For the Sake of Their Son (The Alpha Brotherhood #5)(43)
Author: Catherine Mann

And when their friendship moved to a deeper level, he’d self-destructed again by staying away. He’d been just as scared as she was about believing in the connection they’d shared the night they’d made love.

She knew him so well, yet she’d turned off all her intuition about him and run.

“Life doesn’t have to be about absolutes. Your world or my world, a castle or a fort. There are ways to compromise.”

Hope flared in his green eyes. “What are you suggesting?”

“You can have me.” She slid her arms around his neck. “Even if we’re apart for some of the year, we can make that work. We don’t have to follow you every day, but Eli and I can still travel.”

“I know you didn’t ask me to give it up,” he interrupted. “But it’s what I want—a solid base for our son and any other children we have. I’m done running away. It’s time for us to build a home. We’ve been dreaming of this since we tossed blankets over branches in the forest as kids. Lucy Ann,” he repeated, “it’s time for me to come home and make that dream come true. I love you, Lucy Ann, and I want you to be my wife.”

How could she do anything but embrace this beautiful future he’d just offered them both? Her heart’s desire had come true. And now, she was ready, she’d found her strength and footing, to be partners with this man for life.

“I’ve loved you all my life, Elliot Starc. There is no other answer than yes. Yes, let’s build our life together, a fairy tale on our own terms.”

The sigh of relief that racked his body made her realize he’d been every bit as afraid of losing this chance. She pressed her lips to his and sealed their future together as best friends, lovers, soul mates.

He swept back her hair and said against her mouth, “Right here, on this spot, let’s build that house.”

“Here?” She appreciated the sacrifice he was making, returning here to a town with so many ghosts and working to find peace. “What if we take our blankets and explore the South Carolina coast together until we find the perfect spot—a place with a little bit of home, but a place that’s also new to us where we can start fresh.”

“I like the way you dream, Lucy Ann. Sounds perfect.” He smiled with happiness and a newfound peace. “We’ll build that home, a place for our son to play, and if we have other children, where they can all grow secure.” He looked back at her, love as tangible in his eyes as those dreams for their future. “What do you think?”

“I believe you write the most amazing happily ever after ever.”

Epilogue

Elliot Starc had faced danger his whole life. First at the hands of his heavy-fisted father. Later as a Formula One race car driver who used his world travels to feed information to Interpol.

But he’d never expected to be kidnapped. Especially not in the middle of his son’s second birthday party.

Apparently, about thirty seconds ago, one of his friends had snuck up behind him and tied a bandanna over his eyes. He wasn’t sure who since he could only hear a bunch of toddlers giggling.

Elliot lost his bearings as two of his buddies turned him around, his deck shoes digging into the sand, waves rolling along the shore of his beach house. “Are we playing blind man’s bluff or pin the tail on the donkey?”

“Neither.” The breeze carried Lucy Ann’s voice along with her jasmine scent. “We’re playing guess this object.”

Something fuzzy and stuffed landed in his hands. Some kind of toy maybe? He frowned, no clue what he held, which brought more laughter from his Alpha Brotherhood buddies who’d all gathered here with their families. Thank goodness he and Lucy Ann had plenty of room in their home and the guest house.

He’d bought beach property on a Low Country Carolina island, private enough to attract other celebrities who wanted normalcy in their lives. He and Lucy had built a house. Not as grand as he’d wanted to offer her, but he understood the place was a reflection of how they lived now. She’d scaled him back each step of the way on upgrades, reminding him of their new priorities. Their marriage and family topped the list—which meant no scrimping on space, even if he’d had to forgo a few extravagant extras.

As for upgrades, that money could be spent on other things. They’d started a scholarship foundation. Lucy Ann’s organizational and promotional skills had the foundation running like clockwork, doubling in size. They’d kept to their plans to travel, working their schedule around his life, which had taken a surprising turn. Since he didn’t have to worry about money, thanks to his investments, he’d started college, working toward a degree in English. He was studying the classics along with creative writing, and enjoying every minute of it. Lucy Ann had predicted he would one day be a college professor and novelist.

His wonderful wife was a smart woman and a big dreamer.

There was a lot to be said for focus. Although with each of the brothers focused on a different part of the world, they had a lot of ground covered. Colonel Salvatore had taught them well, giving them a firm foundation to build happy, productive lives even after their Interpol days were past.

Famous musician Malcolm Douglas and his wife were currently sponsoring a charity tour with their children in tow, and if it went as well as they expected, it would be an annual affair. The Doctors Boothe had opened another clinic in Africa last month along with the Monte Carlo mega-rich Hughes family—their daughters along for the ribbon-cutting. Computer whiz Troy Donavan and his wife, Hillary, had a genius son who kept them both on their toes.

“Elliot.” Lucy Ann’s whisper caressed his ear. “You’re not playing the game.”

He peeled off his blindfold to find his beautiful wife standing in front of him. His eyes took in the sight of her in a yellow bikini with a crocheted cover-up. “I surrender.”

She tucked her hand in his pocket and stole the toy from his hand, tucking it behind her back. “You’re not getting off that easily.”

Colonel Salvatore chuckled from a beach chair where he wore something other than his gray suit for once—gray swim trunks and T-shirt, but still. Not a suit. But they were all taking things easier these days. “You never did like to play by the rules.”

Aunt Carla lifted a soda in toast from her towel under a beach umbrella. “I can attest to that.”

Elliot reached toward Lucy Ann for the mysterious fuzzy toy. “Come on. Game over.”