44. Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Raena
“ D o I look okay?”
I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous in my entire life. I’m standing in front of the floor-length mirror in the bathroom. My red hair is down, ringlets tamed and bouncing around my waist. The simple black dress stops just above my knees, loose and swishing when I turn. I haven’t worn a dress in years, but Snow brought it up to me this morning before breakfast, assuring me that it would fit.
“You look like a Queen– like our Queen. You’re beautiful.” Maddox spins me, whistling as my dress flares around my thighs. “Don’t be nervous. Sunshine’s going to love you. You’re her mother. That bond is there, even if the memories are buried.”
“Sunshine?”
“I’ve always called her that. She was a ray of sunshine in my life when I was in a very dark place. Plus, she used to make me sing ‘You Are My Sunshine’ to her every night,” Maddox says, pulling me into him, his hard body pressing into my back as he stares at me in the mirror. Tears threaten to build, but I shove them down. I don’t wear makeup often, but I put mascara on, and the last thing I need is black streaks running down my face because I'm such a titty baby.
“I love you,” I sigh, holding his tattooed arms around me tighter.
“I love you more, pretty girl. Now, enough stalling. Let’s go wait with the others downstairs. Our girl will be here soon.
“Okay.” This is it. The moment I’ve been waiting for since I found out my daughter was still alive. My chest aches with the need to have her in my arms.
We make our way out of the bedroom, and when we’re halfway down the stairs, the front door swings open. My breath stills in my lungs as Ella walks in, holding my beautiful baby girl. So much for not crying because the tears spring faster than I can contain them. “She’s here,” I whisper, a death grip on Maddox’s hand. He squeezes it back, guiding me down the stairs.
“Rae!” Ella squeals when she spots us, but I’m not the only one crying apparently. Tears stream down her face as she holds onto my daughter, twisting side-to-side. “Emera, there’s someone who wants to meet you.”
Ella points at me as I approach, “This is your Mama,” she whispers, and Emera looks up at me, her green eyes sparkling as she smiles her toothy grin at me. My heart simultaneously shatters into a million pieces and mends back together in an instant.
“Mama,” she says, reaching for me. I don’t think my heart could swell any bigger inside my chest without bursting out and flying away.
“Hi, baby girl,” I choke out, my smile watery as I take her in my arms, holding her close. My knees hit the floor and we stay like that for a while, tears streaming down my face as she lets me hold her until I feel my guys surround us.
“We missed you so much, Sunshine,” Maddox says, wrapping his arms around both of us. Alek and Royal join us on the floor, holding onto us like we might disappear if they let us go.
My heart is so full, I can’t contain the emotions slamming into me at once. The road might have been dark and twisty, but everything I’ve ever wanted– ever needed, is right here in my arms.
And I’m never letting it go.
The last few days have passed like a fever dream.
Ella and Snow have been with me, helping me adjust to mom life. My only experience was tainted by trauma and captivity, so it’s been a beautiful and welcome adventure. The amount of love in my heart is unbearable at times. Sometimes Em will say something to one of the guys, and I will burst into tears. I don’t know how to handle the unconditional and overwhelming love I feel every minute of every day.
“Catch me, Maddie,” Em squeals, her feet splashing in the water as they play on the sandbar of Grimm River out behind the house. Outside seems to be her favorite place to be, and I can’t say I blame her. I doubt she was allowed very much outside time before now.
“She’s perfect, Rae,” Ella says, grabbing my hand as we sit in the grass on a blanket and watch them. Snow takes my other hand, wrapping both of hers around it.
“I’ve missed so much… I don’t even know where to begin,” I admit.
“You take it one day at a time. You already know how to do the one and only thing she needs most in this world. Love her. The rest will fall into place and you will figure it out. One day at a time,” Snow says and I nod, holding back the tears yet again.
“Enough about me. So what’s next for you? Are you going to rebuild the bar?” I turn to Ella, needing to pull myself together before I completely turn into a soggy mess.
“Uh…actually no. My mom is getting married. And apparently, her new doctor husband wants me to start fresh, figure out what I want to do with my life. He’s set me up at a college in Sapphire Springs,”
I can tell by the way she pinches her face up, she’s not exactly thrilled about this turn of events, but she’s putting on a brave face. “That’s…wow. That’s a lot to unpack from three sentences, El.”
“You’re telling me! I’ve had a few days to process it and I’m still no closer to knowing how I feel about it. It’s a lot. So much is changing so fast. I just got you back. I don’t want to leave you and Em. And… I want to be happy for my mom. She deserves to be happy again. I just miss my dad, too.” Ella wipes her own stray tear as it rolls down her cheek.
“Oh El, I know. But your dad would want you both to be happy. Maybe this is your chance to really figure out what you want. You’ve spent your entire life taking care of your parents and that bar. What do you want?”
“I want… to find my own harem of tattooed sexy men to worship the ground I walk on and turn my world upside down.” She laughs. Snow and I look at each other before we join her.
“That sounds like an excellent plan, Cinderella. Go off to college and find a harem to set your world on fire.”
“I think I’d settle for just my panties!”
“Ella!” I slap her arm.
We spend the rest of the afternoon laughing and catching up. When we finally return to the house, we barely make it to Emera’s room before she’s fast asleep.
I turn out her light, leaving her pink twinkling night light on and ease the door shut before slipping into Alek’s room. “She’s out,” I say, crawling in bed and snuggling to his warm skin. “She wore herself out.”
“She’s not the only one,” he yawns, wrapping me up in his arms and pulling me to his chest. Royal and Maddox walk in the door, softly closing it behind them and slipping into bed with us.
“As much as I love having everyone here, it really puts a damper on making you scream, pretty girl,” Maddox says, slipping his hand inside my shirt and caressing my skin.
“We have the rest of our lives for that, little psycho. Now, go to sleep before I make you be Daddy’s big spoon.
“You wouldn’t,” he gasps, tickling my stomach.
“Oh, she would,” Royal says, pulling Maddox back into him. “And I’m enjoying being your big spoon tonight, pet. So be still.”
Maddox wiggles around before he finally settles. I swear that man has more energy than the beautiful little girl sleeping down the hall, and that child has enough energy for all of us.
“Oh, we’re meeting with some of King’s businesses tomorrow, letting them know he’s no longer going to be an issue for them,” Royal says. “We’ll have to figure out how to restructure all of his assets and set up a trust for Emera since she’s technically the heiress to everything.”
“Actually… I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you this…” I say, worrying my lip between my teeth.
“Tell us what, Baby Girl?” Alek asks, lifting his head to check on me.
“Um… So I learned some things when I was taken. Before I killed my mother, she told me about my father. He’s always been a big question mark in my life. Not even Grams knew anything about him. Turns out, my father was actually the true ruler of the Kingsmen. And King was his step brother. He killed him and stole it all. All the businesses and assets belonged to my father. So… Emera is the next heiress, but I am the current one.”
“Way to bury the lede there, Angel.” Royal laughs. “Well, that means it’s all yours. Any idea what you want to do with it all?”
“I want to restore it back to what it was before King destroyed it,” I say. I’ve thought a lot about this over the last few days. “I want Shadow Forest to be a safe place for us to raise our daughter. I want her to be able to run and play in the forest, walk around town without the violence and fear I’ve known. I want the people of this town to be able to live without evil looming over their shoulders. I don’t know how to do it…yet. But with you all by my side, I know we can do it. Together.”
“We’ll be there every step of the way, Baby Girl.” Alek says, kissing the top of my head.
“Together,” Royal says. “Whatever it takes.”
“You’re our Queen, pretty girl. Whatever you need.”