The Hero Within

by Bec McMaster

There was some serious eyeballing going on between them, and Mia arched both brows. If there was anyone who could rein Adam in, it was Mia.

  Adam glared between them all, his nostrils flaring. "Fine," he snarled, and then he stomped out the door, slamming it behind him.

  Johnny cursed under his breath, looking at her guiltily. "You okay, angel?"

  I'm not sure. She wrapped her arms around herself. She knew Adam was only worried about her. Ever since the mess with Cane, Adam had been overprotective. At least he was aware of it. Most of the time.

  Johnny sighed, bending to kiss her cheek. "I'll handle him."

  "I'm not sure that's a good idea right now."

  He cupped her face in his hands. "If it's making you unhappy, then McClain will get over it. He'll have to. And I'll be on my best behavior with him." His expression softened. "You always take on the weight of the world, angel. I know this will eat away at you, so I'll deal with it. You shouldn't have to worry about us. McClain and I are fucking adults. We can sort it out. Because we both love you, and neither of us wants to hurt you."

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then stepped back and nodded politely toward Mia.

  "Long time, Mia. You look well."

  Adam's wife smiled. "You and Eden McClain? Were you trying to push Adam's buttons?"

  "Frankly, what's going on between Eden and me has nothing to do with McClain," Johnny replied, pausing to open the door. "I'll go talk to him."

  Boots echoed on the veranda as he vanished.

  "Sorry," Mia said.

  "You didn't do anything." She crossed to her sister-in-law and hugged her. "I missed you."

  Mia hugged her back. "And your brother missed you too. He's just having a moment of shock." A wry smile curved her lips as she drew back. "The second he received your letter he went into a panic. Thought he was going to arrive home and find bodies everywhere, so he's been pushing us across the Wasteland. He's been worried sick about you, only to walk into this. You know how he handles stress."

  "As well as he handles women," she said with a sigh. Her voice grew small. "Do you think—"

  "He'll be fine with it, Eden. He loves you very much and all he wants is to see you happy." The other woman's smile grew big. "And judging from everything I've seen, Johnny Colton makes you happy, am I right?"

  A flush of relief went through her. She hadn't had a chance to share her good fortune with anyone. Maggie had been too busy dealing with the repercussions post-plague, and baby Tommy had colic, so Riley hadn't been getting enough sleep to sit and have a cup of tea with her. She needed to share with someone. She needed friends. A hug. Laughter. And someone who wouldn't judge her for the choices she'd made, like the council had.

  A warm glow suffused her. "Very. I can't explain it, but I'm so happy. He makes me feel.... It's—" She had no words.

  Mia threaded her arm through Eden's. "Good. I want to hear everything. All the juicy details you're not going to tell your brother...."

  Johnny found McClain chopping wood out the back of the house. There was a small courtyard planted with an overgrown cumquat tree and packed with overgrown weeds. Eden's green thumb was as evident as her cooking skills.

  Still, there was a serenity here he hadn't expected, if one didn't count a pissed-off older brother setting a log on the splitting block.

  McClain's gray-green gaze flickered over him, his lips thinning, and then he drove the ax down into the log he had set up. It didn't merely crack or split; both pieces flew apart like they'd been shot from a catapult.

  "Do I dare come any closer?" Johnny called, pausing a few yards away. "Or wait until you put the ax down?"

  "I distinctly recall saying we were even when we parted ways at Rust City." McClain pointed a finger toward him. "You messing with my sister again? Unforgivable—"

  "I'm not messing with her." Anger rose to choke him, the warg cutting him up inside like it had goddamned claws. Easy. Sarcasm had always been a defense mechanism, and he'd given in to it inside Eden's room with disastrous consequences for the woman he loved. He had to fix this. Maybe drop his shields a little. He scraped his hand across the back of his neck.

  "I love her, McClain. She's the one good thing that's ever happened to me and I would fucking die for that woman. But here's the thing... she loves you too. And you and I being at odds? That's going to cut her heart out of her chest. I won't do that. And if you love your sister, then neither will you."

