39. Eliza

39

ELIZA

W hat I'd learned from Niven was that he suspected Levi was taken somewhere close by when their team determined he must've been abducted in Greece. They'd traced the most likely possibilities and miraculously received footage showing him being taken from a van into a warehouse just outside Belgrade, Serbia, where Levi was currently in hospital.

I also learned that Jekyll, the man Niv believed was the double agent, had been at the warehouse but was not among the dead.

According to Niven and Brand, who I was stunned to see, all hell was breaking loose. The information my cousin had shared in Levi's apartment was wreaking havoc on intelligence agencies and governments worldwide.

Levi teased me about my fascination as I listened to everything as they explained it to him.

"It's like watching a movie play out in front of me," I told him. After which, he suggested we act out the film's happy ending.

Levi was in hospital in Belgrade for four days before he was cleared for travel, mainly due to the concussions he'd suffered. When he learned he was being taken to yet another medical facility once we arrived in London, I witnessed some of the grizzly bear Kima had told me about.

Thankfully for everyone—most of all for the doctors and nurses treating him—he was released after three days. Besides setting the broken bones he'd suffered, he required stitches in several places plus ointments to help his wounds heal.

While I sat at his bedside, Harper pulled off a miracle for me with the help of several men in her parish. When she explained how they'd managed, I proclaimed it an act of God.

I couldn't wait to show Levi my surprise when we landed in Algarve later today.

We were traveling with an entourage, as he'd called the people with us who would remain for the foreseeable future. As long as Jekyll remained on the run, Levi vowed he'd take no risk that might result in either Kima or me being put in danger. I knew it had taken him lowering his pride to admit he couldn't protect me all on his own, although I believed he could.

"How are you doing?" I asked Kima when I left Levi and Hornet alone to chat.

"Fine," she responded. After every interaction we shared, I left feeling as though I'd just spoken to a shell of her former self. She put on a brave face for Levi, but he could see through it too.

Even finding out she would finally get to see Casa Melro barely brought a smile to her face.

I hoped being there gave her the same kind of peace it gave Levi and me.

As I made my way to the aft of the plane, where Levi was still speaking with Hornet, I stopped to talk to Brand and Penelope, who were also traveling with us. She motioned for me to lean down.

"I can't wait to see it," she whispered.

"I know. I hope it made it intact."

I squeezed her hand when I saw Hornet leaving the stateroom.

"There you are," Levi said when I came in and sat beside him. He reached for me, and I shook my head. "No lap-sitting until your ribs are healed."

"I suppose that also rules out lap-dancing."

"Perhaps when we're home, I can figure out a way to give you one without hurting you."

He took my hand and pressed it against the bulge in his trousers. "The pain of not making love to you is far worse. At least let me see you naked."

I stood, closed the stateroom door, and locked it. Levi moved from the chair to the bed and propped himself up against several pillows. Knowing the agony of not touching each other was already driving us both mad, I hurried to remove my clothes.

"God, I love you," he said when I knelt beside him and opened my legs enough for him to touch me.

I nearly cried out when he pressed one finger inside my pussy while his thumb circled my tight bundle of nerves.

"Come closer," he said.

I leaned forward and kissed him while the fingers of his other hand toyed with my nipples.

When I was on the verge of an orgasm, I pulled away—which was met with great protests from my husband—opened his trousers, then used my hands and mouth to bring him to his release first.

"You are the perfect woman," he said as his body stilled from the first orgasm he'd had in weeks.

"The perfect woman for you, Levi," I teased.

"Let me take care of you," he whispered.

"We have a lifetime of you taking care of me, husband. Just lying next to you is enough right now."

I felt him nuzzle against me and, moments later, heard him snoring.

When Angel announced we'd soon be landing, I wriggled away, put on my clothes, and woke him. "Come, my darling."

"Again?" he said with a wink.

"Yes, I promise that will happen again soon. However, first, you need to get up from this bed and return to your seat so Angel can land the plane."

"You do know that, if sex is the reward, I will always do whatever you demand."

I leaned up and kissed him when he stood. "I'm counting on it."

I could hardly sit still on the drive from the airfield to Casa Melro. I'd already advised those traveling with us that they'd have to remain outside until I gave the signal they could enter. I wanted Levi and me to be alone when I presented his gift.

We took it slow, getting him out of the SUV, then up the steps and into the house.

