Page 19 of Securing Her Secrets
“Nearly?” Rya teases, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Yeah. You’ll get there one day, I’m sure,” I reply cheekily. She smacks me on the chest and I wrap my fingers around her wrist, pulling her down on top of me. “I love you. All of you. Forever.”
Tears form in her golden-brown eyes, but her smile lets me know she’s not sad. “I love you, too, Miller. All of you. Forever.”
We stay like that for a few more minutes, then I stand and scoop Rya up in my arms, carrying her into the bathroom. We stand under the hot spray of the shower, gently washingthe grime of the night from each other's skin, kissing sweetly between the drops of water.
Once she’s tucked safely under the heavy blankets of the bed, her eyelids drooping with absolute exhaustion, I slip out to the main room one last time to call homebase.
Easton answers immediately. "Report, Miller."
"Perimeter is clear. Six hostiles neutralized," I state, my voice rough but steady. "They won't be coming after Rya again. Her digital trails are completely scrubbed, and the physical asset team is broken. It’s over for her. But Easton... it’s not over for the rest of us. There are still two names left on that list."
"Good work, Miller. Keep her safe. Atlas is already on the trail of the third name on the list, Kienna. We’ll handle the next phase from here."
“Better warn him about the women on the list,” I say sternly.
Easton grunts. “What the hell are you talking about now?”
“First, Kai and Annika. Now, me and Rya. He might think he’s closed off, but I’m pretty sure Atlas will be the third Aegis man to fall ass over heels for his target.”
“Are you sure about you and Rya? I know you were possessive from the start, but–”
“She is the only real and good thing that has ever happened to me,” I snap, my voice sharp and tinged with a threat to anyone who dares to disagree.
“Down, boy. I got it. Atlas might be foolish enough to fall in love, but don’t you go on gettin’ any ideas about me. I’m stronger than all of you combined.”
“Love isn’t a weakness,” I start.
“I’m not in the mood for a lecture on fluffy feelings, Miller. Jesus, I can’t believe I just had to say that sentence out loud. What’s happening to the men in my crew?” Easton is mostly muttering to himself at this point, while I grin widely. He’s goingto fall hardest of all, I can tell. Knocked completely on his ass. I can’t wait.
I disconnect the call and walk toward the bedroom, already missing my woman. The cold night air clings to my skin as I slip back into the room, but the second I touch the warmth of the bed, that chill evaporates.
I don't hesitate; I slide under the covers, drawing Rya back against me. She’s already half-asleep, a soft, welcoming weight that grounds me instantly. I pull her flush to my chest, my arms wrapping around her like a fortress she never has to leave again.
For a long time, I just lie there, breathing in the scent of her hair, listening to the steady, rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing against my ribs. It’s quiet. A different kind of quiet than the hollow silence of my life before. This one is full, heavy with the reality of what we have. I think about the man I was before I found her—always waiting for the next strike, always bracing for an impact—and I realize I haven’t been trulylivingin years. I was just surviving.
Now, with Rya tucked against my heart, the future doesn't look like a series of tactical engagements anymore. It looks like sunrises on a porch, quiet mornings, and a life where I’m not just defending a position, but building a home.
"Miller?" she murmurs, her voice thick with sleep, her hand finding mine under the blanket and lacing our fingers together.
"I'm here, baby," I whisper, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Promise?"
"Always. We’ve got time, Rya. All the time in the world."
She lets out a contented sigh, shifting closer until there isn't a sliver of space left between us. I close my eyes, and for the first time in my life, the nightmares don't come. Instead, there's just the steady beat of her heart, the soft warmth of her skin, and the unshakable, burning promise that no matter what comes,I’m never letting her go. We drift off together, anchored by each other, finally and completely home.
EPILOGUE
RYA
The sound of tiny, frantic footsteps echoing across the hardwood floor of our custom-built home in the Colorado foothills is a sound I never thought I’d hear in my life. Growing up with a flighty, solitary lifestyle, I assumed my future would be just me and a glowing computer monitor.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
The years following the Shadow Syndicate threat were a whirlwind of rebuilding. We traded the stark anonymity of safe houses for a life of shared purpose, and Aegis Security became more than just a firm—it became the family we’d both been missing.
