Ruthless Savage Bonus Content

EPILOGUE

ERIU

FIVE YEARS LATER

“This is great work, Mrs. McHale.” My editor, Kate, at Main Books glances up from reading an excerpt from my new romance novel, which they will be publishing next year.

I can’t believe I get to not only work here as an editor myself, but have my dream of becoming an author come true.

Much to my father’s dismay, writing romance novels felt right to me. It was the most natural thing, and I’m quite good at it. I’ve had three published already, with the latest hitting a bestseller list. My father and my entire family are proud of me, of course. I sought out to do something and I accomplished it.

But my biggest cheerleader is my husband. He’s the one who has read every book, tells everyone about his “famous author wife.”

I grin at the thought. Marrying him was the best thing I’ve ever done.

“Thank you,” I tell her, my face flushing.

I’m still not used to getting compliments about my work. In all honesty, I don’t even feel like a real author most days. It’s all crazy to me. The book signings, the readers coming just to see me. I guess they call it imposter syndrome, and I’m a full member.

“This is probably your best book yet, Eriu. I see it hitting a list.” She closes her laptop, while I start to rise.

“I hope so,” I tell her. “That’s the dream.”

“I’d say you’ve already accomplished a lot of your dreams.” Her tight-rimmed mouth flicks at the corner. “I still remember when you first joined us, and look at you now.”

I shrug. “It feels like forever ago, yet also like no time has passed.”

“You’re not kidding.” She shakes her head. “Well, I will see you tomorrow morning. Have a great rest of your day.”

“Thanks.” I head out, saying goodbye to the secretary up front before I start toward my car, with my new bodyguard, Tony, right behind me as I enter my sedan and slide onto the road.

A lot may have changed, but some things remain the same. My family is still who they are. And the danger? Well, I’ve come to accept it as part of my life.

As for Karen, I still miss her, and the hurt from what she did is just an echo now. I wish she was here. I wish I could talk to her and tell her about my life. She would’ve had one of her own. Would she be married too? Would she work in fashion like she once wanted to? Would she and I still be friends, or would we have lost each other to the years and the time slipping by?

I don’t have any of those answers. I never will.

Almost two hours later, and I’m finally home at a sprawling mansion on Long Island, not far from where my sister lives. We moved last year, and it felt right.

Especially now.

Parking in the driveway, I head inside, opening the door, hearing my husband whistling somewhere in the kitchen. It’s his off day today, and I knew he’d make sure I had a meal to come home to.

“Love, is that you?” he calls from the distance as I strut into the kitchen.

He’s cutting up some tomatoes, and of course he’s not wearing a shirt. Definitely just got hotter in here.

“Well, if it wasn’t, we’d have a real problem, wouldn’t we?” I pop a hand on my hip.

He lowers the knife down and runs a hand through his hair, brushing it away from his face, a grin spreading. “Get your pretty arse over here and give me a kiss.”

My teeth sink around the corner of my bottom lip, gaze slinking down his body. The muscle in his chest jerks and his jaw clenches deliciously, those eyes heated as he watches me ogling him.

“Got your fill yet there, lass?”

I blow a breath. “Not even close.”

He groans, stalking over to me until his body is pressed up to mine.

“My God, I’ve missed you,” he husks, his mouth brushing over my lips.

“Me too,” I pant as his mouth slinks down my throat, kissing and sucking down to my collarbone.

My hands spread across his hard back, the ripples of his muscles straining against my fingertips. He lifts up one of my legs, hooking it around his hip as he circles his groin into me, his cock pressing exactly where I want him.

“There’s something I have to show you,” I gasp as he arches deeper into me, my pussy throbbing for him.

He’s bound to make me forget what I have to tell him, so I need him to stop before we lose ourselves.

He wrenches back, breathing heavy through his nose, gripping my jaw in his masculine grasp. “What is it, love? Been dying to feck you up against this wall all bloody day, so I don’t like to be interrupted.”

“Jesus. You’re trying to kill me.”

A deep, raspy chuckle makes it out of his chest. “Definitely not trying to do that. Maybe stop your heart once or twice.”

“Maybe that can wait a few minutes?” I grimace. “I wrote a new scene for that book you’ve been reading, and I really need your opinion. You know how I get in my head and can’t write more until you tell me how amazing I am.”

“And we have to do this right now?” His hand grazes down my stomach, ending up between my thighs, pressing his fingers into me through my black dress pants.

“Oh God,” I gasp, nodding. “Yes, it’s important.”

“Alright.” He backs off of me and grins. “I’ll read it just so I can tell you to stop doubting yourself because you…” He cups my cheek. “…are amazing.”

My face heats up, and I throw my arms over his shoulders and stare up at him. “I love you.”

