Page 113 of Moros

“So, what are you going to do about your mother’s family?” Pasha leaned in to rest her elbows on the table and to pop a French fry into her mouth.

Ryanne seemed thoughtful for a bit. She slurped from her milkshake then dunked one of her fries into the shake and ate.

Boss and I exchanged looks while Pasha did what Ryanne had just done.

“Not bad.” Pasha chewed, doing it again.

“Nothing.” Ryanne finally replied. “The old me would have gone out to meet them but they don’t want me. They didn’t even try to find out what happened to my mother. And it seemed my grandmother by my mother’s side worked herself to death to take care of them and no kind of remorse or gratefulness. I don’t want to deal with that.”

“What are you going to do about your mother’s family?” Boss wanted to know.

“Family doesn’t have to be DNA.” I pipped up.

Ryanne nodded. “He’s right. I’m over craving people who can’t love me. And with what I’m about to inherit, they wouldn’t be with me because they want to. I don’t have the energy to focus on people who just want to drain me.”

Boss squeezed her hand.

“You guys are my family.” Ryanne grinned into my face. “This beast is my man. You, Pash are my sister, whether you want me or not. And Boss is my big brother. And if you’ll have me, I’m happy.”

Pasha began crying. She darted around the table to kneel beside Ryanne to hug her tightly.

“I’ll have you.” Pasha cheered. “Definitely, Phi!”

I waited for Boss to kiss Ryanne’s hand before I kissed her as deeply as I could muster without us getting arrested.

Boss and Pasha cleared their throats, and I leaned back.

Ryanne took a moment to hide her face against my shoulder.

“I’ve pulled a few strings for you to see Paul.” Boss told the table. “He’s being released from the hospital and into our custody. Once we have him settled in his cell, I’ll get you visitation.”

“Thanks.” Her voice cracked.

“Are you sure about this, Phi?” Pasha wanted to know.

“I’ll be okay.” Ryanne assured her. “My father never asked anything of me, except this one thing.”

Everyone at the table made a soft sound in our throats while nodding.

After a little while of spending time together, we had to drop Pasha at the airport, she hugged me tightly while making me promise I’d keep a closer eye on Ryanne.

“This entire thing will be heavy on her.” Pasha stood back. “And I know you believe your penis is magical, but she’s going to need more than that.”

“Wait—there’s something more than my magical penis?”

Pasha smacked my arm.

“I get it.” I told her seriously. “She’ll be okay—I’ll make sure.”

Pasha didn’t leave until after she’d hugged Ryanne and Boss again.

To give her a moment to breathe before tackling going to her apartment, I drove us down to the Bluffs. There, I reverse parked, and we climbed out to sit on the open bed of the truck, staring out over at the lake as the sun moved slowly across the sky.

Her trembling hand found mine and though I didn’t turn my head, I lifted my hand so she could set her palm on mine then closed my fingers over her hand.

We didn’t speak—I couldn’t find words enough to lessen the burden I knew she was now carrying.

“Phi Khadri?”

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