Page 117 of Ashes of Saints

“Parker Stone.” I say, taking in the deep and painful emotion on their faces.

The man wraps his arm around his wife. “Thank you for this.”

Then they both ignore me and glance across the room at Aurora. Grandma and Maddox have their arms around her and the others move in, surrounding her.

I walk over.

“Corrine, Devon. This is your daughter,” I say, pulling her into my arms.

“Parker,” she whimpers.

My eyes drop to hers. “I found them, sweetheart. I found your mom and dad.”

“Oh, my god.” Tears fall down Aurora’s face as she hugs her baby bump and trembles.

Corrine slowly walks across the space and suddenly the two women slam into one another like they’ve never spent a day apart.

“Oh god. My baby. My baby, I have my baby back!”

Devon sits on the edge of the sofa sobbing. I don’t judge him for a second. If someone took the baby growing inside my fiancé’s tummy, I would hunt them down.

I bet he tried.

Corrine wipes her hand over and over Aurora’s face.

“You’re my mom?”

“Yes, baby,” she replies, tears pouring, and I can see her physically shaking. “I’m your mommy.”

Jesus. I think I might bawl myself.

“Let’s sit.” Blinking away the emotions, I guide Corrine and Aurora to the sofa, giving them a place to be together while remaining conscious of the baby. Both Corrine and Devon knew in advance and said they would take it as slow or fast as Aurora needed.

I kiss her cheek.

“Don’t go,” she says, grabbing my hand as I make to leave.

“I won’t.” Sitting down next to her as she leans into my side, the three of them cry, talk, and grieve.

My family and friends fade into the kitchen area, giving us space, but when I glance up, Travis is leaning in the doorway and meets my eye. He gives me a nod.

I nod back.

We’re going to have to stage an intervention for him soon. The fight between him and his father is getting ugly.

Very fucking ugly.

And surprise, surprise, there is a female in the middle of it all.

“I love you,” Aurora says, turning to me. “Thank you.”

Thank god.

I wasn’t sure how she’d react to being the last to know, but this just proves she trusts me. I won’t do anything to ever break it.

“I love you too.”

She glances back at her father. “Will you give me away?”

“Never,” Devon says, smiling at me. “But I will let this good man marry you.”

Aurora nestles into my side, her hand squeezing my thigh. Finally, she has the love she missed all her life.

And I got so much more than revenge.

I got my green-eyed girl.