Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
“Yeah, yeah, pet,” Penny says. “I know. I’m in trouble.”
“She likes trouble,” Jordy replies unhelpfully. “Her mouth gets her into a lot of it.”
“Sass for days,” I agree.
“I can hear you,” she calls out.
“That’s the point.”
She flips me off. “Stop talking.”
This fucking girl.
Three hours and one fully assembled swing set later, I abandon my friends to carry my exhausted girl inside. I’m a man on a mission as I shut my bedroom door and undress her. After her fall into the river, she took a shower and she smells like her usual sweet self.
“You going to give me a reward fuck for saving the day?” she taunts, stifling a yawn.
I set her down in the bed and then undress. Once I crawl into bed, I haul her to me, stroking my fingers down her arm.
“I might have to take that reward in the morning.” Another yawn. “Or you can do me while I sleep.”
I grin as I kiss her head. “Stop talking, Penny.”
“Okay,” she murmurs.
“I love you, Zero.”
“Love you too, roadkill.”
We both laugh and then it grows quiet again. I’m almost asleep when I sense Penny tensing up.
“What is it?” I ask, hugging her tighter to me.
“She, uh, she called me Momma.”
My heart squeezes in my chest.
“I couldn’t correct her,” she whimpers. “I couldn’t do that to her.”
Hot tears wet my chest. “I’m glad you didn’t.”
“But I’m not her momma.”
“You might not think so right now, but one day, when you’re older and pregnant with more of my babies, you’ll realize it.”
“Realize what?” she croaks.
“You’re ours. Zella and I won’t ever let you go. Might as well accept it, Momma.”
She laughs. “You’re a caveman.”
“According to Zella, I’m the king. My laws. My rules. You’re ours.”
“Fine, your majesty. I’m yours. Now go to sleep before I find some other bed to crawl into that’s quieter.”
“You’re not going anywhere, woman.”
Her pleased sigh is my only response and then her breathing evens out as she falls asleep.
I can’t sleep, though. I realize that my happily ever after begins right now.
Unlike the storybooks, mine ends with a mouthy knight who slayed the dragon to save a princess for her beloved king. It’s not like how most stories go, but I wouldn’t change a goddamn thing about it.
Penny
One year later…
The English professor drones on and on, but I can’t focus on him. And it’s not because I have one AirPod in as I listen to my white noise, either. It’s because of her.
Charlotte cuts her eyes my way, pausing from her studious note taking. There’s a benefit with taking classes with your nerd sister. Later, you can just copy off her notes.
“What?” she mouths, frowning at me.
I smirk at her. She knows. A smile tugs at her lips before she goes back to taking notes for us. Charlotte is as beautiful as ever, but man is she huge.
Her belly, that is.
Cal calls it super sperm. I call it gross.
Somehow, despite my sister being on birth control, she managed to get knocked up. It wasn’t planned or expected. Certainly derailed her career plans. She assures me it’s only a minor setback that’ll be worth it. One day she’ll eventually become a doctor. I believe her. At least now, she also gets to be a mom. I know, when forced to choose, she’d drop becoming a doctor in a heartbeat if it meant keeping the baby boy in her belly.
Luckily, she doesn’t have to choose.
Cal is one of those super husbands. Literally can do everything without breaking a sweat. In between teaching classes and doting over his pregnant wife, he’s been meeting with builders and working tirelessly to build their home on his dad’s land. If you ask me, it’s creepy to be neighbors with your mommy and daddy, but I think Cal likes shit a little creepy. He calls it built-in babysitting for when he has to knock his wife up again.
Gag.
I know the truth. Cal Hutton is a momma’s boy. Knowing Kate, she’ll probably make him breakfast every morning and wipe his ass if he asked.
“That’s a wrap,” Professor Goldman says. “Don’t forget to study over the weekend. This test will be hard. That means you, English.”
I look at Charlotte, just to watch her face turn crimson. We all know he was talking about me, but it’s fun to fluster my sister.
“I have good notes,” I assure him with an exaggerated wink. “Bye, Goldie.”
He chuckles and waves at me before he hustles out of the room. I stuff my notebook in my bag and then shoulder it before assisting my sister. The baby will come any day. Charlotte’s belly is so big, I’m afraid she’ll topple over.
She’s lucky she has me in most of her classes.
No one else wants this job.
“You think I can skip out?” she asks, wincing.
“Hollis will whine. Do you really want to hear a grown man whine?”