Page 66 of Betrayal & New Beginnings

Plus,Igot the impression she andArchereither were together now or had been in the past, soIdidn’t want to get into that, untilIhad more information.IfIwas wrong, however, and neither of those were true, thenIwould definitely try to find a way to break through her guarded exterior.

Ruthie intrigued me more than anyoneI'dever met, andIwasn't about to let assumptions stand in the way of discovering who she really was.I’dbide my time, be patient, and look for the right moment to insert myself into her life.

“Hi,Ruthie,”Elliesaid, waving at her, but she walked over toWade.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

I heard a growling noise and quickly realized it had come from me.Ruthiechuckled and it lit up her face, even though she was trying to hide the fact that she’d laughed.

Ellie said goodbye and headed off to the restaurant for her shift.

“See you in a few, baby,”Wadeyelled to her as she left.

I turned my head back to him and gave him my best deadly glare.

“You gonna keep my sister living in sin in your apartment, or are you gonna make an honest woman out of her anytime soon?”IgrilledWade.

“I’ve already got the ring.Justwaiting for the right moment to ask,”Waderesponded quickly and with a grin on his face.

I was surprised by that statement, but deep down a part of me was happy he wasn’t just using her to make another notch in his bedpost.

“She doesn’t have a dad anymore, but she has you,”Wadesaid, his face more serious now.

I knew what he was going to ask.Forpermission to marry my sister.Wadewas a good man.Hewas a great sergeant to me while overseas, an even better friend, andIknew he would be good for my sister.ButIstill wanted to make him squirm a little.

“Yeah, andI’mall she needs,”Itold him, trying to keep a straight face.

His face twitched ever so slightly.Iimagined most people would have missed it, but you learned to watch your brothers’ faces because sometimes you couldn’t speak on a mission, so you relied on hand signals and facial expressions to communicate.Justas quickly as that twitch was there, it was gone, though, and determination took over.

“Not anymore,” he told me. “I’mhere for the long haul, andI’dlike your permission to marry her.NotbecauseIneed it, but because it will make her happy.”

The look on his face said he was asking, but he was going to marry her anyway, regardless of whatIsaid.

“I don’t care that we’re brothers,”Isaid toWadewith such intensity, it made him squirm a bit. “Youhurt her,Iwill kill you and bury the body where no one will find it, and we both knowI’mcapable of that.”

“Don’t be a dick,” a little voice popped up.

I realized it wasRuthie, and she was staring right at me.Thenshe walked over toWade, standing in front of him as though she was protecting him.Allfive foot nothing of her.Iglanced up atWade, who was grinning, likely thinking the same thingIwas.Itwas funny that she thought he needed her protection.Evenfunnier that the protector would be her.Thiswoman was something else.

“Alright, just so you don’t break a nail attempting to saveWadefrom me,I’llgive,”ItoldRuthie, grinning at her before turning toWade. “Youhave my permission.Guesswe’ll actually get to be real brothers then.”

I extended my hand to him.Hegrinned at me, grabbed my hand, and then pulled me in for a shoulder grasp.

“Here’s to a new beginning,”Wadesaid, andIinternally smiled, happy that my sister finally had that.

EPILOGUE

ELLIE

There were moments in life that you didn’t want to end.Youwanted to savor every detail, capturing them in your memory so that you could look back on them later and smile.Thiswas one of those moments.

Wade, my now-husband, was sitting in our rocking chair with our eight-month-old baby girlMaya.Muchto my mother-in-law’s anguish, we had not continued the trend of names that started withW, though once she’d laid eyes onMaya, she’d said it didn’t matter and instead lavished her with copious amounts ofGrandmasnuggles.

Wade sat there, whispering toMayaas he tried to lull her to sleep.She, however, continued blabbering away to him, as if they were having the most intense conversation.Hehummed in response, nodding seriously, as if she were telling him the secrets of the universe.Istill couldn’t believeIgot to call this man my husband.

As soon asIleft the hospital afterIwas attacked,Imoved in withWadepermanently.Hehadn’t given me much of a choice.Heinsisted that my only priority should be recovering fully—not worrying about finding another place yet.

A few months later, we were getting ready to go have anotherSundaymeal with his family, when he walked into the bedroom doorway, leaning into the frame, and stared at me whileIput the last touches of my makeup on.

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