by Webster, K
“Stop pacing,” I instruct. “You’re going to freak them out.”
Nick pauses and runs his fingers through his hair. “What if they don’t like us? What if they don’t want to live with us?”
I grab his hand and squeeze. “But what if they do? Besides, it’s too late to go back. We’re doing this.”
This seems to settle his mind because he relaxes. When Enzo walks in with both boys on either side of him, my nerves hitch too. They’re bigger than I remember. Still cute as ever. Both of them seem just as nervous as us.
Enzo gives them each a gentle squeeze on the shoulders and bends down to whisper something to them. They grin and it stops my heart.
“I’m Dane and this is Nick,” I tell them, dropping to one knee. “Do you remember me?”
Malachi nods his head and then looks at Nick as though he remembers him too. Xavier is smaller, so he probably doesn’t recognize us.
“I’m Malachi,” he says as he approaches, dragging his brother behind. “This is Xavier.”
Nick kneels down beside me and smiles at them. “You’re going to love your new house,” he assures them. “This guy saved me when my dad was beating me up. He let me come live with him. He was already a good dad to his daughter, Mel. Do you remember Joseph? He went to live with Mel.”
Both boys smile.
“Can we see him again?” Xavier asks.
“Of course,” Nick says. “Dane was such a good dad that he taught his daughter Mel how to be a good mom. Joseph is safe with her. She’s nice, and his new dad Stan makes food all the time. Joseph is never hungry.”
“He really loves macaroni and cheese,” I tell them. “And ice cream.”
The boys seem to be warming up. The hopeful look in their eyes makes my heart clench.
“Dane was such a good dad,” Nick says, “that he taught me to be a good dad too. He taught me how to be safe. I never want to be like my dad. I want to be good to my kids.”
Both kids watch him with wide eyes. Curious and unsure.
“Two Christmases ago, I wrote a letter and asked Santa for something really special,” he tells them. “I wished that he’d let me be a good dad. He wrote me back and told me about two special boys who didn’t have a dad. They were sad and people hurt them. I wanted to protect them and make them happy.”
The boys listen with rapt attention. Pride surges through me at how good Nick is with them.
“He told me that the boys were too special. That one dad wasn’t enough for them. For all the sad times they went through, they deserved two dads,” he says, smiling at me.
“We get two dads?” Xavier asks in awe.
Nick pretends to flex a muscle. “Two strong dads for two strong boys.”
Xavier shows his non-existent muscle as Malachi giggles. They’re cute and funny. Their personalities are hiding under fear and uncertainty. With time, we’ll pull them out of their shells and help them see they don’t have to be afraid any longer.
“I hope you boys like food too,” I say to them. “Joseph’s mom and dad filled up our cabinets with foods Joseph was just sure you would love.”
“Really?” Malachi asks, as though he can’t truly believe it.
“Really.”
Xavier rushes into my arms and throws his arms around my neck. I squeeze him tight. Malachi looks at Nick like maybe he might want a hug too, so I nudge Nick.
He opens his arms and Malachi falls into them.
Nick and I exchange glances. His brown eyes shine with happiness, a perfect mirror to mine.
Christmas Day…
“Look, Daddy,” Xavier cries out in his cute froggy voice, waving a box of Legos at me from the floor. “Santa knew I wanted this!”
I rub the sleep out of my eyes and yawn. “Santa knows everything.”
Xavier giggles and then sets to opening another present. Malachi is leaned up against me. He’s a sleepyhead like me. Xavier and Dane are the morning people in our house.
“You going to open your presents?” I ask my oldest son.
“I want to sit with you, Dad, and watch Xavier open his,” he says quietly.
I give him a little squeeze and kiss the top of his head. “Okay, bub.”
