Fix Me: Men of Sander’s Valley, book 2
Page 17
He offered her a small smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Worry lingered in them. “Well, I am your knight.”
Their conversation the first day they’d met came back to her. She rubbed at the tiny lines by his eyes. “Yes, you are. And I love you.”
His breath rushed out. “Me too, darling. Me too.”
Chapter 21
A few days later, Iona knelt in front of the whelping box, where the puppy that had licked her hand a couple of weeks ago played with her siblings. The runt had gotten bigger, but she was still the smallest of the litter.
One of the larger pups tumbled into the melee of furry bodies, but unlike the last time, the little female didn’t get bounced back. The puppy scrambled over her brothers and sisters to reach the side of the crate, then whined and scratched at the wall in an attempt to reach Iona. She lowered her hand and received another lick.
Wyn danced his fingers down her spine to settle at her lower back. “She remembers you.”
Iona petted the puppy’s head. “I’m surprised. It’s been over a week since we visited.”
“She picked you. Of course she’s going to remember you.”
“She might’ve picked me, but I thought you were keeping her.”
“I am.” He cupped her face. “But like I said before, this little pup and I know a good thing when we see it.”
“And what is that?” The look in his eyes told her she was what he was hinting at, but she needed him to lead her into the conversation she’d been fumbling to start.
Ever since they returned from New York, she’d tried to broach the subject of them. Or more specifically, their future. She found it harder than she’d expected to put her feelings into words, but it was necessary. With Ronnie’s wedding two days away, she knew he’d been fielding questions from his friends and family about her plans. He’d expertly deflected their inquiries, but she’d caught him glancing at her every time. The same questions had hovered in his eyes.
After all they’d shared, she didn’t want him to wonder about her intentions. She just couldn’t seem to voice them.
“Not what.” He swept his heated gaze over her. “Who.”
She glanced away but forced herself to meet his eyes. “Me?”
“Yes, you.” He brushed the back of his hand over her cheek, a gentle caress that turned her heart over. “You’re important to me. I love you, darling.”
Her pulse raced and breathing quickened in the face of the intense emotions displayed in his expression. “I love you too.”
“That makes me a damn lucky man.”
He gently held her, mindful of the injuries she was still recovering from, and everything fell into place. She was where she was always meant to be—in Wyn’s arms. “I don’t know. I think I’m the lucky one to have found you.”
“Why don’t we agree that we’re both lucky?” He kissed the top of her head. “And we have the Axel curse to thank for bringing us together.”
“The Axel curse?” She raised a brow. “You’re not serious, are you?”
“Didn’t Ronnie ever tell you about it? Or how she broke it?”
“I’ve heard about it, but it’s just a story. People also say the Russian Royal Family was cursed.”
“Maybe it is. Ronnie doesn’t believe in the curse, either. Her dad did, though. Frank told me about it and how he blamed it for ruining his marriage to Ronnie’s mom.”
Iona motioned for him to continue when he remained silent. “And? What did he have to say about the curse?”
“According to the tale Frank told, the Axels were cursed back in the late 1800s, when Gabriella Axel turned her back on love in order to marry the son of some famous artist. Her already extensive portfolio tripled with the inheritance of his father’s artwork and gallery.”
“Who cursed her? The man she left behind?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Ronnie’s grandfather mentioned the curse to Frank right before he died but didn’t give any details other than to say that true love would be the only thing that broke the curse. Except none of the Axel heirs had found it. Frank disagreed. He was convinced it wasn’t love that would save them, since him and Ronnie’s mom did love each other, but a willingness to choose love over the great Axel legacy.”
“Like Ronnie did when she handed the gallery over to Abby to run.”
“Yeah.”
“And because Ronnie’s mom didn’t choose love over the family business, she fell victim to the curse and died from a gunshot wound.” Ronnie had described the break-in and how she’d watched her mom die. It had been heartbreaking to hear.
