by Zoe Dawson
“Ceri,” Jo said, and she switched her attention to the dogs, petting them both. “Wow, they’re so soft.”
“He should be. I brush the he…dickens out of him,” Max said.
She gave him a sidelong glance and giggled. “You almost said a bad word. Don’t worry, we always give forgiveness kisses here.”
“Can I take her home with me?” he said to Jo, and she laughed.
“You couldn’t handle me,” Ceri said softly, her voice matter-of-fact.
All the guys around them threw back their heads and laughed.
Where was Dragon? Her whole body was one big tension headache.
Then, her heart caught. He walked through the door.
“Daddy!” The dogs forgotten, Ceri raced to the door. He went to his knees, and the look on his face brought tears to Jo’s eyes. Gen clutched her arm. He wrapped his arms around Ceri and held her so tightly. “I really, really like your friends! They saved us. It was really scary. These guys had guns and they pushed us around. Mommy told them to stop it. She was so brave.”
He cupped her cheek while she talked, clearly loving her beyond life, just like Jo loved her.
Gen rose and went to Dragon. She cupped his face and kissed him soundly. Every man in the room went, “Awwww.”
“Shut up,” Dragon said, shaking his head.
Gen took Ceri’s hand. “Let’s get you into the bath and ready for bed. This has been a trying night.”
Ceri resisted, looking at her dad. “Are you staying?”
Dragon looked over at Jo and shook his head. Focusing on Ceri again, he said, “I’ll be back for the recital. Okay?”
Ceri looked over at Jo, then up at Gen. “But won’t we be—”
“Happy to see him,” Gen filled in and carted Ceri off.
Dragon walked over to her. “Are you all right, babe?”
That word tumbled through her like sunshine. She stood and walked to him. All the guys milling around had nowhere to go, but Jo didn’t give a damn. Dragon didn’t move a muscle, just stared at her as if he was memorizing her features. She could feel the rigid tension in him. When she touched him, he relaxed his hard muscles. His gaze never wavered.
“Thank you for coming for us.”
“Babe, I would travel into hell for you.”
Trapped by the intensity of that gaze, Jo stared at him, all her feelings for him swelling up inside her. How could she have ever thought giving him herself, her child was a bad decision? There was no future for them without him in it. She loved him. He was everything she’d ever wanted.
She had to take a fortifying breath before she could talk. “I know you would. The least I can do is move to San Diego for you,” she said, her voice catching. “I love you, Ryuu Shannon.”
Those beautiful almond eyes widened, and he smiled that devastating smile, then laughed out loud, shouting, “Hoo-yah!”
The room erupted with it. “Hoo-yah!”
She was nearly crushed with his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her. Relief washing through her, she got her arms free and locked them around his neck, a sob breaking loose. And that unbearable lightness burst inside her, and she knew that whatever Ceri needed, she would get. Whatever his mom needed, she would be cared for, and whatever Jo needed, he would move heaven and earth to provide.
Hauling in a deep, ragged breath, he covered her mouth with a kiss that nearly sent her reeling. God, the man could kiss. Her mouth was hungry against his. There was clapping and laughter, and someone touched Dragon’s shoulder.
“I hate to break this up, but we’ve got to go.”
He turned to look at the very big, gruff man. “This is my commanding officer, Lieutenant Ford ‘Fast Lane’ Nixon. You met Max Keegan and Jugs. And these are my teammates, Errol Ballentine, Neo Teller, Zach Bartholomew, and Oliver Graham. AKA, Pitbull, 2-Stroke, Saint, and Dodger.
“We’re glad you’re safe, ma’am,” Ford said.
“Thank you all so much.”
His team filed out, and then he turned to the others and introduced them as the team he often filled in for. “Lieutenant Bowie Cooper, Ashe Wilder, Wes McGraw, Thorn Hunt, Ocean Beckett, Arlo Porter, Orion Cross, and Jude Lock. AKA, Ruckus, Kid Chaos, Cowboy, Tank, Blue, Scarecrow, Wicked, and Hollywood.”