  McClain lowered the head of the ax to the ground, always a good sign. "You love my sister."

  It wasn't a question.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. "More than anything in this world. I'm going to marry her, McClain. One day. And I would like to have your permission to ask her, when it comes time. You're the only family she has. It would be important to her. I'm pretty sure she'd like it if you gave her away too."

  "Motherfucker." McClain tossed the ax aside with a curse. "You're actually serious about this."

  He grinned. "I'm going to be the father of her children. Brother." "Why?" McClain demanded hoarsely. "Why her? I can't help but think—"

  "This has something to do with you?" Johnny quirked a brow. "That's either astoundingly arrogant, or rather dismissive of your sister's charms. McClain, she's incredible. Eden's smart, she's stubborn, she's determined.... Sometimes when I look at her I know there's not a damned thing that can stop her when she sets her mind to something. Your sister crossed a brutal desert packed full of wargs to bring a cure back for those she loved, regardless of the risk to herself. When we got to Cortez City, she outsmarted two of the most powerful men in this hell-forsaken world. And then, after all was said and done, she arm wrestled the council of Absolution and the Confederacy into making a deal to get me out of there, all without killing a single soul." His voice dropped. "I know... I will never clear my slate. I know why you doubt me—trust me, I understand where you're coming from. But the question isn't why would I fall in love with your sister, it's why would she fall in love with me?"

  He still wasn't sure he had an answer to that, though it was getting easier to believe it.

  McClain chewed over the words, suspicion slowly turning to grudging acceptance in his eyes. "My sister's not an idiot. If she sees something good in you, then it must be there." He sighed. "Hell. Even I might have been warming up to you last year. I jumped off a fucking four-story building with you."

  "We survived."

  McClain slowly tipped his head. "You saved my life. You saved Mia. I was two minutes away from maybe offering you a place back in Haven when you stole my bag and took off. I won't pretend we don't have to sit down and talk about the past, but... you're not as bad as I once thought you were."

  "Don't choke on it. I'd hate to have to tell Eden if you went down like this."

  McClain sighed. "Word of advice. Don't put her up on a pedestal. I love my sister, but she's not perfect, and this won't survive if you think she is."

  "You think you're telling me something I don't know? She can't cook for shit, and I know who's going to be doing the housework around here. She can hold a mean grudge, and she doesn't like swearing. I mean, who the fuck doesn't like swearing? I also have the feeling I'm going to be looking at lists for the rest of my life, but she might have to compromise there, because I don't do lists."

  I didn't do forever either.

  Until now. He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck.

  McClain glowered. "You'll protect her?"

  "With my life," he said fervently.

  "And you'll never betray her?"

  "I'd rather cut off my own hand. I'll love her, McClain, until the day I die. I'll remind her to eat when she gets lost in her thought processes, I'll help her set up her new clinic in Haven, I'll try to ignore the fact she snores like a train—"

  "Good luck with that." The first flicker of a smile crossed McClain's hard mouth.

  "I'll even put up with her overbearing, arrogant older brother, and that's almost a deal breaker."

  The
smile died and McClain stared at him flatly for a long moment. Then he sighed. "I'll accept this on one condition...."

  "Which is?"

  McClain hefted the ax. "You don't ever call me 'brother' again."

  Johnny grinned. No promises. "So about her hand in marriage...?"

  "Don't push your luck." McClain picked up the ax, resting it on his shoulder.

  Epilogue

  Three months later...

  * * *

  Butterflies raced through Eden's abdomen, leaving her slightly breathless.

  "I just don't see what all the rush is about," Adam grouched.

  "What's the point in waiting?" she asked. "There's not a single doubt in my mind about this, and Johnny did ask." The day he'd produced a ring for her was possibly the second happiest of her life, only slightly behind the day she'd rescued him from the Confederacy. Eden glanced down, staring at the plain gold band. "I can't believe I'm getting married."

  "I can't believe you're getting married either. This collar's too tight," Adam complained, tugging at it.

