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Reed’s nostrils flare, and he holds his hand out toward his mother. “Here is a prime example of how not to parent. This is why I prefer to say I don’t have any. Now, if you’ll excuse me. We have somewhere better than here to get to.”

Her mouth falls open, and I think she’s going to chastise Reed for his scorn, but she doesn’t. “Better than here?” A scoff erupts from her, drawing attention to us. “This restaurant has a waiting list a mile long. You’d do well to get anywhere better than here.” I jolt at her words. I should have known the restaurant would have a huge waiting list, and guilt ravishes my veins.

Reed’s smile curls into a cunning smirk. “A million percent better than here.”

Then, without so much as a goodbye, he strides forward, leading me out of the restaurant door while my feet hurry to keep up with him.

When the evening breeze hits us, he finally comes to a stop and turns to face me. The way his hand trembles as he tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear has me wanting to comfort him. “I’m so sorry about her, baby.” His gaze flicks over my face as if searching for a sign of something.

“It’s fine.” And it really is. I’m used to people like his mother; my father is a million times worse.

“It’s not.” He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it tenderly, making me sway under his emerald gaze.

“Come on, let’s get out of here before I fuck you in the street.”

He signals for his car to be brought around, and I finally release the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Reed Johnson has stolen a vital part of me, and I never want him to give it back.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE

REED

“Areyou sure you want to eat that?” I grimace at the vendor loading all sorts of precarious-looking items on top of the hotdog. Before now, just the thought of the so-called meat made me want to vomit into the nearest trash can, but watching Gia practically salivate for the food has me rethinking my previous conception.

“It’s sooo good.” She almost snatches the hotdog from the vendor, causing me to chuckle, then her eyes roll on a loud groan that has me adjusting my cock as she takes a huge bite out of it.

“Okay, give me one of those.” I push a twenty into the vendor’s hand, and he takes the cash with a laugh that mirrors my own.

Once I got in the SUV and over the fact we’d bumped into my mother, of all people, I undid my tie and threw it in the back of vehicle and could finally breathe more easily. Proof that some fucking idiot was trying to choke me with their creation.

I felt stripped bare with Gia sitting beside me. My demons were exposed despite the one still hanging over me, but when she brought my hand to her lips, much like I’d done earlier, all thoughts of her father were banished from my mind. In that moment, all that mattered was her.

My teeth sink into the hotdog. Jesus, my mother would have a fit if she realized I was eating processed food loaded with fat and additives, and somehow, that thought makes it much more delicious.

We start walking, and I take her hand in mine.

“I figured I’d bring us back to where we started out as a family,” I say, and nod toward the lake with the rowing boats. A few people are still milling around, and the odd family enjoy a picnic as the sun goes down. Each of them probably making the most of the warm evening, and honestly? It’s beautiful to see. It’s like an awakening. Why the fuck would I want to be in a stifled restaurant when I could be here with Gia and our family.

She smiles and drops her head, shaking it with the force of her laughter.

“You were a mess that day.”

A laugh booms from my chest. “You think? I thought I was going to die from the intake of algae.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re so dramatic.”

I mock scoff and lay my free hand over my chest. “I couldn’t google quick enough. I even had Mase research it for me while I made my way over to you.”

“What did he say?” She smiles brightly.

“He must have told Tate, because the fucker called me up telling me I was going to be choking up tadpoles in my sleep, it’s why I laid on my side all night.”

Stopping in her tracks, she turns to face me. “I’m pretty sure you were on your back while I fucked you.”

“Apart from that time.” I nod.

She chews on her lip again, and I can’t help but to bend down and tug it from her, pulling it between my teeth as I hold her hips in place. When I release it, she stares at me with a look of awe. “Tonight’s been perfect, Reed.” She pants out heavily.