With one son in my arms and the other grinning from ear to ear on the floor, I can’t help but realize life has a plan. Even the sad kids with shitty parents sometimes get their happy endings. These boys did. As did Joseph. Hell, even me. Jenna and Cora’s was a little harder to come by, but even those angels found love in an unexpected place. But that’s a story for another day…
Dane exits the kitchen with two mugs of coffee. He earns a smile for being my savior this morning, and this morning, he’s looking extra fine in full-on dad mode. He’s wearing flannel pajama bottoms and his favorite grandpa slippers. It’s his T-shirt the boys gave him last night that makes me happy. The same one I’m wearing: Super Dad.
He hands me a mug and then sits down on the floor beside Xavier. They talk about his presents and how we’ll go see Joseph later today. Both boys think it’s hilarious that they’re uncles to their friend. Joseph refuses to call them Uncle Malachi and Uncle Xavier, and instead insists they call him Uncle Joseph.
Eventually, Malachi perks up and joins his brother on the floor. Dane stands and stretches before settling on the couch beside me. He takes my hand and squeezes it.
Had I known the night I stared at the hot older man from across the bar would lead to this, I’d have kissed him right then and proposed marriage. Not sure he’d have accepted, though. I had to coax him into my bed. Then, he never wanted to leave.
As if cued into my thoughts, he turns and flashes me a devilish grin. “What are you smirking about?”
I shrug. “Just thinking about the night we met.”
“I’m glad you found me,” he says, his gray eyes twinkling.
“Took some convincing, though.”
“I was worth it,” he jokes.
He has no idea.
Leaning forward, I rest my forehead against his. “You’re still worth it.”
He plants a kiss on my cheek and then his mouth finds my ear. “Are you flirting with me, Mr. Alexander?”
“Perhaps.”
We share a long stare filled with heat and emotion and love.
Until we’re attacked by two little rugrats. Our boys are as affectionate as their fathers. They fell right into this family the same way Dane and I fell into love. Quickly. Perfectly. As though it was always meant to be.
The boys babble about their stockings and cookies and snow. They talk about the Star Wars movies and Legos and XBOX. There are giggles and snorts and jokes. Smiles and hugs.
And love.
A love that just keeps on growing.
I may only have two arms…but they’re big, and all three of my boys fit inside. Who knows…maybe one day, there will be room for a few more.
Dane winks at me.
He hopes so.
I hope so too.
The End
If you loved Dane,
you’ll love his best friend’s story in Malfeasance!
K Webster’s Taboo World
Cast of Characters
Brandt Smith (Rick’s Best Friend)
Kelsey McMahon (Rick’s Daughter)
Rick McMahon (Sheriff)
Mandy Halston (Kelsey’s Best Friend)
Miles Reynolds (Drew’s Best Friend)
Olivia Rowe (Max’s Daughter/Sophia’s Sister)
Dane Alexander (Max’s Best Friend)
Nick Stratton
Judge Maximillian “Max” Rowe (Olivia and Sophia’s Father)
Dorian Dresser
Drew Hamilton (Miles’s Best Friend)
Sophia Rowe (Max’s Daughter/Olivia’s Sister)
Easton McAvoy (Preacher)
Lacy Greenwood (Stephanie’s Daughter)
Stephanie Greenwood (Lacy’s Mother)
Anthony Blakely (Quinn’s Son)
Aiden Blakely (Quinn’s Son)
Quinn Blakely (
Anthony and Aiden’s Father)
Ava Prince (Lacy/Raven/Olivia’s friend)
Karelma Bonilla (Mateo’s Daughter)
Adam Renner (Principal)
Coach Everett Long (Adam’s friend)
River Banks (Olivia’s Best Friend)
Mateo Bonilla (Four Fathers Series Side Character)
Vaughn Young
Vale Young
K Webster’s Taboo World Reading List
These don’t necessarily have to be read in order to enjoy, but if you would like to know the order I wrote them in, it is as follows (with more being added to as I publish):
Bad Bad Bad
