Page 205 of When a Soul Cries

Not pretending to be her daddy because I wanted her mama. Not buying her shit and showing up whenever it was convenient.

Actually raising her.

I could picture her first day of school. Teaching her how to ride a bike. Sitting through every boring-ass school program because she was standing somewhere on that stage. Being the man she ran to when something hurt.

Being her father where it counted.

Mack had contributed blood.

Nothing more.

He had raped Sol, and now he was dead. There wasn’t another man raising Halo. No father waiting somewhere to step into her life.

If Sol ever trusted me enough to give me that responsibility, I’d take all of it.

And if we ever reached the point where Sol wanted it too?

Halo Devereaux.

My daughter.

The thought didn’t scare me.

That should’ve scared me.

Instead, my mind went even further.

More kids.

Maybe a son with my face and Sol’s attitude. Another little girl with those big brown eyes. Sugga buying enough shit to fill three houses. Kai showing up uninvited and teaching my children things I specifically told his ass not to teach them.

And Sol?

My wife.

I swallowed hard and adjusted my grip on the steering wheel.

Marriage had never been something I sat around fantasizing about. Now I could damn near see a ring sitting on her finger.

“Yeah,” I muttered, shaking my head. “I’m fucked.”

Halo squealed from the back seat.

I laughed. “Glad you agree.”

The crazy part was, I’d already handled what I originally thought Sol needed most.

There was an apartment waiting at Eastview.

Safe. New. Clean.

Hers, if she wanted it.

I hadn’t told her yet because every time I imagined giving her that option, I saw the other side of it too.

Her packing. Halo’s toys disappearing from my floor. No bottles drying in my kitchen. No messy bun coming down my stairs.

No coming home to them.