Confused, she looks at me, then her gun, then me. With a screech, she shoots me three more times. When the same thing happens—Frosty catches me, I heal—she stumbles back, radiating fear.

“How do you want to handle this?” Cole asks me.

“I know!” Kat appears at my side, proclaiming, “We won our case. Join hands and light up. Hurry.”

“Do it,” I say.

Everyone leaps into action...and just like before, a great wave of energy bursts from us. Maybe it happens because the witnesses won their case. Maybe we’ve always possessed the ability and just didn’t know it. Or maybe the faith still humming inside us is responsible. Whatever the reason, I sure do like the results.

Like us, Rebecca is cast into the air, where she hovers just below the ceiling, flailing for an anchor but finding none.

“Stop. Stop!” The gun falls from her grip, clinks on the ground. “Let me down! Let me—” Her back bows. She screams as her body goes up in flames—without being touched by any of us. She shakes and shakes and shakes...finally, she explodes.

The energy leaves us and we drop, our circle broken. Frosty wraps his arms around me as ash the color of ink rains upon us.

Dark can always be chased away by light.

“It’s over now,” he says and kisses my temple. “She can’t come back from that.”

“Now, all we have to do is...live.”

The drive home is a celebratory affair. The war is finally over—ding dong the witch is dead—and all of my friends are alive.

“Let Rebecca be a cautionary tale for all of us,” Milla says. “Act like a hooker, get screwed.”

I chuckle softly, but sober quickly. “River. Chance.” The two sit across from me in the van. “You guys need to hack into Rebecca’s accounts and drain her money. She’s dead, yeah, but we can’t allow anyone else to use her resources and keep the company afloat.”

“I’ll do it,” River replies. “Then, I recover from battle, Marks-style.”

Cole parks in our underground garage. Couples begin to dart upstairs, one after the other. I understand their urgency. I want Milla in my arms. I need her in my arms. I’m going to show her how much I love her.

She’s my world.

The moment she put herself in front of me, taking the bullets meant for me, I knew. I could deny the truth no longer. I love her, and I’m never letting her go.

Before we make to the first step, River moves to block our path. “Is now a bad time to mention you guys have to do my laundry for a month?”

Milla flips him off.

He slaps her finger aside. “Is that any way to treat your favorite person on earth?”

“Currently you hold the exalted position of least favorite.”

“Even though I promise not to stand in your way if you decide to live here?”

My smile is nothing more than a challenge. “Try and take her away. I dare you.”

He studies me, silent, and nods. Then he turns away, calling, “Justin. We’re the only smart—I mean, single—guys left. After I pad our bank accounts with Rebecca’s money, we’re going to Hearts, and I’m going to teach you how to score any chick you want—except the ones I want.”

The two head for the door. Milla looks up at me and pouts. “You don’t want to do long-distance with me?”

Hell, no. But would I be willing? Yes. If necessary. Thing is, I want her with me. Now and always. I want her in my bed every night, and in my arms every morning.

“Do you want to return with him?” Hell, if I must, I’ll join River’s crew.

“Well,” she says, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. The finger I myself am wrapped around. “I haven’t been offered an official position here.”

Is that the problem? “Let’s settle that once and for all.” I heft her over my shoulder, sending her into peals of laughter. I carry her to our bedroom, then shut and lock the door. When I set her on her feet, she doesn’t move away from me, but stands in front of me, nibbling on her bottom lip. Nervous now?

“I love you, Milla Marks.” My gaze locks with hers. “I love you more than pizza and victory, which I used to think were my two favorite things. But it’s you. You are my favorite hello. If you die, I die. We’re bonded in a way I never expected and never before experienced. You are a treasured part of me, and I don’t care if you put me first or last, just as long as you put up with me.”

Tremors in her chin. “I don’t... I can’t... Aston. I love you so freaking much.”

Waves of relief...waves of joy.

“I almost can’t believe this is happening,” she says. “Earlier I lived my worst nightmare. Now I’m living my greatest dream. But I still haven’t heard an invitation.”

Contentment settles deep in my heart. “Sweet pea, you are my favorite hello and my hardest goodbye, and I don’t want to go a day without you. Consider that your official invitation.”

A slow, sweet smile lifts the corner of her lips. “Consider this my official acceptance.”

Darling girl. “Let’s kiss on it.”

“Let’s do more than that.” Smiling, she pushes me toward the bed.

My knees hit the edge of the mattress, and I fall. She jumps on top of me to straddle my waist. I grip her waist, holding her in place. And damn, I love the view. The sheet she’s wearing is ripped in several places and gaping open.

“You think you can rough me up, sweet pea?”

“Oh, I know I can. You might be bigger than me—”

“A lot bigger.” I arch my hips to show her just how much.

She moans, then manages to finish her sentence. “—but I’m spunky.”

“And you sometimes like to perform that testicle removal,” I add helpfully.

“Yes, I do. Which makes it strange that you keep calling me sweet pea.”

“Why? You’re delicious and nutritious, and I can’t have just one taste.”

Laughing, she braces her hands at my temples. “So...does this mean you’re my boyfriend? Now...and in the morning?”

I move fast, so fast she’s unable to counter, swinging her to her back. “I’m your boyfriend, and you are my girlfriend—now and always. I’ll hear no arguments on the subject.”

“What about complaints?” She rakes her nails down my chest. “You talk too much.”

“Then let’s put my mouth to better use.”

I press my lips against hers, and she doesn’t just return the kiss, she pours herself into it, giving me every part of her, nothing held back. She tastes so good, and she’s so warm, so wonderfully warm, my need for her becomes frenzied. I run my hands over her, desperate to touch her, all of her.

But. Yeah. There’s a but.

With a growl, I lurch back. “You’re in charge of this. Whatever you want, I’ll do.” She’s used to hit and runs, guys who care only about their own needs. I’m going to give her more, so much more.

I’m giving her everything.

“Aston...” As she studies me and the tattoos inked on my chest, her expression is luminous. “You said you didn’t care if I put you first or last, but I want you to know that you’re first with me. You’ll always be first. And now I want you to kiss me again. Kiss me and never stop.”

“That I can do.” I swoop in for another kiss, and what begins as a sweet communion soon turns into a feral feeding. I can’t get enough of her mouth, her tongue or her teeth.

Can’t get enough of her.

I whisk the makeshift dress off her and look her over—and thank God for second chances. “You are perfect,” I rasp, because it’s the truth. “There’s nothing about you I would change.”

“Aston.” A curse. A plea. “Less talking. More doing.”

“Good. I like the way you communicate.” I straighten to kick off my boots and strip. When I crawl back over her, she accepts my weight with a sexy moan. We rub against each other, creating the most beautiful friction.