Page 196 of Savage Empire

Instead of being insulted, my little brother grins. “I hope so.”

The table shares a laugh, and Rayna dabs her mouth with her napkin.

“Thank you all for coming, this has been so nice so far. I’m really glad to be a part of this family.”

“Awwww,” Jade exclaims. “Rayna, we’re so happy to have you too!”

Everyone throws in words of confirmation, and my wife beams.

“I don’t know if I could be any happier.”

“And there’s my cue! Perfect timing, buttercup.”

Rayna spins around in her seat and squeals. Sienna is standing behind her in the doorway, her hands thrown up.

“Holy shit, you’re here!” My wife scrambles out of her chair and rushes into her best friend, flinging her arms around her. “How are you here?”

“Elio jail broke me,” Sienna jests, hugging her back. “Abramo finally got his shit together and I’m officially a free woman.”

“Oh my God, Elio!” Rayna blurts, pulling back to find him behind Sienna. “I didn’t even notice you weren’t here, how awful of me!”

He snorts. “I probably wouldn’t have noticed either, you have a whole football team in your house right now.”

“This is the best surprise ever.” Rayna has tears in her eyes as she pulls Elio into a crushing hug, along with Sienna.

“Keeping this secretsucked.” Yordan breathes out like a weight has been lifted. He’s been quiet for most of the night for exactly that reason.

“You knew?” Rayna cries.

“Hey, so did your husband!” Yordan protests.

“Sneaky, the both of you,” she replies in a halfhearted reprimand. “But, ugh. I can’t be mad at such a good surprise. Oh! You get to meet Vaughn, and well, everyone!”

Turning on her heels, Rayna pulls Sienna into the room and gestures to the table. “Everybody, this is Sienna. I know a few of you have met her over the phone, but here she is!”

“In the flesh,” Sienna quips.

Most of the table lights up with greetings and pleased smiles. But not Emilio. No, he looks like he’s just seen a ghost. This is the first time he’s laid eyes on his wife’s sister, and he’s realizing with his own eyes that Rayna wasn’t exaggerating. She looks like Melani’s brunette twin, rather than her sister several years her junior.

Matteo, being kid free and mostly done with his food, pulls up an extra chair for Elio and Sienna, welcoming them both with his regular humorous charm. Once they’re seated, he grabs them plates and tells them to dig in.

Sienna is on Rayna’s other side, and she turns to me, eyes longing. She’s looking at the lump of cloth I’m wearing, searching for the baby she’s only seen pictures and videos of up until this point.

“Do you want to meet your godson?” I ask, nodding down at Vaughn. He’s since woken up from his nap, but he’s still attached to my chest.

“Godson?” she rasps, eyes welling up immediately. “Really, Rayna?”

“Really,” my wife tearfully agrees. “Leon is his godfather, but we wanted to wait to ask you until you could see him in person.”

“I accept, of course I accept.”

I watch carefully as my wife passes Sienna our son, the two friends sharing a caring moment together while everyone looks on happily. It’s moments like this, days like these, when I can’t believe I lived so long without these things. I went thirty-three years without Rayna, and none of them were as happy as this.

There was nothingwrong, but now that I’ve had this? I could never go back. Not for anything. Having Rayna as my wife, and the mother of my child…It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever received.

And I can’t wait to make her feel the same way everyday.

For the rest of our lives.