by L. P. Dover
Layla was in the crowd with my father and Brina, holding a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Behind her was Logan and Kassie. They waved at me, and I nodded at them.
“What the hell is everyone laughing at?” Ian grumbled under his breath, thinking he was talking to Reed.
I slapped a hand on his shoulder. “Probably because your much better-looking twin brother is here.”
Ian jerked around, eyes full of shock and surprise. “What the…”
“Surprise,” I announced, holding out my arms.
Ian pulled me into a bear hug. “Holy shit. What are you doing here?”
I didn’t want to let him go. “Dad called me. He said you didn’t want to bother me on my honeymoon.”
Ian squeezed me one more time and let go. “I didn’t want you to feel pressured to come back.”
I shook my head. “This is a special day, brother. I didn’t want to miss it.”
His gaze turned to the crowd, and he spotted Layla. She waved at him, and he waved back. “She’s a beauty. I hate I missed yours.”
“Don’t worry,” I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You can make it up to me.”
Ian cocked his head to the side. “How? You want me and Grace to visit New York?”
Chuckling, I shook my head. “Hell no. You’re going to be seeing me a lot more than that.” I glanced over at Layla and then back to him. “We moved here a week ago. Wyoming is our home now.”
Ian gasped in surprise and squeezed my shoulder. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.” The music started, and everyone in the crowd stood. Grace and her father walked out of the hotel, but all I could see was a vision in white. Ian stared at her with so much love and adoration; it reminded me of the way I felt for Layla.
“I’m the luckiest man alive,” Ian said over his shoulder at me.
“It only gets better from here, brother.”
Epilogue
Layla
“I will never get tired of this view.” Swaying back and forth in my rocking chair, I gazed out at the snow-capped mountains with a blanket wrapped around me.
Bryce sat down in the rocking chair beside me. “You’ll never have to.” We’d been in Wyoming for a month, and it’d been the best month of my life. My mother and Michael moved to a cabin a few miles away, and my brother promised to visit as much as he could. I still kept in touch with Francis, but he and his partner decided to stay in New York. Other than that, I made sure to separate myself from anything Corsino related. That wasn’t who I was anymore. The day I took Bryce’s name, I let go of Corsino completely.
I was Layla Madison Chandler.
“Are you ready to get to work?” Bryce asked.
I looked over at him, and smiled. “I am. It’ll be good for me.”
We’d found a building for sale in downtown Jackson Hole that’d be perfect to start a law firm in. It was right beside a café that served the best pancakes in town. Beginning Monday morning, he was going to help me get it ready for business.
Bryce nodded. “I think so too.”
I could tell there was something on his mind. “Bryce, what is it?”
He knelt down in front of me and wrapped his arms around my waist, gaze more serious than I’d seen in a long time. “I’ve been thinking about something,” he said. I lifted my brows, and he blew out a heavy sigh. “What would you say if I quit the Circle of Justice?”
Even though he hadn’t killed anyone in months, I knew it was his job. Mouth gaping, I didn’t know what to say. “I don’t know. How do you feel about it?”
He shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to kill the evil fuckers out there, but being here,” he said, gazing around at our house, “and being with you, is so much more important. I don’t want anything to come between that.”
It was a relief to hear it, but I didn’t want him giving up everything for me. Cupping his face in my hands, I leaned down and kissed him. “I love you, Bryce. This is your decision to make. I’m going to be here for you, no matter what.”
He stared right up into my eyes. “I’m going to quit. It feels like the right thing to do.”
It felt like a weight had been taken off my shoulders. As much as I wanted to deny it, I was terrified just thinking about him getting back to work and risking his life. I didn’t want to lose him.
“What would you do for work?” I asked, trying not to appear overly excited and apparently failing.
Bryce chuckled and shook his head. “There’s my answer. You are happy I’m quitting.” I opened my mouth to deny everything, but he silenced me with a kiss. “No need to say anything. As far as a job, I wouldn’t be quitting the FBI. They offered me and Ian a couple of new positions.”
That was news to me. I had no clue what kind of position that would be. “What would you be doing?”
