Page 50 of Broken Bodyguard

“Billions.” He coughed. “But there’s a catch.”

“Do I want to know what it is?”

“According to the lawyer who reached out, Archer and I need to be legally married if we want to inherit the money.”

I blinked a few times, digesting the weird stipulation. My gaze slid from Grace, who was making another round on the slide, over to Maddie and her parents, who were laughing at something together. “So you’ll do it…right?”

His rich laughter filled my ear. “Hell yes. You know anyone who wants to be married long enough for me to inherit this cash?”

“The only unmarried lady I know is mine, and I don’t share,” I told him. As if on cue, Maddie looked my way and sent me a shy smile. I blew her a kiss, which she pretended to capture and press to her cheek. “I’m sure you can find someone…”

“Yeah. I’m working on it. Anyway, we don’t want this to leak. Shit has been nuts lately anyway with the tabloids, so, if you could spare us an afternoon, I’d like you to come along for this meeting with the lawyer. I’m worried it could get weird. I don’t even know who this family of ours is.”

“I’m there.” It wasn’t a question. Nash had brought me into his family, and was financing the life of our dreams in New York. I knew Maddie would want me to be there too. And she’d hear all about it soon enough.

When Nash and I hung up, I assisted Grace on a few more rounds on the slide, until she got bored and we wandered toward the swings.

But not without a quick stop to kiss Mommy, from both me and Grace.

“I love you, Mommy,” Grace said with a sweet smile. And then she swung her gaze up to me and grinned. “And I love you, too, Toy.”

She skipped off toward the swings and I almost fucking cried.

I’d never get tired of hearing that.

I’d never get tired of being the man my girls needed.

I swooped down for my own kiss from Maddie, and then I followed behind Grace.

I was living the dream…the dream I never knew could actually be mine.

THE END