So much violence had surrounded Ronnie and Iona the past few months. Luckily, all those who’d tried to hurt them were locked away, Dmitry included. He’d been denied bail and would face charges under the American judicial system, where his name didn’t carry the same weight as it did in Russia. She hoped that’d be enough to ensure justice was served.
Wyn nodded. “And her death is what brought Kyle and Ronnie back together, giving them the chance to break the curse.” He flashed her another smile, a teasing one. “If you believe in that sort of thing.”
“I do. Sort of.” She matched his grin, then wrapped her arms around his waist and settled against him. “I hate that a tragedy is what made Ronnie return to Sander’s Valley, but if it wasn’t for Ronnie and Kyle working out their issues, we wouldn’t have met.”
“I’m grateful. I had started to wonder if I’d spend my life alone like my older brothers, but I just hadn’t met the girl I was meant to love yet.” He trailed his lips to her ear. “You’re the one I was waiting for.”
She leaned back and caught his gaze. “And I was waiting for you. I do love you, Wyn. More than I ever thought I could, especially after Dmitry. I can’t help but wonder if I wasn’t waiting for you too and that being with Dmitry was just an experience I needed to have so I could be ready to love you.”
He stared at her a long moment, then lifted the corner of his mouth in a lopsided smile. “Does that mean you’ll be getting my initials tattooed on your butterfly’s other wing?”
She rubbed her fingers over her chest. Dmitry had told her not to get any tattoos when she’d mentioned wanting one. He’d thought them sleazy, something the lower class decorated their bodies with, but she’d viewed them as a way to express herself since she didn’t have any artistic ability.
The butterfly design had been her way to appease him. She’d promised to have the love of her life’s initials inked over her heart. At the time, she’d assumed they would be his, but Blaine had convinced her to wait. Iona was glad she had. He hadn’t been her once-in-a-lifetime love.
She hadn’t met Wyn yet.
She slid her hands over his back and snuggled closer. “Maybe.”
His air rushed out on a shaky exhale. “I’m good with maybe.”
That was why she loved him. Wyn accepted and treasured her, flawed as she was. “Are you good with taking me home and making love to me?”
“Do you need to ask? I’ll love you anywhere and any way I can get you.”
“I mean our home. Our bed. I want to move in. Officially. Be your girlfriend.”
He raised a brow. “Yeah?”
She nodded. “No talk of marriage or anything yet; just pencil me into your schedule so you know to expect me in your life.”
The grin that spread over his face turned her heart over. “You already are, darling. Have been since the day we met.”
The series continues with Jack’s story, Stitched Chords. Releasing Fall 2018.
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Shifter World: Royal-Kagan
Treasured Find
Beautiful Mistake
Favorite Obsession
Chance on Love
Bridged by Love
Shared for Love
Last Cha
nce
Forbidden Mate
Beloved Possession
Shifter World: Shifter Affairs
Freeing his Mate
Claimed by the Assassin
Elemental Desire
Mist Revealed
Cloaked in Mist
Mated in Fire
Men of Sander’s Valley
Take Two
Fix Me
Stitched Chords
Wild Hunt
Hunter Sacrificed
Hunter Deceived
Hunter Forsaken
Hunter Mourned
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
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Fix Me Copyright © 2015 by Nancy Corrigan
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Electronic publication: Sept 2018 (3rd edition - previously released)
www.NancyCorriganAuthor.com
ISBN: 978-1-946672-05-6
About the Author
Nancy Corrigan is a dreamer who one day decided to write down what the voices in her head were telling her. Years later, she's still at it. The number of heroes and heroines waiting for their happily ever after have grown. As a result, you'll find her typing frantically at all hours of the day or night as she brings their stories to life.
When she's not lost in her imagination, she's busy being a wife, mother, and chemist. Yes, she might run on caffeine some days as she juggles all her roles, but that's okay. She loves coffee.
Nancy resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, their three children, dog, snake, cats, and guinea pigs. Her other interests include tattoos, animals, classic cars, and mythology.

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