Page 112 of Stay Little Fighter

EPILOGUE

CHLOE

SIX MONTHS LATER

I come to a stop in the entryway as I try to process what I’m looking at.

Am I still asleep and this is some kind of dream?

Or is Ryker really standing in the middle of the living room with our kitten under one arm and a chicken under the other.

Kingston is going to lose his shit if he finds the bird in the house again after my unhinged golden retriever let the six of them wander around last week.

Apparently, it was to help Benny, the kitten, get used to them.

I’m still not clear why he’s trying to socialize the animals, but I pick my battles when it comes to him.

“Siren,” he greets me with a wide smile. “I thought you were napping.”

“I woke up.” I shrug. “Want to explain what’s happening here?”

“Jane is feeling a little under the weather, so I thought she would be more comfortable inside. But then Benny wanted to play, and Jane isn’t feeling up to playing, so I’m holding them both until they calm down.”

Did I mention he named the chickens after classic literary characters? Honestly, I’m still not clear about how we got chickens in the first place. They just kind of appeared one day, and none of us questioned it.

I nod slowly, but I’m just as confused as I was when I first stepped into the room. “How about we take Jane outside to the winter coop so she can have some downtime where it’s warm, and then Benny can have his house back?”

His eyes flare with panic, and my brow dips. He’s acting weirder than normal, and that’s saying something for Ryker.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing!” He turns and carefully places the kitten on the couch before hustling toward the back door.

Frowning, I pause to give Benny a pat before following him outside. As much as chickens weren’t my first choice in pets, the girls have grown on me, and anxiety rolls through my belly at the idea that something is wrong with one of them and he didn’t want to be the one to tell me.

I round the side of the house and stop dead when I find all four of my guys huddled together in deep discussion.

What the hell is going on?

Kingston has been away for the last few days, and the brothers left early this morning to do some research for Hawk Securities.

My guys are home more often than not, but it’s not in their nature to not work, and it’s good for them to leave our little slice of heaven every now and then.

Ronan spots me first, and he quickly turns around, giving me his back as he obviously tries to hide something from me.

They have a lot of wonderful qualities, but I can’t say surprises is one of them.

“You’re home early,” I say warily to Kingston. “I thought you weren’t back until tonight.”

“I just couldn’t wait to get home to you.” He smiles, sweeping me into a hug that allows my body to truly relax for the first time since he left.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop being scared that they won’t come home to me, but it comes with the territory of being with four of the most lethal men in the country.

“I missed you,” I admit.

“I missed you too, Mama.”

“Do you want to tell me why you guys are being so suspicious?”