by M. S. Parker
“Hey.” Rylan and I walked over to Zeke's side, but neither of us touched him.
“I know I said it yesterday, but I wanted to say it again. This time when I know I'm not going to die,” Zeke said. “I'm so sorry. For everything.” He looked straight at me. “I'm sorry, Jenna.”
“I meant what I said yesterday,” I said. “I forgive you.”
“Me too,” Rylan said. His voice was thick with emotion.
“I wish I could give some sort of explanation as to why I went so crazy,” Zeke said. “I don't know. My head's just all messed up.” His eyes went wide. “I'm not trying to make excuses. What I did was inexcusable.”
“Jenna and I talked on our way over,” Rylan said. He was staring down at the handcuff around Zeke's wrist. “I told her that this wasn't you. That the guy who'd been by my side for years never would've done something like that.” He looked at Zeke at last. “We want you to get help, Zeke.”
“Ry?”
Surprising myself, I reached out my injured hand and put it on top of Zeke's. “We're going to talk to the DA about getting you a plea deal where you can get the help you need.”
“Why?” Zeke's voice cracked, his eyes shining with tears. “After what I did. What I almost did. Why would you want to help me?”
“Because you're my best friend,” Rylan said. “And I want that good-hearted, fun guy back.”
“And I want to meet him,” I added.
Zeke swallowed hard and rubbed at his eyes with the palm of his free hand. “Thank you.” He looked at me. “Rylan's lucky to have you.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at him. I hadn't been entirely sure that this was the right thing to do, but I'd trusted Rylan when he'd said that Zeke's behavior had been different over the last six months or so. Now, I was glad I'd agreed to his idea.
A knock at the door interrupted us before things could get awkward. Detective McPhee gave Rylan and me a look that clearly said she didn't want us to be there.
“If you'll excuse me, I need to speak to Mr. Wesson.”
“We were just leaving,” Rylan said. He looked down at Zeke, but it was clear he didn't know what to say. They held each other's eyes for a few seconds and then Rylan walked away. I followed, our hands still clasped together.
We spent the next week getting our lives back together. First, there was the obvious cleaning that needed done in the kitchen. The men Rylan hired were excellent and by the time we came back on Wednesday, it was as if nothing had happened there. It was still a little strange to be in that room, so we tended not to linger, but it was slowly getting easier. Soon, I hoped neither of us would think about it at all.
We hired movers to pack and bring my things to the house, including my bedroom suite. We decorated the house together, shopping and staying up late to hang pictures and pack away things to be dealt with later. We also discussed where things were going to go for work. I hadn't been sure if going back to Archer Enterprises was the best thing to do, but Rylan had slowly talked me into it. But, he'd said, that he didn't want me to come back as an assistant or anything like that. He wanted me to be his partner.
I still hadn't decided how I felt about that. He'd taken the week off to give us the time to work things out, but I knew he needed an answer soon.
Not tonight though. Tonight, we were going to see his parents.
I hadn't spoken to or seen Suzette since she'd come to the house that day, but Rylan had talked to her twice and he assured me that she had told his father and her mother that she approved of us. I wasn't quite sure how much that really meant, but it was a comfort to know I wouldn't have to worry about being attacked by her.
While asking about some more background on his family, I'd also learned that I'd been mistaken the first time I'd met his parents. I'd thought of them as all having the last name Archer. I'd completely forgotten that Suzette and Rylan had different last names. Apparently, Rylan's mother, Theresa Ricin-Archer, had gone back to her maiden name, hyphenated as it was, after the divorce. She'd also insisted that Rylan's last name be changed from Dougall to Archer. Rylan didn't say why or how she'd managed to win that one, but she had. His stepmother's maiden name was indeed Golden, that much I'd known from her former modeling career, but she was now a Dougall as well. I was just glad I hadn't addressed any of them by their last name the last time we'd met. That night had ended badly enough as it was.
When Rylan and I walked into his father and stepmother's house, I could immediately tell something was different. Adam Dougall, a handsome defense attorney in his mid-sixties, greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. His wife, Lindsay, who was at least twenty years his junior, shook my hand without scowling at me. And, most surprising, was Theresa, Rylan's mother, who actually hugged me. I was starting to think that Suzette hadn't just told everyone that she was Team Jenna now. I had a feeling that she'd also shared at least one reason for her change of heart.
The dinner went better than I'd dared to hope. Rylan's stepmother still seemed to have some reservations about me, but Rylan's parents were much more open about accepting our relationship. I supposed knowing that I'd saved their son from being shot by Zeke had softened them. None of them seemed thrilled that I'd finished moving in, but at least we avoided all of the gold-digger accusations that had been such a memorable part of our previous dinner.
By the time Rylan and I made it back to the house, it was well past eight and I was feeling like the evening had been an overall success. A nice, quiet night on the couch watching a movie would be the perfect way to end things.
After trading in our dinner clothes for more comfortable attire, we headed back downstairs and settled on the couch. Instead of turning on the television, however, Rylan turned towards me, his expression serious.
“Are you happy?”
I gave him a puzzled look. “What?”
“Are you happy that you met me, or do you ever regret it?”
