“Ughhhh, gross,” I mutter to myself, getting to my feet only to find them still a little shaky.
Knight laughs and collects my clothes off the ground before taking my hand and leading me back toward the beautiful waterfall. “Come on, you can rinse off in the lake before we go,” he tells me. “But do you want the bad news or the worse news first?”
“I don’t know,” I say, shrugging as an uneasiness creeps in. “Hit me with the bad news first.”
“It looks like a storm is rolling in from the east,” he tells me. “But if we make it quick, we should be back in my truck before it hits.”
“Shit,” I say. “And the worse news?”
“When we jumped off that cliff—”
“When we jumped?” I scoff. “There was no we about it. I was sacrificed to the waterfall gods while kicking and screaming. I’m lucky to be alive.”
Knight rolls his eyes. “Do you want the worse news or not?”
“Fine.”
He grins, and I feel as though I’m not going to like a word he says. “When I jumped with you, I had to leave all our things at the top of the waterfall. I couldn’t bring that shit with me, so in order for us to get back to the truck and away from this storm, we’ve gotta hike back to the top of the waterfall, before trekking our asses straight back down.”
“The fuck did you just say? Because I know you did not just tell me that I have to walk all the way back up there after being fucked by a beast for an hour straight,” I demand as we finally reach the shore of the stunning lake, and from here, out fromunder the canopy of trees, I can see the dark, rolling clouds in the distance.
“Come on, doll,” he says with a bullshit can-do attitude. “Chin up. You’ll love it.” And with that, he scoops me up into his arms before bolting for the water once again, plunging us deep into the cold water as yet another scream tears from my throat.
37
HARPER-RAYN
The tiniest little knock sounds at the front door, and I all but race from the spare bedroom and up the hall, my eyes wide as I find Knight already making his way to answer the door. “NO. DON’T!” I call out to him in sheer panic, his gaze whipping toward me, immediately searching for a threat.
“The fuck is wrong with you?”
I hurry past him, giving him a hard stare. “They’re my nieces. I should get to open the door.”
He lets out a loud huff, but nonetheless, he allows me to beat him to the door. The moment I get it open, I drop to my knees as the world’s most beautiful little girls throw themselves into my arms, the late-afternoon storm causing havoc in the street behind them.
“Oh my God! I’ve missed you both so much,” I say, tears welling in my eyes because I’m a wimpy little bitch like that. I pull them in even tighter, listening to their sweet laughter asthe greatest warmth spreads through my chest. There’s simply nobody on earth I love more than these girls. I mean, obviously Knight is right up there, but when it comes to little Haylee and Taliah, they’re taking the top prize.
Pulling back, I gaze at the beautiful little twinnies as Knight steps around me, heading down to help Jonah and Emily with the hundreds of bags they’ve brought to help us get through one single night with their daughters. But is all that crap really necessary? It’s a pajama movie-night party. All they need is the coolest pajamas to ever exist, maybe a spare pair of underwear for those accidental moments, a hairbrush to sing into, because you never know when the karaoke gods might shine down upon you, and last but not least, a whoopee cushion so we can prank Knight with fart noises.
Ignoring the truckload of things being rushed to the door, I focus on the girls. “You’re both getting so big,” I gasp. “You must be at least thirteen now.”
“Nooooo,” little Haylee laughs before holding up three little fingers. “We dis many.”
I laugh as I adjust her fingers, adding a fourth. “Actually, you’re this many now!”
Haylee beams as though this is brand-new information, all while Taliah pulls on my hair. “Daddy says we get to have candy and ice cream before bed.”
I suck in yet another gasp, feigning surprise. “No way, really?”
“Yeah,” they both laugh in unison before Haylee goes on. “He said we should also pretend to be asleep and then scare you.”
“Oh, did he?” I say, just as Jonah steps up onto the porch, getting out of the downpour. He steps past me, putting the bags down inside our entryway before doubling back to greet me.
“Jonah,” I say, getting back to my feet only to awkwardly step closer with my arms out, but then I second-guess myself and drop my arms, all while Jonah is doing the same awkward littledance. I finally give up and just punch him in the arm, because why the hell not? “Just so you know, I’m planning on getting their noses, brows, and lips pierced, and then we’re going to get these tiny little chains for their tiny little faces to connect all their piercings. It’ll be so cute.”
Jonah just gives me a hard stare while Emily quickly strides up the pathway beside Knight. “If you even think about getting anything pierced on my girls, I’m chopping you up into little pieces, packing you into boxes, and shipping you to one of those wannabe sugar daddies on TikTok who always ask what you’d do with their money if they were to send it to you. They can put you back together like a 3D puzzle.”
Knight glances at Emily. “That, uhh . . . was oddly specific,” he says before glancing up at me. “On a completely unrelated topic. Remind me that I need to run some background checks when I’m at the station next.”
