Page 90 of Sniper

My children are my fucking everything, and my wife, well, she’s my universe.

Breaker curses, getting my attention, his eyes wide before he pats my back. I follow his movement as he runs across the room, his six-year-old daughter Hope giggling, noticing him. I laugh at seeing she has the very heavy hammer he uses on the oak trees outside to get his frustration out. She wobbles, trying to carry it outside, her father on her heels as everyone laughs.

The little girl is a terror.

“How on earth did Hope get Breaker’s hammer, and more importantly, how in the hell is she carrying it?” The voice of an angel drawls in shock next to me, and I smile wide, turning to look at my perfect wife.

Her curly red hair is down over her shoulder, her bump just showing in her yellow skater dress, her cut covering it a little.

Fuck, I love how she has the courage to wear dresses and skirts; easy fucking access….

“Hell,” Rose copies, and Rory groans.

I shake my head and mutter, “Just like her sister.” Sighing, I kiss Rose’s head and put her down, rasping, "Why don’t you go find Gramps?” referring to my father. She grins wide and runs off to the back of the room, where my parents are.

Rory and I chuckle when Rose jumps on my dad.

“Yeah, just like her sister,” Rory mutters, making me grin. I grab her hand, pulling her into me.

She smiles wide, and I press my lips against hers. She instantly melts against me, and I rasp, “I’ve missed you, Firecracker.”

She chuckles. “It’s only been a few hours; I had my rounds.”

I hum. “Indeed, but two hours too long.”

She laughs, leaning back a little. Gently, she strokes my jaw, then whispers, “Did you know Brook’s pregnant again?” My eyes widen, and she nods. “Yeah, she’s just found out and unloaded on me while we checked the cows.”

I furrow my brows. “Didn’t she mention only wanting two kids the other week, after Tech mentioned having a few more?”

Rory nods. “She did.” Yet she’s pregnant, that doesn’t…. My thoughts stop, my eyes widening with realization, and Rory nods, commenting, “Yeah, Tech is in deep, deep trouble. He took a leaf outta your and Breaker’s book, and messed with her birth control.”

I laugh; I can’t help it; that shit is fucking funny. Rory shakes her head at me, but I shrug. I’m not sorry for messing with hers. We have a family, and that’s all that matters to me.

I fucking love my kids, and the more, the merrier, as long as it’s with this woman.

Smiling, her eyes go to my right forearm, her eyes watering a little as her eyes catch the angel wings, our daughter's birth date along the left wing, her name along the right. Our children’s names are inked down between them, with their birth dates. Autumn’s is right at the top.

“I miss her. I never knew her, yet I feel like a piece of me is missing,” she whispers, and I nod, bringing her closer to me.

I place my hand on her bump.

“She’s always with us, Firecracker; she’s in our heart, in our kids,” I rasp, and she nods, tears falling down her cheeks.

Gently, I wipe them away. Sometimes, she struggles around this time.

Five and a half years, last week, when we lost our daughter, Angel, and it never gets any easier.

Rory pushes up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against mine, and I smile.

This woman consumes me.

“I love you, you know that?” I rasp against her lips.

She smiles. “Not as much as I love you.”

I chuckle. “Impossible.”

She grins before tilting her head, her eyes showing nothing but love as she whispers, “Have I ever thanked you?” I furrow my brows in confusion, and she smiles, continuing, "For never giving up.”

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