a huge sigh, staring toward the bedroom door. “I’m scared, Russell. I have so much I want to say, but not sure that I should. I don’t know how to feel about everything that’s happened with Bruno and Claymore…between us.

“I have a person growing inside me. One that you and I created. One that I hadn’t planned on, but now, I can’t imagine not having this little person. I wanted to tell you, but you’d already made it clear you didn’t want anything more than sex and I can’t see myself in a relationship like that for long. I want to raise my child in a traditional home like I was raised in, just without all the judgmental bullshit.

“I want a house with a yard, my child playing in the sandbox, to have Emma come over to visit. But more than anything I just want to be safe, happy, and loved, Russell. Is that too much to ask for?” Allison lifts her eyes to his.

“No,” Worm replies, blinking back his emotions. “It’s not, sugar. I understand how you feel. I know I hurt you and I’m scared, too. I’m afraid you won’t be able to forgive me. I know it’s going to take time to gain your trust, for you to believe me when I tell you that I want all of that, too.

“I love you, Allison. I never considered falling in love while I was still active duty. I figured when my enlistment ended, I’d allow myself to meet someone, but that was just a distant dream of the future, until you stepped into my life. Suddenly, I could picture myself in love, with a wife, children, and a little house with a white picket fence, but I didn’t think I could have it…could have you and still do my duty to my team, my family, and my country.

“It took me a while to figure it out, but I know now that my fears of failing you, the team, my mom and sisters were all just that, fears. I can have it all. Is it always going to be easy? No, I’m sure it won’t be; but if Hawk, Straw, Tank, and all the others can have it all, then we can, too. That is, if you can find it in yourself to forgive me.”

Allison throws her arms around Worm’s neck. “Oh, Russell!” He hugs her back, pulling her into his lap. She’s sobbing, soaking his shirt with her tears. Worm’s eyes burn and his nose tingles. He blinks and swallows a couple of times.

A throat clears, drawing his attention. Hawk, Wallace, and Mercury are waiting in the doorway with huge grins on their faces. It seems they’ve been eavesdropping. “Is she hurt?” Wallace asks, concern replacing his smile. Allison sits up shifting toward the men, but not getting up from his lap.

“I’m fine, Curtis. Thank you all for helping Russell find me. I need to thank this Tex guy, too. It seems he was a big help.” The men all chuckle while nodding.

“You don’t need to thank me, sweetheart,” a male voice says from Hawk’s phone which he was holding out so they could all hear. “I’m just glad you are safe. Don’t be too hard on Worm. He’s only a man after all. Sometimes we men can’t see the forest for the trees. It takes a good woman to show it to him. I think you’re just the woman for the job.”

Allison turns to Worm, studying him hard. “Did you put him up to that?” Worm bursts out in a deep belly laugh. His sugar is going to be okay. She has a long road of recovery after everything she’s been through, but he knows she’ll come out the other side of it. She’s already getting her snark back.

“I love you, sugar.” Worm kisses his woman and ignores the cat calls from the doorway when she kisses him back. Yeah, they’re going to be okay. He’s still going to grovel and give her everything she wants and more, but he knows with her by his side? He can conquer the world.

EPILOGUE

ALLISON

Breath on the back of her neck, draws Allison from sleep. The press of warm lips to her bare skin arouses her in more ways than one. Allison is cocooned in the warmth of Russell’s large body. His hand is sliding up her right leg over her thigh, his hand gripping her hip with a gentle squeeze. “Good morning, sugar,” he rumbles in her ear, pressing another kiss to her neck.

Allison wiggles her hips against the large erection she can feel pressing against her ass. Russell groans, sending a shiver down her spine and goosebumps over her skin. “Vixen,” he mumbles, between kisses to her neck. “How do you feel this morning?”

Allison’s morning sickness has lessened over the last few weeks, but some mornings she still has nausea. This morning she feels pretty good right now. “Good, at least for the moment.” She twists around to face her handsome man. And he is her man. Despite the rocky start, they’ve fallen into a comfortable routine, leaving Allison happier than she’d ever believed she could be.

Russell’s right hand smooths the hair out of her face. “I would like you to meet my family if you’re ready.” His tone conveying his fear that Allison isn’t going to be on board with this, but he should know better by now. She’s more than ready to meet them in person. She’d met them all over a Facetime call, but it isn’t the same.

“You know I’m happy to meet them,” Allison assures him. “Sadie is so sweet and Leigh is quickly becoming a good friend. Amber has texted me a couple times asking how I’m feeling. Your mom has been so thoughtful and welcoming. I’m looking forward to seeing them in person.”

“Good,” he breathes out, his body relaxing noticeably. “Mom called last night while you were in the bath. She wants us to come out soon. I’d asked for leave a while back, because it takes a while for requests to go through the channels. Hawk said yesterday I’ve been approved. We can leave Friday afternoon if you’re okay with it.”

“I’d love to go.” Russell pulls her close, kissing her deeply. Desire swirls in her belly, made all the more intense when his hands skim over her naked body. They’d made love last night. Russell had left her utterly sated and exhausted. She hadn’t bothered with a night gown or pjs afterward. She’d fallen into a deep sleep and woke feeling amazing.

Every day since Russell had brought her home to his apartment, over a month ago, has been better than the day before. They’ve spent hours in conversation working through the issues that had kept them at odds. Russell talked about his dad’s passing, how it had made him feel, and the overwhelming responsibility he feels toward his mom and his sisters.

Russell had called his mom with Allison at his side and talked to her about how he felt. The conversation had seemed to help his mom, too. She’d cried of course, still trying to come to terms with her loss and grief. She’d apologized over and over, because she hadn’t realized how much Russell had taken upon himself.

Allison had confessed she doesn’t want to go back to California, not even to get her things. She wants to be close to family and friends, especially with the baby coming. Russell had been over the moon happy. He’d called his friend, Dude and asked if he and some of his friends could pack up Allison’s things and have them shipped to his address. They’d gotten a text yesterday that her things should arrive in a couple of days.

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