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“Fuck”

Maybe But that didn’t stop his slew of regrets Visions of a precious little girl with raven hair and big blue eyes, just like her h his brain She’d be inquisitive, headstrong, and need his protection He could al her on his back for pony rides or see her yawn as he tucked her into her frilly pink bed and kissed her little button nose good-night

Or would they have had a boy? Ha his eyes as he pictured a little imp with Raine’s eyes and a mischievous sreen yard and rolled around in autus and worrin

Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Ha in his head

None of that would happen now

Grief sat on his chest like an elephant

Haainst the wall Until this e how much he yearned to be a father, a role model, a defender And how much he wanted all that with Raine

With a feords, Liaed to dash all those hopes

Has happened for a reason And he knehat that was: Raine deserved better than him He’d had years to claim her, but he hadn’t tackled his fears and seized the opportunity Now he could onlyabout ould never be

With a curse, he jerked three bottles of wine off their rack, turned on his heel, and braced himself to see relief in Raine’s eyes

As he entered the dungeon again, she carried the turkey, all sliced and steae and bared thighs he reether in pursuit of pleasure God, would he ever look at her and not crave the chance to make her his own?

Hammer looked Raine’s way Her red-ri Not in the last ten minutes or her nose would be red, too But recently Their stares locked for a moment Her chin trembled Those blue eyes looked so tormented withwhat?

Before he could decide, she jerked aith a frown and set the turkey on the table Then she pasted on an overly bright smile “Come on, everyone Time to eat”