Page 35 of Sworn to Defend

“I’ll take another beer.” He leaned in and kissed the top of Hannah’s head. “Now, this is a wedding.”

“Agreed. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate. No long, stuffy ceremony or formal black-tie reception. No murderous maid-of-honor.” She must’ve caught his frown. “Sorry. Too soon?”

“I don’t think there will ever be a time I can joke about finding you on the ground covered in dirt and blood, baby. My only comfort is that your older sister is behind bars and there was justice for Russell with his uncle’s arrest. Still, you’re far braver than me to be able to find ways to laugh about being attacked by your own sibling.”

“Bravest together, remember?”

“Can’t forget it now that the sign is hanging above our mantel.”

“With all the housewarming presents we’ve been getting each other lately, I think we’re single-handedly paying that shop’s monthly rent.”

She was right. It wasn’t too long ago that they’d had a sign custom-made for Brynn and Ransom’s with the words always keep fighting scrolled across the distressed wood. Painted along the bottom of the sign was a field of poppies like the ones in the vases on the tables. A tribute to Brynn’s grandmother. Another hand-crafted wooden sign hung over Joker and Sam’s mantel with the inscription, you are my reason. When Collin and Hannah had moved into his house, their friends hadn’t let them be left out. The long oak plank that ran over their fireplace read, bravest together.

“Speaking of rent,” Hannah said, snuggling closer. “Mr. Bloom found a location downtown for the pizza shop.”

Mr. Bloom was Jacob, Collin, and Cora’s teacher. When Collin mentioned opening a place to serve pizza with his friends, their teacher had jumped on the idea. Iron had once planned to expand his business and bought the small strip mall across the street. He was offering up the space rent-free for the project. Other school districts had gift shops and candy stores to give vocational opportunities to students in the special education program, and now theirs would, too. “They’re really doing it. He’s one amazing kid.”

Soon, he was going to put a ring on Hannah’s finger. The one that had been in his dresser for over a week now. After that, he was eager to broach the topic of legally adopting Collin. They could both take his name or keep theirs. Didn’t matter as long as they were together. He couldn’t wait to claim the two most important people in his life as his own.

Bravest together.

The End