Coach Long
Ex-Rated Attraction
Mr. Blakely
Malfeasance
Easton (Formerly known as Preach)
Crybaby
Lawn Boys
Renner’s Rules
The Glue
Dane (Beginning of story from What Happens During the Holidays Anthology)
The Breaking the Rules Series:
Broken (Book 1)
Wrong (Book 2)
Scarred (Book 3)
Mistake (Book 4)
Crushed (Book 5 – a novella)
The Vegas Aces Series:
Rock Country (Book 1)
Rock Heart (Book 2)
Rock Bottom (Book 3)
The Becoming Her Series:
Becoming Lady Thomas (Book 1)
Becoming Countess Dumont (Book 2)
Becoming Mrs. Benedict (Book 3)
War & Peace Series:
This is War, Baby (Book 1)—BANNED (only sold on K Webster’s website)
This is Love, Baby (Book 2)
This Isn’t Over, Baby (Book 3)
This Isn’t You, Baby (Book 4)
This is Me, Baby (Book 5)
This Isn’t Fair, Baby (Book 6)
This is the End, Baby (Book 7—a novella)
2 Lovers Series:
Text 2 Lovers (Book 1)
Hate 2 Lovers (Book 2)
Thieves 2 Lovers (Book 3)
Alpha & Omega Duet:
Alpha & Omega (Book 1)
Omega & Love (Book 2)
Pretty Stolen Dolls Series:
Pretty Stolen Dolls (Book 1)
Pretty Lost Dolls (Book 2)
Pretty New Doll (Book 3)
Pretty Broken Dolls (Book 4)
The V Games Series:
Vlad (Book 1)
Ven (Book 2)
Taboo Treats:
Bad Bad Bad BANNED (only sold on K Webster’s website)
Easton
Crybaby
Lawn Boys
Malfeasance
Renner’s Rules
Coach Long
The Glue
Dane
Dirty Bits by Carina Press:
Ex-Rated Attraction
Mr. Blakely
Four Fathers Books:
Pearson
Four Sons Books:
Camden
Standalone Novels:
Apartment 2B
Love and Law
Moth to a Flame
Erased
The Road Back to Us
Surviving Harley
Give Me Yesterday
Running Free
Dirty Ugly Toy
Zeke’s Eden
Sweet Jayne
Untimely You
Mad Sea
Whispers and the Roars
Schooled by a Senior
B-Sides and Rarities
Blue Hill Blood by Elizabeth Gray
Notice
The Wild—BANNED (only sold on K Webster’s website)
The Day She Cried
My Torin
El Malo
Sunshine and the Stalker
Sundays are for Hangovers
Hale
Thank you to my husband. You make me smile every single day! I love you bunches!
A huge thank you to my Krazy for K Webster’s Books reader group. You all are insanely supportive and I can’t thank you enough.
A gigantic thank you to those who always help me out. Elizabeth Clinton, Ella Stewart, Misty Walker, Holly Sparks, Jillian Ruize, Gina Behrends, and Nikki Ash—you ladies are my rock!
Thank you so much to Misty for being my right-hand woman always and forever! You always help me whenever I need it most. You’re a great friend, an awesome lady, and one day I hope we can be tiny homes neighbors. One day we’ll meet and I may suffocate you with my cuddles of appreciation. Love ya, boo!
A big thank you to my author friends who have given me your friendship and your support. You have no idea how much that means to me.
Thank you to all of my blogger friends both big and small that go above and beyond to always share my stuff. You all rock! #AllBlogsMatter
Jenn Wood with All About the Edits, thank you SO much for editing this book. You’re amazing and I can’t thank you enough! Love you!
Thank you Stacey Blake for being amazing as always when formatting my books and in general. I love you! I love you! I love you!
A big thanks to my PR gal, Nicole Blanchard. You are fabulous at what you do and keep me on track!
Lastly but certainly not least of all, thank you to all of the wonderful readers out there who are willing to hear my story and enjoy my characters like I do. It means the world to me!
K Webster is the USA Today bestselling author of over sixty romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, dark romance, romantic suspense, taboo romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her hilarious and handsome husband and two adorable children, she’s active on social media connecting with her readers.
Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.
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