Page 93 of Vengeful Lies

“I think Daddy would make a great queen,” she teased, making Cade roll his eyes. “Well, if you don’t want to be Alice, and you don’t want to be the Queen of Hearts, then pray tell us what youdowant to be.”

“Anything but the White Rabbit,” Cade said with an exaggerated shudder that made both her and Essie laugh.

“I guess you could be one of the singing flowers?” Gabriella suggested, and the aghast look Cade shot her way made her laugh again. It felt so good to laugh. So freeing.

“I don’t think so,” Cade said firmly.

“What about the King of Hearts then?” she suggested, enjoying needling Cade in a way she wouldn't have when she was just the nanny. Not that she’d ever let him walk all over her, not that he ever would have done that either, but while she was always open and honest with him, she also did her best not to blur the lines between employer and employee too much. She’d been doing her best to protect her heart, thinking she could never have Cade.

Only now she did, and she didn't have to worry about her heart any longer. It was safe with Cade.

“Ha-ha, very funny,” Cade said with a roll of his eyes.

“Daddy, you could be the caterpillar, or Tweedledee,” Essie suggested.

“Or Tweedledum,” Gabriella added with a smirk.

“Yeah, I'm not going as Tweedledee or Tweedledum.” The look Cade shot her had her pressing her legs together, it was one that said she was going to pay for this teasing tonight, in bed, after they tucked Essie in.

And she couldn’t wait.

Gabriella had had no idea that she would enjoy a little bit of light spanking, but each tap of Cade’s hand against her backside had sent a jolt of heat straight to her core.

“You could go asboth, Daddy,” Essie offered with an excited squirm like she thought her idea was fabulous, making them both laugh.

“Tell us what you were thinking then,” she told Cade.

“I could be the Mad Hatter or the Cheshire Cat,” Cade said hopefully.

“But I like the White Rabbit better, Daddy,” Essie said on an almost whine. “He leads Alice into Wonderland, and he’s so cute and fluffy.”

“Cute and fluffy. This is what my world has been reduced to?” he said with a dramatic sigh, but deep affection was in his eyes as he looked indulgently at his daughter. While Cade didn't spoil his only child, he would go to the ends of the earth to ensure she was happy and protected.

Their lives were still uncertain, one more rapist was out there who was still a threat to the entire Charleston Holloway family, and they didn't know when the next strike would come. Although they were making costumes, they wouldn't do the usual neighborhood trick-or-treat since Cade thought it was too dangerous. Instead, they were going to go to a local nursing home that was putting on an entire Halloween experience. It would be fun, and according to Cade and the guys, an easier security job.

Still, even though she hated living in constant danger, Gabriella would much prefer to be there with Cade and Essie than off on her own.

Security had been doubled at the house, and one more hint of a plot to go after them and Cade was sending her and Essie off to join Cassandra with Delta Team. So far, the pattern had been if targeting one of them didn't pan out these men moved onto the next member of the family, which suggested either Jake or Jax were going to be next.

“Daddy! Mommy!” Essie suddenly squealed, her voice dripping excitement.

“What, cuddle bug?”

“We could go as a wedding.” Essie clapped her hands and bounced on her father’s lap, overcome with enthusiasm for her new idea.

“A wedding?” Gabriella asked.

“You can be the bride and daddy can be the groom because you're going to gets married someday anyway. Daddy said you were going to bes my new mommy and you said I could call you mommy, so that means you're going to get married and we’re going to be a family for reals,” Essie challenged, daring them to disagree.

It was true. Cade had made his intentions about their future clear, and it wasn't like they had to get to know each other or find out if they could live together without tearing each other’s hair out, they’d been doing that for the last four years. She just needed some time to heal, begin recovering from her ordeal, and for the sting of Cade’s rejection to soothe away. Understanding why he’d done it, agreeing to forgive and move forward, didn't automatically erase all the pain.

There was still some lingering, but Gabriella knew it was only a matter of time until she was ready to give Essie the locket, which in her mind meant agreeing to marry Cade.

Whether that was days, weeks, or months away it didn't matter.

The two people sitting beside her, looking at her with such love and adoration were everything she had ever dreamed of, everything she had ever wished for, and everything she could ever want. They were already her family, and they would be her future.

Nothing could change that.

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