times he wanted to tear down the world for what it made of him, what he hoped to keep it from making Amelia.
There were empty pages left. Many.
But he no longer needed them.
“I think we should take it to her now.” Mona pressed her lips together as soon as the words were out, her eyes on him.
As if she almost regretted the offering of her thoughts.
It was an action that might have stung not too long ago. He would have thought she still struggled with her trust in him.
But that wasn’t it.
Mona struggled with the same trust he did. Trust in herself.
“Then that’s what we will do.” He lifted the box from the counter. “Would you be so kind as to open the door?”
Mona punched in the code that overrode all others and followed him into the hall and down to the second floor where Amelia was alone in the suite next to Mona’s.
Henry and Cade stood watch.
“Do you know how she got out earlier?” Mona held the journal tight to her chest.
“When you and Helen rushed in with Henry she was behind the door. The distraction of the van and the locked door of the bathroom created enough chaos for her to sneak away unnoticed.” Pierce tipped his head at Henry. “How is she?”
He shrugged as he swiped his badge, unlocking the door. “It’s hard to tell.”
Pierce reached for the handle.
Mona immediately stepped in front of him. “You can’t just barge into someone’s room.” She knocked on the door.
“What?” Amelia was definitely unhappy.
Mona quietly opened the door. “Amelia?” She waited. “May we come in?” She smiled softly. “Thank you.”
He followed Mona into the suite. Amelia sat on the loveseat, knees tucked to her chest, face puffy and red, starting at them.
“We brought you something that might help you make sense of all that’s happened.” Mona pointed to the small peninsula between the kitchen and the living room. “Just set it there.”
Pierce did as he was told, sliding the box into place.
Mona set the journal on the coffee table in front of Amelia. “Are you hungry?”
Amelia’s eyes moved from the journal to Mona. She shook her head.
Mona nodded. “I can imagine.” She gave Amelia another soft smile before turning, grabbing Pierce as she went.
“Wait.” Amelia’s voice was surprisingly strong.
They turned toward her.
She sniffed. “I’m a little hungry.”
EPILOGUE
“ARE YOU HAPPY, Love?”
Mona squinted one eye open, peeking up at him. “If I’m unhappy right now then you should probably rethink your life choices.”
“Never.” Pierce ran his thumb across the set of rings on her hand. “And it’s too late for you to rethink yours.”
She laughed, stretching her legs so they reached a little more of the sun the umbrella over them was keeping at bay. “It’s so warm.”
“It is warm.” Pierce laced his fingers with hers. “It’s going to seem ten times colder when we go home.”
“Maybe we should just stay here then.” Mona’s arm laced over the one he had wrapped across her chest.
“I’m positive we would end up on the less appealing end of a kidnapping if we attempted that.” Pierce leaned to peek at where her head rested against his chest. “Your friends are quite partial to you.”
It’s why he couldn’t marry her here, on the beach. There was no way all of Intel could leave Alaska at once, and there was also no way a single member of the team would be willing not to watch their friend get married.
But this honeymoon was the next best thing.
“I’m a little partial to them too.” Her fingers stroked along the skin of his arm. “Thank you for being so good to them.”
“They are good to me.” Pierce owed the women of Intel not only his life, but the lives of everyone he loved.
Without them Mona would never have known she was the kind of woman who could handle anything.
She would never have known her strength.
All this time he believed he would be the one to show her. Build her up.
But it wasn’t him.
Not by a long shot.
“They might like you a little.” Mona smiled. “Just a little though.”
“That’s more than enough.” Pierce ran his fingers across the pink scar still healing on her arm. “I have something for you.”
Mona craned her neck to meet her eyes to his. “You didn’t think Hawaii was enough?”
“Nothing is enough for you, Love.” He reached into the pocket of his board shorts, pulling out the item that spent more time in his pocket than it did out of it.
But he no longer needed it.