“That’s awesome in my opinion.”

He laughed as he nodded. “I guess. Your brother was just as bad. Apparently your mom called all the boys, crying ’cause you wouldn’t answer the phone. She told Jayden you were so strong and she was so proud of you and Angie, but he didn’t give me details.”

“She was great, but she did try to make me come home with her and River. Had to get out of that quick.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, you’ve seen enough family members having sex.”

“Right? Gosh,” she said as she ran her fingers through her hair. “I have such a headache and I’m so tired.”

“Go to bed. Or better yet, go take a bath.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to move, and I also don’t want to drop my phone in the bathtub.”

He grinned. “Shoot, I was hoping to see you naked,” he said with a wink, and she smiled back.

“Perv.”

“Only on days that end in ‘Y.’”

Rolling her eyes, she laughed. Leaning back into the pillows, she smiled as she held his gaze. She missed him so much and couldn’t wait for him to be home. Clearing her throat, she said what she had been thinking about like mad when she wasn’t thinking about killing Rick. “I was pretty surprised to hear Angie tell you she loved you.”

He smiled, his face brightening before her eyes. God, he was so beautiful when he looked at her like that. “That girl. Man, she has my heart.”

Grinning, Lucy nodded. “And I think you have hers.”

She wanted to tell him he had her heart. That she loved him. But she wanted to do it in person. She wanted to feel his skin under her fingers as she whispered the words. She wanted to see his eyes get brighter, feel his kisses after he whispered the words back to her. Because she was pretty sure he was in love with her too. No, she knew he was, and it was insane and crazy, but he was her insane and crazy. And she loved him.

With everything inside of her.

“I hope so. I promise, Lucy, I just want to do right by you guys.”

“You are,” she said, her throat thick with emotion.

“Good,” he said with a nod.

“You’ll be a great dad again one day, Benji. That’s for sure,” she said. She wasn’t sure why she’d said that. She just knew it, though. She prayed that one day was with her, but there was a chance it wouldn’t be. She hated that she still thought like that, but maybe she was just one fucked-up chick. Who knew? But, Benji, he grinned at the possibility.

“I hope so. Which, by the way, you’re down for more kids, right?”

She laughed, making a face. “Whoa, what?”

“Whoa, what, what? You’re the only one I’m making babies with.”

Her eyes widened. “Me?”

“You. How many?”

She giggled. “I don’t know, crazy!”

“Really?” he asked and she shook her head, her laughter subsiding. She had always thought she would have a big family like her mom did.

Swallowing hard but feeling completely silly, she said, “No, I do want more kids.”

“Like five more.”

“Jesus take the wheel. Benjamin, are you insane?”

That had him laughing from the gut. “Okay, four.”

“One more.”

“What? Two more,” he persisted and she laughed.

“How are we planning kids when, one, we aren’t married, two, we aren’t even living together, and three, we haven’t even proclaimed our love for each other,” she asked.

When he went to say something, she stopped him. “And if you are in love with me, do not—and I repeat, do not—do that over the phone.”

He nodded. “Fair enough.”

Fair enough?

She glared. “Great. Now I’m going to analyze that.”

He laughed. “As long as you’re smiling, you can analyze anything you want.”

Grinning ear to ear, she and her heart couldn’t handle it. This was too deep, too serious, and she just couldn’t right now. “Fine, lower that phone so I can analyze what’s in your pants.”

His cheeks reddened a bit. “Who’s the perv now? Pervie McPerv.”

Leaning on the pillows as she laughed, she knew she would never love anyone the way she loved Benjamin Paxton.

Now she just had to tell him that.

In person.

When Benji saw his house, he was nearly bouncing in his seat.

It had been thirteen long days without Lucy’s kisses and Angie’s hugs.

He was ready to be home.

To be with his girls.

The Assassins did great, winning seven of the nine games they played on the road. The defense was getting their shit together. The boys were finally playing as a team, and while he was proud of them, he just wanted to be home. He wanted to see Lucy; he wanted to take her in his arms and tell her he had loved her from the moment he saw her. He wanted her to know that he would stand beside her and support her through all the shit with Rick.

He wanted her to move in.

Marry him.

Have his babies.

Crazy, yes, as fuck, but he didn’t care. Lucy Sinclair was his soul mate.

The love of his life and nothing could ever change that.

Was there guilt? Yes, but he was going to have to deal with that because God gave him Lucy and Angie. Maybe as a reward for cleaning up and being a decent man. He wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t letting them go. He hoped, prayed that Ava and Leary were up in heaven, happy for him, and he hoped one day he would get to see them again and apologize for everything. But until then, he was going to live the greatest life he could with Lucy and Angie, honoring their memory in the process.