Page 94 of House of Soot

Movement rolls through my belly. Blaise’s eyes widen. “Is that indigestion or?—”

“No, you silly. That’s your son or daughter.”

Emotion sweeps over his face. He drops to his knees and places a kiss on my belly. “Daddy loves you, little one.”

“What about me?”

He laughs and rises. “I love you too, my sweet, sweet Jenna.” His lips meet mine with infinite tenderness. This kiss holds allthe promises we've made today, of trust rebuilt, of forgiveness given and received, of a future filled with hope.

"My wife," he whispers against my lips, and the words send shivers down my spine. His hands slide down to my waist, drawing me closer until I can feel his heartbeat matching mine.

He slowly unzips my dress. I reach for his tie and loosen it.

"I love you," I breathe, and his response is to tug me onto the bed in a tangle of half-removed clothes and tender touches.

Emotion overwhelms me as I consider how far we’ve come. We were two broken people who’ve set out to build something beautiful from the ashes of the past. I have no doubts about Blaise or his love for me. I know my love for him will endure until I die. Tonight is the first night of the rest of our lives together, forever.

EXTENDED EPILOGUE

Ash

I adjust my tie for the hundredth time, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I curse Blaise for fixing things between him and Jenna. Okay, so I’m happy that they’re living in wedded bliss, but it’s left me the only one to marry Hannah O’Donnell. Well, Phoenix could have done it, but I drew the short straw.

My brothers crowd around me in the small room, their chatter doing nothing to ease my distress. It’s not marrying a woman I’ve never met to help save my family that has me in knots. It’s betraying the woman I love by marrying someone else that is killing me.

"Stop fidgeting." Phoenix swats my hand away from my collar.

"Fuck off.”

Flint catches my eye in the mirror. “I think he needs a drink.”

Blaise quickly brings me one.

Phoenix doesn’t give a shit about my inner turmoil. “The O'Donnells are powerful allies. With them on our side, Hampton Kean won't stand a chance."

“Yes, I know,” I bite out. Knowing the reasons for this marriage doesn't fix what’s twisting me up inside. This marriage is about revenge, not romance, which is good. I learned ten years ago that love could kill you without actually taking your life.

“Getting married seems less dangerous than infiltrating the Keans like Flint and I did,” Blaise says.

"Fuck off." I run my hand through my hair, immediately regretting it as Phoenix sighs and steps forward to fix it.

I’d rather walk into the Kean mansion, which used to be my family home, and risk getting shot in the head than get married. But here I am, about to be married.

The truth is, I haven't let myself think about marriage since Meghan died in the fire that took my parents’ lives. She was supposed to be my wife. We had it all planned out. Now I'm marrying O'Donnell's daughter because we need his army more than I need my heart.

"Hannah's gorgeous," Flint says, handing me a boutonniere. "Wild red hair, green eyes?—"

"I don't care what she looks like. It’s only business.”

Phoenix raises an eyebrow. "You'll need to make it look real. O'Donnell expects grandchildren."

"Not happening." The words come out sharp enough to make my brothers step back. "I'll marry her. That's it. The marriage stays unconsummated."

"Ash…" Blaise starts.

"No." I cut him off. "I won't betray Meghan like that."

"She's gone, brother," Phoenix says gently. "She'd want you to move on."

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