Page 41 of Declan (Gold Team #5)

Having exchanged the company SUV with my truck, I pulled into Autumn’s driveway and shut the truck down. Then I sat there a moment thinking about what I was going to say. My eyes went to the front door and my concern grew.

I’d forced Autumn to meet with Emerson.

It was a dick thing to do but it was necessary.

Autumn needed her sister and I was going to make sure she had everything she needed for the rest of her life.

I’d spent a lot of years angry at the universe for the shit hand I’d been dealt.

I’d spent years in the Marines learning what it meant to be a brother.

All artifice had been stripped away, all pretense gone.

We were simply Marines. Rich, poor, race, religion didn’t matter.

You had one option—depend on the man next to you or perish.

And suddenly it didn’t matter that I was an orphan because I was a Marine. I had brothers.

The memories never faded but the chip on my shoulder had healed.

And there had been a short time I’d been happy, deliriously so. I’d held the world in my hands. Then I didn’t, and I was left with nothing but overwhelming pain and I’d let it overtake my life.

I had many regrets in my life, loving my wife and daughter were not among them. Nor was finally laying them to rest. I’d carried them with me for the sole purpose to torture myself. It was time they were at peace, time for me to tuck them into my heart instead of using them as a weapon.

So there I was, sitting in Autumn’s driveway not knowing what I was going to walk into, but knowing I was in love with her.

Not the idea of having a woman to spend my time with, to share my life, my home, and bed with.

I’d fallen for her —completely and totally—and there wasn’t a single trace of guilt.

On that thought, I got out of my truck and made my way to the door. With one last deep breath, I opened the door, got one foot inside, and my heart stuttered.

Yes, stuttered. I was a grown man—my heart didn’t stutter. It certainly didn’t beat wildly in my chest at the sight of my woman sitting on the couch, leaned into her sister while her feet were tucked under her ass.

Both women looked up at me.

Both smiled.

Fucking, fucking , hell .

“Hey,” Emmy greeted.

As rude as it was, I didn’t spare her a glance, I was too enthralled by Autumn’s smile. I’d never seen it so bright, so carefree.

And suddenly I was questioning my plans.

“Everything all right?” Autumn asked and her smile faded.

Hell, no .

“Run away with me,” I blurted out.

“What?” She untucked her legs and sat upright.

“Leave with me,” I semi-repeated and closed the door.

“I don’t understand.”

“When you came back, you asked me if I’d run away with you. So let’s leave all this behind and just go. Me and you someplace quiet. I don’t care where. But no more assignments, no more missions, no more missing women, no more fighting, no more bloodshed, no more pain. Just us.”

Autumn stood and Emerson followed.

“Are you serious?”

“I gave Violet what I needed to give her, then I went to see Zane and quit. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.

I can’t fucking do it anymore. But more, baby, I cannot watch you do it.

I cannot watch you give more than you have.

A wise man knows when to step aside and let a more capable body take his place.

I am no longer capable and I’m strong enough to admit it. ”

Autumn said not a word.

“Stand by me, baby, and I swear, I promise, I’ll stand by you. No more of this shit. You deserve beauty. Come with me and let me give you what you need.”

My heart was hammering in my chest, pounding harder than I thought possible, waiting for Autumn to answer. Our eyes were locked, hers beautiful, green, glossy, her face flushed.

Then without warning, Autumn ran toward me, and I had a split second to brace before her body collided with mine.

“What do I need to do?”

“You gonna let me take you away from all of this?”

“Yes.”

“Then grab a bag and let’s hit the road.”

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

Autumn’s arms fell away and she craned her next to look at her sister. My gaze followed, and I wasn’t surprised to find Emerson smiling.

“Go.”

“I’m not running from you,” Autumn told her. “I’m not running from Mom and Dad.”

“I know you’re not. You’re finally running toward what you should’ve had all along. Now hurry and go pack. I’ll talk to Mom and Dad.”

Long moments ticked by and finally, Autumn nodded and looked back at me.

“I’ll only be a few minutes, I don’t have much.”

I knew from experience she wasn’t lying, I’d only have a few moments alone with Emerson before she returned. So when Autumn rushed from the room, I didn’t delay.

“I’ll bring her back when the baby’s born.”

“I know.”

“We’ll keep in touch.”

“I know.”

“Tell Thad…”

Fuck, what did I want her to tell Thad ?

“I don’t need to tell him anything—he knows,” Emerson said. “So the only thing left to say is, thank you.”

“You got nothing to thank me for.”

“I do. You saved my sister. You brought her home. Even if you’re running off with her, you brought her back to us and I can never repay for that.

She told me what you said, that it had to be her, and I hope you know it had to be you.

No one else was going to heal her. She was saving that for you.

I hope wherever the two of you go, you’ll be happy and you find peace. ”

“I already found it.”

Emerson flashed me one of her smiles, the one that I knew caused Thad to lose his mind, and I understood why. Emmy was full of sunshine and happy. Her sister was full of moonlight and beauty.

“Good.”

“I’m ready.” Autumn came bounding back into the room, pulling a large suitcase. A backpack was slung over her shoulder .

She stopped in front of me and I took the pack and grabbed the handle of the suitcase.

“I’ll give you two a minute.”

Emerson’s hand slowly came up and she cupped my cheek.

“Take care of my sister, Declan Crenshaw.”

“You have my word.”

I left the house, tossed her bags in the back of the cab next to mine, leaned against the truck, and waited.

Then I waited more. Then I waited longer and I learned something new about Autumn.

She could shower and get ready in less than ten minutes.

She could pack up her life into a suitcase and a backpack and do that in less than five, but it took her for-freaking-ever to say goodbye to her sister.

I didn’t try to stop the smile that tipped my lips.

Just when I thought I was going to have to go into the house and surgically remove the two of them, Autumn came out, shut the door, and made her way to the truck.

“How’s Emmy?”

“Thad’s coming to get her with Dad.”

“Good call.”

“You ready?”

Autumn didn’t answer, she smiled. It was the same big, bright smile she’d been giving her sister when I’d walked in.

Yeah, she was ready.

I helped her into the truck, rounded the hood, got in, and started her up. I was at the end of her block, stopped at a stop sign, when I turned and asked, “Where to?”

“How about west?”

“West it is.”

I made a left toward route 50 and we’d catch 66 on the other side of D.C. and start our journey west.

“Love you, Autumn.”

I heard her swift inhale, I saw her body shift in the seat, and lastly, I felt her hand glide over the back of my neck and her fingers curl tight.

“Love you, too, Dec.”

Fucking, fucking , hell .

That felt incredible.

So good, I let that burn consume me.

And we headed west.