Page 129 of In My Heart
“How about from now on, we try to avoid the bloody parts?” I suggested.
“We can certainly try,” Rafe agreed as he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side.
We started to move towards Dante and Dio, just as Dio got the big guy to his feet. He was trembling and swaying, but Dario caught him with a grunt.
“Whoa…” I gasped.
“I’m fine,” Dante lied immediately.
“You can barely stand,” I pointed out.
“Iamstanding,” he rumbled, and it was so familiar, that directness, that bluntness. I had missed it.
His battered mouth curved slightly, as I started crying, mostly with relief.
“I be-believed in you, love, and you…you did it,” he rasped.
“It’s over,” I whimpered with a nod.
Dio leaned over and brushed against my hand with his free one. Then Arran was behind me, Cal leaning heavily against him but conscious and smiling as always.
“Cal!” I breathed.
“I’m okay. The bullet went straight through. I’ll be fine,” he reassured me fast.
“Damn idiot, playing hero when he shouldnae have even been here!” Arran grumbled. I looked to Cal again and we shared a conspiratorial smile before I rushed to them both and wrapped my good arm around the pair of them as much as possible.
They both held me too, and I just pressed against them for several moments, so grateful they were there, that they had found me and come for me.
All around us, the chapel was wrecked, bodies everywhere, blood sprayed, gore and chaos. The remains of my sperm donor’s empire lay scattered across the stone floor. Daniel was dead. There was no one left who would or could want me for a power play any longer. The fight was over, and with a small spark of hope, I felt a little like I had won.
“Jesus Christ. Must you all paw my sister?” Rafe asked, but it sounded light, almost a joke.
Dio looked deeply amused, which allowed me to let out the breath I was holding. If Dio thought he was joking, he was. No one knew Rafe better than him.
“You should be grateful, really,” he told Rafe
“Should I? How’s that?” Rafe stared at him flatly.
“Of course. Cara has excellent taste.” Dio leaned in and kissed the top of my head as he smiled at Rafe smugly.
I barked out a laugh, but Rafe looked personally offended by all of us.
“None of you are funny,” he grumbled.
"Cara thinks I'm funny. Says I make her laugh," Cal piped up immediately.
“That concerns me too,” Rafe said.
“Come on, we need te get the walkin’ wounded te the clinic. We’ll discuss how many mental health issues yer sister has, that mean she wants te be wi’ any of us, later,” Arran joked.
I was smiling as Rafe pulled me back to him and wrapped his arm around me, leading us out of that nightmare scene and hopefully into a calmer and safer future.
The men I loved surrounded me, safe and alive. They’d be okay. We all would. That was definitely a win. Whatever came next, I felt stronger, more whole, and ready to keep finding myself. I knew I wouldn’t have to do any of it alone either and that made tomorrow look a lot brighter than any tomorrow’s I’d faced for a very long time.
CHAPTER 31
CARA
