Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Three weeks later

Thala

"Good job, guys," Garrison said on the phone mounted on the dashboard. Hank and I touched down at San Francisco International Airport three hours ago, and returned to Sonoma Valley.

A smile curved my mouth. I was one of the guys now. It took some time for Garrison to stop calling me "princess."

"I just provided the diversion." I glanced over at Hank, who shot me the signature grin I loved. We were riding a high from the success of our first mission, which was to take down the human trafficker who'd been buying the collars from Sokolov. Sokolov himself was using a middleman, so no way did the trafficker know his supplier was dead and the middleman he was using was under arrest. No way could he connect my presence in Africa as anything but my new life as an ambassador for a humanitarian aid organization.

"I've dispatched a team with the intel our hacker mined from his computers. Jealous, B?"

"Not at all." He reached over and squeezed my hand. "My job is to keep Thala safe."

"Hey, I could have handled myself."

Garrison chuckled. "Okay, gotta go. I need to wrap up here so I'll be back stateside for Halloween."

The line went dead. I was used to Garrison's abrupt hang-ups. He didn't like to waste time on needless pleasantries. He didn't say hello or goodbye.

"Halloween?" Amusement and puzzlement twitched my lips. From watching many scary movies, I knew it was a popular holiday for kids, not for a man in his forties like Garrison.

"It's Nadia's favorite holiday," Hank filled in the blanks. "Bad men ruined that day for Nadia. It was blood and gore." He went on and narrated the events.

"Wait, this really happened?" It sounded like a horror flick.

"Yeah. G tries to make that day special for Nadia again."

I couldn't imagine Garrison as a romantic.

"You should meet Dugal," Hank added. "He's…um…Fiona's—that's Garrison's mom—partner."

Somehow, I couldn't picture Garrison with a mother. He seemed like an entity produced from a top-secret CIA facility.

At my non-response and continued silence, Hank chuckled. "Garrison has a sweet mother." He flicked a glance at me. "She's the official babysitter of the team. Gabby and Nadia work for the same LAPD division, and Ciara and Madison are barely a year apart."

"So Ciara is Garrison and Nadia's daughter?" Garrison was not as chatty about his family as Declan and Levi. I knew his wife worked as a crime analyst for the LAPD and was a whiz with forensics and technology, but I'd never heard him ever mention his daughter by name.

The familiar sight of the Buchanan Winery momentarily drew my attention. We were almost at the cabin. Back to our beginning.

"Yes." And as if reading my thoughts, Hank said, "We're almost there, princess."

Hank continued to call me "princess," but it was more of an endearment now than a title.

A sense of trepidation and excitement swelled inside me. Hank and I were finally slowing down to devote time to our relationship without a cloud of danger muddling our feelings. Contrary to what Venusstean news reported, we didn't leave for the United States immediately after I renounced my title. The mission to track down the buyers of the collar intensified, and we'd been working on that ever since. Yara's aid organization was a conduit into my presence in Africa. An ex-princess of a country like Venusstea opened doors with impunity to the mansions of corrupt businessmen and the officials who protected them. The invitations were endless, but this time with the mission in mind, I approached each dinner gala or ball with purpose. Hank was always at my side and he kept in contact with the covert team who used our intel on the floor to guide them. I distracted the target's security a few times while Hank worked his magic in opening secure entrances or deploying that high-tech insect drone he called the Wasp. The guys started calling him 007 because he was frequently in a tux doing badass shit.

Our next undercover job hadn't been scheduled yet. Hank wanted to train me first in the technology he used and how to work and communicate more effectively with the rest of the team. My heartbeat accelerated as the Expedition neared his cabin. I'd been gone from here for over a month. Almost two weeks in Venusstea and then another three continent hopping.

I stole a glance at Hank. I felt his anxiety. His uncertainty. When I renounced my title and gave up everything that came with it, the weight of my decision descended on his shoulders. But not once did he make me feel like I had made a mistake. Not once did I regret giving it up. The sex continued to be mind-blowing. Our connection and hunger for each other had only reached unprecedented heights, and I attained it because I knew I had a man who would never abandon me. I had a man who would let me be who I was without judgment. I had a man who I wanted to live a life with.

