Page 265 of Gift from the Source
“I know this is a huge change for you, for all of us, but it’ll be good for us and them. You’ve set him up for success and we’ll always be here for him,so it’s not like he can’t come to you if he needs you. Just like Carrington can go to Tillman. The two of them have been under the two of you nearly their entire time with us.”
“There were a couple times they scurried off.”
“Okay, you really can’t blame them for having fun when they met Orson and Flynn. Then again when Bric came along. You know as well as I do if our situations had been different when we met, you all would’ve swept me away and enjoyed me till your heart’s desire.”
My smile is slow as I think about that.
That’s exactly what I wanted to do.
My hand travels from holding her chin to cupping her cheek. “Despite the way it came about all those years ago, princess, you are and have always been the best thing that’s ever happened to me and my brothers. You are my source of light and the air in my body. I love you more than I could ever explain and describe. I love you to the beyond and back.”
Her smiling face softens and a slow tear rolls down her cheek to my finger. A shuddered breath leaves her as her lids close. “I’ve been waiting forty-six years for this moment.”
I cock my head to the side. “You saw a vision of this?”
She shakes her head. “This was the last piece of our awakening. Every future clip I got with the guys have already come and gone, but this moment, I’ve been waiting on for so long. Through my eyes at the time, you looked older than you did that day you sat at the table beside me. Fine lines were on your face from your smile. You held a woman tenderly as you whispered sweet nothings and I love yous. I, of course, learned that woman was me. I’ve been holding my breath waiting to hear those exact sweet nothings come out of your mouth. Never would I have imagined, though, that you truly would love me from the beyond and back.”
I hold the back of her head tenderly as I bring her even closer to me. Never in my wildest nightmare would I have ever imagined that either and I’m so incredibly thankful it wasn’t a prolonged experience.
The truth remains, though, I’ll love her beyond the end of time if there ever is one for me.
I lift her face back up and clean away her tears before kissing her softly. “No more tears, baby. Take me to my retirement party.”
She smiles against my lips. “Birthday party, my big eighty-year-old.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“Eighty has never looked so good.”
I place my hand on her lower back and lead her over to my door.
The two of us halt as we open it.
Cas is leaned against the wall with his shadows surrounding him. There’s a knowing smirk on his face as he looks between Willow and me. Tillman’s pacing and Draken…is stuffing his face with cake.
“Fuck me, I thought you were going to back out and I was going to be so pissed I retired a year earlier than you.” Tillman sighs, obviously invading my fucking mind.
“Get out of my damn head,” I say, then turn my attention to Draken. “Is that my birthday cake?”
His spoon freezes in his mouth. “What? No. Of course not. I’d never eat your first slice. I had Chef make a smaller one. I was starving and your nerves were making my dragon restless.”
“How did you convince Chef to make you a cake on my birthday?” I ask, crossing my arms.
“Told him it was for Willow obviously.”
Her snort vibrates through my side and I smile down at her.
“Come on. Let’s go announce my retirement.”
“After we sing you happy birthday,” Draken cheers with his mouth full of food.
Fuck me. Some things never change.
Thankfully.
Thirty-five
Draken
