Page 98 of Vengeful Secret

“Put it on a timer,” I suggest. “You’re part of the family, too.”

Marisol looks touched and puts the phone on a timer, setting it up on the roast bowl before hurrying over to stand next to me and Sutton.

“These are all great,” Lara muses. “Which one are we going to put on the wall.”

“The one with Marisol,” I say quickly.

“I’ll have it blown up,” Declan offers.

Kael and Paige leave first since they have a little date night planned, and then Declan and Bree, citing needing to put up Bree’s swollen feet.

“I wanted to play with everyone,” Ciara whines and pouts, but she’s so tired herself she can barely keep her eyes open.

“Tomorrow,” Bree promises her.

Ciara nods, even though she’s still pouting, and I pick her up.

She lies her head on my shoulder, and she’s dozing in moments.

As I take her upstairs with Sutton in tow, I can’t help thinking that that photo may symbolize the future—a future with Sutton as a part of the Burke family.

27

SUTTON

Gray putsCiara to bed all by himself, and I wait out in the hallway, wanting them to have some time to bond.

“Are you tired?” he asks me when he walks back out, and I shake my head.

I’m actually pretty energized, especially after the raucous family dinner.

“Let’s do some target practice,” he suggests, and I raise an eyebrow.

“Now?”

“No time like the present,” he says, and I go into his room to grab my gun case.

He grabs a handgun out of the top of his closet.

“Where are we going to shoot?"

He laughs. “There’s a gun range on the grounds.”

Wow.

I think I’m getting used to the incredible nature of the Burke estate, but something always comes along to surprise me.

We get on the golf cart outside to ride there, and it’s better equipped than the gun range we went to earlier this week.

There are several different guns available, but I hold tight to the one in my case, feeling oddly attached to it.

I suppose I could use any gun, but this one is the one I first shot, and I’m kind of attached to it.

Gray has holstered his handgun, and he looks at me. “I’m breaking this one in.”

Do guns need to be broken in? That doesn’t sound right.

Gray laughs at my confusion. “It’s just getting more comfortable with it.”

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