Page 110 of Bound By Secrets

Epilogue

Callie

Seven Months Later

“Callie! You got to come on trampoline with us, it’s so much fun!” Crystal squeals as she charges past me, almost knocking my legs out from under me.

“Hey, come back here! The tickle monster wasn’t finished!” Brad shouts as he too runs past, chasing after my little sister with his hands out in front of him, wiggling his fingers. She giggles as she dodges around Sophie’s legs and rushes into the open doorway of the kitchen.

Ryker strides over and slings an arm around mine and Kat’s shoulders.

“Crystal is obsessed with the trampoline and the treehouse, I don’t think she’s ever leaving our house,” he states, watching asCrystal darts back outside of our new house and crashes into Nate.

“She has her own room for a reason, just like I do,” Kat chimes in, untangling herself from Ryker’s hold. “Just because you have your own house now, doesn’t mean you can get rid of us.”

I laugh watching Kat jog over to Nate, who now has Crystal on his shoulders as he talks to Sophie and Colin. Ryker grumbles beside me.

“We need to hide, Brad’s parents are coming over here.” He attempts to pull me away from where we’re standing but I hold my ground and turn to face the gate at the side of the house, spotting Bella walking in with her two husbands, Chris and Logan.

“Callie, please, I don’t want to stand here talking about dick sizes again, it’s weird,” he whines, tugging on my arm.

“Well then you can go, but I’m going to be a good host and greet our guests with a warm, welcoming smile on my face. Play nice, they’re family.” I lightly smack his chest and then shake his arm off of my shoulders and brace myself for Bella’s attack.

“Callie! Oh, sweetie, you look great!” She squeals, rushing towards me and enveloping me in her arms as she jumps around, jostling my body from side to side. “This is the first time I’ve seen you in a dress! It’s stunning!”

She pulls back so that her eyes can scan my body head to toe, I notice the way her eyes still widen when they sweep over the scar running up my leg.

“Ryker, my man!” Logan claps Ryker on the shoulder, a bright smile spreading across his face. “Tell me, did ya’ll measure up to see who’s the biggest?”

Ryker grunts ‘no’ as he looks over at me with narrowed eyes and an annoyed scowl. Trying hard not to laugh, I ask Bella if she’d like a glass of wine and when she agrees, I lead her andChris over to the drinks table; leaving a scowling Ryker with Logan to discuss dick sizes and sex positions.

“How is everything, sweetie? Have the nightmares stopped since we last spoke?”

“Yeah, I think so. I haven't had a nightmare in just over a month now,” I tell her quietly as we approach the table.

She reaches out and gently squeezes my arm.

“I’m glad, and just to let you know, that cream seems to be doing a good job,” she whispers, glancing down at my legs. “They’re looking much better.”

“I have you to thank for that.” I kiss her cheek and then grab a bottle of wine from the table and two plastic flutes for us.

As I’m pouring the drinks, Callum comes up beside me and pulls me into a hug; wine sloshing onto the table. His bulging arms wrap around me and he rests his heavy head on top of mine.

“We’re never going a week without seeing you ever again!”

I laugh against his chest and wrap my arms around his waist, squeezing him tightly.

“You could’ve helped me move, then you would’ve seen me!”

Connor pulls Callum away from me and immediately takes his place, crushing me against him.

“Mum and Jasmine are close behind,” he warns, releasing me from his hold moments later.

As my eyes lock onto my mother and Jasmine walking across the patio area, I feel a warm presence against my back. On either side, hands grab hold of mine, each of them interlocking their fingers with mine simultaneously.

“We’re here, Pretty Girl,” Ryker whispers. His breath fans across my cheek and sends a shiver down my spine.

“I’m okay,” I tell them, smiling appreciatively at them because of their support. Placing a chaste kiss against each of theircheeks, I remove myself from their clutches and walk towards my Mum and Jasmine.

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