Echoes at Dawn (KGI 5)

Grace smiled and then held up an arm to hug her. Elizabeth needed no urging and snuggled immediately into Grace’s side.

“They were wrong,” Grace said. “I have too much to live for to die now.”

Her gaze found Rio’s as she spoke, and his warm gaze stroked gently over her face.

He walked around to the other side of her bed, pulled up a chair and sat. He took her fÛ?He took ree hand, the one that wasn’t occupied with holding Elizabeth, and he ran his fingers over the back of her hand and then her palm, over and over as if reassuring himself that she was here and alive.

“How are you feeling?”

She thought about it for a moment, mentally running down her body, testing what hurt and what didn’t.

“Tired,” she finally said. “Mentally tired. Like I’m burned out, you know? The mental fatigue is more overwhelming tha

n the physical pain.”

“That’s understandable,” he said gently. “You’ve been through a lot. It’s amazing you still have your sanity intact.”

Elizabeth snuggled harder into Grace’s side and laid her head on Grace’s shoulder. Her tiny hand crept over Grace’s belly until she was wrapped firmly around Grace.

Grace snuck a glance at the little girl, who’d gained and lost so much in an instant. Her eyes were already closing, as if she too had reached her limit and now felt safe enough to rest.

Grace smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Elizabeth’s hair. When she was sure Elizabeth was asleep, she turned to Rio, her gaze worried.

“What will happen to her? She has no one.”

Rio smiled, slid their hands over to cup over Elizabeth’s. “She has us.”

For a moment, his answer didn’t sink in, but when it did, tears pricked her eyelids and she blinked furiously as her vision blurred.

“And I have you,” he said as he leaned forward to brush his lips over hers. “I have everything I could possibly want right here.”

CHAPTER 41

IT was a frustration for Grace that the first time she was getting to see her sister in over a year was on her sister’s wedding day. She wanted to come as soon as she’d been discharged from the hospital, but Rio had tucked her and Elizabeth away immediately and had insisted that Grace do nothing more taxing than eat and rest for several weeks.

While it had frustrated her, she had needed that time to heal. As did Elizabeth. She still grieved for her father, even knowing the sort of man he was, and she was dealing with guilt over her part in the whole sordid affair.

It had been a good time. Just the three of them. Rio had been so good to them both. She still got teary-eyed just thinking of how gentle and understanding he’d been with them and how he’d spoiled them so ridiculously.

Under Rio’s gruff, tough-as-nails, badass mercenary exterior was a man with a heart of gold and a soft spot a mile wide.

Rio drove into the Kelly compound, and Grace marveled at its size and also how it resembled a military base with all the security. But she quickly forgot all about her surroundings when she saw her sister running to meet the vehicle.

“Stop!” she cried to Rio.

Rio braked, and before he’d come to a complete stop, Grace was out of the SUV and running as fast as she could to meet her sister.

They met halfway and Shea threw her arms around Grace. Shea was the smaller of the two and yet she engulfed Grace, squeezing like she was three times Grace’s size.

Grace returned her hug, holding on. Just holding on.

Tears ran freely down Grace’s cheeks. “I love you,” she choked out. “I can’t believe we’re together. That we’re here.”

Shea’s muffled sobs were lost in Grace’s shoulder. The two sisters stood in the sun, hugging, Þ?slaughing, crying and then hugging some more.

Around them, the Kellys gathered, all present for the double wedding. They smiled indulgently while the Kelly wives and wife-to-be sniffled and wiped at their eyes.

Rio got out and leaned against the hood of the SUV, smiling as he watched the sisters’ reunion. Elizabeth snuck into his side and he wrapped his arm around her.

“They must have missed each other an awful lot,” Elizabeth said.

“Yeah, they did,” Rio said softly. “They’ve been apart for a very long time.”

After several more minutes, they broke apart and wiped at each other’s faces with their hands. Finally they gave up, laughing.

“Come on, there are so many people I want you to meet,” Shea said as she pulled at Grace.

Grace turned to look back at Rio and Elizabeth.

