Page 131 of The Bachelor Spy
His foot found the first step. Then the next.
Zahra’s light glowed up ahead like a beacon. Until finally, mercifully, they reached the top.
His pulse thundered in his head, his body shaking. He didn’t stop until he placed Grace gently onto one of the pews, staring down into her face.
“Are you hurt?” His voice was rough, desperate, hands already moving over her arms, her face, searching for injuries. “Grace? The baby—?”
“I’m fine,” she managed between coughs, even attempting a smile. “We’re fine.”
But she was trembling. Or was that him?
His heart hammered as if trying to break through his ribs.
If he’d been a few seconds later …
He pulled her tighter, pressing his face into her hair, breathing her in. Dust and earth and Grace. Alive. Whole.
And she clung back, her palms pressing into his back. Her breath on his neck.
She was safe.
Theywere safe.
His body released its tension with a shuddering sigh. He pulled back, cradling her face, his thumbs brushing dust from her cheeks.
“I can safely say, I have not missed this particular aspect of our adventures, darling.”
A burst of laughter escaped her, sending one of her fiery strands of hair dancing, before she brought her palm to his cheek. “I adore the adventures and your valiant rescues, but I’ve not missed near-death experiences.” Her smile softened. “And I know you’ve had to witness too many of them in recent months to ever wish for another.”
His smile fell. “I should never have let you out of my sight,” he said roughly. “Should never have—”
“Frederick.” She kissed him, quick, soft. “We’re safe.”
We’re.His gaze dropped to her stomach. Not just the two of them. The three.
Zahra appeared at their side, and he tucked an arm around her, pulling her into their embrace. Four. And if Lily were here, that would make all of them. His family. His heart.
“I do wish I’d been able to get those jewels, though, Frederick.” She frowned, a single tear trail leaving its mark along the dust of her face. “To restore something to your family that was lost. To restore even a portion of what my father’s bankruptcy cost you—”
“Stop.” He paused her words with a thumb to her lips. “Listen to me.Youare my treasure.” The words emerged raw, broken. “Do you understand?You.” He tipped his head toward Zahra. “And our family. You are more important to me than anything in this world. More than Havensbrooke, more than any jewels, more than anything that ever was or could be in this life.”
Fresh tears glimmered in those cobalt eyes as she stared back at him. “I just thought, if I could only—”
“I don’t care.” The words burst out, fierce and ragged. “I don’t care about jewels. I don’t care about your father’s debts. Those arehisfailures, not yours. You have nothing to make up for. Nothing to prove.” His voice hushed to a whisper. “I nearly lost you just now. Nearly watched you disappear under those rocks. And every jewel in England isn’t worth one moment with you, Grace. Not one.”
“Oh …” New tear trails made their way down her cheeks, and she smiled through them. “That was the most romantic thing you’ve ever said, my dear Frederick.” She blinked, adding a little sniffle. “And … you have me.” She gestured toward her growing stomach. “All of me.” Then she sobered. “And I promise I’ll try to be more sensible in the future. If I hadn’t promised Pennington I would help him, I could have escaped long before—”
His chuckle cut off her sentence. “Blast your tender heart.” He pressed another kiss to her forehead. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything because it has loved me so well.”
Then he pressed another kiss to her lips and placed one on Zahra’s head. The girl’s smile brightened as she looked from him to Grace. He breathed out a long sigh, gratitude nearly encouraging his own tears.
“Now,” Frederick said, standing and bringing Grace with him. “Where is Private Pennington, I wonder?”
“He ran past me, Papa,” Zahra answered, waving toward the open door. “And outside.”
Ah well, there was a good chance they wouldn’t be seeing him again.
“How very sad,” Grace said, dusting at her sleeves, “to have made all these plans not only to fail but to nearly get himself and someone else killed in the process. I imagine he feels dreadfully guilty, wherever he is.”
