Epilogue

Epilogue

A cottage along the English coast

“Are you sure?” Trace demanded, dashing up the stairs to the bedroom he shared with his wife. Bursting in, he hurried to the large chest of drawers and grabbed the ring sitting there.

“Of course I am, boyo. I know what an arriving carriage sounds like. Plus, those two hounds of hers are running up.”

Dashing back downstairs, he skidded to a halt beside Jackson as the carriage rocked to a stop before the door. He patted the dogs on the head before they streaked inside to shake off the rain and settle by the fire.

“I will go somewhere else,” Jackson said.

Trace didn’t take his gaze off the carriage door. Leona stepped out and his heart leaped up in his throat.

Hurrying to her side, he kissed her.

“Hello, Trace,” she mumbled when he allowed her up for air.

Rain sluiced down around them but he didn’t give a damn.

“I missed you, kitten.” He ran his hand along her swollen belly. “Both of you.”

“We missed you too. I did pick something up on the way.”

“Hello, Papa.”

“Falcon!” He hugged his son and went back to his wife, helping her inside the cottage. After she had said hello to Jackson and Falcon went with him, it was just the two of them before the fire.

“How is Ciara?”

“Ciara is well. Another son. They named him Henry.”

“I am sure they are thrilled. Lucien will become even more arrogant.”

She leaned against him and he wrapped his arms tight around her.

Picking up her left hand, Trace slid the ring on Leona’s finger.

“What is this?”

“The ring I should have given you when we wed.”

“I do not need a ring, Trey. I have you and Falcon.”

“I needed you to have it.” He turned the ring, showing her the hawk in flight with their names on either side of the wings.

She kissed his hand and placed it back against her stomach. “Love you,” she muttered before she fell asleep.

He held her there until he too, drifted off to sleep. He still wasn’t a huge fan of her being out of his sight, not with what had happened on the island, but she seemed to have recovered from that. She was focused on the fact that their family would soon be growing by another one—or more, depending on what she carried within her belly.

Trace had loved this woman since the first time he saw her and would far beyond the day he took his last breath. She was his everything.