I saw it roil in his eyes. Old wounds that would never let him go fighting against the truth that he deserved happiness. Dude would give it all for us. It was about damned time he got it in return.
“We even got rings and everything and Miss Murphy is gonna be the happiest in the whole wide world. All the way to the highest mountain.” He stretched his arms over his head. “And that’s where we’re gonna love her forever and ever. Right, Dad, right?”
“That’s right, buddy, that’s what we’re hoping.”
“Hoping?” My brow arched. “That girl’s mad for you, brother. You don’t have a thing to worry about.”
“Jud’s spot on,” Logan said, slouched back in the chair. “Eden is amazing. You two might be opposites, but you’re perfect for each other.”
Gage squeezed his dad’s hand tight, belief stretched across his face.
“Dad, see, you don’t got nothin’ to worry about. She loves us.” His little voice twisted in emphasis.
Adoration came riding out with Trent’s. “I know it, buddy. Sometimes it’s just hard for me to realize it.”
“Realize it, already, sheesh.”
On a chuckle, Trent blew some of the tension from between his lips, and he glanced between me and Logan. “I want to do it on the last day of school this Friday. As soon as school lets out. Figure one ending can be our new beginning. Was hoping to set up a surprise. Have everyone we care about there to witness it.”
“I’m there,” I promised.
“Like you could keep me away,” Logan added.
Trent grinned down at his kid. Joy lit against the darkest places in his being.
I felt it spark, too.
Satisfied in the truth that my older brother was happy.
That this family was finally safe.
That we’d truly left the crimes and misdeeds and corruption in the past.
My attention drifted out the bank of windows that sectioned off my office from the rest of the shop, landing on the sedan sitting on the car lift on the opposite side.
Something shifted through me.
The draw.
The attraction.
The fire.
The force of that woman hit me like an avalanche.
A rumble knocking me from my feet.
Black-fuckin’-magic.
Needed to ignore it.
But then I figured it was some kinda cosmic shit when my phone beeped in my pocket at the exact same time, and it was a text from Darius with Salem’s phone number.
A grin slid to my mouth.
And I was pretty sure that grin made me a damned fool.
SIX
SALEM
“What are you giggling about over there, Juni Bee?” Drying my hands, I leaned against the kitchen archway and looked at my daughter who was propped on her knees in front of the living room window, her hands plastered to the glass.
She giggled more and pressed her face to the pane.
Amusement rippled through me as I moved that way so I could peer out into the night at what she was staring at across the street.
Or rather, who.
Little Gage was in the exact same position, blowing his lips against the glass and making his cheeks puff out.
The lights were on in both the rooms, and the two of them were lit up in their own personal fishbowls.
Juni howled with laughter. “Mommy, look! My new best friend is the funniest in the whole world, and did you knows he even likes the stars, too?” Her voice lifted in excitement. “He said he’s gots the whole solar system hanging in his room.”
She looked back at me with her blue eyes wide with delight. “Even Mars!”
“Even Mars? No way.”
“Yes, ways!”
Soft laughter slipped from my mouth, and I moved to stand behind her, brushing my fingers through the long tresses of her black hair that was still damp from her bath. Gage waved like mad when he saw me.
Another laugh slipped free, and I waved back.
A grunt sounded from behind us. I glanced back to find Darius standing at the end of the hall. “What’s going on in here?”
“Apparently, our Juni here found a new way to tell her best friend goodnight.”
“Like this, Uncle D!” She leaned up higher and copied the blowing that Gage had been doing, but she didn’t get her mouth fully on the glass, so she just ended up spluttering air and slobbering all over the window.
It only made her laugh harder.
Darius grunted again. “Still think you and Juni should take my room. More privacy that way.”
I smiled back at him. “She clearly doesn’t mind.”
“Nope, not at all. Not one little bits.”
His head shook, all that overprotectiveness pouring out. A frown took to my brow, my heart hurting that he felt this way. Fear and sorrow the thief of his joy. The thief of belief.
“They’re harmless, Darius.” My voice was a whispered plea.
He moved to the front door. He paused with his hand on the knob, contemplating before he swiveled to look at me. “Thought we didn’t trust anyone?”
Sadness bound my spirit. “Maybe it’s time we did.”