Page 112 of Vengeful Secret

“What does Daddy do for work?” she asks curiously. “My friend Babs says her daddy is a police officer.”

“He’s a… contractor,” I stutter out. “He helps people build houses.”

“Wow,” she says, eyes wide. “I can’t wait to tell Babs.”

I swallow, smiling a little.

Ciara is so excited about having her dad around that she’s been going around telling everyone that she lives with him in a castle. I can’t convince her that this isn’t technically a castle.

Marisol takes Patrick up a plate, and Lara comes down to eat with us.

“Aunt Lara!” Ciara exclaims, running to her and grabbing her in a hug.

Lara leans down, hugging her back, and leads her back to the table. “You better not have eaten all the syrup.”

Ciara giggles. “I saved a little for you.”

“How kind of you,” Lara teases with a smile.

“Mama, can Lara come with us to take me to school? I want her to see my school,” Ciara asks suddenly.

“I don’t know about that, honey. Lara probably has other things to do?—”

“I'll go,” Lara says, smiling. “Gray wants Liam to follow us, anyway, so it’ll get me out of the house.”

I smile at her. “Great.”

Lara, Ciara, and I all head to her school, and Ciara chats the whole way there about Blue, her butterfly friend who she claims she’s seen three whole times on the playground.

“Does Blue have brothers and sisters?” Lara asks, egging her on.

“No. It’s only him, just like me.” Ciara pauses. “Mama, are we going to have another baby?”

“Why? Do you want one?”

“No,” she says flatly, and I chuckle as Lara snickers. “I think Bree’s baby will be like my little brother.”

“I guess that’s true. We’ll all live together.”

I’ve never thought about having more kids—it'd always been me and Ciara against the world, and I certainly don’t know how Gray feels about having more kids, although I suspect he’d be interested.

I just don’t know if he’s interested in having kids withme. We haven’t really talked about our relationship, even though it feels like we’re back together.

At least, it had felt that way. Until last night, when he appeared to blow off my concerns.

When Ciara heads into school, Lara and I head back home with Liam right behind us in his black Escalade.

Lara groans. “I hate this stupid war. I hate being cooped up in the house.”

“It’s for your own protection,” I remind her, and she groans again.

“If you knew how many times I’ve heard that…”

“Isn’t it scary?” I ask suddenly, and Lara tilts her head in my direction.

“Isn’t what scary?”

“Being a Burke.”

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