“You have ten more minutes,” the lieutenant said, then nodded to her as they filed out.
“I’ll call you when I get back to San Diego. When are you coming?”
“Two weeks, right after Ceri’s recital. I’ll fill you in on my grand plan.”
“What changed your mind?”
“Something Ceri said. I was all worried about her future, thinking moving her out of this state was going to uproot her and disrupt her life.” She cupped his face. “But you are the most important reason we’re moving. You and I will raise her well.”
“We will,” he said. “I love you, Jo. I’m sure that’s a surprise, but it’s true.” He set his hand over his heart. “I’ve loved you for a long time.”
“Shannon!”
“I’ve got to go.”
She nodded and kissed him. She watched him walk down the hall, but then he ran back to her, kissing her soundly. She got lost in him and knew that whatever their future did hold, there would be nothing but love filling it. George R. R. Martin had the gist of it. All she needed was her Dragon to conquer the world.
Epilogue
Dragon backed the small U-Haul into the driveway of their new home, a beautiful Spanish-style structure with four bedrooms and a suite in the back for his mom. The house featured a terracotta tile roof, textured exterior stucco walls, and rounded archways. Jo had spent a lot of time decorating it, and they were just moving in their personal belongings today. It’d gotten a fresh coat of paint and sprucing up, including a new pump for the pool.
He’d already gotten the grill and the outside patio ready to go for the cookout they were going to have with all the guys from his team and Ruckus’s team, including Hemingway.
The kid was hanging out, training, and waiting for his trip to BUD/S.
All the wives were there as well, cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Jo was in her element and looked so happy. She’d invited Morgan, and the woman was in SEAL heaven.
He’d heard from Agent Lang at NCIS that Nisha and Watanabe had been shanked shortly after their arrest while they waited for arraignment from the county lockup. Both had died of their injuries.
Jo was looking for property where she could set up her new shop. She was going to work part-time when Ceri was in school. They had already gotten her enrolled in one of the top Montessori schools in the area and also found a private ballet teacher for her. She was healthy and happy, chattering away with everyone.
All his teammates loved her. God, how he loved her.
He had more help than he could handle with the guys carrying the already marked boxes. Jo was a wonder in organization, and that suited him well.
Pitbull followed him up to the master suite. “This is some house, man.”
“Yeah, it’s going to take some getting used to after the barracks.”
More of his teammates, carrying boxes, came into the room until all of them were inside.
“So when are you asking her to marry you?” Max asked.
Dragon went over to the nightstand and pulled out a box. “Probably after we get settled.”
Max took the box out of his hand and whistled when he opened it. He passed it to a surprised Dodger. “Look at that rock, mate.”
Dodger took it and nodded. “That’s some fine ice.”
He passed it to Fast Lane, who grunted his approval, then to 2-Stroke who looked at Dragon with solemn eyes. “Big step.”
“I’ve already leapt, my friend. All of this is overwhelming.”
Saint took the ring. “It’s all about family,” he said, passing it to Pitbull, who was the last to look at it. Dragon saw the way his face tensed, and he wondered if his teammate had come to a final decision about Samantha.
He
closed the box and handed it back to Dragon. “Congratulations.” He leaned against the wall. “How are you going to ask her?”
“Well, I’ll ask her to marry me. Tell her I have great benefits and health care.”
Max winced. “What? Are you an insurance salesman? That’s not romantic.”
“What the hell do you know about romance, Max?” Dodger asked.
“I know enough that women dig it, and I get laid on a regular basis because I know how to be romantic. Hell, do the laundry. That will get them every time.” He cuffed Dragon on the back of the head. “Don’t mention health care.”
“You want me to throw in a load and get down on one knee in the laundry room?”
Everyone burst into laughter.
“No. God.” Max rubbed his face. “How you ever got such a babe to love you is astonishing. Candles, wine, flowers, music and then mind-blowing fucking should do the trick.”
“You said a bad word.”
