I heard the feminine shout of QUEENS just outside the door. Smiled to myself. When the doors were shoved open, I almost spilled the pull of ice water I'd just taken. Eden, my soft, quiet, unconfident Eden was leading the charge of women. Her face was bright, her eyes sparkled, and the authority that stiffened her little body had my own going hard and hot. This was the woman I saw in private. The one I shared my soul with. She was fierce and demanding and took no shit. As if a small field of energy wrapped around her from wispy hair to the tips of her shoes, she practically vibrated with it. I felt it when she rocked up in front of me. Inches between our faces. Before I could do, say, or think anything else, she grabbed my face and kissed me as if I was the oxygen she needed to live. When she broke away, a sexy gasp on her lips, I was more than ready to steal her away to a different room. One dark brow cocked up high on her forehead. "Want to guard my body?"Uh? I had othe

Sprinting to the kitchens, I saw that some of the security detail had gotten there before us. The last of their ranks disappeared around the doorway. As I rounded the corner, I prayed with everything inside me that everyone was okay. That Amara was still here, still safe. Jolting to a stop, it took only seconds to take in the carnage. But as my brain registered what had happened, my heart almost exploded out of my chest when I couldn't find Amara immediately.Willow had the man's hands spread wide on the butcher block counter. Blades buried to their hilts in each palm. Blood splattered her face and clothes. Her lips were pulled back as her growling breaths panted so hard they disturbed the flour on the counter. Jessa was curled around Carys in the corner. Her face sheet white and horror etched into her pretty features. Tears tracked down her cheeks as she shook her head over and over. "Amara. Amara. Amara. Amara." With a shaking finger, she pointed towards the kitchen island.

I wasn't really surprised when Rafe stuck his head around the corner. How he always managed to show up at the end of things was either an incredible talent or just sucky timing. Either way, he was here. I tapped my nose to Eden's. Pulled back so I could sign to her. Asked her to interpret for me. She nodded. "Rafe, Massi has something he wants to say to you."Rafe stopped in his tracks, wiped all emotion from his face. He nodded. Eden looked back at me. Her eyebrows up in expectation. "Kitchen, clean it."Eden's lips twitched as she repeated my words. The trill of suppressed laughter was a balm to my aching soul. She was the best woman in the world. And she was all mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rafe's hands twitch before he clenched them into fists. Behind him, the room filled with the rest of our family. Probably coming to see what all the fuss was about. As Jessa came in behind Rafe, Carys no longer in her arms, I saw the tears on her face. "I'm so so

Stunned silence was thick enough I could hardly breathe. It felt like a herd of buffalo were sitting on my chest, squeezing my heart and lungs into stillness. Under the heavy weight, I could feel the barest sigh of relief. It was peppered through the room, coming from different people. But it was there. And it was slowly growing. Willow came over, wrapped me in her arms. "I'm so sorry, babe."I cuddled her back. For every tear that fell on my shoulder, I put another tally mark in the sins list of Rafe's life. He had a lot to answer for. The least of which was hurting these people. Soon, the entire Amatucci family surrounded me. There was no ill will. No recriminations. My kill had been clean in their eyes. They grieved for the man they loved as their son. The man he should have been. The man he could have been. Momma cleared her throat from the back of the pack. "From all accounts, Rafe had raised a gun against his sister, Eden." Her voice cracked. She shook her head as b

Shoving my phone back into my bra, I walked back into the ballroom. Apparently the kitchen staff had been prepared for Nik's rushed nuptials. The room was decked out and was almost dreamy. Massi walked up to me, Amara in his arms. "Feel better?" he asked softly. His voice was back after an entire week of resting it. I nodded. "Much." He held out his hand, pulled me into his arms with him and Amara. He tapped Amara's nose, tilted his head at me. Amara's shoulder drifted up to her ears. A huge smile on her face. "Wiet!" she yelled in the mostly calm room. "Daddy has westions!"Massi chuckled. He dropped to one knee, Amara perched on it. They both looked up at me. Massi tapped Amara's shoulder. "Mama, will you marry us?" she asked. Massi looked up at me, his heart in his eyes. Tears flooded my eyes as I nodded. "Of course, Monkey." I leaned down, gave her kisses. Then I switched my kisses to her daddy. Sandwiched between us, she giggled and slapped at our faces. "Ki