Page 99 of Protected By the Convicts
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Hannah helddinner until Sersie and Vaughn returned from third shift. Once everyone had a chance to clean up, they sat down to eat. The men dug into the meal with hearty appetites. They spoke about the latest changes in the colony, about which units now included women, about how the port workers acclimated to the mines and about Vaughn’s trip to Veenith in two days to help get their med-center in shape.
“Congratulations on the child, Renzel,” Ky’Li said as Ren began clearing the dishes.
Ren glared at Ky’Li. “Don’t call me that.”
“It’s your name, isn’t?”
“No one calls me Renzel.”
“I have Hannah’s permission.”
“Why are you dragging me into this?” she said, accepting the latest pile of dishes from Ren. “I only said you shouldn’t be calling him Asshole.”
“Which is why I will call him Renzel. It’s his name, and it’s not swearing so I can use it in front of the children—”
“But it annoys him,” Sersie cut in.
“Yes,” Ky-Li said with quite a devilish smile.
Hannah turned to the dishes, hiding her own smile as Ren and Ky’Li argued, while Sersie and Vaughn sat back and watched, amusement in their eyes. She never thought this day would come, but it had. She finally had the family she’d always dreamed about. One where they could laugh, love, cry, and even argue together all while knowing nothing would ever tear them apart.
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