Trusting His Instincts, page 22
“Oh, God.” A bright red, angry nub is all that’s left of the lower lobe of her ear. “I…fuck.”
“Nash? It don’t matter.” She stops me before I can flee back to the bedroom, her grip on my forearm almost desperate. “I’m alive. So are you. And we’re together.” A sob wells up in her throat, and a single tear tumbles down her cheek. “There ain’t nothin’ they could have done to me that would stop me lovin’ you. Please, darlin’. Tell me you understand.”
I gather her against me and tip her head back so I can stare into her bright blue eyes. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known, Raelynn. I understand. And I love you.”
Epilogue
Six months later
Raelynn
“I’m home!”
Kiki thunders down the stairs from his favorite perch in our bedroom window, leaping over Ripley, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy flopped on the landing.
Wiping my hands on the dish towel, I turn and lean against the kitchen counter, watching the man I love rub the cat’s belly for a full minute before he rises and saunters toward me, a hungry look in his eyes.
The kiss rocks me down to my boots, and if the fryer weren’t hot as a stolen tamale, I’d drag him upstairs right now. Instead, I drape my arms around his neck. “How’d it go?”
“Dad looks good. Awkward as hell to have a decent conversation in that place, though.”
“He’ll be out soon.” With good behavior, Angelo’s sentence won’t last more than another six weeks, and Connor is already working with the FBI to stage the man’s “death.”
Nash’s shoulders heave with a heavy breath, and he pulls me tighter against him. “He doesn’t have to live in Seattle, does he? Maybe…Portland? Or San Francisco?”
Every month, Nash drives two hours south to the federal prison in Olympia to see his father, but despite a hell of a lot of therapy, he still hasn’t made peace with what Angelo did twenty years ago.
“We can set him up wherever you feel comfortable, darlin’. He’ll be a free man. If you decide after a spell you want him closer, we’ll make it happen.”
“You’re sure? Y’all have given me so much already—”
The laugh escapes before he can finish his thought. “Y’all? And here I thought you didn’t know a bit from a butt. I’m rubbin’ off on you.”
All his stress melts away as he kisses me again, long and hard, like it’s the very first time and he can’t get enough of me. Even after six months of makin’ a home together, fightin’ over paint colors and teachin’ the world’s most stubborn puppy that the rug is for nappin’, not pissin’, we haven’t cooled one bit.
“You can rub—”
“Stop right there, Nash Grace. Dinner’s fixin’ to be ready in twenty minutes, and Ripley needs her walk first.” I slap his ass, and he pinches mine before he lets me go. “Now git outta my way. This chicken ain’t gonna cook itself.”
As the credits roll on screen, Nash brushes his lips to my neck, just below my scarred ear. “You’re right. The original Halloween was pretty awesome.”
Most nights, if I’m not on mission, we end up here. On the couch, the cat and dog curled up in Ripley’s bed at our feet, watchin’ TV or workin’ on some project—like the new banister that went in last week. I worried, for a time, that Nash would get tired of stayin’ in one place. That he’d want someone who was always up for an adventure. But after moving around for more than half his life, I think he craves this—home—as much as I do.
He slides his hand along my hip, setting my core on fire. “Ready to turn in?”
“If by ‘turn in’ you mean ‘ready for you to strip off all my clothes and have your way with me,’ then yes. I am.”
“That’s exactly what I mean.”
Upstairs, he backs me against the wall, his rough palm skimming over my throat to my jaw. Raw need flashes in his eyes, but behind it, there’s so much more. “You’re everything I never knew I wanted, Raelynn. My home. My heart. I love you.”
“Then kiss me, darlin’. Because I love you too.”
Thank you for reading Trusting His Instincts. I hope you enjoyed Nash and Raelynn’s story. They have their happy ever after, and I think the whole team at Hidden Agenda got a little closer in this one.
I love to write bonus scenes for my books, and those are always available for my newsletter subscribers. Head on over to my website and sign up now!
You can also check out my reader group. They were instrumental in naming Nash and Raelynn’s puppy, as well as being a constant source of joy in my life. It’s a great place, and we’d love to have you.
If you’re curious about everyone else’s stories (and haven’t read the rest of the Away From Keyboard series yet, here’s where you can find each couple.
West & Cam - Breaking His Code
Inara & Royce - In Her Sights
Ryker & Wren - On His Six
Dax & Evianna - Second Sight
Ford & Joey - By Lethal Force
Ripper & Cara - Fighting For Valor
Trevor & Dani - Call Sign: Redemption
Graham & Quinton - Braving His Past
Ronan & Zephyr - Protecting His Target
Wyatt & Hope - Defending His Hope
Connor and Isabel - Rogue Survivor
And that brings us to Trusting His Instincts.
The next book in the series is one I never intended to write. But who’s ready for Doc Reynolds’ story? Coming in early 2024!
And don’t forget Nomar and Lisette’s story, Rogue Operator, releasing in October!
About the Author
Patricia D. Eddy writes romance for the beautifully broken. Fueled by coffee, wine, and Doctor Who episodes on repeat, she brings damaged heroes and heroines together to find their happy ever afters in many different worlds. From military to paranormal to BDSM, her characters are unstoppable forces colliding with such heat, sparks always fly.
Patricia makes her home in Seattle with her husband and very spoiled cats, and when she’s not writing, she loves working on home improvement projects, especially if they involve power tools.
Her award-winning Away From Keyboard series will always be her first love, because that’s where she realized the characters in her head were telling their own stories—and she was just writing them down.
* * *
You can reach Patricia all over the web…
patriciadeddy.com
patricia@patriciadeddy.com
Also by Patricia D. Eddy
Away From Keyboard
Dive into a steamy mix of geekery and military prowess with the men and women of Hidden Agenda and Second Sight.
Breaking His Code
In Her Sights
On His Six
Second Sight
By Lethal Force
Fighting For Valor
Finding Their Forevers (a holiday short story)
Call Sign: Redemption
Braving His Past
Protecting His Target
Defending His Hope
Trusting His Instincts
Gone Rogue (an Away From Keyboard spinoff series)
Rogue Protector
Rogue Officer
Rogue Survivor
Rogue Defender
Rogue Operator
Dark PNR
These novellas will take you into the darker side of the paranormal with vampires, witches, angels, demons, and more.
Forever Kept
Immortal Hunter
Wicked Omens
Storm of Sin
By the Fates
Check out the COMPLETE By the Fates series if you love dark and steamy tales of witches, devils, and an epic battle between good and evil.
By the Fates, Freed
Destined: A By the Fates Story
By the Fates, Fought
By the Fates, Fulfilled
In Blood
If you love hot Italian vampires and and a human who can hold her own against beings far stronger, then the In Blood series is for you.
Secrets in Blood
Revelations in Blood
Holidays and Heroes
Beauty isn’t only skin deep and not all scars heal. Come swoon over sexy vets and the men and women who love them.
Mistletoe and Mochas
Love and Libations
Restrained
Do you like to be tied up? Or read about characters who do? Enjoy a fresh COMPLETE BDSM series that will leave you begging for more.
In His Silks
Christmas Silks
All Tied Up For New Year’s
In His Collar
Patricia D. Eddy, Trusting His Instincts
