Chapter 47

FORTY-SEVEN

Laura

S erenity surrounded me. The bed beneath me was cloud-like, the air filled with a warm spiced scent.

Awareness came to me slowly, filtering into my senses piece by piece. An ache filled my arm as I tried to move, another biting at my head when I struggled to open my eyes.

The light hurt, and my left eye was stuck closed. The room came into focus when I forced my right eye open. My arm lay, bandaged, on an unfamiliar bed, bruises and butterfly-stitched cuts snaking over my skin.

Realisation hit me like a freight train, jolting me upright and causing me to wince.

‘Phoenix?' I called out, pulling myself to my feet. My left leg couldn't take my full weight, and I limped toward the door.

Was I in a hospital? It was too fancy. Too ornate.

‘Phoenix,' I choked out, pushing open the door and tumbling into the hallway .

Silence awaited. Limping, I dragged myself toward another door, opening it to find a similar room to the one I'd awoken in.

Empty.

I kept going, finding myself at the top of a grand staircase, leading down into an open library. I teetered at the top of the stairs, the floor zooming up toward my face.

‘Whoa, easy,' a man's voice said, firm hands gripping around my upper arms.

‘Where is he?' I begged, my legs jellying. The man smelled expensive, a deep spice-filled scent enveloping me as he wrapped sturdy arms around my waist and supported me. ‘Is he dead? He can't be dead…'

‘He's okay, I'll take you to him. I'm Ewen.' He turned me from the stairs, and guided me with a firm grip around my waist. ‘You've been out of it for a few days, but you'll both live.'

‘Thank you,' I said, grimacing as pain radiated through my hip.

‘I'm not the only person who owes Phoenix one for killing that fucker Massimo, he had a long list of enemies. Glad you guys made it here, it was a close call.' Ewen stopped at a door, knocking softly before nudging it open.

Phoenix was paler than I'd seen him, his top missing and his chest a patchwork of bandages.

The moment I laid eyes on him, a sob ripped from my mouth, and momentarily pain ceased to exist.

Crossing the room, I threw myself on the bed, wrapping my arms around him.

‘There you are,' he whispered, his fingers cradling the back of my neck as I adorned his chest with my tears.

‘I thought…' I murmured, pushing my hand over his heart to assure myself of its steady beat.

‘Shh,' he crooned, giving Ewen a crooked smile over my shoulder. He backed out of the room, leaving us to each other. ‘It's over. We did it. You don't need to hide anymore.'

I finally let relief sweep over me. After all of the hurt and the fear and the loss, I could finally relax. ‘It's over.'

‘And just beginning,' Phoenix said, pulling me gently to his mouth and pressing a tender kiss to me. ‘Assuming you want to stay with me?'

A smile covered my face. ‘What are you offering?'

‘Not much. The ruins of a cottage, a mangy old pony, more grass than you could hope to cut in a lifetime.' He whispered the words against my lips, and I grinned.

‘It's a tempting offer…'

‘I'll sweeten the pot,' he added, his fingers sinking into the hair at the back of my head. ‘I can make you come on my tongue until you see the stars. I will spend every single day working to build us a home, and every night between your thighs building a family with you. I'll cherish every second you offer me, until the minute my useless heart packs in.'

Warmth flooded me at his sweet words, and I pressed my lips to his, greedily stealing a deep kiss. He winced, but held me firmly to him, his tongue siding over mine.

‘You might have to wait just a little longer for me to fulfil the promises though, I feel like I've been hit by a bus.' Phoenix gave a chuckle, and I slid down, tucking myself neatly into the space between his arm and his chest.

‘I've got all the time in the world.'