Page 48 of Saving Helena

Positioning myself in the booth after Dimitri left, I met her eyes.

“Are you okay, Maddox?”

“I’m okay, princess.” Jillian had finished her hair and the nail polish on her left hand, painting with broad strokes of bright gold. “I like the new color. It suits you.”

“Pretty nice, right?” She admired it carefully and then turned her gaze to me. “Will Dimitri come back?”

“Yeah, he’ll be back. He has some things to take care of.” I ran my fingers along the back of her hand, tracing her fingers and the delicate bones there except her pinky that Sergei had broken, careful not to touch the paint.

“All done, babe,” Jillian announced and then said to me, “Be careful not to touch the nails.”

“Got it.” The women were serious about their nail polish. I’d learned this already, the hard way, and I loved how crazy Helena was about her color choices. I couldn’t wait until she could do them herself again with her wacky earrings that matched.

“Come on, Helena, it’s nap time, baby.”

She nodded. “Help me up?”

We’d developed a system at this point, and I’d gotten her upstairs in no time. I’d prefer to carry her, but that would jar her ribs too much at this point. Anything, where she had to strain her muscles, hurt, so lifting herself from a sitting position was difficult. Even stepping up was hard on her, which was why I wondered why she’d come downstairs. Although, if I were in her position, I’d be going stir-crazy, too.

Lying back on the bed, she fanned her hands out, touching a nail to her lips. “I think they’re dry,” she declared with a smile. Then she frowned unhappily. “I’m sad Dimitri left. When do you think he’ll be back?”

“I’m sad too, princess, and I’m not sure, but he has to go see his brother. He also is going to follow up on some leads about that scum bag Makarovich.” Reclining onto the bed, I eased my body up so the bed didn’t jostle her. “Then he’ll be back,” I said definitively.

“Ok, good.” She eyed me speculatively. “I’m feeling better today. My nails are dry, too.”

“Hmm,” I said, reaching forward to kiss the edges of her ear, the part of her body that seemed uninjured. “I’m glad you’re starting to feel better, but I can tell you still hurt.”

“So, I was thinking … about what happens next,” her words trailed off, and those cornflower blue eyes turned to me on the pillow.

“What happens next is that I tell you that you were made for me, princess, and I was made for you. What happens next is that we will fill our days with all good things from now on.” I stared hard at her, wishing I could touch her how I wanted, but I turned on my side as I faced her. “What happens next is that I will love you how you were meant to be loved. I’m going to marry you and give you babies if that’s what you want.”

“So, Maddox Bishop loves me? Is that what I’m hearing right now?” Her voice held a hint of amusement.

“Oh, baby, you have no idea how long I’ve loved you. I love you so fucking much.” Kissing the back of her eyelids with butterfly kisses, I traced the contours of her face. I wanted nothing more than to slide into her, to press myself into her pussy and feel how wet she could be for me, but all of that could wait. I was so thankful that she was safe and home with me.

She smiled up at me, sleepy. “I love you too, Maddox, and I’ll be Mrs. Bishop if you give me those babies and that happy ever after.” Her eyes closed as she let sleep carry her away; tucking my arm under my head, I settled in to watch over her. This woman would be my wife, finally.

Maybe Maddox Bishop, that kid without a home, had finally found his own.

THE END