Maya Banks - Colters’ Lady

“Rose Weston. Beloved daughter. You were mine, and now you’re His. May He take you on the wings of angels back home where you belong.”

She’d written the inscription herself and until now hadn’t allowed herself to even think it much less recite it aloud.

She raised her face to the sun. “I love you, baby,” she whispered. “I don’t regret a single moment I had with you. You’ll always be my angel girl.”

Peace descended and the area went quiet. Warmth enveloped her and wrapped her in its steady embrace. The sun’s rays streamed through the big tree branches that shielded the graves from the weather.

She looked down again and then knelt to touch the cool marble.

“Goodbye,” she whispered. “I never said it before. I couldn’t. But goodbye, my sweet baby girl.” She rose and turned swiftly away, walking at a brisk pace from the graveyard. She wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve and began to scour the street for a cab. Holly and Callie would worry. She’d been gone longer than she’d anticipated.

She only had to walk two blocks before she hailed a cab. She leaned against the seat, eyes closed as they made the journey back to the hotel.

She was exhausted. Mentally and physically wiped. But she was lighter than she’d ever been. She couldn’t wait to get back home to her men. She had a marriage proposal to accept.

“Where the fuck is she?” Dillon asked as he paced back and forth in the living room. “I don’t buy that garbage about her and Mom and Callie being on a goddamn shopping trip and having a lark of a time in Denver.”

Michael nodded silently.

Even the cat seemed to miss Lily. She paced back and forth between the living room and the front door as if expecting Lily to burst through at any moment. Michael reached down and idly scratched her ears when she issued a plaintive meow.

“You were a goddamn cop up there, Seth. Can’t you call some of your buddies and have them check in on the women?” Dillon asked.

Seth laughed. “Uh no. They’d kill us. Mom wouldn’t speak to us for a year, and Callie would just kick our ass.”

“Aren’t you in the least worried?” Michael demanded.

Seth sighed. “Of course I am. But she asked for time. She asked for our trust. We have to be willing to give her both. She’ll come back to us.”

“I’m not worried about her coming back to us,” Dillon growled. “I’m worried about what she’s off doing alone because she thinks she needs to do it. Alone.” The sound of the front door opening penetrated the air. The men swung around, and there was Lily standing in the doorway, her gaze locked on them.

There was subtle wariness in her expression, but at the same time there was a stillness and quietness to her spirit that had been absent before.

Seth sucked in his breath. It was going to be okay. Relief crushed him. As much as he’d said to his brothers about having to give her space, he’d been as worried as they had been.

“Lily,” Michael breathed a mere second before he strode across the room and swept her into his arms.

She reacted with just as much emotion and wrapped herself around Michael, holding tight to him. She closed her eyes and buried her face into his chest as Michael stroked his hand over her hair.

Dillon only gave Michael a moment before he tugged Lily from Michael’s arms and into his own. He cradled Lily protectively in his beefy embrace, his expression tender.

“Where have you been, sweetness?”

Lily stirred and then turned her blue eyes on Seth. He itched to hold her, but he waited as she carefully extricated herself from Dillon’s hold and then came to him in a rush.

He closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet scent he identified as uniquely Lily.

“Welcome home,” he murmured.

She raised her head and smiled so brilliantly at him that he was dumbstruck.

“It’s good to be home,” she whispered.

“Where did you go?” Dillon repeated. “Are you all right?” She turned to face the others, remaining cradled in Seth’s arms. “I went to see Charles.” Seth stiffened while Dillon swore and Michael’s face grew stormy.

She leaned back and smiled. “I have something to show you.” She was definitely keeping them off balance. Maybe it was intentional to get their focus off the fact that she’d visited her ex-husband alone and without them being there to protect and support her.

Emotionally and physically, but emotionally most of all.

She broke away from Seth and stood in the middle of the room at equal distance from the three men.

She smiled when the cat did a figure eight through her legs, rubbing and purring her welcome. Lily bent long enough to pet the cat’s sleek body before rising again to focus on the matter at hand.

“There were two reasons I went to Denver. I spent all week trying to create on paper what was in my head.”

