Page 202 of Chalk Outline

We both have tattoos in his honor.

We now have our Cane Corso, Trixie, who the girls adore. And I adore her because she’s as fierce as Titan was and protects the girls I love so much.

“Zoe and Clark come to eat dinner,” I shout so Zoe will hear upstairs as I quickly run to our second garage, Winona’s studio. “Get your sweet ass in the kitchen, mama, or I’ll spank it. Again.”

“Promise?” She giggles behind me as I skip back into the kitchen.

I had to run my quick errand, but I’ve already set the dinner table, and each plate has steak, a salad, and mashed potatoes as my girls requested.

“Ahh, steaks?” Zoe comes running, clapping her little hands with a mischievous smile, looking exactly like her mama. Her aquamarine eyes flash brightly, similar to the eyes I fell in love with all those years ago.

“Yes, princess,” I answer, kissing the top of her head. “Take a seat.”

Clark walks out of the playroom a few minutes later, running straight to me. “Daddy, up.” She gives me her cute puppy face, and I scoop her up and lift her over my head before I pretend to eat her belly.

Her little giggles and rolling laughter warm my heart and fill me with pride. She just turned three, and from a closed-off toddler, she’s starting to be more verbal and try new things.

Her blue eyes are beaming, and I fix her dark hair into a ponytail so it won’t sweep all the greasy sauce and mashed potatoes while she eats—she’s the best kind of messy eater.

“Look at you, my babies,” Winona says as she steps inside the house after a long session. I wonder what her next project will be. Every house on the island has at least one picture with her signature. She makes them for free to bring more light during this difficult time.

I grab her throat and steal a quick kiss. She leans into it, wanting to linger a bit more, and I let her. I’m dying to have her again after the morning we’ve had in bed.

“Look at you,my baby,“ I whisper, pulling out a chair and waiting for her to sit on it as I eye her swollen belly.

Fucking perfect.

She grins at me and then at the girls as she grabs her fork and sticks it into her piece of steak.

“Mmm, it’s so good,” she moans around it, and the girls mimic her, making cute little sounds.

“Mmm... yummy.” Zoe giggles, taking another bite.

Winona laughs. “Yeah, daddy knows how to feed us well.”

“Yes!” Clark chimes in. “Daddy is the best.”

“He is.” Winona grins from ear to ear, eyeing me up and down hungrily.Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you later.I smile at that and take a seat next to her.

I bend down to kiss her pregnant belly, and she rakes her fingers through my hair.

“Hello, little one, I hope you like my steak too.”

“He does.”

The doorbell rings and I immediately stand up from the chair. “I’ll get it.”

Walking to the door with Trixie by my side, I already smile, knowing Romina, Koy, Braxton, and Mitch are outside arguing about something trivial as usual.

“Noooo, I don’t want to listen to this anymore,” Romina declares, pushing past me with a wicked grin. “Looking good, Reeve. Where are my girls?” she clicks her heels toward the dinner table.

“Eating steaks,” I reply with a grin of my own.

“As they should,” Koy laughs, patting my shoulder and catching up with Romina.

“So I was thinking—” It’s never good when Mitch starts a conversation with that statement. “We should have a pet section in our gym for kids.”

“I can’t. I’m helping Romina,” Braxton immediately declines, stepping inside. Mitch follows after him.