Epilogue

Two Months Later

There it was again.That annoying beep that let everyone know I was alive. God, if I never heard that sound again, it would be too soon.

"Dalton," I heard someone say.

Not just someone. My someone.

"Andrew?" I croaked because my throat was so dry.

"Here, my love. Take little sips at a time."

I felt the telltale sign of a straw pressed against my lips. I really wanted to drink until I was as full as a camel, but I did what my man told me to do and took a little sip, then another. The water was tepid, but it was still the best water I'd ever tasted.

"Why aren't you where you're supposed to be?" I groused as it dawned on me that he wasn't lying next to me in the hospital bed.

"Because your nurse said no and she scares me way more than you ever could," Andrew said. I couldn't see him yet because my eyes were foggy, but I heard the smile in his words.

It took a few minutes for my brain to clear enough to remember where I was and why I was there. I couldn't suppress the intense fear that washed over me. After several long talks with the man who'd finally asked me to call him Andrew instead of Silver, I'd decided to have the surgery that would remove the pieces of shrapnel along my spine.

"Our family is waiting outside," Andrew said. "All of them."

"Is the waiting room even big enough to hold them?" I asked.

"They're making it work."

The fact that not only was Andrew's family there to support me, but the family I hadn't even realized I'd had in Seattle too, was further proof that no matter what the outcome was, I'd never be alone again. Andrew and I still had a long fight ahead of us as we both had to deal with our demons, but we'd made that decision together too.

We'd already decided we both needed professional help, separately and together. It was the only way we could deal with our demons and learn to support each other when those demons were too strong to fight alone. Not to mention Andrew's family. There would come a time when all of them would need to hear the devastating story of what Andrew had suffered through after he'd been stolen from them. They'd get through it, though… all of them. The Lockwood family was tough as nails, just like their youngest son.

Andrew had surprised me by suggesting something I hadn't even considered after I'd left the army. He'd encouraged me to go to college to pursue the marine architecture degree I'd always wanted. It would mean I could start my own business restoring vintage boats to their original glory. I'd been sure I was too old, but Andrew had reminded me dreams didn't come with an expiration date.

As for Andrew's immediate future, besides reconnecting with his family and being at my side, he'd decided to make use of the account numbers Ivan had made him memorize. He'd known it was blood money, but he'd also known that it shouldn't go to some government entity that would just funnel the money to different internal departments. Andrew hadn't wanted to keep the money of course, not even a cent of it, but he'd wanted it to go to those who'd suffered and lost so much because of Ivan and men like him.

Andrew remembered a lot about the women Ivan had held captive, so the hope was that he could identify at least some of them based off missing photos and the information the women had secretly given him about themselves. For those who were found, they or the families they'd left behind would get a large sum of money to do with what they wanted. Whatever was left over would go to organizations that fought the growing human trafficking industry. He'd agreed to let Ronan and Simon, his brother Nick's friend, work "off the books" to make sure his name wasn't attached to any of the accounts as Simon quietly siphoned the money into one secure account that only Ronan, Simon, Nick and Andrew could access.

One thing we still hadn't determined was whether we'd stay at my house or build a new house on the Lockwood family's massive estate but like so many of our plans, the outcome of my surgery would dictate how I'd live my future with Andrew, his family, and mine. Not if I would live it with them, but how I would.

Once the fog cleared a bit, I saw Andrew leaning against the bed's safety rail. His smile radiated light and warmth. He leaned down to kiss me without me needing to ask him. If it turned out that all I'd ever be able to do was kiss Andrew, I'd take it.

"Do they know yet?" I asked. I was trying to feel if I could move my toes or fingers, but my body felt weighted down, probably from the lingering anesthesia or painkillers.

"They want to wait until the swelling goes down before they do the tests," Andrew said softly. "It may take a couple of days before we know."

I shook my head. "I can't wait that long," I responded, my heart beating frantically in my chest. I tried to struggle but nothing came of it. "Oh God," I whispered in despair.

Andrew leaned down and pressed his lips against mine in the sweetest way. "Can you feel this?" he asked against my lips.

He managed to get a smile out of me. "Most definitely," I responded.

Andrew disappeared from my direct line of sight. "Can you feel this, my love?" he asked.

I did feel something. It was on my hand. Tears stung the backs of my eyes. Andrew was kissing the back of my hand and then moved on to each knuckle.

"Yes," I cried in relief. I couldn't help the sobs that escaped my throat.

"Can you feel this?" Andrew's voice cracked a little and I realized it was because he was trying not to cry.

"Andrew," I breathed when I felt his soft lips press against the top of my bare foot. "Andrew," I repeated.

"Is that a yes?"

I laughed heartily. "It's a yes but maybe do it once more just to be sure."

Andrew laughed. This time I could hear the tears of relief in his voice. I couldn't stop smiling as he pressed kisses against the top of my foot and then over each toe. I felt them all.

I began crying harder as I realized what it all meant. I was free of my prison of pain. I was free from no longer needing to worry about how the surgery would change my life.

Andrew's mouth was on mine before I knew it. I could feel the salt of tears on my lips. I didn't care if they were mine or his. I could feel and that was all that mattered.

"I need you," I whispered.

Andrew knew exactly what I was asking for. He carefully lowered the safety rail and slowly eased his slim body next to mine. I didn't have the strength to turn my body so I could face him, but just feeling his body next to mine was more than enough. Andrew's fingers linked with mine. He kissed me softly on the cheek.

"Have I ever told you how sexy your feet are?" Andrew asked.

I nearly choked on the sudden laugh that burst from my throat. "No," I responded. "I think I'm going to need a demonstration before I decide if I agree with you or not."

"You'll agree," Andrew said with certainty. "And by the way, if that nurse catches me like this, I'm totally ratting you out, got it?"

I laughed again. My eyes were getting heavy, so I knew I'd be asleep soon. "I have a family, Andrew. I finally found a family."

Andrew snuggled against me. "Me too, my love. Me too."

THE END