Page 131 of Nails

Family.

It was a word that used to come with barbed wire and old wounds.Now, it felt like a soft blanket being wrapped around her shoulders.

Bear lifted his glass.“To Nails and Riley.”

Everyone raised their glasses and toasted to the newly engaged couple.

Riley leaned over to whisper to Nails.Her voice was thick with emotion.“I’m really glad we met.Even if the first time you saw me, I was wedged in a window with my panties waving like a surrender flag.”

Nails barked out a laugh and pressed a kiss to her temple.“Me too, sweetheart.”

Riley glanced around the table and smiled at the sight, feeling it settle deep into her soul.For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t just surviving.She was exactly where she belonged.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Riley lay curled against Nails.His strong arm was draped over her, his fingers resting gently on the bare skin of her belly.She hadn’t moved in over twenty minutes.She was perfectly content to breathe in the clean, masculine scent of his skin and feel the steady beat of his heart against her ear.

So much had changed.

It was hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, she had met a man who now held her like she was the most precious thing in his world.

She smiled softly, knowing that he felt it too.He was her world now.And so was the life growing inside her.

She ran her hand over his chest, feeling the familiar warmth of his skin beneath her fingertips.The laughter from last night, the tears of joy, all of the hugs, and Amira’s hilarious antics all wrapped around her like a second skin.

She had smiled so much last night that her cheeks were actually aching when they got home.

She felt Nails stir, and then his lips brushed her temple, making her smile again.

“You’re smiling again,” he murmured.His voice was raspy with sleep.

“I can’t help it,” she whispered.

He gave a sleepy, contented grunt and slid his hand across her belly, gently rubbing circles.

She glanced up at him and smirked.“You do that in your sleep, you know?”

“Can’t help it,” he said as his eyes opened slowly.“There’s a baby in there.My baby.Why wouldn’t I rub it like a magic lamp?”

She laughed, and his grin deepened as he tilted her chin up and kissed her forehead.

“I’m so damn lucky that I found you,” she said.

“Actually, I think it was the other way around.”

She scrunched her nose up, “What?”

Nails grinned.“I believe I was the one who found you stuck in my mom’s attic window.”

Riley chuckled.“Don’t remind me of that.I was so embarrassed.But also thankful you guys got there when you did, or who knows how long I would’ve been stuck there with my ass and legs hanging out.”

Laughing, he tightened his arms around her.“Hey, your ass was the first thing I noticed.”

“Ha!”she said, giving his arm a light smack.She leaned up and brushed her lips over his jaw.“Of course, that was the first thing you noticed.”

Nails laughed again and kissed her forehead.

“I love you,” he told her as she smiled and snuggled against him.