A man I loved with all my heart.

Love.

I glanced at Hank again, and feeling my gaze on him, he briefly took his eyes off the road and reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze.

We hadn't declared those emotions to each other. Declaring emotions wasn't something I was used to. That part of me had been trained out of me and subdued. Besides, the fast-paced events following the trail of the human traffickers didn't allow for emotional declarations. Since I met Hank, he'd slowly melted the ice around my heart. Walls built around it since birth. The ice princess was a distant memory. I hoped I communicated my growing and deepening feelings with each touch, look, and act of making love.

"You doing okay?" he asked. Wariness tinged his tone. Hank was naturally adept at reading situations, and spending weeks together, he was as attuned to mine as I was to his. In our covert work, the silent conversations were fun and exhilarating.

One thing was still missing. Cementing who we were to each other. We were both people of action, but sometimes even I agreed words were needed.

Instead of answering directly, I said, "I can't wait to see Jim and Edgar and Jill."

"We might not see them until tomorrow."

"Oh, why?"

"Decompression, remember? We talked about this."

"It's not like we were in a war zone."

He chuckled. "Are you sick and tired of my company already?"

"Far from it." Thinking about Edgar made me think about Prince. "I can't wait to arrange for Prince to come over."

Hank didn't comment. During our downtime, we researched real estate in the California area. One of our primary concerns was Prince. Hank promised before we left Venusstea we were not leaving my beloved horse behind. Specialized airlines transporting equine animals existed. That was how prized racehorses were flown around the world.

I didn't say anything more either. It was a long flight, and we were both jet-lagged. I should be exhausted, but I was also thrumming with energy. We flew out of Djibouti from a U.S. military base to Istanbul and then flew commercial from there.

Hank and I fought about it. He had connections to get us on a private jet, but I told him I wanted to fly commercial. We finally compromised on business-class seats. No one except one of the flight attendants recognized me, but she remained discreet.

The Expedition veered into the familiar turnoff for the cabin. It was around seven in the evening.

"Jim turned on the lights for us," Hank finally spoke.

"This is not a surprise party, is it?"

An aborted chuckle gusted past his lips. "I hope not. I made it clear to him I wanted privacy with you for at least twenty-four hours."

He pulled in front of the cabin.

"Well, princess, welcome to our humble abode." Like the first time he brought me to this cabin, I detected a trace of hesitation. The simple structure before us was a far cry from the luxury hotels we stayed in.

But he used our instead of my . A smile tugged at my mouth. He was slowly incorporating our commitment to each other in a life that used to be only his.

"I missed this place," I told him and got out of the vehicle. Brisk mountain air filled my lungs. I couldn't wait to see the valley again during the day.

He walked over to me and clasped my hand. "Me too. I missed us in this place." Then he winced. "Minus the last part."

"Hank, you know the separation had to happen," I told him.

He let out a heavy sigh and released my hand to walk to the back of the vehicle. "Yeah. I could have handled it better." He raised the back door. The Expedition was packed with most of my stuff. There was no question I was making a major move across the world. He hefted out two suitcases.

"You don't have to bring all that in tonight. We can leave the rest for tomorrow. It's been a long journey."

He dropped the suitcases and gripped my shoulders with an edge of controlled desperation. "I want you to have everything you need." His voice came out hoarse, guttural.

"Hank," I said softly, staring right into his eyes and clasping his torso to bring him closer. "You are all I need. These"—I nodded to the contents of the SUV—"are replaceable. You are not."

A feral possessiveness burned in his eyes. He cupped my face and his gaze scorched me and made my whole body tingle with heat. "I'm the luckiest guy on the planet."

Then, suitcases forgotten, he kissed me, lifted me under my ass, and marched us into the cabin.

Hank

My need for Thala was elemental, deeply embedded into the marrow of my bones.

I wasn't sure how we entered the cabin. She must have taken the keys from me because I never let her go. We managed to shower, but a feral craving inside me dictated my every move.

I needed to be inside her.

We didn't bother drying ourselves. I carried her straight from the bathroom to the bed.

Now I was buried balls deep and powering inside her. Control be damned.

