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Her entire body vibrates against mine as she finally tells him everything she’s kept bottled inside. Spencer and Reid both step closer to us, each resting a hand on a part of her body.
“This has nothing to do with you and everything to do withme! I love these three with all my heart. I have since I was sixteen years old, and no one is getting between us.”
“Can’t we go somewhere and have a civil conversation about this?” He runs his hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, his eyes pleading with her to listen to what he’s saying. “I’m sure they’ve filled your mind with lies.”
“Shut up,” she whispers, her voice breaking slightly as she tries to reign in her emotions. “I will always love you, Dad. But if you can’t accept our relationship, I have nothing else to say to you.”
As soon as the words escape her lips, she tucks her head into my neck. Her warm tears trickle down the back of my neck as she sobs.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you home,” I whisper, hooking my hands behind her knees, hoisting her up on my back, and striding toward the door.
“Where do you think you're going, Marine?” Elias grips my arm as we pass. “This isn’t over.”
“You’re wrong.”
I pull my arm from his grasp, gritting my teeth, wanting nothing more than to lower Kelsey to the ground and pound my fist into his face, ensuring he feels every ounce of pain I’m sure she is feeling at this moment. It’s his choice whether he’s able to have a relationship with his daughter in the future, but right now, she’s the only one I care about.
I head directly toward the parking lot, not bothering to stop until I reach my Jeep. I turn around and lower Kelsey’s body onto the hood before turning around and cupping her face between my palms.
“I love you.” Without hesitating, I lean forward and brush my lips across hers. “Nothing is ever going to change that.”
“I know,” she sniffles, reaching up and wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Ugh, this is not the way I planned on today working out. We haven’t seen each other in weeks, and I’m here sobbing all over your uniform.”
“The fact that you’re here is what’s most important,” I whisper against her lips before resting my forehead against hers. “Besides, it was sexy as fuck watching you put your dad in his place.”
I thrust my hips forward, letting her know just how turned on I am.
“That could have gone better,” Reid says, breaking the moment entirely.
“I don’t think he’ll be inviting us over for tea and crumpets,” Spencer chuckles as he plants a kiss on her cheek.
“It doesn’t matter. He was never anything more than a figurehead in my life, anyway.” She smiles brightly at us before wrapping her arms around my neck.
Spencer and Reid both step forward, wrapping their arms around both of us.
“Group hug!” they shout in unison, making Kelsey laugh as I bury my nose in her neck.
If anyone would have asked me where I imagined myself after retirement, I never could have imagined it would be here, sandwiched between the three people I love most in the world, with our future laid out before us.
It took almost five years to get where we are today, but one thing I know for sure is that the finish is worth the wait.
* * *
