Page 70 of Broken

But it wasn't Eric's number on my screen, it was Riley's mom. I turned to Danielle, and then to Kai. I was going to be so fucking sick. What if something happened to my girl? What if she's hurt? Kai took my phone from me and hit accept.

"Hello?" He said the phone was on speaker.

"Hi. I'm looking for Sinclair. Is she available?" a sweet, older woman's voice came from the other end of the call.

"Hello, Mary. I'm right here. Is everything okay?" I did my best to control the shaking in my voice.

"Oh. Yeah, everything is fine. I just wanted you to know we are coming home early. The campsite got hit hard with monsoon rain, and we decided to pack up and head home rather than ride it out."

Oh, thank God. Aine was okay. My heart slowed back to a normal pace, and I relaxed into Kai's side. He still held my phone out as I thanked Mary and offered to pick Aine up from her house in a couple of hours.

"Looks like we'll meet our niece tonight," Cal said happily. I guess I was going to find a way to cram eight people plus Aine into my tiny apartment after all.

forty

Kai

SinandIleftour horde of a family at her apartment and drove to pick up our little girl. Damn, the thought of the phrase 'Our little girl' felt so new and foreign to me still. I guess it was, considering I'd only found out about her two weeks ago.

From the moment we met, the quirky, outspoken little preteen had stolen my heart. She was so much like her mother in a lot of ways. I did see myself in her too, and not just in her looks. We told her, not only were her aunts at home waiting for her, but her uncles were waiting to meet her too.

She was out of the car before the engine shut off. She laughed the whole way as she ran to the apartment. Aine would never complain about life being just her and her mom, but she was visibly excited at the idea of her family growing.

I watched Sin's expression and her face filled with regret. I couldn't let her go down that rabbit hole again. I just pulled her out of it.

"Hey, Aine. Go ahead and go into the house and meet everyone. I want to talk to your mom." I called, reaching for Sin's hand.

"Are you guys gonna kiss? You should kiss her, dad. I don't think moms ever been kissed before." Aine looked at us with wide eyes and an even wider grin.

I wasn't sure what I found funnier, Aine's comment or Sin's mortification because of the comment.

"Aine Ophelia!" Sin exclaimed as I made a poor attempt at hiding how humorous I found this dialog. "Where in the world do you get these ideas?"

"Mom, I have seen every Audrey Hepburn movie ever made. It's always her first kiss under the stars in a romantic moment like this." Aine gave us a wink, giggled, and walked into the apartment.

I could have ten kids, and she would be my favorite for the rest of my life, because of this one moment and that small conversation.

I turned to Sin who was still slightly shocked over her daughter's demonstration of sass and sarcasm. "Did you teach her to wink?"

I laughed. I wished I'd taught her that. "I think she learned to wink all on her own. Now, tell me about this little bit of information. You've never been kissed before?"

I leaned into Sin's body, bending my head down to offer my lips.

"Ms. Grant, I'd be honored if you'd allow me to be your first kiss."

Sin pushed at my chest; a small laugh escaped her lips. "Kai, stop messing around. What if Aine sees us?"

"I would be surprised if she didn't watch out the window. She really wants her mom to have her first kiss." The words came out more like a growl. I hadn't realized how much I needed to kiss her until Aine said something. "Kiss me Sin."

"No."

"Do it for our daughter. So she doesn't lose hope in romance and the magic of the silver screen" I gestured with my head towards her apartment window and the fluttering blinds on the inside of that window.

"You're an evil bastard, you know that?" she sighed, leaning into me.

"Sinfully evil" I smirked, and before she pulled away, I dipped her down in my arms and gave Sin the most dramatic, passionate kiss I could muster with a small audience present.

When I lifted her back upright and cleared my throat, I caught the slightest tint of pink across Sin's cheeks. "Thank you, Doctor Carter. That was a first for me."

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