Page 141 of Knox Unleashed
She huffs a weak breath. “You ran into a…burning building for me.”
“For you? I’d run into worse.”
Her lips part as unguarded emotions flicker across her face. “I love you. When I thought it…it was over for me, I closed my eyes and thought of you. You’ve given me a glimpse of…a life I never thought I could…have.”
“I love you too. And don’t worry about any of this. We’ll rebuild. Bring the bait shop into the twentieth century or keep itsold-fashioned charm. Even rebuild your apartment, if you want, but you won’t need it.”
“I won’t?” Maren asks.
I shake my head. “No, because you’re still moving in with me.”
“I am?” But she smiles and I know damn well she’s going to.
“Yeah. And we’re gonna be happy. Because I’ll choose you every single day. Because I’ll love your artwork hanging around my house and the smell of paint when I get home. Because you in my bed and in my life makes my life better.”
“Okay. I guess moving in will be easy. I won’t have much stuff left after this,” she says, and tugs at the back of my head until our lips meet.
“Who knew the prez could be romantic?” Havoc asks.
“Lock, you should try being romantic to FBI chick,” Sunny says. “Bet it’d get you laid.”
“No,” Ridge says. “He’s like a cat dropping a dead mouse on the mat as a gesture of love. He’s delivering her a busted Alvarez organization. Chicks really dig that shit as foreplay.”
“Fuck you all,” Lock replies.
And even Maren joins in the laughter, though I can see she’s already starting to process that she lost everything.
“Wait,” she says. “I threw my grandmother’s photo album and a canvas onto the ground so they wouldn’t get destroyed. Over there.” She points to a spot by the staircase. “Don’t let them get wet when the fire department comes.”
“I see them,” Havoc says, and he jogs over to get them.
I adjust the two of us, so my back is against the fence of the property and settle Maren on my lap. “Of course, you saved a canvas.”
She wiggles against me. “It’s the one of you and me when we were…outside on your property.”
Just as she explains, Havoc arrives with the album and canvas.
“See,” she says. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Yeah. We should hang it in the bedroom.” I place my lips near her here. “It’s appropriate that we have a painting of us fucking in the place where we fuck.”
Despite everything, she chuckles softly like I hoped. Maren glances up at the building. “You sure you don’t mind me moving in with you? Dealing with all of this is going to be expensive and?—”
I kiss her. “I don’t. And the first thing we’re gonna do is go get you some new art supplies.”
She looks down at her track pants. “And clothes might not be a bad idea.”
I smile at that, knowing I’m going to get a lifetime of spoiling this one. “Whatever you need, sweetheart.”
EPILOGUE ONE
KNOX - THREE WEEKS LATER
Iblow out a breath as I take in the leather cut sitting on the large table in church. On the front is Maren’s name. I’m Knox. I was born Knox. I ride as Knox.
And it made sense for Maren to do the same. Carefully, I lift the leather and take in the back.
Property of Knox.
