“She’s real!” she shouted over her shoulder to the rest of the group still gawking from the kitchen. She turned back. Her red-stained lips stretched into the biggest smile. “I mean, obviously, you’re real, but when my husband told me that Cash was bringing someone with him to today’s family gathering, I was pretty sure he was yanking my leg.”
“Ah, Moonflower, if I’m yanking on those gorgeous legs, it’s for an entirely different reason.” A guy with brown hair and big blue eyes set his hands onto the island and wagged his brows.
“Okay, fair,” she said with a sexy kick of her heel behind her. “I was pretty sure he wasyanking my chain,” she corrected, “since our Cash here likes to fly solo.”
She widened her eyes at Cash. Full of disbelief and questions.
He only grunted at her.
“My mom is very real.” Addy planted one hand on her hip, clearly thinking she needed to stand up for me.
The woman laughed a throaty sound, and she knelt in front of my daughter. “You’re right. That was very rude of me. I’m just really happy that you and your mom are here. That all of you are here.” She glanced at each of them. “I’m Raven.”
“You mean Auntie Raven!” Nolan interjected.
A soft giggle rolled from her. “That’s right. Auntie Raven.”
“Are you my auntie?!” Eagerness blazed out of Colin.
“You can absolutely call me Auntie Raven since pretty much my favorite thing in the whole wide world are my nieces and nephews.”
“And Uncle Otto and Baby Luna.” Maci clapped her hands.
Raven laughed. “They’re definitely at the top of my list.”
The woman pushed to stand. I had to plant my feet on the floor to stop myself from turning and darting back down the hall.
I couldn’t stop shaking. Old insecurities welling in a way they hadn’t in so long. For the most part—okay, fine…halfway—I’d gotten over my shyness.
Maybe I started shy with Ethan, but really, what it had amounted to was submission. Downtrodden and repressed. Any life that had wanted to sprout stubbed out.
When I finally left him, that life had finally, finally managed to emerge.
Raven’s dark, dark eyes softened as she looked up at me. The edges were creased in understanding and a true welcome.
“You must be Daisy.”
“I am.” I forced it out around the nerves.
“And as you heard, I’m Raven, but you can go ahead and leave the auntie part off,” she teased.
I choked out a little laugh. “It’s nice to meet you, Raven.”
She peeked over at Cash. “Believe me when I tell you the pleasure is all mine.”
Slowly, the rest of those in the kitchen made their way over.
A beautiful woman with warm blond hair stepped forward first. She stretched out both hands, taking one of mine. “Hi, Daisy. I’m Emery. Welcome to our home.”
A man sauntered up behind her and wrapped himself around her back. He extended a hand from the side of her. “Kane. It’s a pleasure to meet you, darlin’.”
Kane.
Right.
The owner of the club.
I fumbled to take his hand, a craggy gasp of words getting loose. “You, too.”
