She jerks her chin up at me with challenge. “Bailey’s watching on the laptop. But I would’ve.”
No, I won’t be standing down because of Mitch’s order. I don’t take orders from other males. But my mate? I feel Bailey in my chest. I look at the young guy standing against the wall with terror in his eyes.
Bailey doesn’t want me to kill him, so I take a step back.
***
It’s later. The boat has been loaded, taking Alta and her stepson to a cell in the basement of the town hall. Her husband requested to be with them for the remainder of his life. Erica said there was nothing she or her sisters could have done to help him anyway.
Alta’s magic was clearly not stripped. And Anya will answer for it. Vivi has already been on the phone and based on what she told her sister, Erica made it clear we are not done battling with this coven yet.
Danica steps up beside me. “Since I didn’t say it before, congratulations on your mating, Jase.”
I no longer have the urge to grind my teeth. This hellion must dole out her share of headaches among the men she dates.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She gets ready to climb into the boat. Riley has his hand extended to help her in.
“Dani,” I call out.
She looks over her shoulder.
No female exists for me but Bailey, but I find myself glad nothing happened between me and Erica’s sister. Because if it had, I wouldn’t be able to ever set eyes on her again without repulsion. And Danica Young is someone I’d like to call a friend.
“Since I didn’t say it before, thank you for everything,” I say.
And I mean it.
EPILOGUE
BAILEY
A Few Weeks Later
“It’s delicious!” he says, exaggeratedly and not remotely convincingly.
“It makes no sense that they’re burnt outside and half-frozen in the middle,” I mutter, whacking the very crispy corndog off the edge of the table.
Jase shrugs and continues to chew.
“Gimme that!” I pluck the stick from his mouth and rush to the kitchen to toss the corndogs back into the air fryer.
He follows and puts his mouth to my mate mark from behind while wrapping his arms around me.
I fiddle with the machine, trying to get the dang thing to turn back on.
“You’re not gonna tease me about my inability to cook anymore?”
“Nope,” he declares and I can feel him grinning against my neck.
We got back from our trip about half an hour ago and we’re famished. I found a box of corndogs in the freezer and I followed the directions. The universe keeps telling me to give up on cooking, but I guess I’m just stubborn.
Italy was incredible the second time around and we are more in love than ever. He endured my need to soak up every sight we could squeeze into the two weeks without complaint, althoughhe got looks everywhere we went. Far too many people notice his potent sexuality. And not just women, either.
When I got a little snippy about it our third day doing the tourist thing, he promptly marched me into the nearest jeweler where he bought wedding bands for both of us. I love them so much, though not as much as my mate mark and his tattoo. He told me he’ll see his tattooist in Drowsy Hollow and get his ring finger inked, which is so awesome, I think I might do the same.
Things have been quiet around here the past few weeks. The SCC is investigating Anya and has promised us an update. Alta is in prison and awaiting trial by the SCC. Eduardo passed away in his sleep in the cell below the town hall that same night they were apprehended.