Only His | (Book 1) 18+

epilogue

EMARA
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TWELVE YEARS LATER...

I rolled my eyes to myself as my son followed me around the house, still complaining about the answering he received when asking to go out tonight with his friends.

No.

"I'm almost eighteen, Ma," Hayden complained, following me down the stairs of our house and to the kitchen. "I bet if I asked Dad, he would say yes."

I loved Hayden but sometimes he forgot just who raised him, as well as who wouldn't hesitate to spank his ass with a belt for back-talking me so much recently.

"If your father were to ever disagree with me, he would have his head shoved up his a—butt... his head would be shoved up his butt." I nervously glanced at our nine-year-old daughter, Amelia, as she played with her dolls, dressing them up while smiling to herself.

"If you did your chores and homework without complaint, like I've been telling you for years, then I would let you go," I continued, narrowing my eyes and crossing my arms as I stared up at him. "Since you haven't, you're not allowed going anywhere until it's done."

Hayden groaned. "It's not like you'd be driving me, I have my license now."

"Hayden Anderson Black," I said, turning around and resting my hands on my hips. Our height comparison would be funny if it weren't for the situation. "You aren't going anywhere and that's final."

Right on cue, my husband walked in, taking his tie off and putting his briefcase down. No matter how much he worked and entertained Mel, he never seemed to look tired; he was always so happy to come home with that same boyish grin that hid behind his stubble.

It was crazy to believe what our relationship became. We married roughly nine months after Kade proposed to me on that beach and, three years later, I was running into his office with tears streaming down my face, as he was working, with a positive pregnancy test.

And now we were twelve years strong with two beautiful children; one that seemed to love challenging what I was capable of with his snarky attitude and the other that seemed to love a certain parent more than the one who birthed her.

"Daddy, you're home!" Amelia cried out, followed by the small sound of her feet against the dark-wooden floors. I could hear his chuckle and I smiled, shaking my head to myself as I heard him kiss her face, followed by her giggles.

I glared at Hayden as his eyes narrowed at me before he walked towards Kade, calling his father. I scurried after him, my legs not long enough to catch up to him before he was already asking.

"Dad, can I go out with the guys tonight?" Hayden asked, making me glare at his back before I met Kade's bright blue eyes. "We planned on heading downtown to see a movie."

"Liar," I said, hearing Kade snort.

"That's fine, just be back by tomorrow morning for breakfast," Kade said, making Mason nod his head like an obedient dog. "And if you're one minute late hungover then your mother can deal with that punishment because you know how she feels about you drinking, kid."

"Deal." Hayden grinned at his father before walking back upstairs, most likely to pack his backpack for the night.

"I'll deal with his after I deal with yours," I muttered out, walking back into the kitchen and stirring the pot of chicken Alfredo. "Don't forget who spanked your butt tomato red all those years ago, Hayden! I'm not afraid to do it again!"