Page 18 of Reaper and Abby

“A million each. Made sense, seeing as I was about to have two daughters.” I pushed myself up from the bed. “Best business deal I ever did.”

I shrugged off my hoodie and kicked my boots off.

“Um Dad, what are you doing?”

“Sleeping here for the night. Your mom kicked me out of our bed.”

Hannah crossed her arms, looking at me stubbornly with a broad-line angry expression. “You are only sleeping with me because mom told you.”

I pulled the blankets back and climbed into her double bed. She was outraged. “Well, I’m sleeping downstairs then.”

I grinned. Which caused her to huff.

“I’m not joking.” She snapped at me. “I will.”

“I know you will. You have your mother’s blood. And this,” I gestured at her hormonal angry face. “is not my DNA. Now if you were threatening me, or screaming. Then I’d have to take full blame for it.”

She was still glaring at me, with this threatening look as if she could. . . take me.

“Come on, let your old man crash with you for one night?”

Her eyes dropped to her large journal. “Tyson will tease me.”

“Last time I checked, I’m the loser that got kicked out of his own bed.”

Hannah held my eyes for a moment longer before putting her journal on the bedside table, and then she climbed between the sheets. I laid my arm out, and she hugged me.

“I’ve missed you dad.” She mumbled into my chest.

I kissed the top of her head. My priorities needed an overhaul, and I couldn’t afford to ever lose sight of them again.

* * *

Hannah was in a deep sleep when I slipped out of the bed. Making sure not to wake her up. I walked up the last flight of stairs to Abby’s and my floor. Not surprised to see her awake and sitting on her side of the bed.

It was after three in the morning and I knew my wife. Or at least I did.

“Abby,”

Her eyes flashed up. For the past six hours I laid there, with a strong need to tell her something.

“I have a question I need to ask you. But first I need to bring up the past.”

She let go of her knees.

“After Matthew’s death. I never cheated on you. I actually passed out on drugs. Kaylee made it up. I found out a while ago. But I didn’t…”

“I know Kade.” She cut me off. “My dad came clean. They used to drug you, to control your rage.” She sighed and shook her head. “I was furious when he told me. That he’d openly drug you. Kaylee also confessed to me. I didn’t bring it up.”

Now that is surprising. I thought she would come straight to me, if she knew.

“Why?” I asked. Abby’s and my relationship was always tarnished, but the fact I cheated on her, it always played on my heart.

“Because it’s all history. Not our future.” She stared at me. “I love you. When I married you, I said for better or worse till death do us part.”

I walked into the room, “That sort of brings me to my question.”

“Okay?”