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Worse than losing people from his PJ cell. Worse than losing a brother or sister in arms they’d been sent in to rescue. Worse than when he’d lost both his parents.

He wasn’t about to let that happen. Not to his Tildi. Not ever.

With a roar of defiance at whatever force in this universe was fucking with them, he used the pole he’d held to reach his bluebell. Using the table pole like an Olympic swimmer used the pool wall, he pushed himself through the rushing water carrying away his babygirl.

She was rolling under the water like a barrel. She should be fighting against the water, but she was limp. His heart almost stopped at the realization she was unconscious.

She hit the side of the deck but the rushing water was lifting her from the floor. With three hard strokes of his legs, he grabbed her wrist right before she flipped over the rail and into the sea.

With her limp body draped across his arms, he pushed up far enough to get their faces out of the water until the force of the flow lessened. Standing, he struggled against the remaining water and carried her back to the helm. He laid her on the table and screamed, “Dutch! Little help!”

His friend was immediately at his side. Boone gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while Dutch performed chest compressions. In the few seconds—seconds lasting an eternity—Tildi lay unresponsive, Boone died a thousand times. He would never pretend to himself or anyone else that he could live a day, an hour, or even a second without her again.

She was his life, and he’d make sure he did whatever it took every day to make sure she knew it.

CHAPTER 14

Boone once thought of Wild River Ranch as heaven on earth, but he’d been wrong. He knew now that lying beside his Little bluebell and watching her sleep was the closest to heaven he’d probably ever get. The closest he ever needed to be.

He’d do anything to keep her safe and by his side. Almost losing her in the storm crystallized his feelings for her in a way he could no longer deny. He longed to be home, but nowhere would ever be home again without Tildi by his side. She was someone he could no longer live without. Was it fair to her, though, to take her with him when the danger they’d escaped weeks before would follow him?

They’d be docking in Seattle tomorrow. Once he’d brought Sev up to speed about everything that had happened, they’d be on their way back to Wyoming. If he were a better man, he’d let her go for now.

Revenge no longer drove him. He’d let those feelings go with Tildi’s help. And how had he repaid her? By putting a target on her back the minute he’d rescued her. She would never be safe as long as Midnight was alive.

She snuggled closer to him and breathed out a sexy sigh. He loved waking up early in the mornings and watching her sleep. She was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever known. She was perfect, and he was going to do everything he could to convince her to make Wild River Ranch her home.

Shifting in his arms, a flash of pain crossed her face, and she whimpered. The storm had left bruises all over her body. She no longer had to fear boats. He was never letting her set foot on one again. He would be seeing the water snatching her from his arms forever. Right now, he couldn’t stand the thought of her so much as stepping in a puddle.

Fate, or God, or the universe… whatever name you wanted to give it… gave this precious woman to him. She was his, and he was hers. Her days of believing she had to earn love were over.

She was a gift he would treasure until his time on this earth was gone. He would make it his mission to make sure she knew he believed in her. And that he loved her exactly as she was.

It wouldn’t matter if she were Little, Big, or anything in between. He accepted every part of her. She’d find her safe place in him. Always. He was ready to spend a lifetime showing her how special she really was.

A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

“Yep,” he called out.

Grif cracked open the door and looked in. “She doin’ okay?” he asked.

That was the million-dollar question now, wasn’t it?

“She’s doing okay,” he answered. “She’ll be better once we finish Midnight.”

Grif lost his grin, and when he spoke, Boone knew why. “Midnight’s going to be a problem.”

Boone rubbed his chest, soothing the ache Grif’s words caused. He refused to accept them. “Midnight is a dead man walking.”

Grif didn’t look convinced. “It’s one thing to take out the head of the Midnight family halfway across the world on an island where we can control the situation. It’s completely different to go to war with the Cosa Nostra in the States. Not to mention the position it puts Sevin in.”

The man was not wrong. Boone would have words with Sev. Nico hadn’t remained Boss of the Midnight family by being stupid. Even though he didn’t know the extent Sev was involved, he had to suspect his son was the one who’d provided intel and access to the island.

But more importantly, Sev had to know that if Nico Midnight came after Boone’s Little girl or his family, he would put him down like the feral wolf the man was.

“Sev will deal,” Boone said. “Call the ranch and tell them we’ll be heading straight there once we turn Sev’s ship back over to him. We should be there by the end of the week.”

Grif’s grin returned. “I’ll let them know.”