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And right behind her is the happy family of misfits—the family that will be excommunicated together. At least Uncle Patrick won’t be lonely this time around.

The Barretts don’t wait around either, following up the last of the agents, and now we’re alone with my parents. I hold on to my boys for strength, knowing we’ll be parting ways when this conversation is over because I’m still a seventeen-year-old senior living under my parents’ roof. Wow, that sounds weird to say.

“We have so much to talk about,” my mom whispers, holding onto my dad like her life depends on it. I can’t tell if my heart melts or breaks when she looks up at him—confused by the sight of him, but also enthralled that he’s actually here. She still has it bad for him.

If that’s the case, I hope they can understand that I share that same deep love with Christian and Zeke. They have to. It might be the only way they’ll let us be together.

“Why don’t you have the boys drive you home and we’ll meet you there,” she offers, and I know it’s not an invitation but a demand. At the end of the day, we really do have a ton to talk about.

“You know we’re not just going to drop her off with you, right?” Christian asks with a scoff, as if my mother is crazy for assuming everything will just go back to being normal right away. “Until we know she’s a million percent safe, where she goes—we go.”

My dad glares at him, his jaw tight as he squares his shoulders. He’s been back in my life for five seconds and he’s already challenging one of my boyfriends. But then he crosses his arms over his chest and slowly nods.

“The idea of my little girl being with two men isn’t something a father wants to think about. But I can’t deny the way you protect her, the way you clearly love her—both of you. I’d be completely nuts not to give you my blessing. My daughter has three protectors now.”

I smile, wiping away a stray tear on my cheek as I nod at him. “I’m so glad you said all of that because I’d have been with them, regardless. We’d have run away together.”

We all break into a soft rumble of laughter, my dad rubbing his jaw as his grin widens. “She’s stubborn just like her daddy, isn’t she?”

My mom chuckles and says, “Oh, you have no idea, Jack.”

Jackthrows the three of us a wink as he wraps an arm around my mom’s neck and heads for the stairs. When they hit the middle, he stops and says over his shoulder, “Well, come on, guys. Let’s go home.”

My heart explodes in my chest, a sob tearing from my lips as my boys carry me to the stairs after our new family.

Chapter 45

BILLIE LUCAS - GRADUATION DAY

“Saycheese!”Mydadsingsongs as he holds up his phone and snaps several pictures of me with my boys.

The three of us are in our caps and gowns, standing in front of Reaper Academy, but I keep ruining the pictures by sticking my tongue out.

“Damn it, Billie, give meonegood picture and this will all end.”

I laugh, nodding at my dad. “Okay, sorry. A good one. Here it comes!”

He holds up his phone again and this time I actually smile when he takes them, but then he lets out an annoyed grunt. “Damn it, boys! I wanted one!”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Lucas, I’ll show you how to use Photoshop to get a good one,” Holden offers, slapping him on the back.

The boys rush up to Holden as the three exchange their bro-hugs. Everlee gives me a hug, having a sheepish smile when she looks at them.

“Boys, am I right?”

I laugh, agreeing with her, but they’ll always bemyboys. “They’re something else, alright.”

“Oh! Get them all in a picture!” Zeke’s mom says in a whiny voice as she steps up beside my parents. “Just look at them. They’re all grown up.”

“God, Mom, can you not with that shit?” Zeke asks, completely embarrassed by his mom.

But instead of fighting our parents, we all huddle up and pose for a picture. The original crew plus one awesome wife. And after that’s taken, Tiffany and Macy run up and get in the picture, too.

If you told me six months ago that we’d end up having a normal high school graduation, I would have laughed in your face. Here we are, though, and it couldn’t be more perfect. We part from our family and take off toward the ceremony area.

But before we get there, Christian stops us both when we’re semi alone and grins as he reaches into his back pocket.

“I thought about saving this until after we graduated, but I want to see you in it now, little hellfire.”

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