The Wayward Sister (The Wayward Sons 5)

“We go in together and own the house four ways, buy my brother out. I want to build a life with you, on equal footing.” A new life, one revolving around a different set of souls. Men, not boys, who need a partner, not a mom.

“I think that sounds like an amazing idea,” Holden says. “Although I do have one condition.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“I can’t sleep on that little bed anymore and Smith’s snoring is making me crazy. We’re going to need another room.”

“An addition?” I ask, liking the idea.

“With a king-sized bed.” Adrian winks.

My belly warms at that idea.

“Good idea,” Smith says, grabbing a sheet of paper off the notepad affixed to the refrigerator door. “Really, the best thing would be a new master suite, with plenty of room.”

They start talking excitedly. There are a million possibilities, all leading back to the same thing. A home.

“What about a mudroom with a shower—so you’re not dragging your filthy clothes in here all the time?” I ask, in complete seriousness.

Adrian gives me a lopsided—cheeky grin—and says, “You like us dirty.”

God, I really do.

I smile at the three of them, relief washing over me. I can finally stop running. Not only have I found a home, it was here all along.

Epilogue

“I brought you a plant,” Katie says, bounding into the room. Her hair is in two knots on top of her head. With the black choker around her neck, she looks like a kitten. She shoves the flowerpot in my hands. “Now, I want to see everything.”

She’s excited, really excited, and I guess I don’t blame her. I’ve been talking about the addition for months and I’d finally agreed to have a housewarming party to show everyone the finished product.

The truth is that we could have had this party weeks ago, but I’ve been selfish. I’ve wanted it all to myself. Well, myself and the guys. We’ve been breaking it in. The new, extra-large, king-sized bed, the tile and glass shower with two rain features, the walk-in closet complete with a plush chaise lounge, and the French doors that lead to the deck that has four comfortable seats and a sturdy railing.

I give her the tour and Katie misses nothing, assessing everything with a critical eye. “Talk to me about this handheld shower device? Do you even need that?”

I shrug. “Not yet, but Adrian has a few ideas.”

She nods appreciatively, and I lead her back to the bedroom. She picks up a framed, new photograph. It’s of me, Jensen, Jared, and the three guys.

“You took the guys to a convention?”

“Yep. They had fun.”

“So like, even though you have three of your own guys, you still obsess over these people?”

I take the frame from her and place it back on the bedside table.

“Family is more than blood,” I tell her, touching the tattoo. “The Winchesters taught me that, the boys proved it, and it’s why I could open my heart to the rangers.”

“Fair enough.” She starts toward the hall but stops and points to a door, “What’s that?”

My stomach flutters anxiously. “Nothing. Just storage. We decided to add on a little bit more while we were doing it. You know, it’s cheaper that way.”

“Right,” she says, heading into the hall. She starts poking her head into the other three bedrooms, private space, decorated specifically for, and by, each guy.

I’m not ready to tell Katie the real reason for that room. It’s for the future. A possible nursery. This relationship is still fresh and new, but we all agree on one thing. Family is important.

Which is why when I hear Dexter’s voice in the living room, I leave Katie to her wandering and go greet my brother. He’s standing just inside the doorway with Starlee.