I run my hand up his beautiful chest, tracing the dips and muscles, and then circle my arms around his neck again and kiss him there. Nothing has really changed in all this time. His smell is like my matchboxes. It feels like Christmas and the Fourth of July together.

“I love you.” I pause and then add, because I can’t help myself, “Mr. Fane.”

“Oh, Jesus, fuck,” he grumbles and sits up. “I need a drink.”

Huh? I hold tighter, damn-near falling off as he tries to get up from the chair.

“Off me, now,” he orders. “I need a drink, Rika. Many drinks.”

I slide to the floor, the carpet scraping against my ass. I wince. “Hey.”

He pops the cigar in this mouth, shaking his head, and storms for the door.

Rika Crist just doesn’t sound right. He’s going to lose this one.

“We only have a weeks’ supply of food on this boat!” I yell as he opens the

door. “So, don’t wait too long to come to terms with this!”

“Goodnight!” he barks. “I love you!”

And he leaves, the door slamming rather hard for someone who says he can’t live without me.

I stare after him, a slow laugh rolling through me.

One month. I’m ready. I’m ready for it all.

And I smile, excitement coursing through me as I reach for my notebook on the table to make notes for the wedding planner.

THE END

Nightfall will release in 2020.

Please continue reading if you’d like to go back and revisit Iversen’s birth!

*This scene takes place about ten months after the end of Kill Switch. About a year before Conclave.

DAMON

“You’re insane!” Bryce screamed, walking away but then turning back around and charging up to me again. “I’m going, and I’m not coming back this time!”

‘K, bye.

I slid the notch of the hammer onto the nail head, pulling out the nail and removing his full morning of fuck-ups. The muscles in my arms were charged and hot, and if he didn’t fucking leave, I’d remove him myself.

“I mean it, Damon!” he barked again, calling my bluff.

I shot him a middle finger, not looking at him.

I heard cans crash to the floor and guessed he’d probably kicked something as he stormed to the door.

“Hey, what the hell?” I heard Kai burst in, the two-way door flapping as he charged in from the front office and into the warehouse where we were working. “What’s going on?”

“He’s crazy,” Bryce said. “He can’t work with people!”

I laughed under my breath.

I heard Kai sigh, because he was as much at his wits’ end as I was.