Page 125 of Severed Rivalry
How is he real?
“I haven’t thought about it. She’s never had a dad. Randy passed when she was three, so it’s only ever been the three of us. There’ve been a lot of changes and while those are all in my favor, and in hers, it doesn’t mean there aren’t emotions. Can I ask you to ask her that question?”
He’s thoughtful for a moment, looking through the tree line, into what, I don’t know.
“I can do that. I’d also like to do a Murphy thing for her birthday. Liam, Ayla, Christian. Are you good if I ask about that as well? Or is that a you thing?”
“What do you mean?”
“I want a relationship with her. I want to get to know her. I don’t want to trump you. I know we’ve talked about it before, but I’m dancing a fine line.”
“Ask her. If she’s game, I’m fine with it. I want her to make decisions and speak her mind and heart. Not with the sass of hormones, but, well, that’s inevitable, so…”
“When do we hear about the standardized tests? And—” He pauses. “This house is zoned for a different junior high school than yours. Do we register her there for next year or do you want her to stay where she is?”
I hadn’t realized how in depth he’s been considering our future. “Are you asking us to move in with you?”
“You’re already moved in. If this house isn’t your flow or youwant something different, we’ll look. The market is bonkers, but we’ve got options. Is there a school district you want?”
“I— I hadn’t considered schools. I haven’t researched anything aside from my area since it was affordable with a good elementary and middle.”
“Will you spend some time in the next week or two looking into it? Find a great district. Solid options for high school. Great elementaries.” His gaze drops from the trees to me before he leans down to take my mouth.
“You’re serious?” I pull back, rubbing my fingers along his jaw and down to the collar of his shirt.
“Never been more serious in my life, Angel.”
“Okay then. And what if this house isn’t in that district?”
“Then we’ll move. We’re not trees. We’re mobile. It’s our family and our future. Pick what we need.”
Our family and our future.
“What’s my budget?”
“Let’s look at it when you find the right schools. We can’t move in near Ayla and Christian, that’s for sure, but we have some flexibility.”
“You know I don’t have a job. I— I can’t contribute to this venture right now, and don’t know how much I’ll be able to when I can.”
“That’ll work itself out. I’m not worried about it.”
“It’s not that easy.” My temper is rising.
“Why not?”
Grrr. “How can you say that?”
He stills and stares at me, his eyes roam from my mouth to my eyes, pausing on the beauty mark near my right eye. “Sariah, I lost you once. I lost you more than a decade with you. I have you now. We’re back. Everything else is extra. We will find a way.” He emphasizes every word. “I never thought I’d see you again. But I hoped. I saved. I worked. And I worked a lot. I have enough. And my father, ass that he is”—he grits his teeth—“ensured I had more because he was foolish in how he cooked the books. I will work. I’ll work hard for you and for our family.When you’re ready, you can too—if you want, whatever that looks like.”
“But—”
“You don’t need to stress over this right now.”
“But Renée…”
“Is family.” He leans in to kiss me again before whispering, “Let me take care of you, Angel. It would be my privilege.”
Cian
