Down Fall: Fallen Duet: Book Two
Page 21
The man on the stage pinned a badge to Ford’s chest, announcing him a new member of the DEA, and cheers rang out. He’d worked his ass off to get to where he was, and finally, he was coming home. A home we’d created.
People milled around as the chairs were packed away, a small party ensuing after the ceremony.
“I told you that you could see everything from up there, PB,” Cade’s deep voice announced as he sidled up next to us with Belle on his shoulders. She gripped on to his light-brown hair, messing up his mussed style.
“Youse even taller dan Daddy,” she said, her sweet little voice clearly in awe.
“I know,” Cade replied, a grin on his lips as he halted next to us. “Hey.”
“Pandering to her every need, I see,” I said with a raised brow. Belle didn’t want for any attention, not with her four uncles and older brother, and don’t even get me started on Sal, who had taken to her calling him Popa. He loved every second that little girl doted on him.
“It’s what big brothers are for.” He shrugged, his eyes widening at something behind us. He’d been away at college for the last two years, but anytime he could get home for the weekend he was living it up with pretend tea parties and letting PB give him a makeover. He was a sucker when it came to his sister, but it didn’t fail to put a grin on my face.
“Quick,” he ducked down. “Hide me. Aria is coming over.”
“Ara?” Belle asked. “Where Ara?” she said, louder that time as she searched the crowd. She waved her hand in the air. “Ara! We over here!”
“Shit,” Cade cursed.
“Shit,” Belle repeated.
“Dammit, Cade,” Brody groaned. “What did I tell you about—”
“Dammit, Cade,” Belle repeated.
I moaned. The girl was a sponge, and she soaked up every little piece of information and knowledge. Unless it was bath and bedtime. Then she magically lost her hearing.
“Right, come on down now, Belle. Let’s go and see Uncle Ford.”
“Nope.” She shook her head and held on to Cade’s hair tighter. “I staying wiv my big brover.”
“Belle,” I warned, already tired after the full day we’d had. “You can come back and—”
“She’s fine,” Cade said, straightening as another few people joined the circle. “She can be my buffer.”
“Your buffer?” Brody asked, flicking his gaze over at the newcomers, greeting them all with a nod. “Sal, Jan, Aria.”
They all said their hellos, but it was Aria’s face that had me frowning. She was the spitting image of her mom with her shocking red hair and pale face, but it was the blush spreading on her cheeks that had a smile lifting back on my face. She’d met Cade after he was shot, and she’d been around constantly since. We all knew she had a crush on him, but she was eight when they met, which meant she was only thirteen now. Cade saw her like a little sister, but she hadn’t gotten that memo.
“Hi, Cade,” she greeted, her soft voice barely able to be heard. Where Jan was loud and in your face, Aria was the complete opposite.
Cade shuffled his feet on the floor and readjusted his grip on Belle’s legs. “Hey.”
“Are we ready to get this party started?” Ford asked, pushing through us all and reaching for Belle. “Baby Belle!”
“Unkie Ford!” She squealed and tried to leap off Cade’s shoulders, but she didn’t realize it was a long fall because of how tall he was. He’d even surpassed Brody’s six-foot-four height. Only by an inch, but Cade loved to remind him.
Ford caught her and held her to his chest. “Thanks for coming, Baby Belle.”
She pressed her small hand to his stubbled cheek and flashed him a toothy grin. “Anytime, Unkie Ford. We go play now?”
He blew out a breath and grinned at me. “I thought she’d never ask. Let’s get outta here, I hear I have cake in my near future.”
He took a step away from us as Belle answered. “You does, Mama made it.”
He groaned. “I can’t wait.”
Everyone filed after him, Aria sticking to Jan’s side and Cade taking up the rear, but neither Brody nor I moved.
“Do you ever wonder what life would be like if we’d never have gotten here?” I asked.
“No.” He shook his head and cupped the sides of my face, getting as close as he could with the growing bump in the way. “Not for one second. Souls like ours aren’t destined to be apart. We would always find each other, it just took us a little while.”
I closed my eyes and basked in the feel of him. “I love how sappy you are.”
“And I just love you. Forever.”
My eyes opened, and I stared up at him. “Forever.”
Fated Duet
I’m so excited to be continuing the Easton family with Cade’s story. It will be coming Fall 2019!
Add it to your TBR here:
Defy Fate (Fated Duet, Book One)
Obey Fate (Fated Duet, Book Two)
Acknowledgments
This story has been in the making for over two years and I’m so so thankful it’s finally out there in the world!
My first thank you needs to go to Paige Sayer. You’re the most awesomest Alpha Reader and PA. Thank you for loving my stories as much as I do, and generally just being you!
I’d liked to say a HUGE thank you to my BETAs readers: Danielle, Nikki, Yvonne, and Liza. You ladies are amazeballs!
I want to say a massive thank you to all the authors in the community. Our little slice of heaven is a place I never want to leave.
To the bloggers who help share EVERYTHING. I love you so much, and I can’t put into words how grateful I am!
Linda, thank you soooo much for everything you do. You’re always there no matter what, and I’m not sure what I’d do without you!
To my editor, Jen and Proofreader, Judy. Thank you for putting up with me!
Lastly, I want to say thank you, to you. Thank you for taking a chance on this book. Thank you for reading. And thank you for being awesome!
Also by Abigail Davies
MAC Security Series (Alpha Security/Military)
Book 1: Fractured Lies
Book 2: Exposed
Book 2.5: Flying Free (Standalone Spin-off)
Book 3: The Distance Between Us
Book 4: ReBoot
Book 5: Catching Teardrops
Six Book Boxset
Confessions Series (Romantic Comedies)
Book 1: Confessions Of A Klutz
Book 2: Confessions Of A Chatterbox
Book 3: Confessions Of A Fratgirl
Broken Tracks Series,
co-authored with Danielle Dickson
Book 1: Etching Our Way
Book 2: Fighting Our Way
Destroyed Series,
co-authored with L. Grubb
Destroying the Game
Destroying the Soul
A. A. DAVIES (Darker, alter ego)
Verboten (Inferno World Novella)
About the Author
Abigail Davies grew up with a passion for words, storytelling, maths, and anything pink. Dreaming up characters—quite literally—and talking to them out loud is a daily occurrence for her. She finds it fascinating how a whole world can be built with words alone, and how everyone reads and interprets a story differently.
Now following her dreams of writing, Abigail has found the passion that she always knew was there. When she’s not writing: she’s a mother to two daughters who she encourages to use their imagination as she believes that it’s a magical thing, or getting lost in a good book.
If she’s doing neither of those things, you can be sure she’s surfing the web buying new makeup, clothes, or binge watching another show as she becomes one with her sofa.
Connect with Abigail
Reader group—Abi’s Aces
Newsletter
www.abigaildaviesauthor.com
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