Deadly Forever (Hardy Brothers Security Book 24) Read online

“Do you know what I can tell you, though?” James asked, pulling back far enough that he could search her face with his eyes.

  “What?”

  “My new vows,” James said. “I’ve been thinking about them all week.”

  Mandy lifted an eyebrow, intrigued. “I have, too. Do you really want to do it now?”

  “We’re alone.”

  “Yes, but we’re naked in a lake. This isn’t exactly how I envisioned us doing it.”

  “As long as I have you, I have everything,” James said. “Lay your first one on me, wife.”

  “Why do I have to go first?”

  “Because I said so.”

  “Fine. You’re so bossy.” Mandy rubbed her thumb over his chin. “I vow to never try to cook for you.”

  James barked out a laugh. “That’s a good one, baby. I vow to do my best to refrain from bossing you around, even when you’re in danger.”

  “I vow to do my best to look before I leap,” Mandy said. “Hopefully that will keep me out of danger … er, at least some of the time.”

  “That would be great,” James said, grinning. “I vow to massage you at least three times a week.”

  “I vow to let you pick the movie at least once a week.”

  James couldn’t stop smiling. He loved the woman in his arms so much it threatened to overwhelm him. “I vow to love you forever. I vow to be with you forever. I vow to sleep with you every night and wake up with you every morning.

  “I vow to watch whatever horror schlock you want me to watch,” he continued. “I vow to keep you warm and fed. I vow to keep you as safe as possible. And, most importantly, I vow never to leave your side.”

  A tear slid down Mandy’s cheek as she regarded him. “That was pretty good. Now it’s my turn.”

  “Okay.” James kissed the tip of her nose. “Lay it on me.”

  “I’ve never loved anyone but you, and I vow to keep it that way. I vow to listen to your heart even when your head is busy. I vow to hold you in my soul, because that’s where you belong. I vow to laugh as much as possible and love even more than that.

  “I vow to spend every waking minute loving you,” she continued. “I vow to hold your hand when you’re tired and your heart when you’re sad. And, most importantly, I vow to remain by your side forever.”

  “That was good, my baby,” James said, exchanging a sweet kiss with her. “You’re always good, though.”

  The couple snuggled closer, pure love washing over them. They only bothered to break apart when the unmistakable sound of a man clearing his throat on the shore assailed their ears.

  “What the … ?” James made a face when he found Grady, Finn, Jake, Ally, Sophie, and Emma staring at them from the shoreline. He tugged Mandy against him to make sure she was covered. “I thought you guys left for your honeymoons. The plane isn’t going to wait for you.”

  “We’re going,” Jake said, shaking his head. “Ally didn’t want to leave without seeing Mandy one last time.”

  “Geez, Ally,” James complained. “You’re going on vacation. You’re not going to war.”

  “I don’t care,” Ally said, her eyes filling with tears as she stared at Mandy. The water served as a physical barrier but not an emotional one. “I had to see you before I go.”

  Mandy was conflicted. Ally was obviously upset, but she couldn’t leave the water. “You can call me whenever you want, Ally.”

  “No, you can’t,” Jake said. “You guys can spend two weeks without each other and still live. I have plans for you, angel. Those plans don’t revolve around phone calls with Mandy.”

  “Let it be,” James instructed. “If they want to talk once or twice, it’s not going to hurt anybody.”

  Jake held his hands palms-up. “I guess,” he conceded. “We need to go, though, Ally. You’ve seen Mandy. We’re going to be late.”

  “Just a second,” Ally said, gripping his hand and stepping forward. Her eyes never left Mandy’s face. “I love you. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. You were my family before you officially married my brother. You know that, right?”

  Mandy nodded, her heart constricting. “You’ve always been my family, too.”

  “I need you to know that you’re more than a friend to me,” Ally said. “You’re my sister.”

  “I think that means it’s illegal for her and James to be married,” Grady pointed out, his eyes landing on the clothing heaped along the shoreline. “Oh, geez. Are you two naked?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” James barked.

  “You’re so sick,” Grady muttered, shaking his head. “You are the best friend I’ve ever had, though. You’re also a great brother. If we’re sharing, I figure I should share that.”

  “You’re a great brother, too,” James said. “I’m going to see you again, though. This isn’t goodbye forever.”

