Page 46 of Haunted
I close my eyes, knowing this is the moment. I know my woman, she’ll be there for me, but seeing the pity on her face isgoing to kill me. Still, I force myself to look at her. My breath stalls in my chest. When my gaze locks with hers, I’m shocked. It’s not pity—nothing like it at all.
It’s pride.
“I love you, Eli. I’m so proud to belong to you.”
I couldn’t speak if I tried. So, I do the only thing I can. I pull her to me and kiss her, showing her without words how much I love her.
Chapter 33
Daphne
I wantedto keep on loving my woman, but I knew there were people just outside our bedroom door—and one of those was Cammie. That alone made me stop. “I think we better stop until later, baby. I’m pretty sure we have a little girl and your father in the kitchen waiting for us.”
“Yeah,” she laughs. “I can hear the cabinet doors opening and closing. I’m kind of getting hungry, too.”
“Well, we better go then. I need to feed my woman,” I purr next to her ear. She kisses me gently, then we head out to the others.
“Bout damn time. I was thinking I was going to have to come in there and pull you away from my daughter, Pez,” Sabre grumbles.
“Daddy! Language!” Daphne grumbles.
Sabre laughs and kisses her cheek.
I pick up Cammie and hold her on my hip while I watch Daphne hug her dad. They’re getting closer and closer. I can see how much that means to her, too.
“We got pizzas,” Cammie tells me, tugging on my hair—wanting my attention.
“Yummy. Did you get pepperoni?”
“Nana Cory! We gots pepperoni?”
“We did,” Ms. Grayson says from behind the bar, getting a couple pieces of pepperoni and putting it in a paper plate. She slides it over to me. “Drinks are in the fridge,” she murmurs.
“Thanks,” I say with a grin. “Gee Sabre, it sure was nice of you to pick up Ms. Grayson to join us for pizza,” I tease. I know exactly what’s going on here. I also suddenly understand why Sabre wanted to come back with me tonight.
“Shut it, Pez,” he laughs. Then, he walks straight behind the counter, takes Cory Grayson in his arms and kisses the hell out of her.
“Holy Cow,” Daphne says coming over to stand beside me.
“Nana and Papaw wike each other, Mama,” Cammie whispers.
“I’m seeing that,” Daphne says, going up on the tips of her toes to rub her nose against her daughters.
“It’s great!” Cammie announces. “I gots a new daddy and Papaw will bring Nana to our new house wots!”
“It’s pretty great,” Daphne agrees, walking around the bar to hug Cory. “Ms. Gray?—”
“It’s Cory dear, or Cora if you prefer, but never Ms. Grayson to you. I know you had to call me that before because of that miserable man you were …” Her gaze flicks over to Cammie and her lips thin out as she snaps her mouth shut. “It doesn’t matter. Things are different now, but we have always been family and will continue to be. You know I always thought of you as the daughter I never had, but always wanted.”
“We are family. Cammie and I both love you. You know that.”
Sabre walks over and puts his around Cory, pulling her to him. “That’s good, because Cory and I are dating,” he announces. “Dating?” Daphne and I echo in shock. That’s one word neither of thought Sabre would ever use.
Sabre laughs. “Well, that’s what Cory says we’re doing, I’ve never done it, but as long as she’s happy then I’m game.”
Just like that the events of the day fade away. This is my family. I’m a lucky son of a bitch to have it and I’ll never stop giving thanks. After we eat, Sabre looks at Cammie with a smile. “Cammie, Do you want to come home with me and Nana and watch the new Toy Story movie? The three of us can have a sleepover.”
“Yes! Awesome!”
