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An older woman with gray locks squeezed past them, her eyes snagging on Ash. She smiled. “My, what a unique hair color she has. Too adorable.”

Ash had a smooth, glowing complexion, deep-set eyes, with a head full of silver strands. Naia admired her child’s appearance all the time, and she expected the same reaction from strangers as well.

“Thank you.” Naia gave a polite smile in return.

The woman waved animatedly to Ash before continuing down the aisle.

“I might as well put a bow on him.” Naia huffed the moment the stranger was out of range.

Ronin gave a casual shrug. “It’s his divinity.”

His logical statement made her scowl. “I know, but still. If they don’t know, they shouldn’t assume! Boys can be pretty too, dammit!”

“Come on.” Ronin resumed strolling down the aisle. “You have that low sugar look in your eyes, and I have a feeling it’s gonna result in damaging the shelves again if they are out of your cream puffs.”

“That only happened once. And it was an accident.” Naia followed, prying her hair from Ash’s slobbery grip. “Cream puffs keep Momma happy.”

Ronin cast her an enticing smirk over his shoulder, eyes glittering. “I know of other ways to keep Momma happy.”

She blushed.

Naia stepped into motherhood with grace.

Holding Ash and getting lost in counting his fingers and toes, inspecting the small, intricate details of his pink fingernails and tiny nose and every strand of hair on his head. She never tired from looking at him.

Her favorite moments were when she’d find Ronin in the dead of night in Ash’s room, eyes closed as he rocked Ash to sleep, or walking into the brewery and seeing Ash strapped onto Ronin’s back as he swiped through his tablet checking inventory.

Two months after Ash’s birth, Ronin and Naia married on the brewery’s rooftop. They held a reception in the lounge where Avi got drunk and sang karaoke. Theon recorded him as future blackmail, and Damian continuously supplied his cocktails.

Naia danced on the floor with Ash in her arms, doing everything in her power to convince Ronin to join.

After a few songs, Ash became squirmy, a sign of approaching hunger.

Halfway off the floor, Ronin was at her side, taking their child in his arms. “Let me.”

He gave her a peck on the forehead and sauntered off towards the bar where she’d stored Ash’s diaper bag.

She smiled to herself, scanning the familiar faces dancing around her with a full heart.

Her eyes sought out a bright-pink head of hair in the midst of it all. No doubt, Violet would be in the center of the floor, beaming with her contagious personality.

Naia’s grief led her up the stairs and in front of the portraits hung outside the VIP room.

One was of a face she’d never met with an uncanny resemblance to Damian’s honed features with long, dark brown strands spilling over her shoulders. Jules. Beside her was Violet’s.

Naia bowed her head to the fallen leaders, wishing them a peaceful afterlife.

Noah came to stand quietly beside her. For a long minute, he stared up at the portraits.

Naia minded him with a glance.

“Thanks for bringing Ronin back,” he said, his voice low-pitched and easy on the ears. It was the first time he’d ever spoken to her.

She turned towards him, trying her hardest to maintain her level of surprise, welling up. “Thank you for being by his side all these years.”

He studied her for a beat and then strolled away. He stopped right before passing by her and gave her a small nod with a look of acceptance. In response, she smiled, and he walked away.

The crowd cheered, and she moved over to the railing, peering across the bottom story of the lounge. Ronin shimmied in place with Ash propped in his arms. Damian circled Ronin, tongue out, inciting the sweetest giggle stealing the attention in the room.