  “It’s not,” Ally agreed. “We’re starting a new life when we get back, though. I just wanted to see one of the most important people in my old one before I left.”

  “She’ll still be in your life, Ally,” James said. “We’re all embarking on this new life together.”

  “Oh, leave her alone,” Sophie said, tears running down her cheeks. “It’s a girl thing. Can’t you just let her talk without being mean?”

  James sighed. “Hurry up, hens. I feel a vigorous need to cluck … and I don’t want witnesses when it happens.”

  Grady snickered. “And there’s the brother I know and love.”

  “Right back at you,” James said, his expression softening. “Have fun on your honeymoons. The work … and us … will be here when you get back.”

  “I just want you to know that I’ll miss you,” Ally said to Mandy. “I value you more than you can ever know. Jake is my husband, but there will always be things I share only with you.”

  “I feel the same way,” Mandy said, her voice cracking.

  “Is that it?” Grady asked, annoyed. “Can we go on our honeymoons now? I want to get my wife naked.”

  “We can go,” Ally said, smiling. “We’ll all miss you.”

  “It’s easier to miss someone when you leave,” James pointed out.

  Ally ignored his tone. “You’re the best big brother a girl could ever have. You made all of this possible. I love you, too.”

  James was surprised by the naked emotion on his sister’s face. “I love you, too, Ally. I always will. No matter how annoying you get – and it’s very annoying, in case you’re wondering – I will always love you.”

  “We really have to go, angel,” Jake said. “It’s time.”

  Ally nodded. “I’ll see you when I get back. I’ll be the tanned and cute one.”

  Mandy chuckled. “I’ll be waiting.”

  James and Mandy watched them go, taking the opportunity to wave before they disappeared into the limousine. Then they were alone again.

  “So, where were we?” James asked, kissing Mandy’s neck.

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  James froze. “Absolutely not. Are you trying to kill me?”

  “It’s just one,” Mandy pressed.

  “Fine.”

  “If you had to do it all over again … .”

  “Nope, we’re not playing this game,” James said, grabbing Mandy around the waist and spinning her. “You win, baby. If I had to do it all again I would fall madly in love with you even though you were only fourteen. I’d figure out a way to get your parents to sign the paperwork so we could get married and we’d live happily ever after.”

  Mandy giggled at his hangdog expression. “That’s not what I was going to ask, but that’s something I’ve always wanted to hear.”

  “I mean it,” James said. Surprisingly, he did. “If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t want to wait for happily ever after. I would take it as soon as possible. This is our happily ever after, though, baby. Are you ready to start living it?”

  “I was born ready.”

  “So, let’s do it,” James said, smacking a
loud kiss against her lips. “Happily ever after, here we come.”

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  Acknowledgments

  I’m a romantic at heart. A true romantic. I love the idea of a happy ending, so much so I have trouble writing a sad one. The world is sad enough. I like escaping in fiction. That’s just me. I like sarcasm and snark – but I’m not sure a sad ending is in me. If you’re looking for an edge like that, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. Just FYI.

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  Books by Lily Harper Hart

  Hardy Brothers Security

  Deadly Intentions

  Deadly Intuition

  Deadly Illusions

  Deadly Proposal

  Deadly Prospects

  Deadly Ever After

  Deadly Honeymoon

  Deadly Questions

  Deadly Addition

  Deadly Vacation

  Deadly Secrets

  Deadly Storm

  Deadly Dealings

  Deadly Christmas

  Deadly Desperados

  Deadly Arrival

  Deadly Rivalry

  Deadly Memories

  Deadly Adventure

  Deadly Reunion

  Deadly Conflicts

  Deadly Payback

  Deadly Waves

  A Maddie Graves Mystery

  Grave Homecoming

  Grave Insight

  Grave Delight

  Grave Misgivings

  Grave Concerns

  Grave Discovery

  Grave Decisions

  Grave Seasons

  An Ivy Morgan Mystery

  Wicked Days

  Wicked Dreams

  Wicked Times

  Wicked Places

  Wicked Warning

  Wicked Fog

  A Harper Harlow Mystery

  Ghostly Interests

  Ghostly Issues

  Ghostly Deceits

  Ghostly Worries