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"No,youlive in Houston. That's home for you and Uncle Dante, but it's never been home to me. My whole life, it's been a prison for me, Dimitri. I was seventeen before I had my first sleepover!" I cry. "I was seventeen before I could go shopping or walk to school without bodyguards. That's notnormal." Even before my parents died, that was my life. I've always been more closely guarded than the dang queen of England. I never even realized how messed up that was until I moved here.
"You know we were just doing what was best for you, Dev," Dimitri says, his voice soft.
"I do know that, and I love you both so much for working so hard to keep me safe," I say, swiping at my eyes. "But I know what it's like to be normal now. I know what it's like to have freedom and not have to look over my shoulder every minute of the day. I'm not going back to spending every waking moment living in fear of the cartels. My life is here now."
"You mean your life is with him," Dimitri says, scowling at Jude.
"Who I choose to date is my choice, Dimitri."
"He's too goddamn old for you, Dev."
"Too fucking bad," Jude snaps. "I'm marrying her anyway."
Dimitri and Uncle Dante both blink, taken aback by his announcement. It shocks me too. My heart soars toward the heavens and then plummets toward the ground as worry rushes in. But I don't voice it. Not here. Not now.
"I am marrying him," I say, my voice clear and strong.
"Jesus Christ," Dimitri mutters, staring at us in shock. "You're eighteen!"
"So was mom," I remind him, making him flinch. "Does that mean she somehow loved dad less all those years? No, it doesn't. I made my choice, Dimitri. Can't you just be happy for me?" My voice wobbles at the end. "Can't you just love me anyway?"
"Fuck," he rumbles, stomping toward me. He holds his arms out, waiting for me to untangle myself from Jude to fling myself at his chest. As soon as I do, he wraps me in a bear hug like he has so many times in my life. "I willalwayslove you, baby sister. Always."
I sob his name, clinging to him.
"If he's not good to you, I'll bury him where no one will ever find him," he whispers in my ear.
"He's s-s-so good to me," I whisper back, sniffling through my tears.
He sighs heavily, squeezing me tight, and then slowly releases me.
I reluctantly turn to Uncle Dante, not at all sure what to expect. With him, it could go either way. He wants what's best for me, but his idea of what's best for me and mine don't always align. He's stubborn and set in his ways. Once he's made up his mind, changing it is virtually impossible.
He eyes me for a long, silent moment, and then blows out a breath, shaking his head.
"You're just like your mom, kid," he says, holding his arms out for me. I race forward, hugging him just as tightly as I hugged Dimitri. He chuckles and hugs me back. "Love you, kiddo."
"I love you too," I mumble, wiping my face on his shoulder.
He releases me and I hurry back to Jude's side, eager to feel his arms around me too. I've got three grumpy bears in my life, but only one of them fits me just right. This one. My daddy.
"Does this mean you're not going to fight to make me go back to Houston?" I ask Uncle Dante, just to make sure we're all on the same page here.
"About that," he says, cocking his head to the side.
Jude stirs uneasily, a growl rumbling in his chest.
"It looks like Silver Spoon Falls may be home to all of us for a while, Dev," Dimitri says with a sigh. "We have something to take care of here."
"And what, precisely, would that be?" Cash asks.
"Business," Uncle Dante says.
Cash scowls.
I gape at Uncle Dante. "You'removinghere?"
"Looks like it," he says, rubbing a hand down his face and then eyeing me warily. "Is this okay with you, sweetheart?"