"I want us to have a few minutes alone before the others join us. I may be a tad emotional," I explained when he noticed no one else behind us.

He stopped and cupped my cheek. "I'm sorry I gave you such a scare. I won't again. I promise."

We'd talked about him leaving Unit 23 as well as SIS. I listened to everything he said and agreed with most of it, but silently, told myself I'd give him time to reevaluate once his body had had time to heal.

"Come. Let's get you seated."

"I'd tell you I'm not an invalid, but I guess I am," he said, trying his best not to lean on me. I guided him to a stool at the kitchen island then watched as he first settled himself, then looked up and noticed Dan?a dos amantes , my gift to him and to us.

Levi gazed from it to me with tears in his eyes. "I'm speechless," he said barely above a whisper. "How—you know what? It doesn't matter how. It's amazing and beautiful and in the exact place I imagined it going the day I watched you sketch it."

"Truly?"

"Truly."

I gently put my arms around him, and he did the same to me. We kissed a couple of times, then invited our guests inside to join us.

I'd made arrangements for food and drinks to be delivered to the house in advance of our arrival. Penelope helped me get everything out on the island while everyone else wandered the first floor of our home, marveling at its beauty. I noticed Kima on her own, staring out at the ocean. Her shoulders were shaking.

"What can I do?" I asked, putting my arm around her.

She leaned over, buried her face, and cried. "I'm broken, and I don't know how to put myself back together."

"We all have healing ahead of us. You and Levi most of all. We'll get through this together. As a family."

She looked up at me.

"You're the sister I never had, Kima, and I hope you consider me the same."

Her eyes widened, and we both burst out laughing.

"I guess that won't quite work, given Levi is your big brother."

"We'll just make him my brother-in-law instead," she suggested.

"Oh!" I squealed. "That will work."

"What will work?" he asked, walking over to us.

When I explained my error, resulting in potential inbreeding, he roared with laughter.

Kima laughed too. It was twice I'd seen her smile in the last few minutes, and it filled my heart with joy.

"We thought we'd never find the two of you on your own," said Penelope when she and Brand joined us at the kitchen island, where Levi and I sat, staring at our mating manta rays, as he'd called them a few minutes ago.

"You're not leaving?" I asked.

"No, not until tomorrow, and given this house is bigger than most hotels I've stayed in, why go anywhere else?" Pen teased. "Actually, we have something we want to ask you."

"Okay. Go on," I said.

Brand turned to Levi. "So, old man, do you think you'll be healed up enough by September to make a trip to the States?"

My husband leveled a glare at him, and Brand laughed.

"All kidding aside, Pen and I have set our wedding date. It's the fifteenth of September at our cottage on Fire Island."

"Butterfly cottage," I murmured.

Pen leaned into me, and we both smiled.

"I'm sure we'd be delighted to be there," Levi said, turning to me.

"Of course we would."

"About that," said Pen, looking up at Brand.

"Right. Well, you're not exactly guests. Typhon, would you consider being my best man?"

My eyes filled with happy tears, and I brought my hands to my face as I watched my husband too choked up to respond.

"I'd be honored," he finally said, holding out his hand for Brand to shake.

"That's not all," said Pen. "I've spoken with Tara, Ava, Aine, and Quinn. We've decided that, since you are a member of what is now the tribe of six, you absolutely must be a bridesmaid."

I was stunned. "Truly?"

"Truly. Look." She held up her mobile, and on the screen were her four best friends, all teary-eyed after witnessing the last few minutes via a video call.

I laughed. "You were all remarkably quiet," I said.

Pen shook her head. "Not at all. I had to put my phone on silent."

"I've never been happier," said Levi as we lay in bed. "Or in more pain."

I chuckled. "You will heal, and the happiness will grow more abundant."

"I love your optimism. In fact, I love everything else about you too. Thank you for loving me back."

I gently poked him. "You're very lovable, husband, for a grizzly bear."

"Laughing hurts," he whined.

"I might have just the thing to make you feel better."

He wriggled his eyebrows.

"Later, my love. First, I have something to tell you."

His eyes scrunched.

I took his hand and put it on my abdomen. "Our first of four is on his way, Leviticus."

His eyes were wide. "You're pregnant?"

I nodded. "I think the term these days is we're pregnant."

"Wait. How do you know we're having a boy?"

I shrugged. "Ask me tomorrow, and I'll probably say we're having a girl."