Chapter 205: The Next Chapter

Nat wasn’t sure what to expect when Ginger and Roman told her they had a surprise for her. She had spent the better part of the drive questioning them, but both men had been annoyingly tight-lipped, exchanging amused glances as she pressed for details.

When they finally pulled up, her breath caught in her throat.

The mansion stood on the edge of the ocean, the moonlight reflecting off its pristine white walls. The waves crashed softly against the private dock, and tethered to it, gently swaying with the tide, was a houseboat—her houseboat.

Nat blinked, stepping out of the car in stunned silence. “What…?”

Roman smirked, stepping up behind her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Welcome home, baby.”

Ginger walked ahead, pulling out a key and unlocking the front doors before gesturing grandly. “After much deliberation, we figured this was the best of both worlds.”

Nat took slow, hesitant steps inside, her fingers grazing over the polished wooden railing of the staircase, the open floor plan that led straight to a massive deck overlooking the water. Everything was perfect. Warm lighting, cozy furniture—it was theirs.

She turned to them, still in shock. “You did this? For us?”

Roman shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets. “We figured we’ve earned some peace, don’t you think?”

Ginger grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Plus, we needed a bed that could actually fit us.”

Nat laughed, shaking her head. “That’s the real reason, isn’t it?”

Roman smirked. “Not the only reason.”

The moment felt surreal, like a dream she never thought she’d have. A real home. A future that wasn’t tainted by fear or survival. She exhaled, feeling the weight of everything settle in her chest—not as a burden, but as something new. Possibility.

They led her to the back deck, where a candlelit dinner had been set up, the sound of the ocean a gentle soundtrack beneath the flickering glow. She sank into her seat, still feeling like at any moment she might wake up and this would all disappear.

“You two really outdid yourselves,” she murmured, taking a sip of wine.

Roman leaned back in his chair, watching her closely. “We just wanted to give you choices. A life beyond all the shit we had to go through.”

Ginger nodded, his fingers tracing patterns along the back of her hand. “So what do you want now, Nat?”

She hesitated, the question hitting deeper than she expected. What did she want? For so long, her life had been dictated by survival, by fighting, by running. Now, there was no more running. No more war.

She looked between them, her chest tightening with something fierce and undeniable. She wanted them. She wanted the family they had built, the love they had found despite all odds. But she wanted more, too. A purpose. A future that wasn’t just built on what had been taken from her, but what she could build for herself.

“I think I want to go back to the FBI,” she admitted, surprising even herself. “Not just doing paperwork. I want to work toward becoming a special agent.”

Ginger arched a brow, a slow smile pulling at his lips. “Yeah?”

Nat nodded, determination settling in her bones. “Yeah. I spent so much time running from that life, thinking I didn’t fit. But maybe I do. Maybe I can do some real good.”

Roman studied her for a long moment before nodding. “If that’s what you want, then do it.”

Ginger squeezed her hand. “You’d be incredible, Nat.”

She exhaled, feeling lighter somehow, the decision cementing itself inside her. This was her next step. Her choice.

Roman smirked, stretching out lazily. “Guess that means I’ll be the one staying home with the kids while you two go play superheroes.”

Ginger snorted. “Superheroes?”

Roman shrugged. “FBI. Same thing.”

Nat laughed, shaking her head. “And you’re just… okay with that?”

Roman reached for her hand, his thumb brushing against her knuckles. “I’m tired, baby. My action days are over. You and Fitzpatrick? You two have the fight in you still. Me? I just want to be home. I want to raise our kids, keep things stable for them while you two go save the world.”

Nat felt her throat tighten. Roman Wolfe, the man who had once lived and breathed the chaos of battle, who had spent his entire life on the run or in the thick of war, was choosing peace.

“You’d be a great stay-at-home dad,” she teased, nudging him.

Roman smirked. “Damn right I would.”

Ginger shook his head, amused. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

Roman raised a brow. “You questioning my ability to keep two toddlers in line, Fitzpatrick?”

Ginger chuckled. “Nah, I’d pay good money to see you handle tantrums and potty training, though.”

Nat laughed, warmth blooming inside her. This was real. This was them.

She glanced toward the ocean, the houseboat swaying gently on the dock, her past tethered to her future. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t just surviving.

She was living.

And it was just the beginning.

Roman reached behind him and pulled a bottle of tequila from a bag, placing it on the table with a slow smirk.

Nat and Ginger exchanged a look, both raising their brows.

“Oh, hell,” Ginger muttered, rubbing a hand over his face.

Nat let out a slow breath before shaking her head. “We all remember what happened last time tequila got involved.”

Roman’s grin widened. “Exactly.”

Nat bit her lip, warmth pooling in her stomach, knowing full well where this night was heading. Ginger exhaled heavily, but the amused glint in his eyes betrayed him.

Roman leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm. “So, are we doing this or what?”

Nat reached for the bottle, her smile playful, challenging. “Pour the shots, Wolfe.”

And just like that, the night took a turn—one that none of them would be forgetting anytime soon.