Page 67 of Devil's Muse
I snort.Loudly.I’m not even embarrassed anymore.Further down the table, Sadie lifts her wine glass without looking at him.“Or marking her territory so no other toddler tries to claim you.Which, honestly, appropriate.”
Dean shoots her a sideways glance, seemingly bothered that she just complimented Mikey.Sadie arches a brow, unbothered, sipping her wine like he’s background noise.If sexual tension had a sound, it would be the static buzzing between them.
Marie sighs loudly behind us.“We should have more of these family style meals.”
Dean mutters, “Only if someone gets Mikey a bib.”
Luc leans in, lips brushing my hairline.“You happy?”he murmurs.
I look at Larkin giggling at a crumpled napkin.At my mom smiling like this is the best job she’s ever had.At a band that has slowly started to feel like a family I didn’t know I’d ever get.At the man whose hand stays on me like he still can’t quite believe we found our way back.“More than I thought I could be,” I say softly.
Together, we made the decision that Larkin and I will go and live with Luc at his house outside of Chicago afterwards.It’s going to be an adjustment, for all of us.But, I figure, if we could live and survive on a bus for over two months, being together in a house should be a piece of cake.
What I’ve realized in the short time we’ve been together, is that it doesn’t matter where we are.Being with him just feels like home.
He turns my chin and kisses me, slow and sure, ignoring the groans from the peanut gallery.
“Get a room,” Mikey tosses a napkin at them.
“Leave them alone,” Sadie and Dean say at the same time, Then smile at each other.The rest of us pretend not to notice.
Luc looks at our daughter, then at me.“We good?”
I smile, warm and full.“We’re perfect.”
He cups my cheek, eyes soft.“Yeah,” he agrees in a whisper.“We are.”
Larkin squeals again, grabbing at a toy guitar sitting on the table.
“See?”Dean leans forward, grinning.“Guitarist.”
Mikey snorts.“Not if she inherits an ounce of taste.”
“Hey!”He pouts, acting like he’s been shot in the chest.
“You walked into that one.”Mikey chuffs, proud of himself.
Luc laughs quietly against my hair as they bicker again.And for the first time in a long time, all the noise feels beautiful.
We are a mess.We are chaos.We are loud and imperfect and stitched together with love and second chances.But we are a family.
And I wouldn’t change a single beat.
The End… at least for now.
