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“Ah, yes. They can’t let their queen walk from the parking lot,” Addy laughs.
I shake my head with a rueful grin. “Whatever. I am not their queen.”
“That is where you’re wrong, Angel.” I feel the strong arms of Dekker wrap around me. His lips find my neck, and I let out a soft moan.
“Oh my God!” Addy scolds with a chuckle. “Can you at least wait until you get home?”
“Can never get enough,” Dekker says against my neck.
“You would think you could give the girl a breather!” Addy smirks. “Look, she needs to get in line and ready to graduate, so release her, Giant.”
Dekker’s arms let me go, and I turn to see Xayden, Seven, and Dekker standing in front of me. The three of them look beyond sexy in their button-down shirts and dress pants.
“Wow.” I breathe out the word.
“See something you like, Princess?” Xayden walks up to me and places a kiss on my forehead.
I look between the three of them and give them all a sly smile. I’m honestly wondering if I truly need to be at the ceremony or if we could just celebrate on our own.
“Rory,” a voice calls out from behind me. I turn and see Agent Caden Bradley walking toward us. He is looking sharp in his light blue button down dress shirt and his tan dress slacks. Such a difference from three years ago when he was undercover. “Congrats on the big day.”
“Caden!” I run over and give him a hug. “What are you doing here?” I step back and smile.
After everything that happened, Caden and I have kept in touch. It took a lot of talks to work through everything thathappened. And I know he was doing all he could to protect me in the position he was in undercover.
“Well, I was invited to this amazing occasion.” He slips his hand in his pocket. “And also, to give you this.”
I take the envelope from him. “What is this?”
“We found this when we were going through Aaron Brooks’s house. It was addressed to you, from your mother, but we couldn’t release it until the case was officially closed. It was considered evidence.” Caden purses his lips.
“So, the case is done?” I ask him, my heart heavy.
“It’s done,” he confirms.
“I…” Words fail me as I peer down at the envelope. It’s all over. My heart is as heavy as it is light with knowing this.
“Why don’t you wait until later to open it? After the ceremony.” Seven comes up next to me, wrapping his arm around my side.
I nod. “That’s probably a really good idea.” I swallow over the knot in my throat. The ball of emotions I know will spill out when I actually open and read it. “Here, Seven, can you hold it for me? This gown doesn’t really have pockets.”
“Absolutely.” Seven takes the envelope from me and puts it in his back pocket.
“You did it, Princess!” Xayden wraps his arm around me.
“How does it feel, Ms. Graduate with a Bachelor’s in Architecture?” Seven places a kiss on my forehead.
“Um, I don’t know. Kinda didn’t think I would get here at one point, and then I felt like I was starting all over once I did. Just … surreal.” I look around at all the graduates taking pictures withtheir families and friends, and I can feel the lump of emotion start to well up in my throat.
Hands grab my shoulders, and I am turned to face an extremely handsome-looking Dekker. “You know she’s looking down on you. They both are.” He cups my cheek just as a tear falls from the corner of my eye.
I nod. “I know. I just know she worked so hard to see me get here. To see my dreams come together. And I-I just miss her.” I let out a painful sob as Dekker pulls me into his chest.
“Let it out, Angel,” he soothes.
I feel the presence of the other two come up behind me before their arms wrap around me and Dekker. We sit there for a few minutes before I hear Addy.
“Oh, hell no! We arenotcrying. Well, we can do happy tears, but we are not being all sad and shit today.” I hear Addy’s voice from behind me. I look up and see her and Caden watching the four of us.