Page 171 of All I Have Left

I chew on my lip. I struggle with the words longer. “Confront your demons.”

She searches my eyes, blinking in disbelief. “Is this about that dream you had where your ripped organs out? Because I don’t want to talk about that one again.”

I laugh lightly and hold onto her tighter. “No, it’s not.” She’s right. I had that dream once and still don’t know what the fuckthat was about. I blame it on the spicy chicken I had before bed that night though. “You have to find the core of your pain. The part that’s holding you in your past. The part holding you hostage.”

She tips her head, as if she’s honestly curious. “What part holds you hostage?”

I raise an eyebrow, as if she should know. She creates distance between us, shifting her weight from one side to the other. “Right.” She swallows and nods. “Did it help? Seeing his face?”

“Only time will tell, but at least my last image of him isn’t you. It’s the despondent black in his soul.”

Evie presses her lips to mine. “Let go, Grayson. For me. Let go,” she whispers. “We have to let go of it.”

“That wasn’t my only reason,” I admit, taking another drink of my beer.

“What was the other?”

I shrug one shoulder and touch my hand to her cheek. “I wanted him to see that even though he tried, he didn’t succeed. I haveyou.”

There’s a smile on her face. A knowing one. “So this was a manly thing? She’s mine kinda thing?”

I nod and she laughs in my face.

In my damn face.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because.” It’s her turn to shrug. “I may or may not have purposely flashed my ring and my Gomez babies in Courtney’s face earlier tonight.”

I smile and kiss her lips once. “You’re adorable when you’re jealous.”

“Hey, I had to. She’s was drooling over you and Taliyah on stage when you were dancing with her in your arms as you sang “Cry Me” and I couldn’t take it any longer.”

“I was singing for you,” I remind her.

“I know, but I expect you to be singing that to me tonight inbed while we do very naughty things. Like a scene out ofDirty Dancing,” she whispers in my ear.

“That movie was hardly naughty.” I laugh watching her face light up with excitement. “But does that mean Stevie’s sleeping in her own bed tonight?”

“I’m kicking her ass out. Mama needs some naughty time.” She runs her hands down my chest, suggestively. “And hearing you tonight, yep, I need it.”

Though Evie has good intentions of kicking our baby out, she says this all the time and we’re a sucker for Stevie. All she has to do is bat her pretty dark lashes at us and everyone in our family melts for her. Blonde curls, bright curious green eyes and a beaming mischievous smile, she has us all brain washed. Which is why she’s two and still sleeps in our bed. Speaking of the little bed stealer, she’s at our feet crying over cake. “I have some?Pease?”

Evie immediately forgets she promised me sex and tends to our daughter.

Told you she’s spoiled.

With Stevie holding one of her hands, Evie makes her way to Taliyah.

Enthralled in her every move, I watch Taliyah, holding hands with Gabe, the boy she says she’s going to marry someday. No matter how hard I try, those two cling to one another. It’s a friendship now, but I can tell in their eyes, it’s more. I should know. I’m still in love with the girl I met at four.

Kelly makes her way over to me, her son on her hip. “Have you seen my husband?”

Yep, she finally married Josh. Only because she said the tax break was better if you filled married when you have a kid. I take Roman from her and nod to the keg. “Where do you think?”

Josh is teaching Wesley to do a keg stand. He’s quite possibly the worst influence on children, but if you ever need a baby sitter, he’s there for you. “Jesus Christ,” Kelly mumbles, shaking her head. “Please tell me that’s not beer.”

I snort and try to pry my own beer bottle from Roman’s hands. He’s a grabby baby and very much like Kelly. Doesn’t share anything. “It’s punch, I think.”

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