Page 27

Three Months Later

“I can’t say I ever thought this would be a match at all, let alone a match made in heaven.” Amelia shot me a knowing glance over her shoulder. She knew I could overhear her conversation with Hazel, who stood before her with the most solemn expression I had ever seen on her face.

“I am disappointed,” Amelia was saying. “Not because you fell in love. I am disappointed that you didn’t open up to me. We would have found a more professional approach to it and….”

The rest of Amelia’s words got lost when Damien tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned around to see his lips curve into a smirk. He adjusted his jacket and looked briefly above my shoulder, where Amelia stood with Hazel.

“I see her now, and I understand why you were willing to sacrifice an arm. If I were you, I might have sacrificed both.”

“Idiot.” We shared a smile.

“Seriously, though. It’s good to have you back, nursed to full recovery and strong enough to deal with my bullshit.”

“Where’s Damir?”

“Somewhere, doing God knows what? I don’t know. Miron, what do you say: me, you, and a vacation? You look like you need one—the beach, the sun.”

Shaking my head, I lifted my glass to my lips. “Firstly, I’m not going anywhere without Hazel. Secondly, this is my vacation. Right here, celebrating my life, drinking, and not having to bury anyone today. And too much sun makes me itch.”

“Of course it does.” He flicked a coin high and caught it without looking. “Maybe I should book one, then. Go somewhere nice. Take a break from”—he waved his hand vaguely—“business.”

I eyed him. Damien never spoke without purpose. He planted seeds, let them grow in the dark. “What are you working on?”

His smirk widened, but he didn’t answer right away. Instead, he leaned forward, whispering into my ears. “Nothing you need to worry about yet. But when I tell you, you’ll want in.”

Sometimes, my brother played long games. Dangerous ones. I had a feeling that whatever this was, it wasn’t going to be some petty hustle.

“Just don’t make me clean up after you.”

Damien grinned and started walking away. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Liar.

“Hey.”

I whisked around to find my woman perched on my arm, beaming up at me with the most beautiful eyes and smile. Every moment I spent with her reminded me that she was just perfect—too good for me.

I lowered my face to kiss her on the cheek. “Is she done terrorizing you yet?”

Hazel’s eyes went wide. “Miron, don’t say things like that. She’s still my boss.”

“I heard that.” Amelia walked up to us, eyeing me without malice. “Take care of this one, Hazel. He’s a serious piece of work.”

“Oh, I know. My Level One, Code Red Client,” she smiled up at me, then quickly sobered up. “And thank you again, Amelia, for believing in me and not firing me.”

“You’re one of my best at Prima Care, Hazel; I wouldn’t dream of it.” With that said, my cousin walked away, leaving me alone with a beaming Hazel.

“So, what did she tell you?”

She shrugged, adjusting the sleeve of her gown on one hand. “Nothing I don’t already know. I told you I went against every code of conduct there was. What I did was terribly wrong.” Her lips were saying one thing, but her eyes were saying something else. “So wrong, but so terribly right.”

She pushed herself onto her tiptoes, and I kissed the corner of her mouth. She shuddered, her eyes hooded and lust-filled.

“The feeling’s mutual.”

“Can you do that again, please? The tiny kiss?”

Grinning, I swooped in, but instead of landing at the corner of her mouth, she twisted her head so our lips met on time.

Eyes fluttering shut, I groaned into her mouth, completely shutting out anyone who thought to pry. Her fingers slid into my hair, and I kept her planted, firmly gripping her waist and pulling her closer. She kissed me slowly and tenderly, cupping my cheeks with so much love that my heart could burst.

I could stay like this for a long, long time in this woman’s arms, and I could take her right here, if there weren’t so many people.

“You’re horny, aren’t you?” I smiled against her mouth, slowly pulling away.

“With you, I always am. After tonight’s party, I have a surprise waiting for you at home. In the bedroom.”

“You do realize you’re not so subtle.”

“I’ve never really been a good flirt.” She shrugged again, eyes glinting mischievously. “And back to the topic of my job, Amelia wasn’t happy that I wasn’t bold enough to talk to her about us. But she did pardon me. My case won’t get to the board.”

I frowned slightly. “You honestly think I’d have let her do that?”

“It’s not about what you would have dictated, Miron. There are consequences for every action, and I would have had to face mine.”

“Sure, while I fold my arms and watch you get your license revoked. You do know getting a job is the least of your worries when you have me.” I kissed her nose, feeling a warmth spread through my chest when she blushed. “If Amelia fired you, in thirty minutes, you’d have received a call for an interview somewhere else.”

“Yes, I know. But you have to understand this first: I don’t think I want you meddling in my job. I’ll tell you again, the same way I did the first time we met: I know I don’t look like it, but I have the qualifications, and I’m an expert. Or at least I’m trying to be. Secondly, I really like my job at Prima Care, and I love working with Amelia. She is the best person to learn from, in my opinion.”

“Fine, whatever you say. But if she ever gives you trouble, I don’t care what happens next; I’m pulling the plug.”

A burst of laughter rang out from the other side of the terrace, drawing our attention. Elena, Hazel’s closest friend, had somehow wrangled Damien and Damir into an animated conversation. I saw a glint of challenge in her eyes and believed she was giving them hell.

Before the party officially started, we’d been introduced. The woman had fire in her gut and no hesitation to speak her mind. I believed I liked her enough to consider her as not a threat.

“Your friend is a special one.”

Hazel laughed, snuggling closer. “Oh, a very special one. Her uniqueness is one of the reasons I love her.”

“And your beautiful heart is one of the reasons I love you.” I crossed the terrace, stopping us at the center. “Dance with me.”

“There’s no music,” she teased.

I pulled her close, wrapping her safely in my arms. “There doesn’t have to be.”

