his heart clench.
He’d gone after her to try to save what they had together, but in the end it was she who saved him.
Not only with the power of her blood after her brother’s attack had almost leveled him.
Her love was a gift he would cherish and protect for as long as he drew breath.
Now that Devony was safe in his arms again, he would spend the rest of his days, and all of his nights, striving to deserve her.
Nestled in his embrace, she stirred. Her quiet hum as she woke vibrated against his chest. “Are we almost there?”
“We still have a few hours to go.” He dropped a kiss to her upturned forehead. “How do you feel?”
“I’ll be okay,” she said softly. “In time, I’ll be okay.”
Her injuries tonight had been healed with his blood too. But they weren’t talking about physical wounds now. They were talking about the horror of what her brother had done. The horrors that had yet to occur, if Opus Nostrum was allowed to continue with their plans for war.
“I want to say I’m glad it’s over,” she murmured. “But it’s not, is it? It won’t be over until every member of that twisted organization is rooted out and unmasked.”
Rafe nodded. “With any luck, that photo you have will help us do that.”
They had already transferred a copy to the Order while they were in London. Devony’s father had made the right call in ensuring the image ended up in his savvy, courageous daughter’s hands. Rafe only wished Roland Winters knew how instrumental she had proven already in the quest to thwart this new evil.
“If men like that could get to Harry, they can get to anyone, Rafe. They’re worse than monsters. I don’t think I realized that until I heard my brother tonight.”
He stroked Devony’s bare arms, tracing the flourish of one of her pretty glyphs. “I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner. It kills me to think how close I came to losing you.” He lifted her chin on the edge of his fingertips. “I don’t mean just a few hours ago with your brother and those goons. I mean before . . . because of the way I hurt you.”
Her warm bourbon gaze reached inside him like a caress. “You can’t lose me, Rafe. I love you.”
“Thank God.” Although their bond told him as much, he didn’t realize how much he needed to hear her say the words until just now. He’d needed to feel her forgiveness and know that he would have a lifetime to prove himself worthy of it.
Lowering his mouth to hers, he took his time kissing her, savoring the soft press of her lips against his. His blood ignited even though his intent had only been to comfort. Devony’s pulse answered with a thrumming heat of its own.
“I’m sorry for everything I did,” he murmured, stroking the side of her lovely face. “You were right. I should’ve trusted you. I love you. I should have chosen you, not my mission.”
She frowned, slowly shaking her head. “It was unfair of me to say that, Rafe. It wasn’t fair for me to ask—”
“I choose you.” He slid his hand around to her nape and drew her closer, his mouth brushing over hers. “That’s what I told my commander earlier tonight before I came to find you. I choose you, Devony.”
“What are you saying? That you quit the Order?”
“I tried to. Chase wouldn’t let me. But I will, if that’s what it will take to have you.” He kissed her again, more deeply this time, his heart belonging solely to this woman. “I love you, Devony. You’re my partner, the only one for me now. And I’ll do anything to prove that to you. Including giving up the Order.”
“No.” She shrank back from him. “That’s not what I want. That’s the last thing I want for you. The Order is your life, your family.”
“So are you.”
Her fingers caressed his jaw with tender care. “I want you to have both, Rafe. I want something more than that, actually.” Her gaze searched his, steady with the strength and resolve he loved about her. “I want to share that life with you. All of it. I want to be part of this in whatever way I can be.”
“What are you saying?” His brow furrowed. “You want to be part of the Order?”
At her nod, he blew out a sigh and rolled onto his back.
Devony moved up next to him, her head propped on