Her hair was a tangled wet mess against the pillows, and she was glorious.

"You're so fucking beautiful."

"And I missed you fucking me senseless."

"I would have fucked you sooner," I growled, punctuating my growl with the deepest thrust yet. She arched her back in response and her legs wrapped tighter around me. Thala loved rough sex, and I was only too glad to give her a hard pounding. I fucking loved it. "Why did you think I wanted a private plane?"

Her hooded eyes widened. "You wanted to fuck me on the plane?"

"Missed opportunity." God, she felt so good. Her pussy suctioned my cock like a champ. And the minx had figured out how to squeeze her inner muscles. "Thala," I warned. "Stop that."

She grinned. "But I'm getting good at this." She gave me another squeeze.

"Fuck, I don't want to blow too soon." I pulled out, scrambled down her body, and buried my face between her legs.

"Hank!" she cried.

"Warned ya," I mumbled and glanced up. "Look how pretty this pussy is. All swollen and needy and ready for another hard licking."

"Damn you!" She squirmed.

My answer was a broad stroke up her slit. I feasted and tongue-fucked her to another orgasm. I was still hard, two strokes to exploding, but welcomed prolonging fulfillment. Or maybe I was delaying what I wanted to say.

I was afraid it was too soon, but I couldn't hold back any longer. After I rang out another cry from her, I slid back inside her. I squeezed my eyes shut. I would never tire of sinking into her.

One stroke, two strokes. My release blinded me in its power. I tumbled into the vortex of intense emotions too big to contain in my chest a second longer.

"Thala," I rasped. With my breathing ragged and heart pounding in my ears, I focused my blurry vision on her face and summoned whatever remaining strength I had before I second-guessed telling her what my heart had known since the moment I caught her in my arms after she got electrocuted. "I'm in love with you, Thala Targen."

The expression in her eyes warmed, and her smile was dazzling.

"You don't have to say it back," I rushed out. "I know—"

"Hank," she cut me off and cupped a hand to my jaw. "Stop. Don't hold back. I know I'm guilty of it. And maybe it's unfair. These past few weeks with you have slowly stripped away my stoicism. It might not completely go away, but with you, I want to let go. I don't want to hide what I feel."

"I don't mind Thala the Tough Ass," I quipped, bracing my arms on either side of her. I was in danger of collapsing—from my declaration, from how hard I came, but she was on the verge of telling me something important, and I'd be damned—

"I'm in love with you, Hank Bristow, Holden Buchanan, or whoever you choose to be."

My mouth crashed onto hers, and my tongue sank between her lips. Hunger stoking hunger. I couldn't get enough of kissing her and somehow it gave me the strength to flip her on top of me. My fingers drove into her hair. Wet and wild. As wild as how I was feeling.

When we broke apart, I said fiercely, "Marry me."

"I thought we were already engaged," she mused.

I barked a laugh, relief settling in my chest. "I'm all for it."

"I'm going to make an honest man out of you, Hank Bristow," she whispered with an impish grin.

I grinned. "Can't wait."

Christmas, one year later

Hank

This year, I stopped being a nomad. I laid down roots, and bought a ranch outside of Los Angeles. Thala and I got married this past September on this ranch. A small affair of friends and family. Well, if you considered a hundred and fifty guests small. Thala assured me it was less than the thousand expected for a royal wedding.

But she wasn't a royal anymore. Even when Venusstea's parliament reconvened this past summer and successfully abolished the Argent law. They offered her the title back, but she refused. It wasn't because of resentment, but because she said she was happy the way things were.

And what made her happiest—well, besides being married to me…yeah, I'm a smug bastard —was that the queen and Ramsay could finally get married. Their royal wedding was set for next June.

Amadea and Ramsay and an entourage of close relatives had flown in from Venusstea for our wedding. Thala walked down the aisle on her own, as was the custom in their country. But her brother's betrayal still haunted her sometimes. When she wanted to go riding on Prince by herself, I could usually tell she was thinking of Petros.

Clapping and cheers stole my musings of the past year and brought me back to the present.

