Briar Valley: The Complete Duet

Bonus Scene

BONUS SCENE

KILLIAN

“Listen up, men! We have a fucking party to organise!”

Staring around the circle, I give Albie, Walker, Ryder and the twins my best stink-eye. No one warns you that having a kid makes you go soft.

Our little bean is turning one in the morning, and even though it’s been the best year of my life, I now have a reputation for being a total softie.

That won’t do.

This party has to be perfect.

So much of our journey to parenthood was imperfect. We’re under no illusions about that. Our family had to fight tooth and nail to find a slice of happiness, and if that ain’t worth celebrating, nothing is.

“Kill,” Zach groans dramatically. “Hayden won’t even remember this party. Chill out, will you?”

“It’s our boy’s first birthday, kid!”

“The little monster doesn’t even know his own name!”

“I don’t care. He’s getting the biggest party Briar Valley’s ever seen.”

Standing next to him in the town square, Ryder fights a smile as he nudges Zach’s shoulder. “Don’t rile him up. You know he’s been ordering balloons and decor for months now.”

I jab a finger at Ryder. “Shut it.”

“You want to tell them about the giant, inflatable bouncy castle, or should I?”

Little shit.

Admittedly, I might have gone slightly overboard. But this is our baby boy. That kid deserves the fucking world, and whether he will remember it or not, I’ll damn well make sure he gets it. His sister and mum, too.

“What’s the theme?” Micah asks, absently picking dried paint off his fingers.

Walker’s eyebrows raise. “There’s a theme?”

Bursting into loud guffaws, Ryder doubles over before I can answer. That’s it. I really am going to kill him this time. The day he opened the first box of decor and saw what I’d ordered, he had a laughing fit.

“Kill?” Ryder prompts between chuckles.

“Cowboys,” I mutter.

“What was that?” Zach asks expectantly.

Cheeks flushing, I cross my arms over my flannel shirt. “I said cowboys.”

Right on cue, they all break out in laughter. Even Walker. Man, I wish he was still the shy man who originally rocked up on our doorstep. There was a time when no one dared to even look my way in Briar Valley.

Now they’re out here laughing like a pack of hyenas. Oh, spines are gonna fucking crack.

“That’s it!” I bellow. “Everyone, grab a goddamn box and move it.”

Faces red and still chuckling, they all start to collect the many boxes of decorations we have to set up in the centre of town. I lugged them out of our home, Lola’s rebuilt cabin, to gather them next to the clearing.

Thank God we finished rebuilding the three-story monster shortly after Willow gave birth. We needed the space as a family of six, and luckily, I still found room to put the supplies for today’s grand event.

Thankfully, Willow had an appointment to go wedding dress shopping with Katie and Aalia this morning. We arranged the party for tonight so we could spend Hayden’s actual birthday together as a family.

Leaving Zach and Micah to tackle the various inflatable cacti and cowboy figures, I snag Ryder’s elbow and steer him over to the bouncy castle. We eventually get it unpacked, rolling out layers of tacky plastic.

“You know we live in fucking Wales, right?” he huffs.

“I’m aware.”

“Then why the hell are we having a cowboy party?”

“I didn’t realise there were rules,” I snap back. “You don’t think it’s cute?”

Ryder wrinkles his nose. “Did you just say the word cute ? Fuck, Kill. You’re getting old.”

“Shut the hell up already.” I locate the air pump. “Before I make you.”

Chortling away, he unfolds the last plastic creases then locates the nozzle for me to attach the pump. We get the mechanism working, shooting air into the plastic frame until the bouncy castle is slowly aerating into an elaborate rodeo scene.

I clap my hands together eagerly. “It’s perfect.”

Ryder snorts. “Does it look like the Pinterest board you created?”

“Actually, yeah.”

Reeling back, he casts me a disbelieving look, his mouth hanging open. “Uh, Kill. I was joking. Wait, you have a fucking Pinterest board?”

He ducks out of my way before I can throttle him. Honestly, life was simpler when it was just us three. No one gave me shit. But I wouldn’t trade our current life for anything in the world. Until Willow came along, our souls were as empty as my parents’ once abandoned cabin.

The dark-haired beauty breathed life back into us, one at a time. I was doomed from the moment we properly met—her splayed out on Lola’s kitchen table, beaten within an inch of her life, terrified and shouting for her little girl.