I reached out and pushed his hair back from his face, letting my fingers linger in the silky softness. “The only thing I regret was leaving instead of being honest with you. You not only make me happy, Rylan, you make me feel safe.” I tilted my head. “What about you? Are you happy?”
He smiled. “Jenna, you make me happier than I'd ever thought possible.” He took my good hand and raised it to his lips, lightly kissing my knuckles before releasing it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.
My heart leaped into my throat and I told myself to calm down. It was probably my house key and he was making some romantic gesture about it.
“From the moment I saw you, I was drawn to you, helpless to keep myself from falling in love.”
I could hear my heart pounding in my chest.
“I fell in love with you, Jenna Lang. Your strength and intelligence. Your beauty and your heart. You are the singular most amazing woman I've known.”
He opened the box to reveal the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. The band was silver and it was immediately clear why. A lovely diamond sat between two slightly smaller sapphires. It matched the necklace and earrings he'd given me for Christmas.
“I love the person you were, the woman you are and the woman you'll be.” He swallowed hard. “Rose Lenore Kingston, will you marry me?”
I stared at him. No one had called me Rose since I'd made her disappear. He was the only person here who knew my birth name. I'd given it to him for Christmas because it had been all I'd had. And I understood why he'd used it now. He was accepting my past along with my present. He didn't just want to marry Jenna, he wanted Rose as well.
“Yes.” The word was breathless. I put my hands on either side of his face. “Yes, my love, I'll marry you.”
“I love you,” he murmured the words against my mouth as he stretched us out on the couch. “My Jenna, my Rose.”
“Yours,” I agreed as I pulled him down for a kiss. “Always, yours.”
Chapter 31
The weather was absolutely perfect for the first week of June, especially for an ou
tside wedding. Between the lake and the mountains, it looked like something out of a fairy tale. Rylan had wanted to get married as quickly as we'd gotten engaged, but I'd managed to make him wait a little over a year, telling him that I wanted to make sure every detail was perfect. That had only been part of the reason though. I'd known that everyone had already thought the two of us had been rushing things moving in together and getting engaged. I wanted people to have some time to get used to the idea.
Hell, I'd needed some time to get used to it myself.
I loved Rylan and I wanted to be with him forever. The idea of a ring and vows and all of that, though, was a bit intimidating. I'd been born Rose Lenore Kingston, then chosen to become Jenna Lang. Now I was going to change my name again and I needed some time to adjust.
I hadn't told Rylan yet because I'd just made the final decision, but I wasn't just going to be changing my last name. When I filled out the paperwork, I was going to be Jenna Rose Archer. A new name for the new person he'd helped me become.
With the prospect of a new life, I felt like I'd been waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something to come in and take away my happy ending. Things hadn't been perfect because nothing was perfect, but there'd been no big disasters. I was actually starting to believe that I was going to have the life I'd never thought I'd get.
I thought about the guests outside, sitting under the canopy, waiting for me to make my appearance. Agent Matthews was there. I knew his bosses suspected that a lot of his 'anonymous tips' were coming from me, but he never gave me up. He also never mentioned the fact that, over the last year, nearly a hundred pedophiles had been exposed online, their names and addresses published, their places of work alerted. More than half of them had already been arrested and the rest were either on the run or vehemently denying the charges. More than one had attempted to bring a lawsuit against the person who'd revealed their identities, but without a suspect, nothing had been filed.
I'd taken Rylan up on his offer to become his partner at Archer Enterprises, but I was still getting used to the idea of being rich. I looked down at the elegant wedding dress Suzette had helped me pick out. It had taken Rylan nearly a month to convince me that I could spend whatever I wanted on the dress, and in the end, I'd had to insist that I not be told how much it cost.
At least Rylan's family was thoroughly convinced that I wasn't after him for his money. His stepmother still didn't entirely approve of me, especially since I'd refused to have my tattoos removed or plastic surgery done on my scars, but we'd all reached a place where I felt comfortable being a part of the family.
Family.
I let out a shaky breath. After today, I'd officially have a family. The woman who'd given birth to me was still in jail, and would remain there for the rest of her life, but I'd long since disowned her. Rylan's parents, his step-mother and his sister were my family. He also had a fairly big extended family, though they didn't live in the area. A lot of them had come in for the wedding though. I'd spent almost all of yesterday being introduced to aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents. I'd gone from being totally alone to having dozens of people I could call my family.
And I'd ended up with a good friend out of all of it too. Suzette was actually only a year younger than me and she was just as smart as her brother. After what had happened with Zeke, she'd spent the next few months trying to make things up to me. The more time we'd spent together, the more we'd seen how much we actually had in common and the better friends we'd become. Her being my maid of honor was as much for me as it was for Rylan. Actually, she was my only attendant. Rylan and I had decided on one each.
His was Zeke. After six months in a psychiatric facility, Zeke had been released on probation. He'd quit his job at his advertising agency before they could fire him and was now working at an LGBT center for at-risk youth while he went to school to become a licensed counselor. He'd also started dating and had even brought a gorgeous man as his date today.