Dugal and Thala were on the field entertaining the kids. Dugal was a butcher by trade. But the Scotsman and his three sons worked the Hollywood circuit when castings called for scary-looking men who were comfortable in kilts. He was also experienced wielding a broadsword. It came in handy that bloody Halloween night.

After a display of clashing swords and shields with Thala—fortunately, movie props—Dugal stood back with the kids and my team and their families. Visiting us for Christmas were Garrison and Nadia and her family, Declan and Gabby, and of course Levi and Kelly's kids. They wouldn't let them miss this affair. Their grandparents, Branna and Cillian McGrath, came with them. I could attest that Cillian could make a mean barbecue.

Kade and Yara, Antonio and Charly, Migs and Ariana didn't make it this time, but they came to our wedding. Luca and Natalya also made it to our wedding and Thala finally met one of my underworld connections.

I walked up to the fringes of the crowd as more excitement hovered in the air. It didn't matter how many times I'd seen her do this, Thala never failed to confiscate my breath and fill my lungs with awe.

Riding Prince, she was circling the field with a battle ax in each hand. Then at full speed, she and Prince charged toward the two-by-two-foot wooden target I built for her.

The cheering escalated when she released the axes.

Levi's kids, Ashley and Whit, were jumping up and down and were the loudest while the dads with smaller kids had the little ones over their shoulders. Levi with his son, Liam, Garrison with Ciara, and Declan with Madison. The overall intensity of the moment, to be surrounded by family and friends like this, struck me at the center of the chest at the same time Thala's axes hit the bull's-eye.

Emotions stung the back of my eyes.

They were my family.

"Now I see what the delay is." Jim appeared beside me with Edgar at his side. Jim and Jill were frequent visitors to the ranch. We'd debated whether to make our home close to Sonoma or close to LA. But in LA, with celebrities a dime a dozen, there were more chances of Thala and me walking down the street unbothered and having a normal life.

We shared Edgar half the year. Thala and I joked Edgar was like Persephone, who had to divide her time between her mother, Demeter, and Hades. I was still trying to convince my uncle to move here permanently. The property was big enough to build another house. However, now that Jill lived with him, I worried less about him being alone in his cabin.

Oh fuck . I forgot why I was out here in the first place. Fiona, Branna, and Cillian were in charge of the Christmas feast while Kelly and Jill assisted them. The food was ready, and I was supposed to call everyone in.

"She's breathtaking," Jim added. "I can see why you're whipped for her." I couldn't explain why I was whipped for Thala, but breathtaking was still an understatement. I still get overwhelmed sometimes when I thought about what she'd given up to be with me, but not once did I feel her regret. She'd slowly become more vocal in her feelings, but she was still a woman of action. She conveyed her love so easily in simple touches and affectionate kisses as well as the unexpected jaw grab when she was in the mood for a bruising kiss and a hard fuck. And each time I sank inside her? It felt like coming home.

Home.

Thala was my home.

"You getting along with the merry old men?" I asked my uncle. When Garrison married Nadia, he also married her family of merry old men. Aside from her dad, Stephen, and Dugal, the other two were Clyde, the nosy neighbor, and Arthur, the drink-mixing scholar.

"They're okay. Clyde talks too much."

I stilled. "Have you been obnoxious?"

Jim harrumphed. "Fiona and Jill told me off, so you don't have to worry there. That's why I'm out here. They're ganging up on me."

I rolled my eyes.

Edgar had enough of being ignored and nudged me. "Hey, big guy." He continued nosing me toward the field and was telling me to go get Thala.

Thala had dismounted from Prince and her fan base surrounded her. Garrison broke away from the crowd and lowered Ciara, who toddled ahead of him. If you'd only seen Garrison in CIA handler mode, this Daddy persona might seem like an aberration. But make no mistake, when it came down to it, Nadia and Ciara were his world, and the rest of the world could burn to ashes as far as he was concerned.

"Daddy…horse." She pointed at Edgar.

"That's a mule, punkin," he said.

"You're going to have to make Christmas an annual event," Garrison told me. "I don't know how any of us are going to top that entertainment." He thumbed over his shoulder.

"Fine with me." I gave G a wink. "With Fiona and the McGraths cooking, I'm in heaven."