All of them whipped around and stared. Ceri stood in the doorway in a cute pink dress with white bunnies hopping around, white sandals on her feet.
“Oh, f—ah darn,” Max said.
“Good catch. Mommy would wash your mouth out with soap.”
Max looked horrified. “I would deserve it, Ceri.” She walked into the room and tugged on his hand. He bent down, and she kissed him on the mouth. “Forgiveness.” Then she walked out.
Max turned to him. “I’m so sorry. I promise I’ll watch my mouth around her. I swear, man.”
“She’s like a pink-and-white ninja,” Dodger said. “Bloody hell, she’s so cute.” He slapped his hand over his mouth.
“You guys are going to have my daughter talking like a sailor in no time.” He blew out a breath.
“Ryuu,” Jo called up the stairs. There’s a man here to see you.”
Dragon pushed through his knuckleheaded team and walked down the stairs. He went to the door and the man pulled out a badge. “I’m U.S. Marshall Dan Stone. There’s no easy way to tell you this, so I’ll just say it. We have your brother Asahi Shannon with us. He’s no longer in witness protection since the two men who tried to kill him are now dead.” He turned to look over his shoulder as the rear passenger door opened.
Dragon couldn’t believe his ears or his eyes when his tall brother, dressed in a polo and jeans, stepped out of the black sedan. The shock to his system jolted him when Asahi stood uncertainly at the end of the driveway.
“Mom!” Dragon called as Jo clutched his arm.
“Asahi,” Jo whispered. “Oh my God.”
Gen came into the foyer with a puzzled look on her face. The tone of Dragon’s voice had brought all the wives with her. One of them was carrying Ceri.
A pressure built at the back of his eyes as his mom gasped. He caught her against him as her knees buckled. Then she was running as fast as her legs could carry her, sobbing out his name, shouting in Japanese. She threw her arms around him, and he caught her, hugging her tight.
Dragon walked slowly toward him as Asahi kept one arm around her. Then Dragon embraced him, and all of them just lost it.
Later that night after the cookout, after he’d had a long talk with his brother, he’d discovered he’d been revived in the ambulance and NYPD decided that he wouldn’t be safe now and initiated entrance for him into witness protection.
Asahi had been a San Diego cop for five of the six years he was in WITSEC. Dragon was so proud of him. He was in their spare room, staying a while to get to know them a bit before going back to work.
Dragon and Jo were warm and comfortable under the covers. She was reading a book. Finally she closed it, slipping down and wrapping her arm around him. “I can’t believe that Asahi’s alive. I’m so happy. But what a shock.”
“It’s incomprehensible. I’m thankful to everyone who kept him safe. My mom…” He trailed off, and she brushed her mouth over his cheek.
He swallowed hard, her breath feathering against his neck. “I know, babe. I know,” she whispered. “Did you see the way Morgan looked at him? All that gorgeous beefcake in one room and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. It was sweet he asked her out for coffee. The feeling must be mutual.”
Dragon grinned. “Matchmake much?”
She nudged him. “It’s exciting. He would be lucky to get Morgan. She’s a catch.”
He turned his head, so their mouths connected. Dragon closed his eyes, his world so full, a knot of emotion climbing up his throat. He waited for the contraction to ease, then said the words that had always been in his heart. “Do you know how much I love you, Jo?”
She shifted and looked up at him. “Yes, because it’s as much as I love you, Ryuu.”
Dragon took her face between his hands, his mouth lifting up at the corner. “Marry me, Josephine Moretti.” Max was right. It was all about romance, and the time couldn’t be more perfect.
She stared at him for an instant, her eyes filling with tears, and she hugged him like there was no tomorrow. His throat closed up completely, and he closed his eyes, turning his face against her, hugging her back.
He ran his hand up her spine and reached over to pull open his nightstand drawer. Pulling out the box, he opened it.
She looked down with anticipation, then she frowned. “Is there supposed to be a ring in there?”
