Page 179 of Safe and Sound

“Absolutely.” As I eased her back into my arms, I caught Ava’s eye. “I was an absolute wanker to think I didn’t want another little girl.”

Ava smiled. “I told you.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you.”

Epilogue: Ava

Seven Year Later

With my head buried in my laptop, I worked through the spreadsheets for the Philly casino. All my corporate accounting knowledge now went into handling the financial aspects for Dare’s casinos and Ares’s tankers. My schedule was different than it had been back in the day. Since Poppy was only in preschool, I had to get in my hours where I could. That was why I was currently working before dinner, which thankfully was being prepared by our cook.

“I’ll fucking kill him!” Dare boomed as he raced past my office door.

As I glanced up, Poppy followed close on his heels. “No, Daddy! Don’t hurt Henry!”

Sighing in exasperation, I rose out of my chair. By the time I reached the doorway of my home office, Dare and Poppy had disappeared into the playroom. At the sound of Dare’s shouting and Piper and Poppy shrieking, I broke into a sprint down the hallway.

When I reached the playroom, a red-faced Henry, Quinn’s nephew and Dare’s thirteen-year-old godson, cowered against the wall as Piper blocked him from Dare’s rage. “Whoa! What is going on?” I demanded.

Whirling around, he blared, “Henry kissed her!”

I gasped. “Are you sure?”

Gesturing to our youngest, Dare replied, “Poppy told me.”

“She’s always tattling on me,” Piper wailed.

“He kissed you?” I questioned in disbelief. My surprise came more from the fact that Henry and Piper had been best friends for years. Although my daughter was growing into a beautiful young woman, Henry hadn’t seemed to notice.

As Piper shook her head, I exhaled a relieved breath. “Oh good.”

“I kissed him.”

“What?” I demanded as Dare growled, “Fucking hell!”

Piper stared down at the floor. “I just wanted to see what it was like.”

“Honey, you’re only twelve,” I cautioned.

“How old were you?”

Nibbling my lip, I realized now was not the time to tell her about when I played spin-the-bottle at Areti Danielopoulos’s 11th birthday. Although they were quick pecks on the lips, I didget my first through fifth kisses that day. “My age doesn’t really matter.”

Ever perceptive, Piper smirked like Dare. “So you were younger than me.”

“I never said that.”

“But Mom, it wasn’t even with tongue.”

“Bleedin’ hell,” Dare boomed.

I held up my hands. “Okay, let’s all just take a quick breath.” Turning to Poppy, I said, “You know it’s not nice to tattle on your sister.”

“Even if she’s being bad?” Poppy questioned.

“Even then,” I replied as Dare said, “No.”

---