His face lit up. “We’ll be training new recruits, right here in Wyoming. I’ll be able to teach them everything I know. Which means,” he said, sliding me forward in the rocking chair, “I’ll never have to leave you here alone.” I straddled my legs around his waist, and he lifted me up, making my blanket fall to the ground.
He gripped the backs of my thighs and pressed me against his cock. It strained through his jeans, and I giggled. “Yeah, I’d hate to be lonely at night.”
“That’s not all I’m talking about, Lemon Drop.” He nipped my bottom lip, his heated eyes boring into mine.
Seeing him like that made me tremble. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” he murmured low, “that I want to start a family, Layla. I want us to have our own family.”
Tears sprung to my eyes. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “More than anything.”
Excitement coursed through every inch of my body. “Can we start now?”
A low growl escaped his lips, and he kissed me. “You don’t have to ask me twice. Who knows…maybe we’ll have twins.”
That would be the best thing ever. Grinning wide, I nodded toward the door. “I’m ready.” With him, I was ready for anything.
THE END
Author Bio
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.
She loves to write, but she also loves to play golf, go on mountain hikes and white-water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.
Dover has written countless novels in several different genres, including a children’s book with her youngest daughter, but her favorite to write is romantic suspense. However, she has found a new passion in romantic comedy, especially involving sexy golfers. Who knew the sport could be so dirty and fun to write about.
You can find L.P. Dover at:
www.lpdover.com
Facebook/L.P. Dover
Facebook Group/Dover’s Darlings
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Email: [email protected]
Other Titles by L.P. Dover
BREAKAWAY SERIES
Hard Stick
Blocked
Playmaker
Off the Ice
FOREVER FAE SERIES
Forever Fae
Betrayals of Spring
Summer of Frost
Reign of Ice
SECOND CHANCES SERIES
Love’s Second Chance
Trusting You
Meant for Me
Fighting for Me
Intercepting Love
Catching Summer
Defending Hayden
Last Chance
Intended for Bristol
GLOVES OFF SERIES
A Fighter’s Desire: Part One
A Fighter’s Desire: Part Two
Tyler’s Undoing
Ryley’s Revenge
Winter Kiss: Ryley & Ashley [A Gloves Off Novella]
Paxton’s Promise
Camden’s Redemption
Kyle’s Return
ARMED & DANGEROUS SERIES
No Limit
Roped In
High-Sided
Hidden Betrayals (Coming Soon)
CIRCLE OF JUSTICE SERIES
Trigger
Target
Aim
In the Crossfire
SOCIETY X SERIES
Dark Room
Viewing Room
Play Room
R0YAL SHIFTERS SERIES
Turn of the Moon
Resisting the Moon
Rise of the Moon (Coming Soon)
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS SERIES
It Must’ve Been the Mistletoe
STANDALONE TITLES
Love, Lies, and Deception
Anonymous
Going for the Hole
Christmas With You
Love, Again
CHILDREN’S BOOKS – MOONLIGHT AND ALEENA SERIES
Moonlight and Aleena: A Tale of Two Friends
Moonlight and Aleena: Journey to the Snowy Forest (Coming Soon)
Sneak Peek of Dangerous Game
COMING SOON
The Mafia Brothers Series
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L.P. Dover comes a sexy new mafia series laced with danger!
For years, my family was on top. Ruthless. Respected. Feared. That all changed with the death of my father. As I moved into the position of power over the Corsino empire, enemies to the family tried to take over my city. They thought I would be weakened by my loss. They don’t know me.
My name is Dominic Corsino, and I have a ravenous appetite for money, power, and women. The last of which I pushed aside when Faith Hilliard, a close family friend, turned up in need of help. I’ve always wanted her, yet couldn’t bring myself to involve her in the dark savagery of my world. Now, she’s within my grasp once more. If I didn’t fear her running from my brutal truth, I would have already tasted her sweet temptation.
But the time for hesitation passes when a fighter in my underground ring is murdered. With my family name at stake, I can no longer hide who I am and what I’m capable of. It’s all coming down to a one winner-takes-all match. If I walk away with the prize, the threats against the Corsinos will be crushed. If I lose, our entire empire will crumple.
It’s a dangerous game … and I’m ready to play.