Page 40 of The Burdens We Share (Satan’s Angels #3)

My eyes widen. He wants to be with me after all of this. “I don’t want them to change at all. I love what we have.”

Relief coasts across his face and he relaxes, “Good because I don’t think I’d be able to handle it if you wanted to walk away from me. I don’t think I’d ever let you.”

I chuckle as I place my palms on his chest, leaning into his body, “I’m counting on it.”

He leans down and kisses me and I ask, “So we’re really doing this?”

He nods, “Yes, Little Devil. You and me.”

––––––––

DALLAS AND HARVEY WORK side by side on their computers, talking about codes and things. Brody came with Harvey and her and I have been catching up in the living room while the guys work. She brought her iPad with her and she’s been adding things to her Pinterest board for her wedding.

She flips the screen and shows me a wedding invitation with red accents, “Do we like this?”

I nod my approval, “We love that.”

She grins, adding it to her board. Her smile frowns as she focuses on her screen, “This wedding stuff is a lot of work. I didn’t realize how much goes into it.”

I laugh, “That’s why we hire people to do it for us.”

She gives me a disapproving look, “I want to do a lot of it myself. I want it to feel special and have that special touch. I also want to feel like a normal person and not a rockstar for once.”

I lean back on the couch, “I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t wanna be a rockstar. Our lives are pretty fun.”

She taps her chin, “Sure they are. You know, when we aren’t being attacked in hotel rooms, stalked, having our homes broken into, getting framed and set up for sex tapes, getting drugged, all the fun stuff.”

I chuckle, “When you put it that way our lives sound like dog shit.”

She tilts her head at me, “Sometimes they are.”

She has a point there. Brody taps the screen a few more times before she sighs, turning the iPad off and setting it down on the coffee table. She tosses herself back on the couch and exhales, “That’s enough of that for today.”

“When I get married, I’m hiring the best wedding planner in the business so that I don’t have to stress. Stress gives you wrinkles, Brody. I can’t have wrinkles. I’m too hot for that,” I place a dramatic hand against my chest right over my heart.

She rolls her eyes at me, “You are pretty hot.”

We both laugh and she asks, “Speaking of you getting married, how are things with Dallas? You guys seem like you’ve gotten closer.”

I scoff, “Moving a little too fast for marriage, B. But we’re good. Really good,” I smile affectionately. “I think I’ve fallen for him,” I admit, keeping my voice down just in case the guys can hear us from the other room.

Brody presses, “You’ve slept together?”

I nod, blushing. She claps, “I’ve been waiting for this. How was it?”

“Fucking amazing,” I think back to that perfect moment and feel pure bliss.

“I’m so happy for you. You guys both deserve happiness. I’m glad you’ve found it,” she’s so genuine when she says it and I love her for it.

“Thank you.” I let my mind wander for a moment before I add, “Isn’t it crazy to think of how far we’ve come? All of us?”

She looks so serious as she nods, her eyes wide. “If I’m being honest, I don’t even recognize us anymore.”

“I know. It’s such a strange thought. But at the same time, I’m happier now than I was back then.”

“Couldn’t agree more. We were pretty fucking wild and we had a shit ton of fun, but I think we all needed to grow up in our own ways. We each had our own flaws and obstacles to overcome,” she thinks out loud.

I give her a soft smile, “I’m really proud of us.”

“Me too,” she agrees.

I reach for her iPad on the table and unlock it, opening Pinterest and looking at her board.

I imagine what I would want my own wedding to be.

We each have our own styles and our own personalities.

Brody is marquis diamonds and minimalist dresses whereas Aria is Halloween weddings and cushion diamonds.

I think for myself I’d like a nice emerald cut with pink flowers everywhere.

Definitely no roses though. I shiver at the thought.

“Holy shit!” We hear from the other room where the guys are. Brody and I exchange worried looks before we leap off the couch and run to the guys.

They’re speaking fast and loud and we can’t make out what they’re saying. “What’s going on?” I ask.

Dallas looks at me over his shoulder, a proud smile on his face as he pushes out of his chair and cups my face in his palms. He leans down and kisses me chastely, “We found him.”

I suck in a surprised breath, “You did?”

Harvey grins, “We did. Look,” he points to his computer screen with a picture of an unfamiliar man on it.

He has messy blond hair that could possibly pass as strawberry blond.

His eyes are a rich brown and he looks completely innocent, as if he could never be capable of the horrors he put me through.

Dallas wraps his arms around my waist as he commands Harvey, “Call our contact at LA police and have them arrest that motherfucker. I want him behind bars now.”

Harvey nods, raising his phone to his ear as he steps out of the room.

I just stare at the screen in complete awe.

All of the horrors in my memories of what this man put me through suddenly feel so different now that there’s a face associated with that faceless shadow.

Is it all really over? I’ve gotten so used to this being my life that the thought of him being caught and of me being safe almost feels unattainable.

“You okay, Little Devil?” Dallas asks quietly in my ear.

“I can’t believe that’s his face. He looks like a normal guy,” I say, disbelief in my voice.

He kisses the side of my head, “Nothing about him is normal.”

I nod. “It doesn’t feel real.”

He spins me around to face him and asserts, “Baby, he will never hurt you again. He will never scare you again. You’re safe and more importantly, free to live your life without having to look over your shoulder.”

The idea sends relief and happiness rushing through my veins. A huge smile overtakes my face and I jump up, wrapping my arms around his neck. He helps me by lifting me up off the ground and I smile against his lips as I kiss him.

Brody makes a retching sound, “Totally gross.”

I look down at her and give her a rude look, “Are you forgetting you fucked on our studio couch that we all sit on and use? Slater even slept on it once and he had no clue.”

Brody has no shame as she waves me off, “That is a Sly problem. Not mine. And besides, I didn’t do it in front of you.”

“I’m not liking the image this is putting in my head,” Dallas frowns.

Brody winks at him, “You don’t like the thought of your bestie naked? He’s pretty damn fine.”

Dallas’ face contorts into a disgusted expression and I laugh.

I laugh and for the first time in a long time, it feels real.

It feels like I genuinely have something to be happy about and there isn’t a black cloud looming above me threatening to ruin every good moment.

For the first time in a long time, I feel free and like everything is finally going to be okay.