Page 161 of Cavern of Silence

He closes his eyes and his jaw twitches.

I trace his jawline.

"I didn't protect you," he whispers. "If I had, this never would have happened."

"You did protect me. No one could have prevented what happened at the airport."

"I should have paid attention."

"No," I sternly say. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."

His eyes fly open. "It's not your fault."

"And this is why we need help."

Silence.

I cautiously ask, "Did Maureen have blonde hair?"

He tilts his head up. "Yes, why?"

"She came to me in dreams. She talked to me, and it was like she was there."

He opens his mouth then shuts it.

"Say whatever you were going to say."

"She was in the cell with me. And during the fights. Not all of them but the last few."

I smile and blink hard. "I'm glad you weren't by yourself. Plus, I like her. And she told me you would need help after. It's after. So if your dead wife is telling me you need help, and assuming you still want to marry me, then that makes me your future wife—"

"You still want to marry me?"

I cup his cheeks. "Why wouldn't I want to marry you?"

"Look at me. My body is broken. I can hardly open my hand and I'm probably going to be a crippled old man well before my time."

I kiss him, slowly at first, then deeper, with all the hunger I always feel for him. "I love you, this man that you are. Your body will heal, but if it doesn't, I'll still love you and want to be yours. That won't ever change. Do you still want me to be your wife?"

"More now than the day I asked you."

I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Good. Put a swimsuit on."

"Why?"

"We're going to take our first step out of the cavern of silence."

"What are you talking about?"

"You'll see. But it involves spending the day on the pink beach, like you promised me."

Sloane bought new suits for both Ryker and me, knowing he was coming home. I go downstairs and grab them and return to the bedroom. We change, and Ryker goes to put his shirt back on.

I grab his hand. "No shirt."

"My back—"

"No. These are our friends. They all know what happened. We aren't hiding anymore. You're going to sit in the sun and rub lotion on me, and I'm going to rub it on you, like normal people."