He lost her look when she leaned up and put her lips to the start of the scar on his forehead. Her hand cupped his jaw and his cupped hers as a thrill chased down his spine while she traced the scar with her lips until she had to move their hands away to get to the end.

Delilah’s touch, how it made him feel, he wouldn’t have been surprised if he went to the mirror, looked, and saw the scar was gone.

He didn’t reckon that actually happened, but in his gut, the touch of her lips had a different kind of healing power that meant almost the same thing.

Finally, she slid her lips to his and looked in his eyes.

“You’re awesome,” she whispered.

“So I’ve been told,” he whispered back.

“You beginning to believe it?” she asked.

“Maybe,” he answered.

He watched her eyes smile.

Then he asked, “You good to go to sleep, or do I need to fuck you again?”

The smile in her eyes got brighter before she closed them to press her mouth to his. Then she, broke away to settle over him, snuggling close, her face in his throat.

“I think I’m all fucked out,” she replied.

Abel grinned at the ceiling as he wound his arms around her.

“For today,” she finished.

That was when Abel tightened his hold and started chuckling.

“It’s been a good day,” she said softly.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“Best part, outside the bestest best part, was telling your family and my dad about the bestest best part. That we can be together, literally forever.”

That had been the best part, outside the part where they learned they could be together forever.

After they told them, Jian-Li had excused herself, but Abel knew she’d begun crying. Fuck, even Hook had lifted a hand to squeeze the bridge of his nose before sweeping his thumb and a finger under his eyes to hide the wet gathering there.

Delilah’s dad got it. He’d sorted it out way before Delilah did and his relief was extreme, for the both of them.

Delilah cuddled closer. “So Snake died for forever love. It was beautiful before. But now…” She sighed. “Now maybe I can start to understand the gift he gave me. Gave us. And settle into it.”

Thank Christ.

Abel kept her held close as he replied, “Yeah, baby.”

“We’re gonna be happy,” she told him, sounding like she was getting sleepy but still sounding convinced.

He hoped she was right.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“Wild and free and happy,” she kept talking.

“Yeah,” he repeated.

“For eternity.”

He rolled them to their sides but kept her close as he whispered his final, “Yeah, pussycat.”

She drew in breath and let it go.

In five minutes, she’d relaxed, asleep in his arms.

Abel waited fifteen more to make sure that sleep was deep.