It was a surreal sort of feeling to watch the agents leave with Roman, knowing that the people responsible for the constant state of fear in were gone. Honestly, I didn’t know how we were going to get back to a normal life after all we had been through. We had never had a normal life together...

As I looked up to Roman, I remembered the conversation we had about staying in our marriage and my heart squeezed joyfully. Never in my wildest dreams could I have ever foreseen my life turning out like that. Wild, crazy, scary, and all at the same time... beautiful. When I looked into Roman’s eyes, I saw beauty, love, patience, and understanding. What more could you want in a partner?

My hand stayed on his arm as sat there, feeling a sort of protectiveness over him, even after the agents announcement. "You know, the madness isn’t quite over," he stated.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my pulse quickening just at the mention of their potentially being more to the rollercoaster ride we had been on for all that time.

"There are a lot more moving pieces now," he explained and shot me a soft smile. "Word is going to get out. It’s going to be in the news."

I felt myself relax back into my seat. "As long as none of the journalists or cameramen are trying to put more holes in you, I think I’ll be okay with that."

He lifted my hand from his arm and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it. "Just warning you."

As we sat in relative silence and soaked in the moment, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander over the last couple of months. At times, it felt as though my destiny already written for me. That we would be forced to be shut-ins forever to avoid the danger that remained from the Auction House, or that the danger would catch up to us and that be the end of it. It had always been the hope to be set free from it all, but it always felt so out of reach. So unobtainable. To a lesser extent, I imagined that was how prisoners felt once finally freed from their cells.

There was so much we could finally do as a couple. Normal things, exciting things, luxurious things because of his status. While I had never cared for the glamorous life, suddenly it didn’t sound all that bad. A break from the fear and feeling closed off. To be pampered, to go places, to live for pleasure sounded just like what the doctor ordered.

"Anything you would like to do?" Roman asked, once more ripping me from my thoughts.

"Mostly get you fully recovered," I replied.

He chuckled and shook his head. "I think I’ve done enough resting for a lifetime."

"And that’s where you’re wrong," I said with a little smile of my own. "I’m just as antsy as you are to get out there and do things, but we have to make sure you heal properly first."

"I’m as healed as... something," Roman stated in a joking tone, though falling short of completion.

"Oh yeah?" I asked. When he nodded, I positioned my hand as though I was going to poke him in the wound. Immediately, he flinched.

"Okay, okay. You’ve made your point," he sighed. "Fine. As soon as it’s healed, though, we’re going somewhere."

"We’ll figure that out when we get there," I replied. Standing up, I extended a hand to my husband and gave him a bit of a smile. Helping him from the bed, I looped an arm around him and guided him from the room. I caught him smiling smugly as we moved down the hall and I narrowed my eyes at him. "What is it?"

He shrugged. "It’s just... endearing to see you be so protective."

"Well, of course I am," I blushed. "I care about you."

Riding down the elevator, I guided him out to the deck. After settling him in, I stepped into the kitchen. If we needed to continue to lay low so he could heal, we could at least make the most of it. Taking out my phone, I ordered us a bunch of take out, then grabbed a bottle of wine, and headed back out to him. "The food will be here soon," I announced as I handed him a glass of wine.

"What’s this all about?" he asked.

I shrugged and relaxed in a deck chair next to him. "I figured if we need to stay home a little while longer, we might as well enjoy all we can. What better way than having a drink, and only one or two mister, eating a bunch of food, and spending time together?"

A slow but large smile crept onto his face. "You know, you’ve got me there."

"Cheers," I smiled and raised my glass to his.

We clanked our drinks together before sipping them. I did my all to keep the conversation light, fun, and not at all about the horrors we had just been through. It didn’t really take any effort; I don’t think either of us really wanted to think about it more than we already did. It had been so long in living that way, that it felt like a breath of fresh air to be able to do anything else. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Then again, we had never been able to do that. Anything else had just been a means of distraction or holding up appearances since we had been together. My mind just couldn’t wrap around it. I needed to let myself just live in the moment. Embrace the time spent just the two of us in our own home, and learn who my husband was when our lives weren’t in the path of danger.

When the app notified me the driver was near, I headed inside to fetch it from the front door. Grabbing the sacks of greasy, delicious Chinese food, I turned when I nearly bumped into Kristen. She gave a little flourish before sticking her hand into one of the bags and snagging herself an egg roll. I laughed and shook my head at her. "Hey! Order your own food," I chuckled.

"Why would I when I have yours?" she asked, wiggling her brows and the egg roll at me before dancing off.

As I headed back toward the deck, a little thought blossomed in my mind and for a moment made me a bit sad. How long would Kristen, Lori, and Lauren hang around for? Of course, Lauren and Lori were both family, so I was sure they would always come and go. Yet, they probably wouldn’t be around as much as they had been. The little family we had built for ourselves to get through the chaos would fizzle out to the background. My eyes locked on Kristen as she danced her way up the stairs. Just how long would she stick around, though?

Kristen had always been a brave and independent spirit. I doubted fear was even holding her back at that moment. So how long would she stay with us before going off on her own? Something in me worried for her; worried she would be gone like a phantom in the night and no telling what would come of her. I hope she didn’t, though. I hope she stuck around until she had a path for herself. It wasn’t like Roman or I would mind her being around.

I stayed there until she was out of view. Doing my best to shake the thoughts off, I plated the food up nicely for Roman and I before heading back outside. The sight of him was enough to calm my spirits. Setting the food down on the table between us, we each got chopsticks and grazed at the meal. We giggled and smiled as we took too big of bites and made small talk about just how good the food was. Kristen was playing some music from her room, with her window open, so we got to enjoy some background ambience as well. It was nice, relaxing, and I think just what we both needed as a transition into freedom.

"I could stay like this forever," Roman stated out of what felt like nowhere.

I peered up at him with an inquisitive smile. "Stay like what?"

"You, me, some good food and wine, and peace. I think I’ve finally found my happy place," Roman spoke honestly.

The words were so pure and vulnerable that for a moment, I was breathless. His ocean blue eyes were tidal waves of emotion and passion. I was captivated by him. It was then that I realized anywhere, as long as he was with me, could be my happy place.

How could it be that I was continuously falling in love with the same man? It was never-ending, and I liked it that way.