Page 139 of Snow

“Hadn’t?”

“Well, now that you’ve mentioned it...”

“I’m withdrawing my application.”

She laughed as he pulled her against him again. “Too late. You’re hired.”

EPILOGUE

Three months later, Nova stood near the edge of the training mats with her arms folded across her chest, trying to take it all in.

It was opening night at her very own kickboxing and self-defense gym.

The large industrial space she purchased in Virginia Beach was state-of-the-art. Heavy bags hung along one wall, two full-size rings occupied the center of the room, and the back section held everything she needed for kickboxing classes. A smaller room off to the side had been designed specifically for the self-defense courses she planned to offer, including free monthly classes for women who couldn’t otherwise afford them.

That part had mattered to her. After everything that had happened on the rig, Nova had spent a lot of time thinking about fear. Not the kind that disappeared once the danger was gone, but the kind that stayed with you afterward and changed how you looked at yourself.

Tonight was proof that she had made the right decision.

The gym was packed.

Snow’s entire team had shown up for the grand opening, along with their wives and girlfriends, several members of Alpha Team she had finally gotten to meet, and enough friends and family to make Nova wonder whether the fire marshal was going to ruin her first night in business.

Her attention returned to the mat where Amira was currently practicing a combination Nova had taught her earlier.

“Hands up,” Nova reminded her. “Protect your face.”

“I am!”

“Your left hand says otherwise.”

Amira immediately raised it.

Across from her, Joker held a kick pad against his body. “Come on, squirt. Show me what you’ve got.”

Amira threw a jab, followed by a surprisingly good cross. Joker stumbled backward dramatically, clutching the pad against his chest.

“Oh, man. I’m not sure I’m going to survive this.”

Amira giggled. “I’m not done!”

“Wait, what?”

She followed the combination with the kick Nova had shown her. Unfortunately, Joker shifted the pad at exactly the wrong moment, and Amira’s kick sailed clean past it. His eyes went wide a split second before he dropped the pad entirely and doubled over, folding in on himself as every man nearby let out an immediate, collective groan of sympathetic pain.

Nova slapped a hand over her mouth.

“Oh, my God.”

“Uncle Joker!” Amira gasped. “I’m sorry!”

Joker held up one hand while the other remained strategically positioned between his legs. “It’s...fine.”

Bear burst out laughing. “You sure about that?”

“No.”

That was all it took for the room to erupt in laughter, the tension breaking instantly as everyone lost it at once. Even Amira started giggling when she realized Joker wasn’t actually dying, just dramatically suffering, while Clover hurried over, still trying not to laugh herself, and telling Joker to suck it up.