Page 130 of Knight’s Dominion

A short time later, the door opened, and she was there on the gurney being wheeled out, Jack following behind. Fuck, Grace was pale, and still, her eyes closed, but she was breathing. She was alive.

Moving hurt.

Hell, blinking didn't feel that great, either.

The sound of a door opening, then closing, broke past the brain fog and she braced. In her current condition, all she could do was lie there and take whatever punishment those sadistic bastards dished out.

The footsteps neared. She refused to show weakness and braced, forcing a growl past her lips, unable to form actual words. Pain shot through her side, and she struggled to breathe, her lungs working to inflate, like a truck was parked on her chest.

Someone cursed, then hands were on her. But not causing pain, no, these hands, despite the roughness of their skin, were soothing, warm. On her next indrawn breath, she got a hit of a familiar scent, one that succeeded in washing away any remaining fear from her body. She relaxed as one of those hands held hers, the other stroking her face, gliding over her forehead, brushing back her hair.

"Sleep, angel. You're safe now."

Chaos's deep, rumbling voice moved over her, through her, and she did as he said. She let all her fears wash away and let sleep claim her once more. He was here. That’s all that mattered.

When Grace woke again, the first thing she felt was someone holding her hand. She didn't need to open her eyes to know who it was. She lifted her heavy lids and there he was. Massive, beautiful, fierce. The stark terror in his eyes made her chest ache.

God, how she loved him.

“You’re here,” she said, or more rasped past her dry throat.

Another emotion washed over his face, one that made her heart ache.

"I can’t be anywhere else." He tightened his hold on her fingers. “I don’t want to be anywhere else. I can't breathe when I'm apart from you, Grace."

She cupped his face. “I’m okay.”

His expression was open and exposed, raw. "I'm the fucking walking dead without you, angel. Knowing you were out there…not knowing where you were, what they were doing to you—” He made a tortured sound. “I thought I was losing my mind. I can’t lose you, Grace, I can’t. Don’t ever leave me, okay? You can’t ever leave me.”

“I won’t. I promise,” she whispered.

A tear slid down his cheek, his body held rigid, his dark gaze boring into her like he didn’t believe her but was willing her words to be true. He practically vibrated with emotion. “Without you, I am lost, broken. Without you, angel, I am nothing.”

She lifted a shaky hand and cupped his face, tears welling in her own eyes. “After I lost my family, I was so alone. I’ve been alone for so long. But with you, with my strong, beautiful, proud male at my side, I’m not alone anymore. I’m whole. I would never, could never, leave you, my love, because without you, I am lost, broken, nothing,” she said, repeating his words.

"Grace,” he choked, his big body shaking harder.

With the remaining strength she had left, she leaned in, pressed her lips to his, then tugged on his hand, asking without words for him to lie down beside her.

He gently wrapped her in his arms.

She sighed and kissed him again with all the emotion she felt swirling inside her, then rested her forehead against his. “Whatever the future holds, whatever this war brings, I will be at your side. And if anyone tries to tear us apart, I will always fight with everything I have to get back to you,” she whispered.

His eyes drifted closed and he pulled her back in close, burying his face against her throat. He heaved in several large breaths, and she knew he was trying to keep it together. “I’ll do the same, angel. Always.”

She knew he was scared for her, terrified, because she felt the same way, but Chaos also knew she was a fighter, and no matter how scared he was for her, he would never ask her to stop fighting—just like she would never ask that of him.

Finally, he lifted his head and cupped her face with his strong, calloused hands, hands that could wield a weapon with ease, could kill an enemy with fast, brutal efficiency, and could touch her with a gentleness that should be impossible.

“I’ll be by your side until the end of time.” Then he kissed her again.

And with tears rolling down her face, Grace kissed him back.

EPILOGUE

Gunner stood on the balcony off the control room and closed his eyes as laughter floated out to him from inside.

A moment of peace and happiness for his brothers and their mates among all the pain. Rocco was still refusing to return to the compound and the place didn’t feel right without him. But seeing his brothers so happy with their females, while Kyler was still in Hell—Gunner thought maybe that was for the best.