Page 90 of Owned By The Cowboy

“They’re the most important thing I have.”

“I know that. And nothing’s gonna happen to them.”

“You can’t promise that.”

She’s right. I can’t. But I can promise other things.

“I can promise that if he tries anything, he’ll have to go through me first.”

“Blayne..”

“I’m serious. Those kids are mine too now. Not legally, maybe, but in every way that matters. And nobody fucks with my family.”

“Your family?”

“Yeah. My family.”

She stares at me for a long beat. And I think I made a dent in her panic.

“But what if…”

“Mom?” Nia’s voice comes from the doorway. “Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine, baby,” Reggie replies, but her voice is tight.

“Doesn’t sound fine.” Nia comes into the kitchen, followed by Jaylen and Annalise. “You guys fighting?”

“We’re not fighting,” I tell her.

“Then why does Mom look like she’s about to cry?”

My girl’s too smart.

“Your mom’s just worried about something,” I say. “But it’s gonna be fine.”

“Worried about what?” Jaylen asks.

Reggie looks at me, and I can see her trying to figure out how much to tell them.

“Your dad called yesterday,” she says finally. “He wants to comevisit.”

“Why?” Nia asks, and there’s something in her voice I don’t like.

“He says he misses you guys.”

“Since when?” Jaylen’s voice is flat. “He didn’t miss us when we lived with him.”

“Jaylen…”

“What? It’s true. He was never around anyway.”

“He’s still your father.”

“So? That doesn’t mean we want to see him.”

“I want to see Daddy,” Annalise says quietly.

“Of course you do, baby,” Reggie says, pulling her onto her lap. “And you will. We just need to figure out when and how.”