Page 79 of Reaper Released

Pa Cade raises his Glass. “To Daniel-Cade Miller. We're still looking for you, son!”

We all raise our glasses, but Steel remains seated and frozen, looking around. He has a frown on his face.

“What’s up, baby?” I wonder if he wants to toast his family.

“Why did you say that name?”

“Which one?” Pa Cade cocks a brow.

“My name? That’s me!”

I turn in my chair. “What’s you?”

“That was my name!”

“Steel, what are you talking about?” Pa Cade asks.

“My real name. It was Daniel-Cade Miller. How do you know that name?”

My glass clatters to the table. My pas, Bran and Dane and Ma sit there open-mouthed.

“What do you mean that's your name?”

“I was born Daniel-Cade Miller. My mum was Julie and my dad was Sebastian. That was my name before it got changed, it's all I remember from before!”

“You’re serious, Steel? You’re not fucking with us? You’re really him?” It’s almost a whisper, and if I weren’t listening to it, I would have totally missed it.

“Yeah!”

“And Demi’s your real sister?”

“Half-sister, same dad,” he replies.

“Holy shit!” Pa Cade shoots up from his chair, pulls Demi closer to him, and he grabs her from Bran's knee and swings her around. “Holy fuck, I can’t believe it… after all these years, she’s a girl!”

Pa Bernie rises slowly to his feet. I climb off Steel’s lap, and he takes hold of his face. “You’re really him, son?”

Steel nods. “Ray, what’s going on?”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Pa JJ says, looking at Steven, who replies. “After all these years, they found each other. If that's not fate, I don’t know what is!”

“Ray?” Steel speaks again as Pa Bernie pulls him to his chest. Ma’s crying and the rest of us are in total shock. Everyone goes quiet, exchanging glances as to where the fuck do we start explaining this shit fight?

“What are the fucking chances of that!” Dice says more of an exclamation than quizzing anyone, but still, holy fucking shit.

I grab Steel’s hand and pull him away from Pa Bernie. “Come with me!” He’s so shocked, but so am I. What the fuck just happened? He’s frozen, so I tug a little, and we head outside, pulling him towards the aisle where we had the wedding. I sit him down on the raised platform.

“You good?”

He shakes his head, resting my hands on his shoulders, his face in turmoil. I release him and lift my dress. His hands automatically slide up my thigh till he reaches my knife holster.

He smirks, cocking his eyebrows. “You came geared up to our wedding?”

“Always, tell me you're not packing?”

He laughs. “You really are perfect, aren’t you?”

“Me? Nah, you’re just blinded by my dazzling personality. Don’t worry. It soon starts to grate!”

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