Blackbird (Redemption 1)

“Tell me,” he began, his tone pleading, and his hand flattened against my stomach protectively, lovingly. “Tell me why you’re lightheaded and weak.”

Fresh tears sprang to my eyes, and I choked out a soft cry. “You already know, Devil.”

His eyes slid shut like he was in pain seconds before he fell roughly to his knees. He gripped my hips in his hands and pressed his forehead to my stomach, and stayed like that for long moments as I dragged my hand through his hair and cried silently.

And as I stood there with my devil kneeling before me, relief swirled through me when I realized we were both finally free.

“Almost lost you both,” he murmured as he lifted his head to press his lips to my stomach. “I can’t lose you.”

“I know, but you won’t,” I said softly, soothingly. “We promised each other forever.”

“Forever,” he vowed.

Epilogue

Incredible

Briar

I followed the screams and giggles and turned the corner to see my husband running through the living room with our daughter on his shoulders. She had soft, golden curls that fell to her shoulders, a smile and laugh that made you melt over and over again, and the darkest green eyes you’d ever seen.

She was perfect, and she was such a light in our home.

A light among broken darkness.

My devil caught sight of me standing there and slowed down to walk calmly toward me while our daughter yelled for me and her baby brother in my arms.

“Incredible,” he mumbled then leaned down to pass his lips over mine.

“What is?”

“The way you steal my breath.”

Our daughter slapped his head. “I wanna kiss Mommy! I wanna kiss Mommy!”

My devil’s face brightened, and he bent so I could receive a loud kiss from her. When he stood, he reached out with one hand so he could cradle our son’s face. “And how is he?”

“Mad that he’s awake. I’m about to put him down for a nap.”

He huffed through his nose, his smile only growing as he watched his son with rapt attention. “Such a devil.”

An amused sound slid up my throat. “Wonder where he got that from?”

He grinned mischievously at me as he leaned forward to kiss my neck. “I’ll put the monster down then meet you in bed.”

My eyes widened at his suggestive tone, and I bit back my smile as I stepped back. “Whatever for?”

His dark eyes flashed, and his next words sent a welcome shiver down my spine. “I was thinking for a little more.”

“More chocolate?” our daughter asked excitedly and slapped his head. “Daddy, run around! And more chocolate!”

I laughed softly then turned to go put our six-month-old dow

n for a nap.

In the three years since we’d left Houston, life had been as close to perfect as I thought it could get. There were hard times, as with any relationship, but my devil and our kids were my home—my everything.

At the beginning, we’d had to come up with a story for the media since Briar Rose Chapman had been splashed across the news so often, and we’d worried that people would recognize me once we started on our new life.