“We’re fine,” he mouthed. “You go on. We’ll catch up.”

Shea dragged Grace toward where the others were gathered a short distance away. She beamed as she pushed Grace forward.

“Grace, I’d like you to meet my—our—family.”

Grace nearly teared up all over again at the inclusion of her as family to all these others.

“This is Rachel, Ethan’s wife.”

The pretty brunette with soft brown eyes hugged Grace fiercely. “Welcome to our family, Grace.”

“And this is Sam’s wife, Sophie, and their daughter, Charlotte.”

Sophie stepped forward, a toddler on her hip, and smiled broadly at Grace. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Grace. We’re so glad you’re here and safe. Shea’s been so worried for you.”

Grace smiled and then held up an arm to hug her. Elizabeth needed no urging and snuggled immediately into Grace’s side.

“They were wrong,” Grace said. “I have too much to live for to die now.”

Her gaze found Rio’s as she spoke, and his warm gaze stroked gently over her face.

He walked around to the other side of her bed, pulled up a chair and sat. He took her fÛ?He took ree hand, the one that wasn’t occupied with holding Elizabeth, and he ran his fingers over the back of her hand and then her palm, over and over as if reassuring himself that she was here and alive.

“How are you feeling?”

She thought about it for a moment, mentally running down her body, testing what hurt and what didn’t.

“Tired,” she finally said. “Mentally tired. Like I’m burned out, you know? The mental fatigue is more overwhelming tha

n the physical pain.”

“That’s understandable,” he said gently. “You’ve been through a lot. It’s amazing you still have your sanity intact.”

Elizabeth snuggled harder into Grace’s side and laid her head on Grace’s shoulder. Her tiny hand crept over Grace’s belly until she was wrapped firmly around Grace.

Grace snuck a glance at the little girl, who’d gained and lost so much in an instant. Her eyes were already closing, as if she too had reached her limit and now felt safe enough to rest.

Grace smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Elizabeth’s hair. When she was sure Elizabeth was asleep, she turned to Rio, her gaze worried.

“What will happen to her? She has no one.”

Rio smiled, slid their hands over to cup over Elizabeth’s. “She has us.”

For a moment, his answer didn’t sink in, but when it did, tears pricked her eyelids and she blinked furiously as her vision blurred.

“And I have you,” he said as he leaned forward to brush his lips over hers. “I have everything I could possibly want right here.”

CHAPTER 41

IT was a frustration for Grace that the first time she was getting to see her sister in over a year was on her sister’s wedding day. She wanted to come as soon as she’d been discharged from the hospital, but Rio had tucked her and Elizabeth away immediately and had insisted that Grace do nothing more taxing than eat and rest for several weeks.

While it had frustrated her, she had needed that time to heal. As did Elizabeth. She still grieved for her father, even knowing the sort of man he was, and she was dealing with guilt over her part in the whole sordid affair.

It had been a good time. Just the three of them. Rio had been so good to them both. She still got teary-eyed just thinking of how gentle and understanding he’d been with them and how he’d spoiled them so ridiculously.

Under Rio’s gruff, tough-as-nails, badass mercenary exterior was a man with a heart of gold and a soft spot a mile wide.

Rio drove into the Kelly compound, and Grace marveled at its size and also how it resembled a military base with all the security. But she quickly forgot all about her surroundings when she saw her sister running to meet the vehicle.

“Stop!” she cried to Rio.

Rio braked, and before he’d come to a complete stop, Grace was out of the SUV and running as fast as she could to meet her sister.

They met halfway and Shea threw her arms around Grace. Shea was the smaller of the two and yet she engulfed Grace, squeezing like she was three times Grace’s size.

Grace returned her hug, holding on. Just holding on.

Tears ran freely down Grace’s cheeks. “I love you,” she choked out. “I can’t believe we’re together. That we’re here.”

Shea’s muffled sobs were lost in Grace’s shoulder. The two sisters stood in the sun, hugging, Þ?slaughing, crying and then hugging some more.