In that moment, something awakened inside of me. A whole other person I didn’t know I was capable of being. Soft. Gentle. Loving. But only for her, and the little peanut she brought into our lives as a package deal.

“I had to get the decor right,” I justify hotly. “And the colour scheme!”

Ryder’s eyes bug out. “Sure. Can’t have the colour scheme off, can we?”

“Alright. Enough of the sarcasm.”

Before he can utter another word, I clap him around the back of his head. He doubles over, collapsing into another laughing fit, so I leave him to go check on the twins.

The town square is really coming together. Garlands hang from strung lights above the picnic tables, matching the array of inflatable toys, brown and green balloons, and various kids’ games. Albie is overseeing the work, gruffly ordering Walker around.

I stop next to Albie. “It’s coming along.”

“You’ve gone overboard, Kill.”

“No such thing.”

Albie scoffs, shaking his head. “I suppose there isn’t to a man in love.”

Glancing at him from the corner of my eye, I watch his wrinkles pull taut, his face contorted by a grief-stricken frown. Albie has never quite recovered from the loss of Lola.

I clasp his forearm and squeeze. “We all miss her too, Al.”

He sucks in a loud breath. “I know. Just wish she was here to celebrate the important stuff with us.”

“She is. You know Lola wouldn’t miss her great-grandson’s birthday for the world.” I gesture around us at the unfolding chaos. “We just can’t see her is all.”

“You reckon she’s still with us?”

“I think they all are. Everyone we’ve lost.” My throat thickens, straining my voice. “They never left.”

Head lowering, Albie stares down at the grass. “Thanks, Kill.”

I squeeze his arm once more before turning away to give him a moment to gather himself. Lola’s death continues to affect us all—the entire town misses her. But Albie lost the love of his life, and for that, I don’t know if there is a cure.

“Killian! You ready for the food?”

Across the clearing, Miranda stands at the edge of her garden, hanging over the white picket fence. I wave back, gesturing for her to bring the food out. Rachel emerges from the house, a towering stack of platters balanced in her arms.

“Rach!” Miranda protests. “You shouldn’t be carrying all that.”

“I’m perfectly capable, Mir.”

As Rachel approaches, I rush to take the plastic trays of sandwiches, savouries and miniature cakes from her. She’s only a few weeks away from giving birth, and their husband, Doc, has been fussier than ever over his wives. You’d think after three kids, the guy would’ve calmed down.

Yeah, right.

I still remember how afraid I was a year ago when Willow went into labour. Knowing that our lives were going to change forever, I was scared of what that would mean for my family. Our life in Briar Valley. The woman we’d vowed to make our wife.

But I needn’t have been so terrified. From the moment I laid eyes on Hayden’s chubby little cheeks, I felt a love I’d never experienced before. Unlike anything else in the entire world. A piece of my broken soul snapped into place in that moment, and I finally felt whole.

“Doc will have me shot at dawn if he sees you lugging those platters around,” I grumble as she passes.

Rachel flashes me a grin. “I don’t need you or any man telling me what I’m comfortable carrying, Killian Clearwater. Now make yourself useful.”

Grabbing the stack of tablecloths from the top of her pile, I quickly spread them out on the picnic tables so she can lay the food down. Rachel fusses over the arrangements until she declares the job done.

“They’re on their way back.” She looks around at the decorated square. “Aalia texted. Should we gather everyone to surprise them?”

“That’s the plan. I hope Willow’s going to like it.”

Miranda stops next to her sister, casting her own eye over the space. “She’ll love it, Kill. You know Willow doesn’t care for a fuss.”

Both dispersing to begin rallying the troops, I gather the guys together then crack open our cooler full of beer. Albie joins us to clink the green glass bottles together, all sharing a silent toast. Even Micah with his water.

We quietly drink as the town begins to gather. The stack of presents on a nearby picnic bench grows, piled with hand-wrapped gifts and even a miniature toddler bike that Harold and Marilyn proudly wheel in.

By the time everyone has arrived, the town square is bustling with life and energy. Briar Valley continues to grow, taking on new families in need as quickly as we can construct cabins for them.

I know that long-term, Willow plans to expand the town farther in her late grandmother’s honour. People like Aalia and Walker—desperate individuals, searching for a fresh start—will come to this safe haven just like she once did.

Tuning out the sound of Zach and Micah bickering over whose present is the biggest, I watch the tree line for signs of car lights. Any moment now, they will arrive. My stomach is churning with anticipation. I can’t wait to see the smile on Willow’s face.

