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We huddled close, the three of us whispering and muttering wordsof strength and encouragement, even though we didn’t feel them at the moment.

“I love you girls,” I finally said, pulling away from them.“Please don’t be strangers.”

“Never.” Emma wrapped an arm around Shawnee’s shoulders, pullingher closer. “We’re here for you.”

Shawnee kissed her cheek and covered my hand with hers. “Weare.”

“Are you two a thing finally?” I asked, hoping they were.

“We’re taking it slow,” Emma told me. “But yeah…” She smiled atShawnee. “We’re a thing.”

“Finally.” Shawnee sighed. “Although, you do need to get sometattoos and piercings.”

We laughed and continued talking about their new relationshipand Shawnee’s obsession with ink and piercings.

The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly tingled.

Sammy stood at the door to our bedroom. He gave me a smile. Inthat single moment, with him and my friends, I finally felt like we were alltaking a step in the right direction.

One night, Sam and I were sitting on the couch at my mom’splace, facing each other. He was holding our son and I was holding ourdaughter.

After my mom’s funeral and our small but beautiful wedding, wemoved back into my childhood home.

He had been given the approval from both his original chapterand Tiny’s chapter and the transfer was made. He remained an Enforcer perTiny’s request.

We were slowly changing things to make the house ours, but itmade me feel closer to my mom in a way. It had been Sammy’s idea and I fell inlove with him even more because of it.

“I still can’t believe we made these beautiful little humans,” Isaid, resting our daughter on my lap.

“I know.” Sam hugged our son to his chest. We had named him Johnafter his father.

The twins were born a month early and spent a couple of weeks inthe NICU as a result. We finally brought them home a few days ago and have beensnuggling them ever since.

Our daughter, Kyra, started fussing. Her little body wiggled,flailing her arms wildly. I laughed lightly, lifted her into my arms, and beganto nurse her.

Sam moved to the spot beside me and kissed my temple. “I loveyou and I’m so damn proud of you.”

It had been the same thing he said every time I nursed thetwins. John was easy but Kyra was a stubborn little thing. Sam joked that itwas because we named her after his brother. I wanted the twins to be namedafter the people we loved, so I had Googled a female version for Cyrus’s nameand Kyra popped up. It was an easy decision after that and one I would neverforget when I asked Sammy about it.

“You want to name our daughter after my brother?” Sam asked, hisvoice thick as he stared down at our little girl in his arms.

“I do.” I cupped his cheek. “I love you and I know how close youare with your brother and Jaron. I also know you miss them.” It was constantlyat the back of my mind that maybe one day we would sell my mom’s place and moveback to Sammy’s home. It would be the least I could do for him. “I figured wecould name our son and daughter after both of them and my mom.”

A shuddered breath left him. “I like that idea.”

Johnathon Jaron and Kyra Andrea Butcher.

They were going to grow up to do amazing things.

Once we put the twins to bed later that evening, Sam and I sattogether on the couch. It had been something we did quite often. Just sittingthere. Touching, holding, being together. No TV. No music. No talking. Justpure silence.

He would never know how much these little moments meant to me.After everything that had happened with Will and Price and the scar on my innerthigh as a constant reminder, Sam and I never took these moments for granted.

“I love you,” he whispered, breaking the sweet silence.

I snuggled into his side, pulling the blanket up and around us.“I love you too.” I looked up at him then. “Thank you.”

He frowned. “For what?”