  Eden examined the buttons, smoothing the collar against his tanned skin. "It's fine. Leave it alone. You look very handsome in your shirt and jeans, and I'm sure Mia will drag you off somewhere to show you how much she appreciates it later."

  "And you look stunning." He sighed. "I admit it. You're glowing. You're going to be the most beautiful bride."

  There might be a reason for that....

  "You're okay with this?" she asked softly.

  Adam brushed one of her curls off her face, his expression implacable. "Eden, Colton asked me for your hand in marriage every day for the last three months. I'm okay with it. I finally gave in last week when he hinted he'd prefer if his children had his last name too, and you guys were maybe thinking about getting started on that."

  Her hands splayed across her abdomen instinctively. "Uh, about that...."

  Adam's gaze sharpened. "Edie?"

  Another breathless shiver of nervous excitement went through her. It had been their little secret for the past two months, and she'd been worried how Adam would take this. "You're going to be an uncle... in about six months’ time."

  Apparently there'd been a little side effect from that night in Shadow Rock, if she had her timing correct. Blame it on the kaga. Although she'd had her birth control booster a couple of months before, she'd forgotten about the effect of the antibiotics.

  The color drained out of his cheeks.

  "Adam?" she asked sharply, a fist of anxiety lodging in her throat. She'd hoped he'd be pleased. "I'm happy. Please be happy for me—"

  Adam dragged her into a tight hug, thumping her back. "I am happy for you," he choked out. "You just took me by surprise."

  "Squeezing... too... tight...."

  He let her go, and Eden smiled up at him tremulously. Adam brushed a tear from his eye.

  "Jeez, big guy," she teased, poking him in the ribs. "Anyone would think you were the one pumped full of hormones at the moment."

  "Something in my eye."

  "Yeah, yeah."

  "We might be adding to our family in the near future too," he admitted.

  Her heart swelled. "Mia's—"

  "No." Adam shook his head. "Mia was raised by a foster family who took her in when she was little. She strongly believes there are too many orphaned children out here in the Wastelands who need parents. It's a hard world. And I had a hand in raising Lily for a few years. They were some of the best years of my life, so... we've been discussing adoption."

  Eden gave a cry of delight and squeezed her arms around him. "That's perfect. You'd be a great father."

  He cleared his throat. "Speaking of perfect, we'd better get you out there before your groom starts to get nervous and thinks I've kidnapped you."

  Eden smuggled a smile as she drew back. "You're starting to like him."

  "Am not."

  "Are too," she said.

  Adam rested his hands on her shoulders, his gray-green eyes gleaming suspiciously. "You've always been my baby sister, and to see you today like this.... Mom and Dad would have been so proud, and I know—" The word came out choked. "Shit."

  He turned away, scrubbing at his mouth.

  "Adam?"

  He promptly held out his arm, waving her away. Couldn't get the words out right now.

  She leaned up and kissed his cheek, accepting his arm. "Thank you," she whispered. "For all you've done for me over the years. And thank you for being here for me today."

  He offered her his arm again.

  The door banged open, and Riley stuck her head through. "What the hell are you guys doing in here?" She narrowed her brown eyes on Adam. "If you try and make a run for it with her, I will track you down and drag her back. Bridesmaid promise."

  "Can everyone just relax?" he growled. "We're coming. I just needed a moment to say goodbye to my sister."

  "We're living three houses down from you," Eden protested. They'd stayed at Absolution for the first month, before she grew tired of people staring at the warg in their midst. Some things never changed. Lucky for her, most of her family lived in Haven. It hadn't been a difficult decision at all. "I'm not going anywhere."

  "No, you're not," he said, escorting her toward the door. "But now you'll officially belong to him."

  "Oh God," Riley muttered. "You haven't changed a bit, McClain. You are so old-fashioned."

  "Have you ever thought maybe it's the other way around?" Eden added. "Maybe I'm doing this for Johnny, so he feels like he belongs to me?"

  Adam looked at her sharply.