“I can hear an engine!” Doc declares, now sandwiched between his wives.

Everyone’s attention turns to the rough pathway that leads into town. Sure enough, a car’s engine is grumbling ever closer. The twins shut up in time for Katie’s familiar red estate car to emerge from the thick woodland.

It swings to a stop outside our home, the back door immediately flying open with a thud. I know who it will be tearing out of the car before her headful of light-blonde hair emerges, framing excited blue eyes and a grin wide enough to surely hurt.

“Giant! Giant!”

Arianna races towards me in a blur of hyperactive energy. She still hasn’t grown out of her clinging attachment to me. Frankly, I was terrified she would. I’ll happily keep the little demon this innocent age forever.

“Hey, peanut.”

Launching herself at me, I catch her mid-air and twirl her around. She squeals at the top of her lungs, writhing in my arms in an attempt to escape so she can drink in all the decorations and party games.

“Is this all for me?” she gasps.

Zach chuckles, reaching over to ruffle her hair. “No, Ari. It’s your brother’s birthday, remember?”

She juts out her bottom lip. “But I want a party too!”

“We’ll do another party for your birthday,” Micah suggests, ever the peacekeeper. “How does that sound?”

“But I want princesses and mermaids. Not cowboys!” Arianna protests.

Setting her back down, I struggle to bite back a grin. “Sure, Ari. Princesses it is.”

“Yay!”

Seemingly appeased, she bounds off to explore the Wild West scene we’ve created. Johan, Aalia’s eldest, perks up when he sees her approaching to play. The pair are practically joined at the hip.

“Kill? What is this?”

Willow’s voice slicks over me like a cool mountain breeze on a summer’s day. This woman could bring me to my knees with nothing but her voice alone. Turning around, I lay eyes on my gorgeous, soon-to-be wife.

My reply is drowned out by the sound of the entire town yelling, “ Surprise!”

Willow startles, her hazel eyes filling with moisture as she takes in the scene around her. Hayden is balanced on her hip, his crop of nutty-brown hair pointing in all directions.

“Oh my.” Willow laughs wetly, a few stray tears escaping. “This is so amazing.”

I swoop in to plant a kiss on her plush lips. Her tears smear across my skin as her mouth lingers on mine, silky-soft and full of tender affection. We break apart at the sound of Hayden gurgling loudly.

“Hey, bud.” I pluck him from Willow’s hip and nuzzle his hair. “Happy Birthday.”

“You know it isn’t until tomorrow.” Willow giggles.

“Who says we can’t celebrate twice?”

She sighs, shaking her head. “You spoil us, Kill.”

“Only the best for my family, baby.”

Dropping another kiss on my cheek, Willow retreats to accept embraces from Zach and Micah. They trap her between them, showering our girl with kisses and whispered greetings.

Despite the years we’ve been together, she still looks at us all with such fucking devotion, I could never doubt that Willow is meant to be ours. I think I knew it from the moment we met. It just took a while for me to get that realisation through my stupidly thick skull.

“Whose idea was this?” Willow asks.

Zach points a finger in my direction. “Ask Briar Valley’s resident event coordinator.”

I shrug, blowing a raspberry on Hayden’s chubby cheek until he squeals. Willow’s eyes soften as she watches me play with our son. He’s a spitting image of the twins, but it doesn’t matter who his biological father is. Hayden’s our boy.

“Pass me the troublemaker.” Micah stretches his arms out.

I hand him off, the little tyke babbling away when he’s snuggled into Micah’s chest. They’re inseparable most days.

Convincing Willow to take maternity leave was a hell of a challenge that didn’t last long. While she attends to the day-to-day running of the town, Hayden often stays with Micah in his art studio. Hayden’s come home covered in harmless, watercolour paint more than once. But what’s invaluable is the way he’s brought my cousin to life.

Willow gave us that.

She gave us fucking everything .

“You weren’t kidding about

the theme,” Katie says in greeting. “I was half-expecting a real-life rodeo.”

I roll my eyes at her. “Don’t you start too.”

She smacks me on the shoulder, smiling broadly. “Good job, Kill.”

“Thanks.”

Joining Willow and Aalia, the three of them blur into the crowd of people. The whole town has turned out to celebrate Hayden’s birthday—new residents and all. Willow takes the time to thank everyone individually. She’s taken to her role as Briar Valley’s matriarch like a fish to water.