Around them, the Kellys gathered, all present for the double wedding. They smiled indulgently while the Kelly wives and wife-to-be sniffled and wiped at their eyes.

Rio got out and leaned against the hood of the SUV, smiling as he watched the sisters’ reunion. Elizabeth snuck into his side and he wrapped his arm around her.

“They must have missed each other an awful lot,” Elizabeth said.

“Yeah, they did,” Rio said softly. “They’ve been apart for a very long time.”

After several more minutes, they broke apart and wiped at each other’s faces with their hands. Finally they gave up, laughing.

“Come on, there are so many people I want you to meet,” Shea said as she pulled at Grace.

Grace turned to look back at Rio and Elizabeth.

“We’re fine,” he mouthed. “You go on. We’ll catch up.”

Shea dragged Grace toward where the others were gathered a short distance away. She beamed as she pushed Grace forward.

“Grace, I’d like you to meet my—our—family.”

Grace nearly teared up all over again at the inclusion of her as family to all these others.

“This is Rachel, Ethan’s wife.”

The pretty brunette with soft brown eyes hugged Grace fiercely. “Welcome to our family, Grace.”

“And this is Sam’s wife, Sophie, and their daughter, Charlotte.”

Sophie stepped forward, a toddler on her hip, and smiled broadly at Grace. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Grace. We’re so glad you’re here and safe. Shea’s been so worried for you.”

Grace smiled back, her throat aching with emotion.

“This is Sarah, Garrett’s fiancée, and my wedding mate. Nathan and I kept interfering with their wedding plans, so I know they’re just happy to get on with it at this point.”

Sarah laughed and punched Shea in the arm. “The wedding will be so much more special now that everyone is home where they belong. Including you, Grace.”

Sarah hugged her tightly and then stepped back.

Then Shea took her through every single one of the Kelly brothers, all of whom she’d met or seen, but Shea insisted on introducing them when they were out of camo and not shooting at people.

When she got to the end, there was an older couple, their smiles as warm as the sun.

“And these two people are the most wonderful people in the world,” Shea breathed. “I want you to meet Marlene and Frank Kelly. Or Mama and Papa Kelly, as they are often referred to. They spawned all those Kelly boys plus picked up more than a few strays along the way.” She pointed in the direction of two men to the side. “Those are Sean and Swanny, two of Marlene’s adoptees.”

“You poor dear,” Marlene said as she enfolded Grace in a hug. “You’ve been through so much and now this. This family is enough to overwhelm anyone. But welcome to our family. Your family. You’re one of us now. Just like Rio, though he’d probably twitch at the thought. He’s just as much my boy as any I gave birth to.”

“Thank you,” Grace whispered.

As soon as Marlene released her, Frank enfolded her into a huge hug. She’d never felt so loved as she did right now, surrounded by all these people. Family. It boggled her mind.

Standing on Frank’s other si19;s othde was a young woman that he pulled forward. “This is Rusty. She’s a Kelly too. The only Kelly sister to the horde of boys.”

Rusty’s face lit up and Grace could swear her eyes glistened with tears at the way Frank introduced her.

“She’s going to UT,” Marlene said, beaming with pride.

“Welcome to the chaos,” Rusty said as she hugged Grace. “It’s pretty crazy and overwhelming around here.” Then her gaze softened as she stared at her family surrounding her. “But it’s the very best kind of crazy.”

“Let’s all go inside,” Marlene suggested. “We have a wedding to get ready for. I’m sure Grace is tired from her trip and would like a shower and something to eat. We’re only down to a few hours, girls. Better get on the stick.”

Everyone dissolved into laughter and then there was a chorus of “yes ma’ams” all around.

“NATHAN, Rio, I need to see you both for a moment,” Sam murmured.

Rio and Nathan, who’d been standing together talking in Sam’s living room while the women were dressing for the ceremony, turned in Sam’s direction.

Rio frowned. “What’s up?”

He motioned them away and they stepped onto the wooden deck that overlooked the lake in the distance.

“Resnick wanted to come. I told him no.”

