Page 120 of Hacking His Code

Mother’s face relaxes. “Good for you.”

I plant a kiss on her forehead. “I’m so happy you’re awake.”

“Ari, I don’t know if you’re aware, but this is a lot to take in. Medically induced coma? Boyfriend? Baby? Dropping out of school?”

“Everything is going to be fine, mom—better than fine. I promise.”

Mother sighs. “I sure hope.”

“Oh, and we’re moving you close to Hunter’s estate.”

Mother’s eyes flutter. “Okay, I’m pretty sure I’m still under, and this is all a dream. I just thought I heard the word estate coming out of your mouth.”

“I think I’ve overwhelmed you. I’m going to call in the doctor, and he can at least help you make sense of your hospital stay.”

“Please do,” mom replies.

We leave the room, and Doctor Ryan goes back in to talk with her.

“See, she’s going to be fine, and you running off on me like you did was a big overreaction,” Hunter chides. “We’ll call it a pregnancy hormone surge.”

I lob my fist into his shoulder, and he feigns pain.

“It’s going to be so weird going back to the estate,” Hunter says. “I don’t even know how to address Lucy.”

“She’s still the same person,” I reason. “She did what she had to do, and she loved you while doing it.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“How do you feel about her?”

“I’m actually mad at myself for loving her so much.”

“That’s nothing to be mad about. That woman would die for you, and your father would die for her.”

“Ari, I just want you to know that I love you with all of my heart and every ounce of my soul.”

“Then I should probably tell you that I love you too.”

I stand on my tippy toes, tilting my chin up as he bends to plant a kiss on my lips.

And I know for sure, from the bottom of my heart, that I can trust him.

And that he trusts me.

ARINESSA

EPILOGUE - SIX MONTHS LATER

“And then Iwas dragged into an elevator, bag over my head, thinking I was about to be sex trafficked.”

“I know it’s horrible, but it sounds terribly romantic,” Sadie says with dreamy eyes.

Cassius sneers, looking around the room in disgust. “Are we really romanticizing this woman’s Stockholm syndrome?”

An animated Neon can’t help herself and butts in with, “I got to see her while she was being held captive!”

Hunter rolls his eyes. “She wasguidedto my office—guided!”