Ciara tugged my shirt. "Unca Hank, can I ride on Edgar?"

I lifted Garrison's daughter in my arms. "Later, sweetie. It's time for dinner. Why don't you help me round everyone up?"

I left the two grumps to entertain each other while Ciara and I headed over to my wife.

My wife.

I'd never get tired of saying it.

"Time for the feast, guys. Fiona and Branna rang the dinner bell like ten minutes ago."

"What's the matter, handsome?" Thala teased. "You get a kick out of me throwing the double ax and didn't want to stop the show?"

"You know it." I gave her a light PG kiss, given Ciara was between us.

"Princess." Ciara held out her arms.

Thala laughed and took her from me. "Not princess anymore."

"When are you guys going to have little ones?" Nadia walked to our side.

While I digested her words, I signaled the rest of our guests to head to the house.

"Mama, I want to ride Edgar," Ciara repeated her earlier demand.

"After dinner, sweetie."

"How about riding to dinner," Thala suggested. "You game, Edgar?"

Edgar, like me, was a slave to my wife's requests and scooted right between us, snuffling Ciara who giggled with glee.

I took Ciara from Thala to give her an opportunity to mount. Then I handed the bundle of energy back to my wife. The princess, child, and beast trotted to the house. Ciara squealed with laughter.

"Me too. Me too," the rest of the kids chorused.

"Now you've done it," Declan muttered, sidling up to me. "You and Thala are making us look bad."

"Can't help it. We're the shit."

"Are you avoiding my question?" Nadia asked.

"What question?" Garrison joined our mini huddle.

"When will they be ready to have a kid?"

Words still wouldn't come. With my past, I never thought I'd ever become a father. But I loved kids. God knew I'd had enough practice babysitting for Levi and sometimes for Garrison. I thought I would always be the cool uncle. Thala and I hadn't discussed children because our hearts were already full of each other. When we were together, I felt whole, and I knew she did too. She told me often enough, teasing me with the cheesy line from that movie: "You complete me." It didn't mean we couldn't open our hearts to the idea of kids. I didn't miss the fond gleam in her eyes when she accepted Ciara into her arms.

"Uh-oh, Bristow's at a loss for words," Declan said.

"Leave him alone," Garrison directed his order at his wife.

Nadia crossed her arms. "Well, maybe if you stop roping Thala and Bristow into going on your missions, they would start making babies."

"They were only in one this year. It was even in LA. It's not my fault."

"We had a wedding to plan and a ranch to set up," I pointed out.

"Are you guys fighting on Christmas Day?" It was Jim, of all people, who piped in. "Fiona is standing at the entrance of the house, looking for everyone. We better head in."

"Why aren't you?" I deadpanned, then looked at the other guys. "Jim pissed off our band of merry old men."

Everyone laughed. Well, everyone except my uncle.

Nadia stepped up to Jim and tucked her arm into the crook of his. "Well, maybe we can add you to the group. Come on."

"Heaven help us," Garrison muttered.

"She handles old men really well. Maybe that's why she has you wrapped around her fingers."

Garrison pretended to scratch his face, but shot me the bird and mouthed, Fuck you.

I shot him my shit-eating grin. I had successfully evaded Nadia's question.

Thala

My whole body ached. I hadn't done exhibition stuff in a long time. But right now, after the end all of all Christmas feasts, lowering myself into a hot tub full of Epsom salts with the essence of lavender was as close to heaven as could be.

"Ahh," I moaned and closed my eyes as the water welcomed me into its steaming, soothing depths.

"That almost sounds like an orgasm."

I popped one eye open.

Hank stood there, naked. His leanly muscled body was on full display for me to ogle. Chiseled abs, and that arrow of hair leading to his groin. The Apollo's belt. There was no part of this man's body that didn't make me weak in the knees.

My husband.

But it was more than his physical perfection.

I couldn't thank the Fates enough for putting this beautiful man in my path. Because he was beautiful inside and out. The best man a woman could ever hope to love in her lifetime. Heart muscles expanded and contracted when I remembered what I'd given up to be with him. Here, over a year later, I had no regrets. Even when I had been given the opportunity to reclaim my title, I didn't want it. Because I didn't want to be shackled by duty again. Amadea thrived on it, but I didn't. The money, the title, the coffers of jewelry, and the castle—I wouldn't exchange them for our little corner of paradise that was the ranch.

