Page 223 of I Will Mend You

An hour later, we arrive at the airport, where Xero holds my hands as we ascend the steps of a private jet. Heart pounding with excitement, I lean into his side, reveling in his quiet strength.

We settle into the plush seats, and Xero refuses the flight attendant’s offer of champagne, eager for a speedy takeoff. I glance around the luxurious cabin, at the cream leather seats, polished wood accents, and the door leading to what looks to be a bedroom.

I’m so excited for this trip that I barely hear the captain’s announcement. The hum of the plane’s engines forms a soft undercurrent as we soar into the night sky. Xero shifts in his seat and reaches into his jacket pocket. “I have something for you.”

“What?” I ask.

He hands me a small red envelope, containing something solid. “Don’t tell me it’s another body part.”

“Take a look,” he murmurs.

I tear open the seal. Inside is a delicate silver locket I’ve only seen in pictures. My breath catches, and I turn to Xero. “Is that?—”

“My mother’s locket that your assistant intercepted,” he says with a smile. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment to give it to you.”

Gratitude swirls through my chest, making my eyes sting with tears. I pull it out, along with a delicate silver chain. “Oh, Xero,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “This is perfect. Thank you.”

I lean in, brushing my lips against his for a slow, lingering kiss. This moment is perfection. Receiving this locket from him in person is a thousand times better than getting it in the mail.

When we finally pull apart, he reaches into his jacket again, this time extracting another envelope.

“There’s more,” he says, his tone teasing.

My brow furrows. What could be more meaningful than the locket? I take it from him and ease open the seal. Inside is a worn page. When I pull it out and unfold it, it’s the sex contract I’d sent him while he was in prison.

“But I thought it was destroyed in the fire.” My voice trembles.

His smile widens into a grin. “I kept everything. Every letter, every memento. They’re the most precious things I own.”

My heart swells to bursting, rendering me speechless, overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness. I cup his face and kiss him again, slow, deep, and full of promise.

When we break apart, he brushes his lips against my ear. “There are still a few things in that contract we haven’t yet tried.”

My pulse quickens, and warmth spreads across my core. “Why don’t we start with the mile high club?”

“You don’t need to ask me twice,” he growls.

Now that Delta is dead, along with all the other ghosts of our pasts, Xero and I can finally focus on the future—one filled with everything we’ve earned and all the things we’re yet to discover.

THE END