Page 78 of Flawed Revenge

“If you say so,” Kate said, grinning at their daughter. “What's your new idea?”

“Monkey bars,” Ariella exclaimed. “I want to learn how to do tricks on them, swing and twirl, like I'm doing gymnastics.”

“I can teach you gymnastics if it’s okay with your mom and dad,” Rose offered.

“As long as you don’t teach her that trick to get to the ceiling,” Lion told her, no longer feeling out of place making decisions about his daughter and the things that affected her. Kate had made it clear they were a parenting team going forward, a family, so he was working to accept that place in both their lives.

“Absolutely,” Kate said with a laugh. “Don’t need my piece of pie pulling down the ceiling.”

“You pulled down the ceiling?” Ariella asked Rose, her eyes wide and her voice filled with awe.

“A story for when you're a little older, squirt,” Rose told her. “But I can definitely help you learn gymnastics. Maybe we could even convert a room inside so we can have a whole setup in there. Balance beam, parallel bars, uneven bars, vault, and lots of mats to work on floor routines.”

“Whatever you want, little ladybug,” Steel said with an indulgent smile.

“Okay, monkey bars out here as well. May as well go all in and make a whole playground. Slides, swings, sandpit,” Lion suggested. Might as well go all out since he absolutely intended to get Kate pregnant as soon as they knew what was going on with Ariella and the transplant, and he was pretty sure he wasn't the only one with plans on filling this house with the pitter-patter of little feet.

“Ooh, yeah, that’s a great idea, Dad,” Ariella gushed.

“If we’re planning on building all of this and we want to have it ready to go this summer, then we’d better stop standing around chatting and get busy,” Thunder said.

“What about you, Katie-Bear?” Lion asked as he pulled her in for a kiss because he couldn’t spend long around her without kissing her, touching her. “What do you want to add to this quickly growing garden complex?”

Kate’s smile was soft as she looked around at everyone. Their daughter’s happy grin, her pale cheeks streaked with dirt, excitement practically vibrating off her. Each of the couples, relaxed and content, free from the burdens that had been crushing them for so many years. Then she shook her head.

“I don’t have anything to add. I think we already have everything we ever wanted,” she replied.

Lion couldn’t agree with her more. No one expected life from here on out to be smooth sailing. They all had deep scars that would affect them for a lifetime, with a lot of healing to do. He and his teammates planned to continue working for Prey, putting their enhanced skills to use for good instead of the evil Ridge Gardner had originally intended. But now they were free to live their lives on their own terms, and it was a refreshing and invigorating feeling.

“Totally agree, Katie-Bear.”

March 31st

10:18 A.M.

Eleven days had passed since Ariella had received her bone marrow transplant from Leo. Kate found herself overanalyzing every little thing her daughter did. Ariella had more energy to work on the garden transformation one day, and she was positive things were working. Then one day, she took a really long nap at lunchtime and was tired again by bedtime, and she was positive that things weren't going to work out.

Yesterday, Ariella cut herself on a nail while helping put together the playground set the guys had designed, and she was sure that her daughter’s blood clotted more quickly than normal. But maybe that was her imagination.

There was no doubt that Ariella was laughing more. The little girl had always been a happy child, an easy baby from the beginning, an inquisitive toddler who rarely threw tantrums, an excited kindergartener who couldn’t wait to start on the big adventure of school. Even in the first grade, when she received her diagnosis, somehow Ariella had managed to maintain her positive outlook and sunny disposition.

But out there, with the fresh air and the peaceful forest, with a whole new family of people who Kate already knew were going to spoil the little girl rotten, she seemed to be soaring to new heights. No one babied or coddled her, they spoiled her, but they treated her like she was strong, competent, and capable, and Ariella was thriving.

They’d made a few video calls with her family and Leo’s. Ariella missed them, and so did Kate, so it had been inevitable. Plus, both families knew that she’d taken her daughter to try to track down Leo to see if he could save the child’s life. She would always protect Leo’s privacy, but she also had to update them, because they loved her daughter as well, and had been there for both of them since Leo walked out. Leo was fine with her reaching out and had even gone so far as to ask her to tell his family he was sorry for leaving them and that maybe in time he might be in a place where he was ready to reach out.

Despite all the positives, including her daughter’s happiness, making love to Leo each night, and falling asleep in his arms, and being incorporated into Delta Team’s family, Kate felt her anxiety beginning to spiral.

For so long, she’d been the one who had to have it all together. She had to be strong and find a way to handle everything all on her own. Her family and Leo’s had always been there. They stepped up, babysat when she needed a break, went to doctor’s appointments with her, and learned to help deliver the medical care Ariella needed, but it wasn't the same as having a partner to share the burden of raising a child who might never make it to double digits.

Now that she had that partner she’d craved for so long, it felt like she was losing control.

So many what-ifs ran through her mind, and it was getting harder to ignore them. Constant worry about what was going to happen next. Fear that Leo would bail if Ariella didn't make it. Maybe even leave once he knew their daughter was going to live.

What if he was just there because of guilt?

What if he was only pretending to love them?

What if he kicked them out one day?