on. I don’t give a fuck if you agree with me or not. There’s the door, show yourself out.”
He doesn’t leave, but he doesn’t argue with me, so I let it go.
“When was the last time you went home?” he asks me quietly a moment later.
“I’ll leave when she does.”
“Asher.” He sighs.
I turn to look at him. “I leave when she does.”
He studies me, regarding the futility of whatever he was going to say next, and eventually just nods.
For the next hour, Peterson sits silently as I read to Linda, one of the books she had started on her kindle before her accident. Looking at the scene that’s next, I chuckle.
“If you don’t wake up, Skittle, I’m going to keep reading, and I’m not sure your father is going to want to hear about the upcoming sex scene. He might think his little girl is some kind of deviant,” I tease.
“Don’t you dare,” a voice rasps.
Whipping my head up at the sound of the croaky voice, I find myself staring into big blue eyes. I feel my throat get tight as I fight back the overwhelming sense of relief.
“Jesus, fuck.” I drop the Kindle on the bed and stand, leaning down over Linda, pressing my lips to her forehead.
Tears run down over her cheeks faster than I can wipe them away.
“Took you long enough,” I scold her, making her laugh softly.
“I’m sorry. I-I got lost. But then I heard your voice and I followed it home.”
“Don’t you ever leave me again,” I order, swallowing down the lump in my throat.
“Never. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
“Linda?”
I pull back slightly so she can see her father, but I don’t let go. I’ll never let her go again.
“Oh, baby,” he sobs, his shoulders bowing as he cries against the hand he’s still holding.
She doesn’t say anything as she watches him, giving him a moment to collect himself. The love she has for him shines from her eyes, and when he looks up at her a moment later, his love for her is reflected back.
“Mom says, ‘hey.’ She wants you to know she loves you, but she told me to remind you of something,” Linda says quietly, making Peterson freeze. “She died, not you. So live. Live for you, for her, and for your future grandchildren.”
I don’t say anything to interrupt the poignant moment between them.
He wipes his eyes and stands, pressing his own kiss to Linda’s brow before stepping back with a look of peace on his face.
“Thank you. I’ll give you both some time alone, but I’ll be back, I promise. I love you, Linda, and I’m so sorry if I ever made you question that.”
“I love you too, Dad,” she replies, and we watch as he leaves the room before closing the door quietly behind him.
Turning back to face her, I find her watching me with a soft smile on her beautiful face.
“Hey, hubby.”
“Wife,” I choke out before I bend over, press my head against her stomach, and lose my shit while she strokes my hair, anchoring me in place.
“You didn’t let me go,” she whispers, making me turn to look at her.
“Never. Not today and not tomorrow. You’re mine until I have no more days left in this body, and then I’ll wait for you on the other side.”
And I would.
Nothing will keep me from Linda ever again.
Epilogue
Asher
“You ready for this?” Graham asks from beside me as I fix my tie.
I turn to look at him and glare.
“Right, just asking. Not many people marry their wives,” he points out.
“Stop teasing him.” Soraya chuckles, handing him their four-month-old son, Lorenzo.
“Where’s Chloe?” he questions, tucking his sleeping son against his chest.
“With Tig and Delia. I’m heading back out there now. You have five minutes, boys.” She lifts up on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek. “You look very handsome, Asher. Linda is a lucky woman.”
“Hey, those lips are mine,” Graham grumbles at her, careful not to wake the baby.
“You know, sometimes, I agree with Linda,” she says with a smile as she pulls open the door.
“What's that supposed to mean?” he questions with a frown. He and my wife might have a truce of sorts, but he is still not her favorite person. I fill that role.
“That you’re lucky you have a big dick,” Soraya says with a laugh, pulling the door closed behind her.
“I regret the day I ever let those two meet,” he tells me, making me laugh. “You ready?” he asks again when I turn to look