He turned the box around and found the space where the ring was supposed to be nestled empty. “Talking about taking the candlelight out of my romance,” he whispered.
They looked at each other and said at the same time, “Ceri.”
Getting out of bed, they went into her room. Sure enough, clutched in her little hand was the ring. She was sleeping like an angel, but what a little devil.
Over their sleeping daughter, he turned to her and slipped the ring on her finger.
She made a sound that was somewhere between laughter and tears, and she hugged him. “Yes, forever and ever, yes.”
A sleepy voice said from the bed, “I do too. Can I be a flower girl? I’m changing my last name to Shannon too. Make that happen, Daddy.” She yawned then went back to sleep.
They tiptoed out of her room and went back to bed.
Laughing softly, Jo lifted her head and looked at him, her gaze bright with love. “How many more do you want?”
He groaned. “If they’re a handful like Ceri… Four?”
“Four?” she squeaked.
“We’ll negotiate.” His chest full and his body starting to relax, he slipped his hand down her body. “I got some advice from Max about how to ask you to marry me.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“I was going to mention the benefits and health care.”
She chuckled and shoved him. “Really? What did he say?”
“I wasn’t an insurance salesman.”
“Good advice,” she said straddling his hips.
“That move you just did brings me to his last suggestion.”
“Oh,” she said, her voice sultry and as velvety as the dark. “What was that?”
“Mind-blowing sex.”
She leaned down and whispered in his ear, his dick springing to life as she wiggled her bottom. “There’s more than meets the eye with Max. Maybe he’s redeemable.”
He murmured, “I doubt it.”
His body alive and pulsing, he caught her by the back of the head, his fingers tangling in her hair as he opened his mouth beneath hers, taking all that she offered.
Forever after.
Look for Pitbull, the next book in the SEAL Team Alpha series. Pitbull has to come to terms with his unexpected fatherhood and figure out what to do while he heads off to a mission with tough, but lovely NCIS Special Agent Makayla Littlestar. This time her partner is missing, and she is intent on finding him before it’s too late. He may have been taken by an international terrorist and it chills them all on what type of information they wanted from one of their civilian agents. Could the knowledge in his head leave the vast Navy vulnerable to an attack? Then there’s their sizzling a
ttraction that makes a burned Pitbull wary. He has no idea what kind of pain Makayla is hiding as she holds on to the devastating secret that changed the course of her life. With Pitbull she might get a second chance at happiness if she can find a way to open up her heart again.
Glossary
BUD/S - Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL training
Comm - The equipment that SEALs use to communicate with each other in the field.
CO - Commanding Officer
DEVGRU - The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), formerly SEAL Team Six
DoD - Department of Defense
DZ - Drop zone, the targeted area for parachutists.
HALO - High altitude, low opening jump from an aircraft.
HVT - High value target
IED - Improvised Explosive Device
Klicks - Shortened word for kilometers.
LRRP - Long-range reconnaissance patrol.
LT - Nickname for lieutenant.
LZ - Landing Zone where aircraft can land.
Merc - Mercenary - guns for hire.
MWD - Military Working Dog
MRE - Meals, Ready-to-Eat, portable in pouches and packed with calories, these packaged meals are used in the field.
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NCIS - Naval Criminal Investigative Service
NWU - Navy Working Uniform
RIB - Rigid Inflatable Boat
RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade
R&R - Rest and Relaxation
Tango -Hostile combatants.
SERE -Stands for survival, evasion, resistance, escape. The principles of avoiding the enemy in the field.
Six - Military speak for watching a man’s back.
About the Author
Zoe Dawson lives in North Carolina, one of the friendliest states in the US. She discovered romance in her teens and has been spinning stories in her head ever since. Her heroes are sexy males with a disregard for danger and whether reluctant, gung-ho, or caught up in the action, show their hearts of gold.
Her imagination runs wild with romances from sensual to scorching including romantic comedy, new adult, romantic suspense, small town, and urban fantasy. Look below to explore the many avenues to her writing. She believes it’s all about the happily ever afters and always will.
