The door finally opens, and as I take in her face, I’m fucking blown away. She’d be twenty-four now, and she’s just as perfect as she was when I met her as a kid.
Her mouth instantly drops and she stares at me wide-eyed before gaping over my shoulder at the boys. “What the actual fuck?” she breathes before finally believing what she's seeing and throwing herself out the door.
Ocean crashes into me, and I hold her tight for a long, drawn-out moment but knowing that I’m on a timer, I pull back and make it quick.
“I couldn’t go into hiding without seeing you first,” I explain.
“But … what?”
I laugh. “We kinda planned a prison escape,” I explain. “Figured that I’d done enough time.”
“You’re an idiot,” she tells me before looking down at the boys and calling out. “You’re all fucking idiots. You’re going to get caught, you know that, right?”
I shake my head. “Nah, I’m too good for that.”
“Who’s at the door, Mommy?” comes a sweet little voice from just inside the door.
Ocean glances back and holds out her hand, and the tiniest little princess walks straight into her side. “Hey, my sweet girl,” she says, curling her arm around her baby and holding her close to her side. “You know all those stories I tell you about your Uncle Nic? Well, this is him,” she explains, making my heart swell as I look down at the girl who wears a much younger version of her mother’s smile. Ocean looks back at me. “I can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting to introduce you to my daughter,” she tells me. “Nic, meet my baby girl, little Storm.”
My mouth drops and I instantly drop down onto one knee before the little girl, loving the way she looks at me with such love already. Her mother's stories must have made me out to be some kind of hero. “Hi there, I’m—”
Storm crashes into me, throwing her little arms around my neck as Ocean watches on with tears in her eyes. I can’t believe I didn’t know about this. I can’t help but glance back at the boys, who all cringe. They have some serious explaining to do, but that’s not what’s important right now.
I pick up the little girl and hold her in my arms as I look back at Ocean. “How are you?”
“Good,” she tells me, holding up her hand and showing off the magnificent ring that would be visible from space. “We’re getting married in a few months, but I’m guessing that you won’t be able to attend?”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry, girl, but you have no fucking idea how happy I am for you.”
Little Storm gasps, her eyes wide and for a moment, I wonder if I’ve hurt her until she bursts into laughter. “Uncle Nic said a bad word.”
My eyes bug out. “Oh, shit. I did.”
“And you just did it again,” Ocean laughs.
The sweet baby girl falls back into her mother’s arms, and I take a step back. “What have you been up to? Did you go to college like you always wanted?”
“I sure did,” she tells me. “I graduated just last year and finally got to take over the foundation. We’ve saved nearly a thousand kids from online predators and monsters since starting six years ago. I mean, you have no idea how many kids go to bed each night without a roof over their heads, but we’re slowly helping them, and the more children that we return to their parents, the better.”
“You really are incredible,” I tell her. “I always knew you would be.”
“Yeah,” she scoffs in disbelief. “And you’re out of prison.”
I suck in a breath, deciding it’s time to get serious. “People are going to come asking you questions about me.”
She nods and steps back into me before pushing up onto her tippy-toes and pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I’ve got your back, just as I always have,” she tells me. “If anyone comes looking, I never saw you.”
I wink and turn back to the stairs before taking the first three, feeling her eyes on my back. I turn back, knowing she’s still watching. “Did I remember to tell you how much I love you?”
Ocean laughs and waves her hand. “Get lost before I have every cop in the state busting down my door, you big idiot.”
I laugh and make my way down the steps, heading back to my boys. As they look up at me with shit-eating grins on their faces, I realize that not a damn thing has changed since the days of sitting in my busted up car, hotboxing the fucker with my best friends at my side.
I get to the bottom step and instantly take the keys out of Sebastian’s hand before dropping into the driver’s seat and taking off like a fucking rocket. I leave the three fuckers behind, gaping at the back of the car as they realize they’re stranded. That’ll teach them to keep such a massive secret from me.
As for now, it’s back to business.
I have one more score to settle, and this one is going to be my favorite by far.
Rejects Paradise Series Playlist
Game of Survival - Ruelle
I’m Gonna Show You Crazy - Bebe Rexha
Nightmare - Halsey
Never Tear Us Apart - Bishop Briggs
Bird Set Free - Sia
Helium - Sia
Dusk Till Dawn - Zayn feat Sia
Heaven - Julia Michaels
Graveyard - Halsey
Bad Bitch - Bebe Rexha
Love Drug - G-Eazy feat Halsey
Hurricane - Tommee Profitt
Unloveable - Delacey
Power - Isak Danielson
Cruel Intentions - Delacey feat G-Eazy
Not Afraid Anymore - Halsey
Unstoppable - Sia
Monsters - Tommee Profitt
Can’t Help Falling In Love - Tommee Profitt
Angel Cry - G-Eazy feat Devon Baldwin
Bad At Love - Halsey
Creep - G-Eazy feat Ashley Benson
In The End - Tommee Profitt
Wicked Game - Daisy Gray
Haunted - Beyonce
Gasoline - Halsey
I Feel Like I’m Drowning - Two Feet
Twisted - Two Feet
Wild Horses - Bishop Briggs
The Fire - Bishop Briggs
Killer - Vallerie Broussard
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it, please leave a review.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HR8V5NH
For more information on Rejects Paradise, find me on Facebook or Instagram –
www.facebook.com/SheridanAnneAuthor
www.instagram.com/Sheridan.Anne.Author
Coming Soon…
Missing Nic already?
Catch his story.
Coming March 21, 2021
https://www.amazon.com/ /dp/B08CVPR8H1
Author Biography
Sheridan Anne is a wife to a smart-ass husband, Mumma to two beautiful girls, twin sister, daughter, and friend who lives in beautiful Australia. Sheridan writes both romance and young adult fantasy books on a variety of topics and can be found on most days with her family or writing during naptime. To find out more or to simply say ‘hello’, connect with her on Facebook or Instagram -
www.facebook.com/SheridanAnneAuthor
www.instagram.com/Sheridan.Anne.Author
Other Series by Sheridan Anne
www.amazon.com/Sheridan-Anne/e/B079TLXN6K
Young Adult / New Adult - Romance
The Broken Hill High Series (5 Book Series + Novella)
Haven Falls (7 Book Series + Novella)
Broken Hill Boys (5 Book Novella Series)
Aston Creek High (4 Book Series)
Rejects Paradise (4 Book Series)
New Adult Romance
Kings of Denver (4 Book Series)
Denver Royalty (3 Book Series)
Rebels Advocate (4 Book Series)
Urban Fantasy - Pen name: Cassidy Summers
Slayer Academy (3 Book Series)
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Ride or Die: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rejects Paradise Book 4) Page 38