My lips tipped up. "Thank you for running this bath for me. After the exhibition and the food, all I want to do is sleep for twenty-four hours."

"We can stay in bed all day tomorrow."

All the guests had left, save for Jim and Jill. Their drive was longer back to Sonoma Valley.

As was our routine, I scooted forward so Hank could get in behind me. I settled against his chest with his legs cradling me.

"It might be too hot for you," I warned.

"I'll adjust." He kissed my temple. "Did you have a good time?"

"Oh, yes," I gushed. Venusstea didn't really celebrate Christmas. With the Scythians as our ancestors, our religion was mostly aniconic. We didn't have images or idols, but we believed in a higher being. "I'd never smiled and laughed so much in my life. And the food…I couldn't believe what I'd been missing."

"Told you," Hank said. "Hang around me long enough..."

"I'll never tire of hanging around you."

"Garrison said we'll have to host Christmas from here on out because no one could beat the show you and Dugal put on."

My chest shook with laughter. "That was fun. I'm finding out I don't mind entertaining the kids, especially kids of friends. The look on their faces…"

I couldn't explain the overwhelming emotions that swept over me when I saw the expression of sheer joy on Whitney's and Ashley's faces. Plus, Prince was having a grand old time. I think he missed doing exhibitions, too. And when Ciara asked to ride Edgar, I thought nothing of it except doing it. It wasn't because as the hostess it was expected of me. I genuinely wanted to see her smile.

"Hank?" I leaned sideways to look at him. He had stilled. "What's wrong?"

"So, I don't want you to panic," he said.

"Hela's hell, don't start like that. Did I frighten the children?"

His eyes widened in horror. "Fuck no. Not at all. The kids had a blast."

I relaxed. "Okay, then what is it?"

"Nadia asked me when we were going to have little ones."

"Babies?"

"Well, hopefully, one first, and they do start out as a baby."

I burst out laughing. Hank had a way of putting me at ease when the topic was a serious one. "What did you tell her?"

"I successfully evaded her question. We've never discussed children."

I thought long and hard. This past year had been such a whirlwind of activities, it made my head spin. Kids weren't at the forefront of our minds. "We've discussed adding more horses and maybe a mule."

This time, it was Hank who emitted a breath of laughter. "Yeah. We own a ranch, so naturally we thought about horses first."

"Besides, I'm only getting started with my life as a spy." And what an exhilarating endeavor it was to be a protector on a larger scale. I loved training with Hank. Sniper skills, working with comms, and the hand-to-hand combat that could double as foreplay between us. I had definitely met my match in more ways than one. This is the life I am meant to live, Amadea . We'd been on one mission this year, but I knew Garrison was talking about more to come. "Besides, we might be busy next year. Should we feel guilty about not discussing kids?"

"Hell no."

I leaned against his chest again. "I'm open to it, but planning to have children should be more than a product of simply enjoying them based on one occasion."

"Yeah, they will be our kids and we can't return them to their parents any time we please."

I gave a humming sound in agreement, but then an image of a little girl with Hank's red hair flashed in my mind. And the logical part of my heart gave way to hope of expanding our family.

"I wouldn't mind having a little girl with red hair."

Hank's warmth enveloped me. Whatever our decision, whether to have kids or not, we were going to be on the same page. But one thing was for certain…I didn't fear having children with this man.

"Or a little boy with chestnut hair and gray eyes," he said.

"A boy and a girl."

"Are two enough?" Hank said in a teasing tone.

I laughed. "Let's start with one first."

"When we're ready," he murmured in my ear.

I angled my head to kiss him. "You're going to make a great father. But, right now, I'm so deliriously happy the way things are, I don't want to share you."

"Same." And the way he looked at me made me shiver under its intensity because it was a look that expressed I was his world. His everything. "Love you, princess."

It was so easy to say the words once I started saying them and, each time, I said them with all my heart.

"And I love you."