Page 123 of Haunted

She looks to Jules next. “I have a Mom now? A real Mom. You’re not just my stepmom anymore?”

Jules’s hand jerks in mine, so I squeeze hers. Her face turns red, and I know she’s fighting her tears.

“Yes,” Jules croaks. “You have a Mom. I’m your Mom. If you want me to be.”

Her eyes close in pain when Aria looks away from her and to Mom and Dad.

“And you’re still my Gamma and Pa?”

“We’ll always be your Gamma and Pa,” Mom answers immediately.

The uncertainty and fear are what do me in. That and Jules’s silent struggle on the other side of Aria. I need them both closer.

I pick Aria up and put her in my lap then scoot over so I can pull Jules to my side. This is my family, and I fucking love them with every single inch of my heart, every breath I take, and every part of my soul.

The tight threads around my heart loosen when Aria puts her arms around my neck and hugs me tight. Her innocent child scent surrounds me, and I breath it in deeply, loving the smell.

Aria pulls back, and her lip goes back between her teeth. She releases it and says softly, “I love you… Daddy.”

I have to tip my head back and blink away my tears. She fucking guts me, totally unmans me with that one word.

Daddy.

She doesn’t know, couldn’t possibly understand, what she just gave me. She gave me the entire fucking world with one simple word.

I look back at her and beam at her with a big grin.

“I love you too, baby girl.”

Her own lips form a smile before she turns to Jules. She crawls from my lap and onto hers, giving her the same tight hug she just gave me.

“I do want you to be my momma.”

A hiccoughed sob leaves Jules’s lips. “Good, because I want to be your mom so very much.”

“I love you… Momma.”

Tears slide down Jules’s cheek, but her smile is megawatt and stunning. Another favorite of mine.

“I love you too, Aria.”

I lift both my girls in my lap, and I hold them. I hold myfamily close to my heart, knowing life couldn’t get any better than this. It was a damn bumpy road, and I’m sure we’ll find more bumps along the way, but for right now, in this very moment, my life is complete.

It can’t possibly get any better than this.

34

JULES

OH GOD! OH GOD! OH GOD!I repeat the words over and over in my head as I furiously twist the material of my skirt. I’m terrified, hopeful, and anxious all at the same time, and there’s no hope of the trio of feelings going away anytime soon. There’ve only been two other times I’ve been this nervous: when we found out Aria was our child and when we told her. We’ve been parked in front of the two-story brick house with black shutters for at least five minutes while I try to work up the courage to open the door. Luca’s been incredibly patient with me, and for that, I’m extremely grateful.

“Hey,” he calls, and I drag my eyes away from the house that I know like the back of my hand and look at him. I’ve always found Luca incredibly good-looking. The first time I saw him, he struck me dumb with his looks and intensity. He’s not the traditional handsome, not with the gauges in his ears, eyebrow ring, and tattoos marking over half of his body. His looks are more rugged, hard, and passionately beautiful.

His hand cups my cheek. “We can do this another day. You don’t need to push yourself or make yourself uncomfortable.”

I shake my head against his palm. “No. I want to do it now. I’ve waited long enough because of my fear. Besides,” I look back at Aria, who’s sitting quietly in her seat listening to us. She’s excited and it warms my heart, “it’s time they meet their granddaughter.”

His smile settles some of my nerves. When he leans forward and presses his lips against mine, even more melt away.

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