“What the hell? Shouldn’t he still be in the hospital anyway?” Nathan asked.

Sam shrugged. “Probably, but I think he was more afraid to stay where he was vulnerable. He’d rather risk getting out so he can protect himself from any assassination attempts.”

“You didn’t tell him about Grace.”

It didn’t come out as a question. Rio said it fiercely, more of a demand than anything.

“I told him what Hancock put in his report. That she died,” Sam said quietly. “Which is why I wouldn’t allow him here. If he does ever come into contact with Shea, she can’t let on that Grace is alive. It’s not that I don’t trust him—I don’t fully—but I don’t want any leaks where Grace is concerned and I know you don’t either, Rio.”

“Fuck no,” Rio growled.

“He was devastated when I told him Grace had died. He feels responsible. He’s tried to protect them since they were young. He’s long suspected that he’s their biological brother or at least half brother. Chances are Grace and Shea aren’t even full-blooded sisters and maybe not even half sisters.”

“It doesn’t matter to them,” Nathan said quietly.

“Yes, I know. But I wanted to tell you both. Rio, you’ll need to get Grace out soon after the ceremony. I don’t want to take a chance on Resnick not taking no for an answer.”

Rio nodded.

Sam nudged Rio on the shoulder. “And hey, man, for what it’s worth, I’m damn glad she saved your sorry ass.”

Rio smiled faintly because he still couldn’t think about what she’d done without a cold fist clutching his gut. The thought of losing her, even so many weeks later, sent him into an instant sweat.

Just as they reentered the house, Marlene swept into the living room, arms waving. “Okay, everyone, let’s get this show on the road. Places everyone. Outside. Shoo shoo.”

The men all laughed and then grumbled but good-naturedly fled outdoly fled ors.

It was a wedding fit for the lifestyle of KGI to a T. Although outdoors, the area where the ceremony was being held was between Sam’s and Garrett’s houses, but on the exposed sides, huge, bulletproof glass barriers had been erected, one facing the lake and the other facing the building referred to as the War Room.

Nobody let that get them down. The family had been through enough that no one took security lightly. Marlene had insisted on draping flowers from one end of the bulletproof barriers to the other. There was an awning with flowering vines from top to bottom, and rows of chairs lined the pathway from the house to the archway, where the preacher waited.

Rio ushered Grace into the back row and sat next to the open pathway, placing Grace on his other side. The wedding was small enough that neither bride was having attendants, but they’d immediately pounced on Elizabeth, welcoming the shy little girl into the fold and declaring that she had to be the flower girl for the occasion. Elizabeth had been so excited that she’d fairly danced down the aisle, sprinkling rose petals and honeysuckle as she went.

Nathan and Garrett waited at the end and smiled indulgently as Elizabeth took her place next to them. Then Shea and Sarah made their way toward their future husbands, their smiles big enough to light the darkest night.

Rio stared around him, soaking it all in. He squeezed Grace’s hand, his heart so full of love that he could barely get out what he wanted to say.

“Do you think we can do this one day?” he whispered.

She cocked her head to the side and eyed him with one raised eyebrow. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

“Maybe,” he hedged. He looked almost nervous. “If I were, what would you say?”

She smiled. “Well, hypothetically speaking, if you were to, I don’t know, propose to me, I’d probably have to think about it for a while, but since this is all hypothetical, it’s hard to know exactly what I’d do.”

He frowned at her. “You just like to torture me, don’t you? You know damn well I’m asking you to marry me.”

He glanced around. At all the love, the unconditional love and support of the Kelly family. “I want this,” he said in a quiet voice. “I want what they have. I want us to be family, Grace. You, me and Elizabeth. Nathan and Shea. I want our kids to grow up playing together. I want to know that if something ever happens to me, you’ll have them to lean on.

“I know what I’m asking is a lot. You’d give up a lot. I’ll always be overprotective of you and Elizabeth and any other children we have. We’ll live in isolation in my home in Belize, where it’s a veritable prison. You’ve had to become a different person, and you won’t be able to just pop over to your sister’s for a visit whenever you