Wild and Free (The Three #3)(82)

Because he would give that to me.

And watching him pour those words into my soul, part of it died, knowing I couldn’t give him the same thing.

As the song started to come to a close, I let Jabber go and pressed close to Dad for a second before I broke free and moved across the beach to Abel.

I stood right in front of him, his eyes soft on mine as he sang the final words, “meet you on the other side,” and then the notes died away.

“That’s a deal,” I whispered.

Pain pierced the serenity of his expression because he knew I knew.

And that pain settled where the hole he’d filled had been in my belly. It settled permanently. I’d hold it with me until my last breath.

And I’d do it gladly. I’d take that pain because Abel gave it to me.

He swung the guitar by the strap until it was resting on a slant on his back and held his arms wide.

I didn’t hesitate to move into them and press close, my cheek to his chest, my arms around him, his around me. I turned my eyes to Snake’s burning boat.

“That’s what I want,” I said softly.

“Then that’s what you’ll get, bao bei,” he replied softly, his voice thick.

We stayed there, me holding Abel, Abel holding me, and me trying not to think of the time that would come, whenever it might be, where he’d be just like he is now—strong, handsome, and amazing—but he’d also be somewhere on a beach, watching me burn.

“I was born to be yours, you know,” I told him.

“I know,” he told me.

I nestled deep and whispered, “I’m sorry I took so long.”

Abel said nothing, just held me tighter.

“We’ll live wild and free,” I promised.

“You got it,” he agreed, now his voice was rough.

“After we save the world, that is.”

A deep, startled laugh surged up his throat and he pulled me even closer.

“Born to be yours, baby,” I kept whispering.

He again said nothing, just turned his head so I felt his lips at my hair.

“Born to love you, Abel.”

That was when his arms squeezed the breath out of me.

When he loosened his hold, I said, “Thank you for giving this to Snake.”

“My mate has me wrapped around her finger. I’d give her anything. But the man who died to make sure I could still hold her in my arms, I made sure he went home exactly how that needed to be.”

Yeah, I was born to love this man.

I snuggled close. Abel shifted his bent leg so his thigh and body trapped me precisely where I needed to be.

And the breeze blew our hair as we held each other on a pebbled beach with our family, a bunch of vampires and werewolves, and we watched Snake burn.





Chapter Fourteen


Awesome

Abel



Abel and Delilah walked into the breakfast room the first f*cking thing the next f*cking morning. They’d been summoned there by a loud knock on the door an hour ago, one of Gregor’s minions calling to them that this was what Gregor was expecting.

Regardless of this, Abel was in a mellow mood.

This had a lot to with last night, feeling the centuries of pain inside him swept away with Delilah’s quiet understanding.

And her love.

Christ.

He’d never forget it.

It got better after their moment, which was whacked because they were at a funeral.

But after the sun had set and the flames died, they all wandered to the bonfire and sat around it. Gregor’s minions had brought bottles of whiskey, chilled vodka, premium tequila, bags of marshmallows, bars of chocolate, and boxes of graham crackers, and some good-looking human guy came to sit with Lucien’s friend, Stephanie.

Poncho, Moose, Hook, and Jabber told stories of Snake. Conversation flowed, shifted, turned, and did it naturally. The melancholy stole out and goodness drifted in on a wave of memories, booze, sweets, and good people sharing time.

They drank. They made s’mores. They smiled. They even laughed.

And Stephanie turned out to be one seriously hilarious bitch.

She also was the first who started making out with her guy.

This prompted Moose to grumble, “We shoulda ordered bitches,” which made Delilah, Leah, and Sonia giggle and the men exchange smiles.

Things got heavy with Stephanie and her human around the time Sonia and Callum started going at it. Stephanie left with her man. Wei and Xun took Chen back up, Jian-Li following them. Sonia and Callum left not long after. Gregor and Yuri drifted away. So did Ryon, Caleb, and Calder. Leah and Lucien started whispering and kissing, then they took off. And finally, with Moose carrying his friend, Jabber bitching about it, Hook lugging up the wheelchair, and Poncho handing Jabber shit, they went up.

Leaving Abel and Delilah on the beach with a roaring bonfire and blankets.

So he’d made love to her there with Snake’s ashes floating up the pebbles at the edge of the sea.

He’d never forget it, not a second of it, not in his life. Even the part with Snake being there when he sank his cock in Delilah for the first time after she’d shared her love.

Snake belonged there. He’d died so they could have that and Abel thought it was fitting.

So he was good the next morning when he pulled Delilah in the bright breakfast room, which was one of several conservatories at the compound, this one jutting from the end of the south wing.