Hanging back to avoid the tight crush, I snag another beer then find an empty seat at a picnic bench. I’m content to watch my family talk, joke and laugh. Zach’s arm-wrestling Ryder’s newly declared fiancé, Ethan, who left his job at Sabre Security to join us.

“Give up, E!” Zach bellows.

“Never.” Ethan puffs in exertion. “You better pay up this time. I want my front lawn mowed.”

“Not going to happen because I will never lose!”

Watching them incredulously, Ryder whispers something to Albie before the pair start laughing at the ridiculous display. When Ethan prevails, slamming Zach’s fist into the table, Ryder sweeps in to kiss him.

“That’s my man.” He beams proudly.

Ethan smiles up at him. “You want Zach to mow our lawn?”

“Hell yeah. You’re up, Zachariah.”

“Fuck!” Zach grouses.

I’m so wrapped up in the entertainment of watching Marilyn approach to smack Zach’s head for his bad language that I don’t feel Willow sneaking up on me. A soft hand studded with a familiar engagement ring clasps over my eyes, blotting out the scene.

“Guess who?”

With a low growl, I twist to seize her waist and drag her onto my lap. She lands with a surprised squeak, her head tilted back to expose her lips to mine. The feel of her soft curves in my hands will never get old.

“You’ll never be able to sneak up on me.”

“Damn,” she says breathlessly. “Thought I’d got you this time.”

“Not a chance.”

Noses brushing, we share another long, slow kiss. I don’t care that our entire family surrounds us. I drink her in, one hand burying in her loose black curls to cup the back of her head. The moan that spills from her throat makes my cock ache with need.

“Kill,” she murmurs into my lips.

“Later, I promise.”

“Then don’t tease.”

Pecking her mouth again, I rest our foreheads together. “I just wanted to feel you. I missed you.”

“I was gone for three hours.”

“That’s three hours too long for my liking.”

Huffing, she wears an indulgent smile. “Will you drop the overbearing, protective grump act once we’re married?”

“You’re joking, right?” I frown at her. “Baby, I’m going to be overbearing and protective for the rest of our lives. You’re mine.”

“I suppose I can live with that.” Her voice drops to a sultry whisper. “But only if you promise to prove it in the bedroom tonight.”

I stroke my thumb over her cheek, tracing sun-kissed skin. “That sweet little cunt of yours is also mine for the rest of our lives. I have no problem proving that to you tonight or any night, baby.”

“And how exactly do you plan to prove it?”

Shifting my hips beneath her, I ensure she can feel just how much her dirty whispers affect me. Even in public. I’m harder than fucking steel at the tempting promise of her weight pressing into me.

My lips touch her ear. “First, I’d throw you down on our bed to strip the clothes from that beautiful body of yours. I want you naked and trembling for my touch.”

“Yes,” she purrs. “And then?”

“Then I’d push those creamy thighs open to expose your soaked pussy. I want to see what belongs to me before I bury my face in your cunt to taste it. I want you coming all over my tongue.”

“Fuck, Kill.”

My dick presses against the zipper of my jeans at the sight of her heavy lids, her teeth digging into her plump bottom lip.

“And only when you’ve cried out my name and spread your juices all over my face will I reward you with my cock, baby. I’ll fill your tight pussy up and make you come again… no, three more times.”

“Three?” Willow moans quietly.

“My girl deserves no less.”

A fine tremble is running all over her. Casting a quick look around, I find the party in full swing. Everyone is busy chatting, eating and watching the kids enjoy the bouncy castle. I can sneak her away for ten minutes.

“Are you wet, baby?”

Willow nods, her lips parted on a sigh. “Yes.”

“Then let’s make this quick. I’m going to explode if I’m not inside you immediately.”

Lifting her into my arms, I hold her cradled against my chest in a bridal carry. Willow laughs as I almost trip over the damn picnic bench in my haste to escape.

“Eager, Kill?”

“You have no idea,” I grumble.

“Oh, I think I do.” She lifts a hand to cup my beard-covered cheek, her expression sobering. “Thank you for the party. I love you.”

Carrying her towards our cabin, I marvel at the fact that I hold the entire centre of my universe in my arms. It all begins and ends with her. Our Willow. The mother of our child. Our future wife. The woman who gave me a reason to live again, a family, a future.

Briar Valley saved her.

But she saved us.

“I love you too, Willow. Forever.”