Page 156 of Wicked Dares
“Damn right, I will.”
Smiling, we shake hands, and everything finally feels right again.
Chapter Thirty-Four
PIPER
Only two days ago, Reece had a gun pressed against my throat.
Now I’m sitting at the dining table surrounded by people I love.
Aunt Bess and my family are here, along with Alexis. She’s arguing with Aunt Bess over whether New York sweet tea tastes anything like the Southern version.
The whole thing feels surreal.
But best of all, the nightmare is over.
Reece survived the shooting, but once he leaves the hospital, he’ll be transferred straight back to prison. For life.
I never have to worry about him coming for me again.
The realization still doesn’t feel fully real yet.
Maybe it won’t for a while.
But tonight?
Tonight feels like living again.
Warm laughter fills the dining room while everybody talks over one another sharing stories from the journey here. Aunt Bess sits proudly at the center of the chaos like the queen she iswhile Levi watches all of us with an expression I’ve never seen on him before.
It’s peace.
Real peace.
“So, let me get this straight,” Aunt Bess says, pointing her fork toward Levi. “Piper tells me you have a fancy club where people dare each other.”
Levi chuckles beside me. “Pretty much.”
“The club is really called Wicked Dares?” Uncle Rob asks.
“Yes,” Levi says smoothly. “Though in hindsight, it sounds considerably more questionable saying it out loud to family.”
Everybody laughs.
I smile into my wineglass while Levi’s hand rests possessively on my thigh beneath the table.
Aunt Bess beams at him. “Well, I’m just glad everything worked out.” Her expression softens as she reaches for my hand briefly. “After everything that happened, seeing Piper happy again means the world to me.”
Emotion rises into my throat instantly.
“It’s wonderful meeting all of you properly,” Levi replies. “And I’m grateful Piper has people who love her the way you do.”
“Oh, honey. And you, too,” Aunt Bess says dramatically. “Anybody with eyes can see you’re crazy about my girl.”
“I am.” Levi’s mouth curves slowly and he glances toward me. “And now that we’re all together, there’s actually one last dare I have for Piper.”
I look at him and smile. “You have another dare for me?”
