"I can buckle my belt, Dash," she reminded.
He ignored that and said what he needed to say.
"I love you, Harper. I was out of my mind when I didn't know where you were. I regretted not saying it earlier."
Her heart thudded in her chest. "I thought the same thing. I love you too, Dash."
He brushed a thumb along her cheekbone. "You can call me Lynwood. I promise I won't get mad."
She laughed as the car drove away from the police station. Harper wasn't entirely sure where Dash was taking her, but as long as Dash was with her, it would be home.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Dash
"We make babies now."
Harper let out a noise somewhere between a laugh and a choke. They were making out on the stairs that led up to her bedroom. She planted a deep kiss against Dash's mouth, still overwhelmed by the night's events.
At the moment, she took full advantage of the extra height this step provided. She liked that he didn't have to bend down to kiss her.
"I have to tell you something, Dash," she breathed. "And you're not going to like it."
Dash shook his head. "Something you have to say that I won't like? I refuse to believe it."
She knew he was teasing, but when she did not laugh, he stopped and looked into her eyes.
"What is it, Firecracker?"
"I…I don't know if I want to have babies. Like ever."
Dash studied her face, but she did not see a hint of fear.
"And?"
She shook her head. Didn't he see? Did he not understand what that meant?
"You won't pass on the Fitzgerald name."
"I don't give a fuck about that. If we have kids, awesome. If not, then we won't, and then I get to keep you all to myself."
She smiled and explained, "You say that now, but you're going to feel the pressure in a couple of years when Levi and Holden have babies."
"Then they'll be jealous of us. I'm not worried," he said, sliding one finger into the waistband of her jeans and pulling her closer.
Harper cupped his face and smiled.
"What did I do to get so lucky?"
Dash lifted one shoulder. "Well, you never did what I said, and that pissed me off. So I wouldn't call it luck. I'd call it sheer stubbornness."
"We both have a stubborn streak."
He considered that for a moment and corrected her. "More of a stubborn swath."
She laughed. "A whole-ass acreage of obstinance."
"A forest of no fucks given," he offered.
He pulled Harper in close and kissed her. He would never get tired of kissing his Harper.
He felt her tremble against him as her legs circled his hips. She squeezed and said, "I'm gonna make a meal out of you tonight, Lynwood Dashell Fitzgerald."
He chuckled. "I like the sound of that."
She kissed him again and whispered. "It's my way of saying thank you."
"Too bad," he said, hoisting her up in his arms and bounding up the steps. "With that bum ankle, I'm gonna be the one in charge."
He looked down and watched her pout as he carefully tugged off her jeans and undies and ordered her to lift her arms so he could get rid of her bra and shirt.
"But my meal," she said.
Dash smirked and rid himself of his clothes, his already hard cock thwapping against his abdomen when he shoved his boxer briefs down.
A naked Dash seated himself next to her on the bed and carefully propped her leg onto a stack of pillows, examining the job that the EMTs did with re-wrapping her ankle. "Too bad about your meal," he said. "I got plans to make a whole-ass Old Country Buffet outta you."
Harper laughed so hard she went silent, but still managed to relax enough for Dash to slide in the tip.
"You're ridiculous, and I fucking love you."
"Dammit, woman. I fucking love you more."
Epilogue
Five years later
The tunnels under Newcastle were finally being filled after years of constant reporting and dogging by Harper Fitzross.
That was the new last name that she and Dash had chosen, to signify the end to the decades-long feud between the two families.
The supposed mafia treasure was never found. Harper later learned that the reason Girardi was so desperate to get his hands on the legendary booty was to pay for legal expenses as the feds continued to build and build the government's case against the crime family. Lawyer after lawyer had quit due to non-payment. And because the feds had frozen most of his accounts, any illegal revenues had been spent supporting his family members' lavish lifestyle.
Five years after the attempt on the governor's life, and Girardi was likely to live out the rest of his days in prison, with a host of other convictions.
The neighborhood seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief when the sentence came down, and the remains of his disloyal family high-tailed it to Mexico. That's not to say Newcastle was crime free. Far from it; various organized crime outfits still caused trouble from time to time.
Most importantly for everyone in Dockside, the infamous Recruiter had been found out and prosecuted — but that's another Newcastle tale for another time.
As for Dash, he'd taken over the reins at the newly renamed Fitzross Distillery so Lora and Desiree could retire.
As for babies, Dash and Harper were getting ready to welcome a foster baby into their home, one that would arrive the next day.
On the eve of the most anticipated day of their marriage, Harper stood on a ladder, painting the upstairs bedroom. Dash had built a second bedroom on the tiny house for himself and Harper.
"I thought I told you no climbing up ladders."
When she'd taken that tumble after being kidnapped, it had turned out that Harper had broken her ankle. It had healed fine but still bothered her sometimes. Dash had never gotten over it.
"Dude, it was five years ago. Give it a rest. Besides, we have work to do."
"Come here," he ordered.
Harper still didn't
