Forever Us (Always and Forever 4)

“Mama, can I have my husband back?”

“Well, I guess. I was enjoying this hunky man and his dance moves.” She winks, kissing his cheek.

“And this old dog is gonna smack that ass if you say something like that again.” My father pulls my mom into his arms and away from Kingston. Mama laughs as he spins her away, and I shake my head at the show that is my parents.

“Couldn’t stay away?” Kingston cockily asks, picking me up off the ground effortlessly, letting my feet dangle. I wrap my arms around his neck and giggle.

“Not a chance. Besides, I have a surprise—a wedding gift.”

“Oh, really? And what’s that?” He kisses my bicep just to the left of his face.

“What do we think about the name Charles? That sounds like a name for another king? All our sons can have names of royalty.”

“What kind of question is that?” Shaking his head, he bites the skin of my arm this time.

“I wanted to surprise you, but Baby Boy Donovan is coming in October.”

Halting his movements, we freeze in place. His eyes search me over, processing what I just said. I gaze at him and let him soak it all in. My smile is infectious, beaming and reaching ear to ear.

“You gave me another little man? Are you fucking serious?” He shakes me a little, and I chuckle.

“I sure am. The queen had to give the king another heir to his throne.” I wink, biting the tip of his nose.

“You little fucking minx!” He spins us, and my laugh goes uncontrolled. I feel weightless. I feel alive and human.

“Sissy, bring me Prince.” Kingston calls to Shayla.

Shayla has been on Princeton duty all night. “Here he is,” she coos, passing him to Kingston as he places me back on my feet.

“Mama is giving me another little man.” He bounces Prince on his hip. “Look at us, overpowering her. She will never be able to survive us big guys.”

I see the children I saw in my vision, except now they are all older. My sons are massive, towering over me and guarding me like watchdogs. Surprisingly, it brings me comfort along with a slight eye roll.

“I’m screwed, aren’t I?” I question, leaning in to Kingston. I rest my head against his chest, kissing Princeton’s sock-covered feet.

“You have no idea. Besides, it takes a strong army to keep you in line, sassy. You’re just getting it back tenfold.”

“Whatever, keep talking and I promise I’ll give you a little girl who will test you like no other. Careful what game you talk. I don’t take challenges weakly.”

He pinches my ass and growls. “Woman, you drive me insane.”

“Now I get to do it forever.” I wink, and in that instant, my life comes back around full circle.

My life with Kingston grew beautifully. We had four children—three boys to drive me mad and one little girl to push Kingston into full-blown insanity. But one thing always helped us survive over the decades together. Our friendship. We had a friendship like no other, a love even deeper than the bluest ocean, and what tragedies we went through together made years of trivial marriage problems easy to overcome. We faced the very deepest pits of hell, and we doused ourselves in years of bliss when the fire settled. Joel never took another day of my life away. Instead, my king did, and did so beautifully.

Kingston Donovan stole my everything and I let him. Never afraid again, only stronger in my survival.

The End...

But then the Donovans made a village with stories to tell.

To my honey's, God do I love you more than anything.

To my husband, to my best friends, to my family. You are the roots that raised me and continue to nurture me.

To all the incredible people who helped make this book what it is, your shit don't stink and I know it! Keep being the incredible humans you are!

And to those I said goodbye to, or those who left my life without a word---thank you.