He grits his teeth and shuts his eyes, lowering his forehead to mine. “Thank you for loving me.”

My heart swells and tears prickle my eyes. I still have to constantly remind him how worthy he is of this life we’ve created, because behind this strong, powerful man is a boy who never felt worthy of much of anything.

“You never have to thank me for that. Being your wife has been better than what I’ve ever imagined. And trust me…” I hike up a brow. “Young me imagined our entire life together.”

“Really, now?” He grabs my hand and pulls me to the den. “I must hear all about what you imagined.”

I reach into my handbag, getting my cell out before pushing him down onto the sofa. “I will. After you read this.”

I open up the scene I wrote last night and shove it into his outstretched hand. “Promise to be honest?”

“Always.” He glances down at the screen before grabbing my attention. “But you always blow me away, mo stoirín.”

He starts to read, and I start to pace, my heart hammering in my chest. Hands curl and uncurl as he continues while I grasp the strap of my handbag, my nerves eating away at me.

His brows knit as he glances up at me.

“It’s one of those scenes, huh?” He smirks.

I nod. “Read it out loud.”

His tongue darts out, and his arousal oozes from his heated gaze before he starts to read, and I hope it’s at the part I want to get to.

“She straddles his hips, lowering on top of him,” he starts, and I do exactly what the character in my book does.

The shocked expression on his face when I lower myself on top of his lap has me smiling.

“Keep going,” I tell him.

“Jesus Christ, a man needs strength for this.” He blows a breath, but continues to read. “Her lips softly land on his neck, her hands in his hair as she kisses him slowly…oh, feck.”

He grunts when I do the same, clutching his long hair between my fingers. His quickened pulse scatters against my mouth, fast and hard.

“Don’t know how much more I can read before I lose my patience and feck your pretty little pussy.”

“Just keep going,” I breathe, needing him to finish.

“Alright, but you’re the one killing me now.”

I hope what I’m about to do doesn’t actually kill him.

I stare down at him. “Promise to go easy on you, baby.”

My mouth lands on his, and I kiss him slow. And the way he growls and fists my hair has me wishing I’d just tell him what I need to tell him. But I wanted to do things differently. Our way.

 “Keep reading,” I say, running a hand through his hair, and with a muttered curse, he does.

“He doesn’t notice when she sneaks a hand into her bag, retrieving something she’s been dying to show him all day, wanting to see how he’ll react to the news. Butterflies spread in her gut at the thought of what she’s been keeping from him.”

My own hand slides into my bag, rummaging quickly to find what I’m looking for. He still isn’t catching on, but he will soon. He stares at the screen while I’m staring at him. Why am I so nervous?

“He doesn’t know that his life is about to change.” He continues to read my words, and I swear my heart beats right out of my throat. “He has no idea that the woman he loves is about to give him someone else he’s going to love more than he ever imagined.”

I tuck my hand under my thigh as he looks up at me.

“Is she pregnant?” he asks.

Tears well in my eyes as I nod. “She is.”

“What? That’s great! He’s gonna be happy, I know it.”

I laugh, blinking back tears. “Yes, he will.”

He’s still not getting it and he continues to read, like he can’t wait to see the hero’s reaction.

“She places her palm against the side of his throat, and he stares at her with longing and love and a piece of his heart beating outside of his body.”

My palm lands at the same spot on his neck.

“When she lifts her hand in the air and he sees what’s in it, he can’t believe his eyes. He—”

The words die when he sees what’s in mine.

“Eriu?” Emotions cloud his vision. “What are you telling me? Are you?”

I nod frantically as he finally understands, finally sees the pregnancy test in my hand.

“Oh my God.” He inhales deeply, and in an instant, his arms come around me and he tugs me to him, his mouth landing hard on mine.

His kisses are urgent and demanding, tongue slipping around mine, before he pulls back breathlessly.

“But you’re on the pill. I thought you wanted to wait.”

“I did, but I was done waiting.”

His knuckles brush across my jaw.

“I wanted to surprise you,” I tell him. “After our wedding, I thought it was only fair, and I wanted to make this one even more memorable.”

His gaze grows misty. “Are we really having a baby?”

“Yes, we’re really having a baby.”

He drags in a long breath and lowers his forehead to my chest. “I’m gonna love this child with my all my heart. No matter what, he or she will have my love, my acceptance. Everything.”

I brush my fingers up and down his back and hold him to me. “Our child will be the luckiest in the world, because they will have you.”

“And you, lass.” His eyes glimmer as the happen on mine. “I never thought my life would be so fulfilled. Thank you for giving so much.” His thumb strokes my lips. “I’ll do everything I can to protect it.”

“You just be you, Devlin. That’s all I want.”

He moans deep in his chest as he flips me beneath him and settles his body on top of mine. “I can do that.”

And he does.

For years to come.