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Nevaeh hands me a glass of bubbly. “I knew I loved her. Right from the start.”
Taking a sip of my champagne, I see two tiny heads bobbing as little legs carry them in from where they’d been playing outside, Wrenlee and Cash’s twins giving chase to their Granny, before Cash scoops them up, one in each arm, planting a kiss on their heads.
My eyes watch the beauty unfolding with Nevaeh beside me as I take another sip of my champagne. Then I look to Nevaeh, who is standing close, her hand touching her belly.
My heart skips. I wiggle my glass of champagne. “Where’s yours?”
Her eyes land on Kane’s, and when he nods, Nevaeh says, “I can’t drink.”
Oh, my God.
I’m trying not to get too excited, but I can’t not be excited for the possibility of this. “Why?”
“We’re having a baby. I’m pregnant.” She giggles, the emotion making the sound come out more like a sob. “Finally, we’re pregnant.”
The entire room is silent. And then it’s not silent anymore, because there are rounds of ‘congratulations’, hugs, and cheers to be had.
Tav pulls me back against his chest when things begin to calm with Nevaeh’s and Kane’s news. Nuzzling his face into the crook of my neck, he murmurs, “Now, it’s our turn.”
My breath catches. “Our turn?”
“For the wedding. The babies. The happily ever after.”
When he kisses my neck, I giggle low. “Before we can get to that, you have to propose.”
His body slides from behind mine to the front, smoothly lowering to one knee in the process. My breath catches and the room goes quiet again as Tav pulls a ring from his pocket.
“Marry me, Princess. Make me the happiest man alive. Give me you, and babies, and salvation.”
I can’t speak. Words—they’re drowned by the emotion I feel swelling inside me as I stare down at the pretty tear drop diamond perched on a braided band of tiny light blue diamonds.
“I love you, Olympia, with all that I am and all that I will ever be. I love you, all of you, scars, tears, smiles, hopes, dreams, and nightmares. I want to live every day with you, falling into sleep every night with you in my arms. I want to be the man you grow old with, baby. Say yes.”
“Yes.” I manage to croak the moment before he slides the ring onto my finger. It’s a perfect fit.
My life with Tav is a perfect fit.
Throwing my arms around his shoulders as he rises to stand, Tav lifts me into his arms and spins me around, shouting, “She said yes!”
I laugh against his throat, never more happy than I am in this moment, knowing that I’ll have a million happier moments in the life that I have to live with Tav as Mrs. Taviera.
“I love you.”
Tav sets me down on my feet, and Wrenlee gives me the champagne she took when Tav lowered to his knee. I take a big sip, my hands shaking even as my smile shines as bright as my diamond.
When the doorbell rings, Tav pats his pocket and mutters, “That’s the pizza. Gotta grab my wallet.”
“I’ll get the door,” I tell him, already making my way there.
I think nothing can wipe the smile off my face until I open the door to see Ophelia. My heart knocks in my chest at the sight of my sister’s rage filled face staring down at me—the gun in her hand trembling at her side.
“You took everything from me,” she hisses.. Ice cold hatred in her dead eyes has dread and fear washing over me. “It’s my turn, little sister.”
She lifts the gun as I try to flee. The first pop hits me in the belly. So does the next one.
Even as my body flies backward, I don’t feel the pain, not instantly. My head connects with the floor, my vision distorting as I gasp in air that sears. A blur of jean and white—Kane, I think—flies past me. There’s a shriek. Another pop. Some cursing that sounds far away now. I’m in a tunnel.
Someone presses down on my stomach. That’s when I feel the pain.
