Page 134 of Knight Life In Vegas

She planted her forehead against mine and looped her arms around me. “I’m starting to believe I’m worthy of it. It’s pretty impossible not to love all of you. When I was young, I would dream of a pack, and when that never came about, I made mypeace with it. Fate might’ve taken its sweet time, but I can be glad about it now. I got exactly who I needed.”

“Let’s see what Mommy and Papi are up to in the stables,” Dylan loudly announced.

“We’re fine,” I called back. “Just having a cuddle.”

Dylan and Ollie came into view, our son breaking away to run full-speed toward us. Apparently his brief nap in Dylan’s arms had re-energized him. Ollie wedged himself between Charlotte and me, wriggling like a little worm until we were both cradling him.

“Are you hiding with the horsies?” Ollie asked.

“Just for a few minutes,” Charlotte replied. “I thought they might be lonely.”

“They need treats,” Ollie insisted.

Dylan laughed. “Do they? We have carrots in the fridge. Come on. I’ll take you around to give some to everyone.”

Ollie slid out of our grip, running after Dylan. Charlotte cuddled back against my chest, the two of us watching Ollie give each of the horses a carrot and a kiss on the nose.

“I like being a dad,” I said quietly.

“You do?” Charlotte traced the neckline of my shirt, nerves bubbling up.

“You raised good boys. I wasn’t expecting to speed-run a family when we met, but I’m glad we did. I love watching you with them, and I love watching my pack figure out being parents. Just like you, it’s impossible not to love our children.”

She sniffled quietly, but the nerves had disappeared, and it wasn’t sorrow driving those tears. Her happiness glowed. “I couldn’t ask for better men to join our little family. I used to be so sad that the boys barely ever got to see their father, and then when he was arrested, I couldn’t bear to take them for visits, not after what he had done. Fate was working for all of us. It knewwhat my boys and I needed. I’m just so grateful you guys didn’t give up on me. I know I didn’t make it very easy.”

“You’re worth it. They’re worth it, too. And I’m going to thank fate until the day I die for dropping a blessing in a pink feathered cowboy hat into my lap even when I didn’t know what it meant at the time. I know now and I fully intend to treasure you forever.”

“Where are we going?” Not a single one of them was making a peep about our destination.

“Why are you so desperate to ruin the surprise, pet?” Beau asked.

“I like knowing things.”

“Tip your chair back,” Dylan ordered.

I complied and he set about distracting me with a neck and shoulder massage that had me melting into my seat.

Beau was driving us, Eduardo and Dylan behind me, and Chico in the back mediating between the boys. He read from a chapter book Sammy had picked out, being incredibly patient as Ollie asked questions every thirty seconds.

I fell asleep under Dylan’s gentle hands, drifting comfortably to the rumble of the road.

Waking again when the van pulled to a stop, I sat up carefully and rubbed my eyes. An enormous ranch house sat in front of us with a wraparound covered porch. The green roof helped it blend into the hillside behind it, and the soft cream of the siding was highlighted in the sun, the windows glinting. Fenced-in fields stretched as far as I could see to one side, horses dotting the expanse.

My dream home.

“Where are we?”

Beau linked his fingers with mine. “That depends.”

“On what?”

“If you like it, it could be our new pack house.”

I sat frozen in the front seat, staring at the beautiful house that was even prettier than anything I had imagined moving to one day. “Are you serious?”

“Very.” Beau lifted our joint hands and kissed my knuckles. “My new business partner showed it to me and I thought it would be perfect for you.”

A dark-haired man stepped out of the house and waved to us.

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