I'd been a bit nervous when he'd first gotten out, unsure how he'd react to our engagement, but after just a couple hours, I'd seen the difference. According to Rylan, this was the Zeke he'd known his whole life. Not only had Rylan gotten his best friend back, but I'd gained another friend as well. It still felt a little strange to think of Zeke as a friend, but he was.
“Ready to go?” Suzette interrupted my thoughts.
I turned towards her and smiled nervously. I wasn't having second thoughts, but I wasn't looking forward to being the center of attention. At least, I reminded myself, the people who were here were all ones who supported Rylan and me. The small handful of people at Archer Enterprises who'd had a problem with my new position had all been politely asked to leave and given a nice severance package and a letter of recommendation.
Well, all but Emmaline, but she'd made things personal. I could still picture the furious expression on her face when I'd walked into the office with that ring. I'd ignored the few choice insults she'd thrown my way, but when she'd raised her hand like she was going to slap me, I'd had enough. She'd ended up being carried out of the building, kicking and screaming like a spoiled child having a tantrum.
Suzette adjusted my veil one last time and the two of us walked down the stairs and went out to the yard. I lifted my bouquet of white lilies to my nose – my tribute to the woman who had saved me.
As I stood at the end of the aisle, I was vaguely aware of Suzette walking, of the filled seats on either side – though both sides were technically the groom's since I only had Dr. MacLeod attending on my behalf – but they were all peripheral. I only had eyes for him.
He was wearing a black tux, tailored to show off his broad shoulders and muscular body. But as much as I loved his body, it was his face I couldn't look away from. I'd seen his expression, his eyes, filled with desire, with love, but I'd never seen him like this. I'd always thought of the words happiness and joy as being interchangeable and I knew now that I'd been wrong. Joyful was the only word to describe how he looked as his eyes met mine. It was beyond mere happiness. It was hope and a promise of a future.
I hadn't had anyone to walk me down the aisle, no parents to give me away, so as I reached the end of the aisle, Rylan reached out his hand and I took it. As my palm slid across his, it was as if everything else faded away and my nerves went too. We weren't saying anything that we hadn't already said to each other. The people gathered here knew how Rylan and I felt about each other. This was merely a public declaration of what everyone already knew. Only death would part us.
Chapter 32
Two years ago, Rylan and I had gotten into a limo amidst a crowd of friends and family, and headed off to the airport. We'd spent two weeks in Europe. Paris, London, Rome, Venice – places I'd always dreamed of seeing, but had never imagined I would. Last year, for our one-year anniversary, we'd taken a cruise to Alaska. Two days ago, we'd just gotten back from the Bahamas. The past three New Year's, we'd spent in the family cabin in the mountains.
Now, after over three years of being together and two years of marriage, things were about to change forever.
I stood in the doorway of one of the two rooms that had recently been redecorated. They used to be extra rooms, not really used for much of anything. Now, they had a purpose. This one had been painted a light lavender with dark purple trim. The other was dark green and gold. The kids had picked the colors out themselves, along with everything else in the rooms.
Diana was seven. Jeremiah was nine. And, come tomorrow, they'd be ours.
Last year, when Rylan and I had started discussing adoption, I'd been hesitant to suggest what I really wanted. Then Rylan had told me that he'd been thinking that we should adopt kids who'd been taken from situations like mine. Who better to understand what a child was going through than someone who'd been through it too?
A few months later, a brother and sister were among those rescued when a child pornography ring was busted. They had no other family and would most likely be split up if they were ever adopted, t
hough the chances of that were slim. I knew from experience that older kids were harder to place to begin with, much less kids who'd been through what these two had.
We'd moved slowly, building up trust between us. Visitations, overnight stays, family counseling. I'd shared some of my past with them, enough for them to know that I understood. I knew Rylan and I were in for years of dealing with issues beyond the normal parenting scope, but I had faith. I had seen it in the children's eyes, that longing for a real home and for safety. Rylan and I would give them that. The rest would be up to them.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Rylan said as he slid his arms around my waist. He pulled me back against him, tucking my head under his chin.
“Just thinking about Diana and Jeremiah, what they must be thinking tonight, knowing it's their last night in their group home.” I put my hands on Rylan's arms. “Excitement. Fear.”
“Fear?”
“That it won't last. That we'll send them back. That no one will want them.”
He kissed the top of my head.
“What about you?” I asked. “What have you been thinking about?”
“Two things,” he said. “One, I was thinking that we should have a huge picnic for the Fourth of July. Let the kids feel what it’s like to be part of a big family who loves them.”
“That's a great idea,” I said. “And two?”
“I was thinking that it's probably going to be the last night in a long time that we'll be able to be as loud as we want wherever we want.” He bent his head to graze the top of my ear with his teeth. “And I want to hear you scream my name.”
Desire shot through me, setting my body on fire. I turned in Rylan's arms. “That sounds wonderful.” I reached up to wrap my arms around his neck. “Did you have someplace special in mind?”
“Well,” he said. “Since the playroom is soundproofed now, I was thinking we might want to go someplace that wasn't. Or more than one place.”
“Really?” I raised an eyebrow.
He grinned. “I was thinking maybe we start in the living room and make our way through the entire first floor. We do have all night, after all.”