Page 93 of Lords of Ruin: Cherished

Five Years Later

The sun dances across the water, casting diamond-like reflections that hypnotize me as I watch our family from beneath the large beach umbrella. My life has transformed in ways I never could have imagined when I first met these three impossible men.

"Mama, look!" Rose calls, her dark curls bouncing as she proudly displays a seashell. At six, she's already showing Cast's commanding presence and my stubbornness. Her twin brother Theodore stands beside her, quieter but just as determined, carefully examining his own collection of beach treasures.

"That's beautiful, sweetheart," I reply, adjusting little Elise on my lap. At just one year old, she has all three of her fathers wrapped around her tiny finger, with Damien's eyes and Vincent's smile somehow perfectly blended in her cherubic face.

I spot Penny, our four-year-old whirlwind, squealing with delight as Cast chases her through the shallow waves. She's his mirror image, from her contagious laugh to the mischievous glint in her eyes. My heart swells watching them together.

"Water, Cariña?" Cast appears beside me, offering a cold bottle. Even after all these years, his presence still sends a flutter through me. The feared mafia leader who tenderly cares for our children with those same powerful hands.

"Thank you," I smile, taking a sip before asking, "Where's Damien?"

Cast nods toward the shoreline where Damien is teaching Theodore how to build the perfect sandcastle. Even during off-season, the Dallas Stars' star player maintains his athlete's build, drawing appreciative glances from beachgoers that I pretend not to notice, because I have no reason to be concerned by others when he only has eyes for me.

My phone chimes with a text from Mom. A selfie of her at her art class, looking healthier than she has in years. Four years cancer-free and embracing life fully. The fear that once shadowed us has lifted, replaced by grateful appreciation for each day.

"Everything okay?" Cast asks, noticing my momentary distraction.

"Perfect," I answer truthfully. "Mom's having fun at her painting class."

Vincent jogs over with Penny on his shoulders, both of them laughing. "This little fish is getting hungry," he announces.

"Lunch is ready in the cooler," I tell him. "How were things at the officethis morning?"

Vincent's expression shifts slightly. "The usual. The twins asked about their mother again."

My heart aches for Vincent's half-siblings. They still don't know their mother’s heart beats in my chest. Instead they think their mother chose a new life with a new man over her own children, which from what Vincent says, is not so far fetched. Vincent has stepped up admirably, partnering with Eleanor to manage the Beaumont fortune while becoming the stable presence those children desperately need.

"They'll be okay," I assure him, reaching for his hand. "They have you."

Damien joins us, Theodore proudly following with their sandcastle blueprint sketched in the sand. "Our architect has some serious talent," Damien grins, ruffling Theodore's hair.

As we gather for lunch, I watch my impossible family—three powerful men who once competed for my heart now sharing it completely, our four beautiful children, and the life we've built together.

"What are you thinking about, Cariña?" Cast asks, catching my contemplative expression.

"Just how happy I am," I answer honestly. "How I never imagined this life but can't imagine any other."

Damien winks at me across the picnic blanket. "You're stuck with us now, Trouble."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," I reply, meaning every word.

The beach stretches before us, the afternoon unfolds with promises of sandcastles and seashells, and surrounded by the family we've created, I know with absolute certainty that thisimpossible love story turned out to be the most possible thing of all.

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