THIRTY-SIX
CASH
“Looks like they fit right in.”Kane glanced between me and the kids. Face full of a prodding grin like he knew something that I didn’t.
I itched in my unrest.
“Yeah, knew Maci and Nolan would make them feel welcome,” I managed.
Those kids were the fucking best. Couldn’t stop the way pride billowed at the fact that Eva, Addy, and Colin were in the mix of them, little Finn on his knees on the rug trying to get in Colin’s line of sight to get his attention.
“Youwikemy car?” Finn bounced as he waved a toy Camero in Colin’s face.
Colin laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “Of course, I like your car. It’s so fast it’s like a race car. I’m gonna have a real one when I grow up.”
“I’m gonna have a motorcycle like my Daddy-O and my uncles when I grow up,” Nolan said as he carefully stacked another block on the fort they were building on the floor. “They’re the fastest.”
“Well, I’m gonna have a car and a motorcycle like my Mr. Cash,” Colin corrected like he needed to catch up.
“My BigGwumpyGiant got amower-cycle,” Eva drawled as she danced a doll on its feet on the floor beside the boys. “I gowidewifhim.”
My chest squeezed so fuckin’ tight I was in physical pain.
Feeling like I was going to split apart at their sweet voices. At the way they looked at me when I didn’t deserve an ounce of their affection.
My brothers caught what Eva had said, and Otto swiveled back to me, shock on his face.
“Did you just let that kid call youmy big grumpy giant?” He kept his voice low as he cocked his head.
I grunted.
Kane laughed low. “What else are they supposed to call him? About the most fitting name I’ve ever heard. Think you should get it changed on your birth certificate.”
I sent him a glare that had no heat behind it.
Disbelief filled his chuckle. “Seriously, though, man. This shit is insane. Way you just strolled in here like the four of them belong to you.”
There was no stopping the way my eyes traveled to Daisy. No question she was getting bombarded by the girls who clearly took making her feel welcome to heart, though I wasn’t so sure they were reconciled to the whole ‘don’t get attached’ part.
Their voices hushed and the cut of their gazes in my direction made it plain they were scheming.
Scheming in that sweet way that set them apart from anyone I’d ever met.
This family tight and supportive. Their hearts pure and their intentions honorable.
But what we all needed to remember was that Daisy and the kids couldn’t remain a part of it, and any ideas they were conjuring up in their heads were going to lead to nowhere good.
“Like I said, I have a part to play, and that part starts today.” The words were gravel.
“Huh, never knew you were such a good actor.” River eyed me up and down. Usually, I only had to grapple with Otto, Kane, and Theo giving me shit, but apparently, my whole crew was in for this.
“Think the fact that we still walk around free says that we’re all decent actors,” I said like it was going to distract from the issue at hand.
“You think everyone doesn’t walk by us and not know? We’re not good actors. We’re just good at not getting caught.” Theo punted me a menacing grin.
“And you, my friend, are the worst actor around.” Kane gripped me by the shoulder and gave me a jostle. “Look at you, standing there, twitching like a fiend. Wanting to claw your way through this room to get to your girl. You want to claim her right in front of us, don’t you?”
I swatted his hand away. “Do not want to claim her.”