Her fingers tucked into waist of her jeans and slid around to unbutton the fly. Then she unzipped her pants and wiggled carefully until they slid over her hips, revealing a freshly inked tattoo.

She presented her hip in silence, her fingers brushing lightly over the design.

Dillon strode over and feathered his hand over the tat. Michael and Seth followed, straining to see over Dillon.

“Do you know what this is?” she asked huskily.

Michael traced the caduceus with his fingertip. “It’s us,” he said in wonder. “All of us. This is you, Seth,” he said pointing to the shield. “And you, Dillon,” as he traced the sword. “And Lily here, in the center.”

“This is fierce,” Dillon said, admiration thick in his voice. “Did you design it? Is this what you were working on that you wouldn’t let us see?”

She flushed. “I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. I mean I wasn’t hiding my work because I was ashamed or didn’t think you’d approve. I wanted to surprise you.”

“It’s amazing,” Dillon said sincerely. “It’s beautiful ink, Lily. Did Callie go with you?” Lily nodded. “I didn’t want to go by myself. I asked her and your mom to go with me.” Dillon nodded approvingly. “Callie would have taken you to a good place. I’d have been pissed if you’d wandered into the first shop you came across and trusted them to do the job.”

She pulled her jeans back up and refastened them, and then stared at them, her eyes shiny and light.

There was a freshness to her gaze, and it was then Seth realized the shadows were gone. The vague unhappiness. The hint of pain. She was vibrant.

“I went to see Charles because I wanted to confront him,” she said. “After what happened last week, I spent days thinking about it and with each day I grew angrier and angrier. It ate at me until I knew that if I didn’t confront my past, I could never move beyond it and it would always hold me. And then you asked me to marry you.”

She smiled at each of them, her eyes soft with love. “I wanted to shout yes. I wanted to more than anything, but I also knew that it wouldn’t be fair to you or to me if I committed before I tackled the issue of my past.”

“And now?” Michael asked.

“Ask me,” she whispered. “Ask me again.”

Seth took her hand and dug into his pocket. Dillon cupped the side of her cheek then looked over at Michael and then Seth.

“Marry us, Lily,” Dillon asked in a husky voice.

Seth gently slid the ring over her finger, over her knuckle until it sparkled on her hand. She glanced down and then curled her fingers into a fist, sealing her hand closed.

“Yes.”

Michael shoved by Dillon and scooped Lily into his arms. He gave a whoop and twirled round and round the living room until Lily threw back her head, her delighted laughter echoing through the room.

He kissed her, long and lingering and then lowered his hand to caress her jean-clad hip where the tattoo rested.

“That tattoo says it all, Lily. Us around you. You at the center. First. Always.” She smiled and kissed him again. “I love you.”

“And I love you.”

Lily turned and flung herself at Dillon, nearly toppling him as he caught her against his chest. She kissed him exuberantly, his mouth, his jaw, back to his mouth. He finally laughed and cried uncle.

“Have mercy,” he begged.

“Not going to happen,” she purred. “You’re mine.”

“Damn straight I am,” Dillon agreed. “Completely and wholly yours. You can have me any time you want. All you have to do is crook that little finger that you have me wrapped around in my direction and I’m all over it.”

Lily sighed and burrowed into Dillon’s neck, nuzzling and making those sweet little sounds of contentment that made Seth crazy.

And then she pulled away and turned her gaze on Seth. Seth’s heart turned over as she came to him, her eyes warm and full of acceptance. He was taken back to the first day he met her, when he looked up and was staggered by the most intense blue eyes he’d ever seen.

Thank God he’d acted on the overwhelming reaction she’d elicited. Thank God he’d gone after her.

He couldn’t imagine his life without her now.

“You amaze me,” he said sincerely. “Your strength astounds me. I love you, Lily.” She launched herself at him, and he caught her as he staggered back, her wrapped around him. She curled both arms around his neck and held on until all he could smell or process was her.

“I love you too, Seth. You’re my personal angel. God sent you to me or me to you. Either way, I’ll never believe that it was just a chance meeting in a soup kitchen.” His heart twisted and he squeezed her a little harder. “No, Lily. You’re our angel. Always. Our gift.” She brushed her lips over his neck and trembled gently against him.