He chuckled. “Don’t push your luck, baby. And I don’t think Oscar would like having a dog,” he pointed out.
“Well, I’d teach them how to be friends. I made a new friend today too. His name is Brandon.”
“What’s with being friends with all these boys?” Cash grumbled, and I had to smile.
“Boys are fun,” Riley replied, as though that fact was obvious.
“Get some sleep, Ri. Love you,” he said, having caught on weeks ago to the fact that she’d draw out being tucked in for as long as she could.
“Love you too,” she murmured as I scurried down the hall to our room.
I struggled with my emotions as I busied myself putting away the contents of the hamper.
“You’re a terrible eavesdropper.” Cash chuckled, not immediately catching on to my mood as he stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.
“I know.” I tried to sound nonchalant despite the wobble in my voice.
Of course he didn’t miss it. Not that I’d expected him to. “What’s wrong?” he asked, coming up behind me and bracing his hands on my shoulders.
My head dropped as I clutched the clean T-shirt I’d intended to put away. “I don’t want you to go.” My voice broke. “I’m so afraid of something happening to you,” I choked out.
He turned me, wrapping me in his arms and pulling me close to his chest. “Nothing’s gonna happen to me,” he swore. “I’d never risk not living the rest of my life with you and Riley. You’re everything, baby.”
“Then don’t go,” I exclaimed into his chest.
“Have to.” His response was gentle but firm. “We’ve talked about this.”
“But I’m safe. We’re safe. He’s not going to come after me.” I attempted reason, knowing it fell on deaf ears.
“It’s not enough.” He grunted. “You might not understand it. But I need you to respect it.”
After a few moments, I nodded into his chest. When he tipped my chin up, waiting until our eyes locked, I knew that wouldn’t suffice. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
“Throughout this long life we’re going spend together, there are gonna be times where you have a line you don’t want me to cross. We all have our limits, and when you’ve truly met yours, we’ll talk it out. Maybe I’ll change course, maybe I won’t. But at the end of the day you gotta think long and hard about what those lines are, baby. Because for the first time in my life, I know what love feels like. Real fucking love. And part of that is you loving me for who I am and what I need to do. I need you to trust me that when I push something that makes you worried or scared, it’s only when it’s really fucking important to me, and that I’d never put our family at risk. Do you get me?”
I nodded.
“I need the words, baby,” he murmured.
“I get you,” I whispered. And I did. Part of loving Cash was loving and respecting his principles, of which he had many, and his need for justice. I could wish all day long that wouldn’t mean taking him away from us but that wasn’t the world we lived in. I also knew he’d come back. There just wasn’t another option.
His mouth skimmed over mine. “Good. Now, let’s get you outta these clothes so that you can say goodbye to me properly.”
****
I was surprised when the doorbell chimed in the early evening the next day. Riley and I had thankfully stayed busy, with a playdate for Riley and chores to keep me occupied, but to be honest, I’d been dreading the evening to come, knowing the nights would be long until Cash returned home.
“Who’s that, Mommy?” Riley asked as she sat having a snack at the eat-in kitchen table.
“Not sure,” I replied, striding toward the door. Whoever it was had gotten by Max, who’d been posted up for the last few hours, taking over for Tatum.
When I opened the door to find Emmie, Wren, Gracie, Liv, Ginnie, and a beautiful brunette I assumed to be Maddox’s wife, Francesca, I nearly burst out crying.
“You don’t think we’d let you be by yourself, do you?” Emmie scoffed by way of greeting, breezing past me into the house bearing wine and what looked like an overnight bag.
“Seriously, Layla.” Gracie winked, following Emmie into the house. I heard Riley shriek in delight as I gave hugs all around.
“Finally, we meet.” Francesca grinned, wrapping me in a warm hug, navigating her giant belly.