Page 196 of Ink Deep Devotion

Mila

“I don’t feel right about lying to Damian,” Dash mutters as he tugs me to his side.

“I know,” I whisper.

“Cillian said we can stay here until we figure out where we want to live. I’ll get started on making teams. We will need an extraction team and relocation team, as well as a dozen hackers,to make new identities. Safe houses, the whole nine yards. Avery and you can go down the list of people the guys start to give us.”

“It’s all happening so fast. I never expected this. Are you sure you’re okay with doing this for me?”

“I get the best of both worlds. I can hold my wife at night; I can see her smile because I can love her openly, and at the same time, I get to stay with my brothers and fight. I can also try to redeem my soul. I’ve done a lot of terrible things, Mila. I’ve been forced to, as well. If I can help one person escape this life, then I will.”

I tip my chin up and watch as he relaxes in bed with me in his arms. His chest inhales wide.“I feel like I can breathe again.” He whispers to me.“I don’t know how to say all the things I need to, but I have an idea how we both can heal.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ll show you.” He climbs out of bed and exits the room only to come back with a few new items clutched in his hands.“Cillian didn’t have a sketchbook, so we will have to use this until I can get us the proper materials.” He gives me a pen and a small notepad, the type you would write a grocery list on.

“I can draw better than I can speak.” Dash shrugs as he presses the pen to his small pad.

“You want to draw me again?”

“I never stopped drawing you. Even when you ran, I drew from my memories.” He begins to make lines on the paper.

“Will you show me?”

He nods, but he looks scared.

“I drew you too.”

“I know.”

“How do you know?”

“Titan found some of your sketches in your apartment. He gave them to me before we left.” He admits,“Draw, Mila. I don’t care if you draw me as a monster or a hollow soul. Just let me see how you feel.”

I start to draw, but it’s not of my past; it’s the future, his eyes watching me as he makes love to me. Filled with a humbled pride, I look up to see what he’s drawing, but I see something I missed. My wedding band is on his pinky finger.

“You took my wedding band.” I left it on the counter in my apartment.

His hand slows.“It looked lonely.” Blue eyes find mine.

“I only took it off because Camilla kept looking at it.”

He begins to draw again. This time, carving out his lines to form more shapes and features.

“Are you going to give it back?”

“No,” he replies quickly. “I did it all wrong before. This,” he looks at my band,“is a reminder of my mistakes. I’ll get you something new.”

“I don’t need something new.”

“We both do. A fresh start.”

Epilogue

Mila

Five years later.

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