  "Johnny doesn't have a family," Eden pointed out. "I want him to be mine, and to feel welcome in my world. It's been hard for him. He's never spent much time around people, and he hates his past so much it creates a little bit of a wall between him and others. But now they'll be his people too. Maybe it will help him feel like this is his home."

  Adam sighed. "If he starts calling me his brother—"

  "I know."

  Adam gave a curt nod. "Let's do this then."

  Riley winked and held open the door for her.

  Smoothing her green cotton dress of nonexistent wrinkles with one hand, Eden let Adam escort her out into the garden behind his house in Haven. Those butterflies were back.

  Guests turned as they made their way out onto the veranda, and Eden bloomed into a smile when she saw all of her family and friends waiting for her. CJ winked at her as she passed him. Lily wore a white dress that Eden had taken in for her, and scattered a handful of wildflowers like desert sand verbena and arnica across the sandy gravel.

  And there...

  Waiting for her at the end of the narrow tunnel of people....

  Her smile widened until it almost split her cheeks as Johnny heard the guests start to shuffle, and turned, unable to help himself. Their eyes met, and all of Eden's nerves died away as she met those dark, slightly cynical eyes. The self-deprecating cynicism he usually wore was gone. Instead, his mouth softened as he caught a glimpse of her, and she was pretty sure Johnny Colton stopped breathing for a second.

  His gaze caressed every inch of her, as if he simply couldn't believe this was about to happen.

  Eden joined him in front of the gorgeous red oleander that was in full bloom. A string of pretty lanterns hung above them, and she remembered them from Maggie's cousin's wedding a few years ago.

  "You look...."

  "I know. Riley found this dress for me in one of her trunks." She bit her lower lip shyly.

  "It's not the dress," Johnny murmured, shooting her the sultry smile that did so much damage to her insides.

  "You look pretty damn good too."

  Black shirt, black jeans, his hat slung low over his face, and his jaw clean-shaven. Months ago he'd have looked like a dangerous outlaw in this getup, but the smile softened him. Life had softened him.

  He looked happy.

  "Language," he chided, and Eden smacked his arm.

  "You're a bad influence on me."

/>   "You need a bit of bad in you, angel. Helps keep you grounded." He leaned closer to her ear, his voice dropping. "Eres la luz de mi vida y tienes mi corazón en tus manos para siempre."

  Oh, God. He was using his sexy bedtime voice, knowing the impact it had on her. "Behave, mi diablo."

  "You don't even know what I said." His smile held all manner of sin. He was slowly teaching her his mother's language, though she found it difficult to concentrate considering he whispered Spanish words in her ear when he made love to her.

  "Tell me later."

  "I will."

  Her unconscious mind had begun to associate the language with sexy times, and all their lessons ended up going off tangent.

  Not that that was a bad thing.

  "Ready?" he whispered.

  "Let's do this."

  Eden could scarcely take her eyes off him as the priest started the ceremony. She held his hands as the words washed over her, said what she had to, and smiled until her cheeks hurt.

  Then Johnny slid a wedding ring on her finger, and people started clapping.

  "You may now kiss the bride," the priest called.

  Eden grabbed his shirt by the collar and lifted her face to his as Johnny cupped the back of her skull with his hand. Their mouths met, Johnny's feet braced apart and his body towering over her. A deeper kiss than she might have expected in front of her family—and brother—but as cheers lit the air, she found she didn't care.

  Everything was perfect and Eden could finally cross off all items on her happiness list, and add one more.

  Surrounded by everyone she loved. Check.

  Married to Johnny Colton. Check.

  Having his baby. Check.

  A new Spanish phrase to learn tonight—to be crossed off the second she managed to get some privacy....

  Consider it checked.

  * * *

  ###

  BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE BURNED LANDS WORLD

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for reading The Hero Within! I hope you enjoyed the journey with Johnny and Eden. Colton’s HEA has been a long time coming, so it’s well deserved—and rest assured, while he, Adam and Luc might argue from time to time, Haven is going to become a place where the three of them can find peace…