Page 118 of Serpent King's Revenge

“Ideally somewhere nobody knows us…and where they don’t have an arson problem.”

“So not San Francisco?”

“Not San Francisco.”

“And then?”

I frowned, cocked my head. “You know…I don’t think that’s on the agenda just yet. All I want is to think about us.”

She reached up and touched my face, smiling.

“Okay,” she said. “That sounds just grand to me.”

Epilogue: Abby

Five Years Later

“Twenty-five…twenty-six…twenty-seven…twenty-eight…”

I heard giggles, little footsteps running around our home.

"Twenty-nine, thirty! Ready or not, here I come!"

I opened my eyes.

Evan was nowhere to be seen.

“Evan? Oh my gosh—you’re so good at hiding!” My voice echoed through the spacious halls of our home tucked away in the hills outside San Francisco. The place was perfect for us, far from prying eyes and with enough room for Evan to run around to his heart's content.

And it was a virtual jungle, thanks to Nathan’s plant obsession.

Which made it a very fun place to hide.

I rounded the corner, my feet sinking into the plush carpet as I scanned the living room. "Evan," I called out, trying to keep my tone light and playful. This kid could find corners to hide in that I didn't even know existed. It was a skill that both amused and amazed me.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," I teased, peeking behind the heavy drapes that framed the large windows overlooking our secluded backyard. Only silence greeted me. I paused, listening for any tell-tale signs of my little hider.

"Mommy's coming to find you," I announced, adding a touch of mock warning to my voice. I pressed my hand against the small mound under my shirt, a smile tugging at my lips as I wandered through the spacious kitchen. “Where the heck is he, Violet?”

A giggle echoed from somewhere down the hall. I froze, listening, then followed the sound. "You think you're slick, huh?" I called out, chuckling.

Another giggle, this time from Nathan’s office.

Got him.

It was his favorite hiding place.

I poked my head into Nathan's office through the crack in the door, the sound of his voice winding down from a call with Alex. He was all clean lines and focus, the phone held close as he spoke in hushed tones that meant money was on the move again. He glanced up at me as he wrapped up the call, saying something about a laundering op in South Beach.

“Okay, Alex,” he was saying. “Yeah…yeah, I’ll see you in a bit. It’s fine if you’re late, I’ll fill Abby in.” I walked in, crossed my arms. “Love you.”

He hung up and clasped his hands on the desk after putting his phone down. “Can I help you?” he asked.

Ah…Evan had an accomplice.

"Seen a little guy about yay high, runs like lightning, laughs like a madman?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe. My hand rested on my rounded belly, feeling the life inside kick up a fuss, probably wondering where her brother had gone off to.

"Nope, haven't seen him. Just me and these numbers." He gestured to the papers scattered across his desk, but his eyes betrayed him, a hint of mischief there.

---