“Hm.” And as she rested her head against my chest, I knew this moment, this peace, was ours. “I love you, Miron.”

She chose not to call me any other name. She said my name gave her good shudders, made the hairs on her skin rise, and also made her remember our journey.

She said calling my name was powerful enough to convey the love she had for me, and I was fine with it.

I kissed her forehead. “I love you, too, my dear Hazel.”

***

From the second I’d had the chance to make things right with her, once I opened my eyes in that hospital, I knew what I was going to do, too.

Nothing felt more right than every moment with her, and I was absolutely confident that she felt the same.

Leaving everyone else behind, I led Hazel up the last set of stairs on the terrace. Her fingers curled gently around mine as we stepped onto the rooftop. The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of the city below and the buzz of anticipation.

I had insisted on bringing her here, knowing it was the best place to watch the fireworks.

“Careful,” I murmured, glancing back at her as we stepped onto the gravel-lined surface. Warmth filled my voice, but I knew she had caught the wince that flickered across my face. Hazel’s grip on my hand tightened, her concern evident.

“Miron, I know you’re fully recovered, but it takes time to heal some wounds, and I mean that literally. You should still take resting seriously,” she said, her gaze searching mine.

I smiled softly. “And miss this?” I guided her to the edge where the skyline stretched wide, city lights flickering in the distance like fallen stars. “I had this planned, Hazel. Nothing was going to keep me from tonight.”

Before she could argue, a loud crack split the air, followed by a burst of gold and silver that painted the sky.

I felt her breath hitch beside me.

The fireworks bloomed above us in mesmerizing shapes, their reflections dancing in her wide, captivated eyes.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, utterly enthralled.

“I agree,” I said, but I wasn’t watching the fireworks.

I was watching her.

Her face glowed in the shifting colors, her expression open, breathtaking in a way that made my chest tighten. My fingers curled around the small velvet box in my pocket, and it suddenly seemed heavier now that the moment had arrived.

As another explosion of color filled the sky, I pulled the box out, flipping it open just enough for the ring inside to shimmer in the glow of the fireworks.

“Remember when you said I would get over the euphoria of that night when I saw my wife walk down the aisle?”

Beaming, Hazel turned, her gaze dropping to my hand, and her breath caught.

“Well, I’m not sure about that, because I’m still crazy about you, and the euphoria of that night lives rent-free in my head.”

“Miron—”

“Marry me, Hazel,” I said, slowly, as if the words themselves were fragile and precious. “I know you like mushy moments, so if you want a speech, I’m willing to give you one to convince you: I can’t say I know when the attraction started between us. What I did know was that I wanted to pull the judge by her gown and tell her to her face that I would rather do time than therapy.”

I paused. “Maybe somehow we have Damir to thank for this because he had a hand in our meeting somehow. The first time I saw you, I wasn’t focused enough to decide whether I liked you or not; I was in my head more often. But once I started to really pay attention, all the pieces fell into place. My heart chose you, even before I caught on to what was happening.

“Yes. There is your speech, my dear Hazel. Trust me, that’s only the tip of the iceberg; you can’t refuse after making me work my ass off to memorize those lines.”

She exhaled my name again, and I saw the resolve settle in her eyes. “I don’t need convincing, Miron I—” Then, barely above a whisper, she said, “Yes.”

“You’re going to have to be louder than that, baby.”

“Yes!” She reached out to hug me, and I wound an arm around her waist to steady her.

Then she pulled back, her eyes glistening with tears. “Miron, this is…this is huge. This is a lot more than I ever planned for in my life,” she laughed. “But I want you to know that I’ve never been more sure of anything else. I walked into Amelia’s office, demanding a challenge, and then you came along. You were my biggest challenge yet. But I didn’t conquer you, Miron; I conquered with you. I’m so grateful for the progress you’ve made, and I know together we will achieve so much more.”

And I had her to thank for that.

Hazel had tweaked something for me.

The truth remained that I still carried the same darkness, the same ruthless edge that made me me in the first place, but with her, it was different.

She managed to soften the sharpest parts and quiet the rage that had once fueled me.

With her, I realized I had spent years letting anger consume me and pent-up rage at my father dictate the rest of my actions. But then she happened: small, fierce, untouchable in ways that had nothing to do with strength and everything to do with the way she looked at me.

I mean, I took a bullet for her. Not because I wanted to be a hero, not because I sought redemption, but because there had been no other option. If she died, there would be nothing left of me worth saving.

Saving her was saving the most valuable piece of myself.

She didn’t belong in this world, but I kept her because I was selfish, and I knew she was the light in my darkness, the calm to my storms, and my soothing balm.

I could still be brutal when needed, still send men to their graves without hesitation, especially if they tried shit with me. But Hazel helped me learn to think first and act later. She had fixed me in ways I hadn’t realized I was broken.

Once upon a time, I thought control meant dominance and that power came from fear. But she had shown me another kind of power, the kind that came from restraint, from choosing not to hurt, from protecting rather than destroying.

Some people cling to control to avoid feeling powerless.

But not where she was concerned.

With her, I didn’t have to fight to be understood. I didn’t have to raise my voice to be heard. She had given me peace in a world that had never allowed it. And I would spend the rest of my life keeping her safe in return.

A breath I’d been holding escaped me.

A wave of relief, that joy I’d felt the moment I had the Pakhan’s blessing, and a liberation so overwhelming and impossible to describe filled my chest as I slid the ring onto her finger.

And then she was in my arms, her lips on mine, the fireworks above us a mere echo of the explosion inside me.

The world narrowed down to just the two of us.

I held her close, my grip tight, my heart locked on hers, and I knew that I would kill, die, and rule for this moment, for this love, for her.

Forever.

***

THE END