Page 37 of Bond

“This will be quick, so be ready,” she warns. Going to his side, she slits deep enough across his stomach that his entrails spill out. There’s splashing coming from the bank, and I know the crocs have smelt the blood and are sliding into the water. He comes awake with a muffled scream that’s silenced as she slices her knife across his throat, then cuts his arms free and pulls the gag off his mouth. “Let him go,” she orders me. Letting him go, he slips over the side of the boat and disappears into the waterthat starts to swirl as a croc bites onto him and takes him into a death roll.

“Hope he spends an eternity in hell,” Rochelle whispers quietly from beside me. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I pull her close to me as we watch the roiling water start to smooth back out.

“He will,” Jill replies. “Bond, can you take us home? I want to check on Blaze.”

“Of course,” I answer. Kissing Rochelle on the forehead, I let her go, smiling as she hugs Jill.

“Come,” she urges her into a seat. “Let’s get you home.”

For tonight at least, the threat had gone. We’d have to see if it stayed that way. Starting the boat, I turned it around and took us home.

CHAPTER 18

ROCHELLE

That night would always be a memory that was hard to shake, especially as we nearly lost one of our own. And we still may, because once she’d ensured that Blaze was out of danger, Jill had taken a call from someone and then disappeared; nobody knew where she was, not even her own family. Wherever she was, I hoped she was safe.

It took a week to clear up the aftermath of the gang coming into our town. Rogue, Julia, and the children arrived late in the morning of the next day.

I’m not sure who was worse, me or Bond, as we shifted our feet impatiently while we waited for their vehicle to come to a stop. As soon as it did, I flew down the steps to open the back door, and there she was, giving me her beautiful smile. As soon as I saw her, I knew it had all been worth it. She was worth keeping safe. Pressing kisses all over her face, I undid the buckles and took her out. Turning towards Bond, I smiled at the way he was looking at us, like we were his whole world, just like he was ours.

Once everything settled back down, Bond took me to see my dad. After the attempt on him, Jett had moved him to a cottage hospital. It hurt my heart to see how weak he was, and I knew he didn’t have much time, but the time we did have I’d made sure would count. I didn’t move from his side until he drew his lastbreath a few days later; those last hours with him were some of the hardest and the best I’d had.

Bond was sleeping on the cot they’d brought in for us. Daisy was in her travel cot next to him. I’d fallen asleep with my head on the bed that my dad lay in but woke to a familiar hand shakily stroking my head.

Lifting my head from the mattress, I looked into my dad’s familiar eyes. “Hi, Daddy,” I whisper.

“Are you safe, baby girl?” he asks shakily.

“I am, Daddy; both Daisy and I are safe.”

“Good,” he replies, closing his eyes tiredly. I thought he’d gone to sleep again, but he hadn’t. “Are you happy, baby girl?”

Smiling, I took his hand, pressing a kiss to the back of the hand that had once been strong. Strong enough to pick me up and toss me laughing in the air and catch me again. The hand that had held mine through my life, making sure I was as safe as he could make me. Tears brim in my eyes as I reply, “I’m happy, Daddy. I’ve got a good man, and I’ve got my baby girl, as well as a family that has taken me in and made me one of them. I’m happy.” Wiping at the tears on my face, I bent my head to whisper to him, “You can let go now. Mum’s waiting for you. Give her a kiss for me when you see her. I love you, Daddy. Thank you for being the best daddy I could have wished for.”

A smile touched his lips as he took a breath and slowly breathed out, “Love you, baby girl.”

I waited, but his chest never rose again. Pressing my face to the pillow that his head rested on, I let the tears come, only turning when I felt familiar hands on my shoulders. Bond pulled me up out of my chair and into his arms, holding me tight as I sobbed into his chest.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispers against my temple.

“It’s okay,” I sniffle, “he’s with Mum now.”

We had a quiet ceremony for him, and then I let his ashes drift down the river just as he’d asked of me. The sun was setting as I let the last of the ashes dribble from the urn. Strong arms encircled my waist, and I leaned back against Bond, who’d been my rock through all this.

“You doing okay, baby?” he whispers in my ear. Resting my head back against his shoulder, I nod, “I’ll be okay.”

Turning, I wrapped my arms around Bond, looking over his shoulder at the family that I’d found, and my heart hurt a little less. Blaze was still recovering, and while sad that Jill still hadn’t reached out, he took comfort from the children who adored him. Daisy was snuggled against his chest; he was her favourite uncle, with Rogue being a close second.

My eyes drifted over the rest of our family: Skinny and Josie laughing about something, Rogue, Julia, Bull, and Noni chatting at the table we’d set up under the trees. The rest of the children running around and playing. Cairo sitting next to Blaze, keeping an eye on his brother.

Yes, my heart was bruised and hurt at the moment, but I knew with all the love that surrounded me, it would hurt a little less every day.

Tilting my head back and smiling, I had to let the man who’d made this all possible know how much I adored him, “I love you, Bond.”

Bond returned my smile, whispering as his lips took mine in a soft kiss, “Love you too, baby.”

EPILOGUE

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