Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 74122 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74122 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
So that’s what she did. She dropped to her knees and scooped her daughter into her arms and squeezed her tight. Lily’s arms wrapped around her neck and she shoved her face into Emma’s hair. Emma laughed with joy, while hot tears streamed down her face, and all she could do was murmur Lily’s name over and over.
After a few moments, Emma felt a hand on top of her head, and she glanced up through a blur of tears to see Dawg standing over them, a crooked smile on his face, his nostrils flaring. He gave her a quick nod, then moved across the room to where she realized two other men stood. One being Diesel, the other she didn’t recognize.
She shoved her face back into Lily’s hair and whispered, “I’ve missed you so much, lady bug. I was so sad not to see your pretty face every day.”
“Me, too, Momma!”
“You’ve grown so much...”
“I know. I’m seven now!” she exclaimed, lifting her hands and showing Emma seven fingers.
“Yes, you are. I’m so sorry I missed your birthday. I hope you got lots of cake and presents!”
Lily nodded, a smile on her face, then her smile turned upside down. “Momma?”
Emma sniffled. “Yeah, lady bug?”
“Daddy said you were gone forever.”
Emma closed her eyes and waited for the sharp sting to pass and the bitterness that bubbled up to settle. “Did he? He must have been mistaken.”
“You’re not going to go away again, right?”
Emma’s heart skipped a beat at her daughter’s question. “I promise to never leave you.” And she hoped to never break that promise, but even with her husband dying in a car crash, she had no idea what his family was capable of.
She was sure they helped finance Todd and his girlfriend leaving the country with Lily. Why they would? She’d never know. And she didn’t care, she just knew she’d fight them to the ends of the earth. They were never getting Lily.
Never.
Her daughter was finally home with her and that’s where she was staying. With her.
And eventually with Dawson.
She needed to at least introduce them. Then they could take Lily back to their temporary home and get her settled in.
She had a feeling she wouldn’t get any sleep tonight. She might just camp out in Lily’s room and watch her sleep all night.
She held her hand out to the man who helped make this all happen. “Lily, I have someone important for you to meet.”
Dawg stared at Emma’s outstretched hand. He’d stepped away from the two of them because he was struggling not to break down like a fucking pussy in front of D, Mercy and Jewel.
But watching Emma and Lily had made his chest tight and his eyes sting. He had tightened his jaw and his fists to ward off any runaway emotions, which was working to a point, but he really needed to take a page from both Mercy and D’s book. They stood watching the reunion without even a slight change of expression.
Jewel, on the other hand, was bawling her eyes out, still sitting on the floor. Sobbing uncontrollably, like someone had run over her dog. But he didn’t blame her, if he could get away with it, he’d be down there joining her.
He steeled himself and moved closer to his woman and his future stepdaughter.
Emma pushed to her feet, holding Lily’s hand. She raised her other hand toward Dawg. “This is Dawson.”
Dawg grimaced at her use of his real name. His eyes flicked over to D, but like normal, his face was like granite. Not even a smirk. Though, Dawg was sure he’d hear about it later. Not everyone could have a cool name like Diesel from birth. Lucky fucker.
His gaze dropped back down to the little girl pinned to Emma’s side. Sky-blue eyes stared back up at him.
“Honey, you look just like your momma.” He brushed what was obviously dyed hair off her forehead, leaned over and placed a kiss on it. “Just like your momma,” he mumbled again.
If Lily had blonde hair, she’d look exactly like Emma. Which meant when she became a teen, he’d be threatening the hormone crazy teenage boys who were interested in her. She wouldn’t be allowed to date until she was at least twenty-one. Twenty-five. Hell, thirty.
“Did the guys treat you good?” he asked her.
Lily nodded shyly.
“Your momma’s so happy that you’re finally home. She missed you like crazy.”
“I love my momma.”
So do I.
“We’ve got a new place that we’re going to stay in for a little while. It has a pool. But after that little while, we’re going to get a place that has a big backyard. Is that okay?” Emma asked her.
“Can we get a dog?”
Emma’s eyes met Dawg’s.
He smiled. Lily had no idea she was already getting one. Spelled a little differently but still...
“We’ll see about that,” Emma answered her daughter.