Page 58 of Rhys

He was going to, but you left. That’s what he just said.

Blown away by that unexpected revelation, she studied his resting form once more. Rhys was suffering from a pretty moderate concussion. It was possible he didn’t realize what he was saying.

It was also possible he knewexactlywhat he was saying.

Either way, Vanessa wanted to make sure he knew where she stood with the idea of marrying him. Because now that they’d found each other again…now that he’d found it in his heart to forgive her for all the lies and deceptions back then…she was more than ready to start building the future she’d always dreamed of.

Bringing herself closer, she placed another soft, chaste kiss on his dry lips. “Do you know want to know what I’m going to say when you do ask?”

His head bobbed in the slightest of moves, but Rhys remained silent.

Ignored the tears falling down her cheeks, Vanessa lifted her head, moving her mouth next to his ear. And with her lips brushing against him as she spoke, she whispered, “Yes, Rhys. I’m going to say yes.”

EPILOGUE

Parker Collins smiledas he watched the heartwarming scene through the long, narrow window in Rhys’s hospital room door. Not wanting to impose, he turned and walked away, taking the bouquet of flowers he’d purchased at the facility’s gift shop with him as he went.

What a fucking week.

Passing by a room with an open door, Parker casually glanced inside, noticing an elderly woman sleeping in bed. He peeked further inside, giving the room a quick once-over. Seeing that she was alone, he walked over to the rolling tray positioned near the patient’s bed, placed the flowers next to a pink plastic pitcher and small drinking cup, and left.

He smiled, hoping the fresh wildflower blooms brought the white-haired woman a bit of joy upon waking.

Careful, Collins. Someone catches you doing shit like that, your shallow playboy imaged will be ruined.

Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Not to him. Uncle Sam, however—the selfish bastard—was a whole different story.

Keeping in mind the image he’d worked his ass off to create, Parker kept his head down and his face obscured as he made his way to the hospital’s main entrance and headed outside. Minutes later, he was in his car and on the way to his obnoxiously large, ridiculously overpriced mansion in Chesapeake Beach.

As it often did when he was alone with his thoughts, Parker’s mind began to wander. The first few miles were spent processing all that had happened with that fanatic, Kenneth Austin.

He still couldn’t believe the lengths to which the man was willing to go. All to obtain so-called justice for his son.

You might be willing to do the same if you’d lost someone you loved.

The intrusive thought gave Parker pause. He couldn’t imagine experiencing a grief so deep, so utterlyconsuming, that it had the power to drive him into a murderous plot for revenge.

Of course, he’d never experienced a love so pure as that of a father for his son. Or for a woman he was willing to die to protect.

Not like Rhys or Asher. Or Trace, Greyson, and Kellan.

All five members of Charlie Team had risked their lives for the women they’d met and fallen in love with. And the few times he’d been around the private security group, Parker found himself becoming jealous of the intense and unbreakable connection each man had found.

Good luck finding that for yourself.

Parker blew out a breath and cranked the radio up. What the hell was he doing? He didn’t need nor did he want that sort of complication in his life.

Right on cue, his phone began to ring, interrupting the blaring music.Speak of complications…

Set up to automatically pair with his car’s Bluetooth system, he tapped the touch screen on his dash and answered the call.

“I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me.”

“Funny.” The raspy female voice filled his car’s interior. “I could say the same about you.”

A smile spread across Parker’s face. “Sorry. I’ve been busy.”

“What was it this time?” The woman he’d spent far too many hours conversing with over shared phone calls and late-night chat room sessions asked. “A super important accounting emergency that required days’ worth of your undivided attention, or a tall blonde with giant boobs and legs that went up to the sky?”

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