Page 119 of Ruthless, But for Her

Sorren joined him.

Only Ryker continued to stare, first at her hand and then back toward the sea.

“They were meant for us,” Sorren said quietly. “Leif had them made years ago.”

Cassia waited.

“Before he came here, before The Einar and Mere's End, he had a life beyond what most men knew. A wife. A home. A place he belonged.”

Sorren's gaze moved toward the harbor.

“He lost them all.”

Cassia said nothing.

“He told us once that a man could spend his whole life chasing what he had lost and never notice what stood before him. He wanted something different for us.”

Ashton looked down at the token in her palm.

“He had them made for the women we were meant to find.”

Cassia's breath caught.

“Those were his words,” Ashton said, looking at her. “And he gave it to you.”

“Knowing we were meant to be,” Cassia finished, the implications finally coming to her. “He knew before we did.”

Sorren put his arm around her.

“We are glad for it.”

Ryker finally seemed to return from wherever his thoughts had taken him. He stepped forward and placed both hands over hers, closing her fingers around the token.

For a moment, he simply held her gaze.

Then he nodded.

Not approval of the token.

Something greater.

Acceptance.

He released her hand and turned away.

Sorren caught up with him.

“I like it not,” Cassia said quietly. “Seeing him this way.”

She returned the token to her pouch, and Ashton reached for her free hand, winding his fingers through hers.

“Neither do I.”

They would get him through it.

Together.

As a family.