Echoes at Dawn (KGI #5)(92)

n the physical pain.”

“That’s understandable,” he said gently. “You’ve been through a lot. It’s amazing you still have your sanity intact.”

Elizabeth snuggled harder into Grace’s side and laid her head on Grace’s shoulder. Her tiny hand crept over Grace’s belly until she was wrapped firmly around Grace.

Grace snuck a glance at the little girl, who’d gained and lost so much in an instant. Her eyes were already closing, as if she too had reached her limit and now felt safe enough to rest.

Grace smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Elizabeth’s hair. When she was sure Elizabeth was asleep, she turned to Rio, her gaze worried.

“What will happen to her? She has no one.”

Rio smiled, slid their hands over to cup over Elizabeth’s. “She has us.”

For a moment, his answer didn’t sink in, but when it did, tears pricked her eyelids and she blinked furiously as her vision blurred.

“And I have you,” he said as he leaned forward to brush his lips over hers. “I have everything I could possibly want right here.”

CHAPTER 41

IT was a frustration for Grace that the first time she was getting to see her sister in over a year was on her sister’s wedding day. She wanted to come as soon as she’d been discharged from the hospital, but Rio had tucked her and Elizabeth away immediately and had insisted that Grace do nothing more taxing than eat and rest for several weeks.

While it had frustrated her, she had needed that time to heal. As did Elizabeth. She still grieved for her father, even knowing the sort of man he was, and she was dealing with guilt over her part in the whole sordid affair.

It had been a good time. Just the three of them. Rio had been so good to them both. She still got teary-eyed just thinking of how gentle and understanding he’d been with them and how he’d spoiled them so ridiculously.

Under Rio’s gruff, tough-as-nails, badass mercenary exterior was a man with a heart of gold and a soft spot a mile wide.

Rio drove into the Kelly compound, and Grace marveled at its size and also how it resembled a military base with all the security. But she quickly forgot all about her surroundings when she saw her sister running to meet the vehicle.

“Stop!” she cried to Rio.

Rio braked, and before he’d come to a complete stop, Grace was out of the SUV and running as fast as she could to meet her sister.

They met halfway and Shea threw her arms around Grace. Shea was the smaller of the two and yet she engulfed Grace, squeezing like she was three times Grace’s size.

Grace returned her hug, holding on. Just holding on.

Tears ran freely down Grace’s cheeks. “I love you,” she choked out. “I can’t believe we’re together. That we’re here.”

Shea’s muffled sobs were lost in Grace’s shoulder. The two sisters stood in the sun, hugging, ހslaughing, crying and then hugging some more.

Around them, the Kellys gathered, all present for the double wedding. They smiled indulgently while the Kelly wives and wife-to-be sniffled and wiped at their eyes.

Rio got out and leaned against the hood of the SUV, smiling as he watched the sisters’ reunion. Elizabeth snuck into his side and he wrapped his arm around her.

“They must have missed each other an awful lot,” Elizabeth said.

“Yeah, they did,” Rio said softly. “They’ve been apart for a very long time.”

After several more minutes, they broke apart and wiped at each other’s faces with their hands. Finally they gave up, laughing.

“Come on, there are so many people I want you to meet,” Shea said as she pulled at Grace.

Grace turned to look back at Rio and Elizabeth.

“We’re fine,” he mouthed. “You go on. We’ll catch up.”

Shea dragged Grace toward where the others were gathered a short distance away. She beamed as she pushed Grace forward.

“Grace, I’d like you to meet my—our—family.”

Grace nearly teared up all over again at the inclusion of her as family to all these others.

“This is Rachel, Ethan’s wife.”

The pretty brunette with soft brown eyes hugged Grace fiercely. “Welcome to our family, Grace.”

“And this is Sam’s wife, Sophie, and their daughter, Charlotte.”

Sophie stepped forward, a toddler on her hip, and smiled broadly at Grace. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Grace. We’re so glad you’re here and safe. Shea’s been so worried for you.”

Grace smiled back, her throat aching with emotion.

“This is Sarah, Garrett’s fiancée, and my wedding mate. Nathan and I kept interfering with their wedding plans, so I know they’re just happy to get on with it at this point.”

Sarah laughed and punched Shea in the arm. “The wedding will be so much more special now that everyone is home where they belong. Including you, Grace.”

Sarah hugged her tightly and then stepped back.

Then Shea took her through every single one of the Kelly brothers, all of whom she’d met or seen, but Shea insisted on introducing them when they were out of camo and not shooting at people.

When she got to the end, there was an older couple, their smiles as warm as the sun.

“And these two people are the most wonderful people in the world,” Shea breathed. “I want you to meet Marlene and Frank Kelly. Or Mama and Papa Kelly, as they are often referred to. They spawned all those Kelly boys plus picked up more than a few strays along the way.” She pointed in the direction of two men to the side. “Those are Sean and Swanny, two of Marlene’s adoptees.”