Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
I shrug and tug her to my side. “Never say never. Anything’s possible.”
“That’s true.” She sounds softer now. Kellan and Devlin are arguing in the other room. Silas is with them trying in vain to play referee. Hattie’s likely upstairs in her room on her tablet. That girl gets too much screen time. I’ll talk to Priya about it tomorrow.
“What’s the matter? You seem all serious.”
She chews her lip. “It’s nothing, really.”
“June, my love, my life, if you don’t start talking immediately—“
“I wanted to tell you later but I’m so freaking bad at keeping secrets.”
I tighten my grip on her. “Did something bad happen? Did someone approach you? Is Marnie okay?”
“Marnie’s fine. Beth’s fine too and I’m totally good.” She laughs awkwardly and buries her face in my chest. “Please don’t be mad.”
“I am going to be mad if you don’t spill it.”
“Shit. Okay.” She takes a breath and looks up at me. “I’m pregnant.”
The world stills. I don’t hear my brothers anymore. I can barely breathe.
Pregnant. Again.
Oh my god.
I felt like my life couldn’t get better. June makes me feel whole. Hattie teaches me how to really love and how to expand myself. My brothers are the foundation of my existence. Despite the horror it took to get here, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Except…
This…
“Holy fuck, YES!” I lift her into the air, laughing and roaring with delight. “I’m so god damn happy!”
“Rafe!” June laughs, bouncing in my arms. “Settle down!”
I swing her around the kitchen, kissing her over and over. “I’m so happy right now. More babies!”
“Did I hear something about babies?” Silas frowns at us. Kellan and Devlin are behind him. “Don’t tell me?”
“It’s true.” June flushes. “I was going to keep it a secret until we were past the first trimester, but, you know—“
“Wow! That’s incredible!” Silas hugs June and Devlin shakes my hand, beaming, while Kellan pours drinks. June gets a seltzer and we toast to good fortune, good futures, and growing families.
“I really am happy for you two,” Devlin says, leaning up against the kitchen counter an hour later. Silas already left and Kellan’s getting ready to go. “But man, another kid? You won’t catch me fucking dead having babies.”
I smile, not insulted at all, and gaze into the other room where June’s getting Hattie set up for dinner. “You’d be surprised. What have I always taught you? Keep an open mind.”
“Watch your back. Pay your debts. Kill your enemies.” Devlin recites the list like it’s tattooed into his mind. “But didn’t we say we wouldn’t do this again? The bigger we build our families…” He trails off, grim.
I know what he means. After the fire, we took our oath, and promised to watch out for each other, but never to get attached to anyone ever again. People are nothing but ash. Why love them? Only power remains.
But June and Hattie showed me a different way. A better way, maybe. I hope my brothers can see it too one day.
I join my pregnant wife and our little girl once my brothers are gone. I sit across from Hattie and talk about hippos (unicorns are so last year) and laugh at her wild stories. June leans her head on my shoulder, and I wonder, even if this is all built on a foundation of blood, bone, and fire—would I want anything else?
Definitely not.
EPILOGUE: JUNE
Six Months Later
“I’m serious, if he doesn’t emerge in like ten seconds I am going to flip the fuck out!” The bride paces back and forth in the hall outside her groom’s suite, looking panicked.
“We’ll handle it, I promise.” I shoot Beth a pleading stare. “He’ll be fine.”
Beth pounds on the groom’s door for the fifth time and I try calling his phone.
The cell connects. “Yeah? Hey? Can you stop hitting me in the head?”
“Brad, are you okay?” Relief floods me.
“DID YOU GET THAT USELESS FUCK ON THE PHONE?! LET ME TALK TO HIM!” The bride tries to grab my cell away but I dance from her grasp. Which isn’t easy, considering I’m so freaking pregnant. I’m practically waddling these days. Forget normal walking.
“What’s going on?” He groans. Then: “OH FUCK, WHAT TIME IS IT?”
“Listen, this is June, your wedding planner. You are late. The ceremony is in twenty minutes. Your future wife is losing her mind. I know, I know, you feel like death right now. You had your bachelor party last night, even though I told you that was a stupid idea. I get it. You want to die. But Brad, your life will be over, and I suspect mine will be too, if you can’t pull it together. Can you do that for me?”
“BRAD, I AM GOING TO CUT OFF YOUR DICK!” the bride screams as Beth tries to calm her down.
“Shit,” he whispers. “I’m so fucked.”
“Get out of bed. Shower. Dress. You can do it.”