Page 72 of Act of Passion

“No comments from the guy who put on his own makeup,” snappedDuke.

Brooke teared up as she stared at the men. “Thank you all somuch.”

They each stood and nodded toher.

Boomer grinned. “Malik is like family to us. That makes you family,Brooke.”

“That’s very kind to say, but please don’t think I’m expecting anything from Malik,” she said. “This was all very generous but we can’t accept it. We need to gosoon.”

The men shared a look and then came in herdirection.

Corbin looked to Bethany. “I have not seen your bedroom yet. Can I comealong?”

She beamed. “You allcan!”

She put her hand in Corbin’s. “Come on, Brit. Is it true you’re a Bloody English Bastard who stole Uncle Striker’scountry?”

The men all looked at Striker. He in turn shrugged. “It’s never too early to teach the lass thefundamentals.”

Brooke failed to keep from laughing. She tearedup.

Malik wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple. “I’m really sorry about letting Striker around ourdaughter.”

Brooke leaned in to his embrace as they walked. “Hon, she’s had Edee around her all her life. I think you know she’s worse thanStriker.”

Edeelaughed.

Striker glanced at them as Bethany continued to lead them to her bedroom. “’Tis true. The she-devil is worse thanme.”

Bethany came to a stop at a large door. She opened it and dragged Corbin infirst.

When Brooke got to it, she stopped in an instant, looking around the room. It was enormous. There was a huge bed that had a castle-style headboard that looked as if it was also a playhouse of sorts. The carpeting looked like it was grass with walking paths on it, a small pond, and rocks. When she realized the entire room was princess themed, she grabbed Malik’shand.

Bethany ran to her. “Mommy! Look at what Daddy did forme.”

“I see it, sweetie,” she said, bending and drawing her daughter in to her, holding her tight. She kissed Bethany’s head. “Do you loveit?”

“Yes.”

“What do you love most about it?” asked Brooke, running her hands through her daughter’shair.

Bethany smiled at her. “I love that we’re with Daddy now. That I get to see him every day and I get to see him watching you sleep. He was worried about you. Me too. He told me you’d be fine but needed lots ofsleep.”

Brooke choked up. “Your favorite thing is yourfather?”

She nodded profusely. “This is what I always wanted. I wanted a family. I have you, Daddy, Uncle Gram, Aunt Edee, Uncle Striker, Uncle Duke, Uncle Boomer—who has been helping me learn how to put on makeup—Uncle Corbin, Uncle Auberi, Uncle Armand, Uncle Garth, Uncle James, and even Uncle Russia…wait, Uncle Rurik. And most of them gots wives. So I got all of them as aunts too. I’m going to get the rest of them married off soon. They need all the help they can get. Especially UncleStriker.”

Brooke couldn’t stop the tears that came. She touched her daughter’s cheek. “It sounds like we have a very big familynow.”

She smiled. “Did you know that I’m going to get cousins too? Some of them are having babies. And they told me the babies would all be my cousins. Neat,huh?”

Brooke lost it, crying hard and bear hugging her daughter. “Reallyneat.”

“Mommy, we’re gonna stay, right? You’re not going to make me leave Daddy and my new big family, areyou?”

“Sweetie, Daddy and I need to talk aboutit.”

Her face crinkled. “What’s to talk about? You love him and he loves you. Seems pretty simple to me. Why do grown-ups have to make everything sohard?”

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