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When we finally pulled apart, breathless and smiling like idiots, Owen cleared his throat loudly.

“You two wanna take that somewhere else?” he teased.

“Some of us are still single and bitter.”

The others laughed, and even I couldn’t help but grin.

But Cyclone just slipped his hand into mine, lacing our fingers together.

“Let him be bitter,” he said, his voice low and sure in my ear.

“I’ve got everything I need.”

And for the first time in a long, long time...

So did I.

33

Cyclone

By the time we returned to the house, the sun was slipping low over the ocean, painting the sky in streaks of pink and gold.

I should’ve been exhausted — I hadn’t slept much on the road, pushing harder and faster just to get back to her — but the second Jude smiled at me, I felt like I could go another hundred miles.

I watched her kick off her shoes by the door and walk barefoot across the hardwood floor, her hair a wild mess from the ocean breeze.

Beautiful.

Strong.

Mine.

She headed into the kitchen, pulling two beers from the fridge without asking.

Already knowing what I’d want.

Like she’d been here forever.

Like she belonged.

She handed me one and snuggled up next to me on the couch.

“Tell me about the job,” she said, tilting her head, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

I leaned down and kissed her before answering.

“It was clean.

The family needed protection from a psycho ex-business partner. We arrested him as soon as we got all the evidence we needed.

She smiled, proud and fierce.

“You saved them.”

I shrugged, feeling the old, familiar weight settle on my shoulders.

“We did our job.