Deep Under (Tall, Dark and Deadly #4)(79)

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Myla





We arrive in Italy to discover that seventy women were saved through our efforts from various parts of the United States and Mexico. It’s balm to my soul, but not the entire cure. It seems there is a process I must endure, and my detox begins. It’s as if Michael was a poison my body and mind are rejecting. There are nightmares and bad memories, but Kyle is there for me at every turn, as is my sister, and even Blake, who becomes like a big brother. And then there is Ella, who Blake and Kara were hired to find, but she’s another story. I have moments when I worry that I have no job or money, but between Kyle, my sister, and Blake, I end up with a sketchpad in my hand and they force me to design again. Royce takes the lead with the FBI to get all my designs back, but it’s like all such things. Time will tell. It’s healing and so is just getting to explore the Italian fashion world.

Three months pass and Kyle asks me to live with him in New York. How could I say no? I have two best friends now. Him and my sister.

We arrive on a hot June afternoon, our taxi pulling up to the high rise tower near Central Park. A doorman takes our luggage, and is even delivering it to the tenth floor, where I’m pretty excited to realize I now live with him. His arm drapes my shoulders and he guides me toward the sliding glass doors. “I can’t wait to see the apartment you chose for yourself,” I say.

Kyle’s hip is pressed to mine, his faded jeans hugging his powerful thighs the same way his “Italy” t-shirt hugs his defined upper body.

“Just remember we can redecorate,” he says as we enter the lobby, the cool air washing over me, seeing the fancy art deco paintings on the wall, and thinking suddenly that my sparkly black flat sandals aren’t enough to dress up my own jeans and t-shirt.

“I need to make a stop here on the lower level,” he says, angling us down a hallway, and into what appears to be a retail area. “We have shopping right here in the building?” I ask, eager to dive into the New York fashion world and find out where I can take my designs.

Kyle stops at a closed door in between two stores, and I figure it must be some sort of storage area. He opens it and motions for me to go inside. “Is there a light?” I ask, stepping into the darkness.

“Surprise!”

The light flips on and every one of the Walker clan, an extended clan I’ve met at some point in person, or by Skype, are in a vacant retail store. There’s at least twenty people. Not only are they here, but so are all the mannequins from the Alvarez store sitting around the room, with my designs on them. I turn to Kyle. “What is happening?”

“I bought the store for you,” he says. “And Barbara wants to come and work for you if you want her. I didn’t promise her anything. We can plan a launch and-”

I push to my toes and kiss him, while the room erupts in cheers. “You are amazing, Kyle. So good to me.”

“Does that mean you’ll marry me?”

“What?”

He goes down on one knee and presents me with a box he opens. It contains the most stunning oval-shaped diamond I’ve ever seen. “Marry me, Myla.”

“Yes,” I say. “Yes.”

He slips the ring on my finger and stands, his hands cupping my cheeks, his lips finding mine as the room once again erupts in cheers. “I love you, Myla.”

“I love you too,” I whisper.

“I’m going to interrupt,” Royce calls out.

“Because why wouldn’t you f*cking interrupt,” Blake adds. “That’s what family is for.”

Kyle and I laugh and he slides his arm over my shoulder, turning me toward the room. Royce is standing directly across from us with his wife Lauren, a pretty petite brunette, next to him. “Some of you know that Lauren and I tried to start a family last year,” he says, “and it didn’t go as well as we’d hoped. We waited a while to try again. And we didn’t want to say anything until we were sure it was going to work out this time.”

“We’re four months pregnant!” Lauren shouts.

More cheers erupt and before I know it, I’m being hugged left and right, but of course, Kara is the first, with Blake following. Asher and Jacob, are here too, and even more Walker Security men are present.

“I love fashion,” Julie, Luke’s wife, tells me, when we finally get some time to chat. “I’d love to help you launch the store. If you don’t mind?”

“I’d love help,” I say.

“Can you design baby clothes?” Lauren asks, joining us.

“I would love to design for the first little Walker baby,” I say.

“And we can help with the wedding,” Julie offers.

Kyle steps to my side and takes my hand. “I’m stealing my future wife,” he says, leading me to a private office, shutting the door and pulling me close. “How do you feel?”

“Happy,” I say. “When I never thought I’d be happy again.”





The End…





And coming Late 2016 in the Walker Security series

Book 2: Pulled Under (Asher’s story)





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