Epilogue

Three Months Later

Raisa stood beside her new husband of less than an hour. The ceremony had been wonderful. They’d met in the church’s front, their friends from Blackguard standing as witnesses. Mac was Kris’s best man, and a recently returned Nova as Raisa’s matron of honor. Charlotte had sat in the front, filling in for both mothers. The only person missing was Stephan; he had six more years on his prison sentence for money laundering. Kris had looked so handsome in his tux, and he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her in her cream-colored wedding gown. She’d worried when she’d put it on this morning, the fit being tighter than she remembered, but she smiled at the reason.

Now at their reception, they shook hands with everyone as they entered and before long Nova and Charlotte came up and stole her away to change into a simple gown instead of the yards of fabric she’d married in. Once they were in the changing room, Raisa turned to Nova. “Okay, spill it. I thought you wouldn’t be here. What changed?”

“The bitch fired me. She didn’t like that I wouldn’t let any boy-toy she wanted into her suite, so she called her label and had me fired.”

“Seriously?”

Nova shrugged. “No skin off my nose. She was a pain to watch out for. Besides, Mac already said he has another detail for me. Some author whose having some trouble with a stalker. Supposedly a quiet type, just a few book signings and tv interviews, so that’s outstanding. I’ll find out more next week.”

The whole time they’d been chatting, Charlotte kept her eyes on Raisa. “So when did you plan to tell us you’re pregnant, young lady?”

Raisa gasped as her hand slid down to her belly. “How in the world did you know? I just got it confirmed this morning. I haven’t even told Kris yet.”

“Honey, I’ve been around a ton of pregnant women. I know that glow when I see it and I saw you struggle to zip up that wedding gown.”

Nova looked at her and grinned. “Kris is gonna totally flip. I bet he asks me to move in and guard you 24/7 as soon as he finds out.”

Raisa frowned. “If he does, you will tell him no way no how, Nova Caswell; do you hear me? You will not mollycoddle me, nor will anyone else. Besides, I’m not due for six months. I may just wait as long as I can to tell him.”

Charlotte laughed at that. “I’m willing to bet you don’t make it through the night without telling him.”

Nova nodded. “You can’t keep anything from him. Because you LOVE HIM.” They all laughed and Raisa blushed. She knew they were right, and she didn’t really want to keep it from him. She wanted to watch her big strong hero freak out just once.

They all hugged, and she headed out to the front table and sat beside him. He looked at her and she knew he could see something was up by the way he looked at her. “What’s up with you?”

“I just got married. What’s up with you?” She said teasingly.

He stared at her longer, then smiled. “That’s strange, I just got married too.”

“Well, aren’t we lucky?”

“Yes, I’d say we’re the two luckiest people on the planet right now.”

She smiled and said, “Luckier than you know, my love.”

He looked at her with questions in his eyes. She leaned close and whispered in his ear. He pulled back and looked down, then back into her face. She nodded as her smile widened. His face went pale and then he was on his feet bellowing, “Sparky! I need to hire you right now for the next six months!”

She started laughing and pulled him back down and kissed him. “That’s unnecessary. I’m perfectly safe; just growing a little Lawson right now.”

He looked stunned, and she grinned. This was her husband. Kris Lawson, the Thorn to her Rose. Her hero and to think she found him right next door.