Chapter 352

I ran my hands along the table. "So they are trying to use the kudzu again. Morgan is going to try to slip some into a drink for my mother that I hand her, so she doesn’t question it. And Brandon is going to try again, now that I work at the pack house. They want me to mate with him and get pregnant because they know if I have a pup, then everything would be given to the baby."

"And Brandon and Vince would have access to your money," Wendy finished, and I pointed to her.

"Exactly." I looked at my friends. "Then they said they would kill me. Shannon asked if Vince would be able to kill me, because I was so strong, and Morgan, the dumbass that he was, laughed. He said that Vince killed my dad. He could kill me."

Wendy waved her hands. "Wait." We both turned to her. "Your dad’s pack was supposedly taken out by rogues."

I smiled. "Exactly."

Toya stared down at the tabletop for a minute before she looked up. "So you are saying that Vince is somehow behind the rogue attacks?" I nodded.

"I mean, I already thought it, but this is the first time we have confirmation." I knocked on the table. "And-"

"Amy, you’re home." Little feet flew down the stairs and we all turned.

"Hey sweet pea." I opened my arms, conversation forgotten. "How’s your day been?"

Carly dove into my arms and crawled into my lap. "It’s been okay. Is dinner ready?"

I laughed. "Not yet. We just got the groceries."

Toya was staring at Carly, and she smiled. "What are you thinking, Aunty Toya?"

Toya jolted back, surprised at being caught by a six-year-old. "Nothing, pup, just surprised."

"Why? About what?" She poked.

Toya debated before she answered. "I’m just surprised that you are so comfortable with us already."

Carly’s face fell, but she nodded. "Does it make you feel bad?" She looked up, surprising all of us.

"No." Toya shook her head and came over and kissed her head. "Nothing you will do will make me feel bad." She knelt next to my chair. "I’m just worried about you. Do we make you feel uncomfortable?"

Carly thought about it for a while before she shook her head. "I know we just met…" She leveled Toya and Wendy with a look. "But I have seen you in my dreams for the last few years. I have seen you alone, with Amy, or others. I have seen your best times, your worst times, and all the stuff in between." She looked down at her tiny fingers. "I’ve lived this before. I miss my daddy, but…" She looked to me and I nodded.

"When you spend years getting ready for the pain, it doesn’t make it better, but it makes it almost easier." I looked at Toya. "If I had to relive my first life, knowing full well what was going to happen, it wouldn’t lessen the pain, but it would be easier to see it through." Toya considered my words and then nodded. "But I like my idea better. Revenge."

Wendy stood. "I’ll go get dinner ready." But she came over to Carly. "I’m happy that you are so comfortable with us." Carly smiled and watched her walk into the kitchen.

Toya stood and kissed her. "I am too. I just don’t want you to feel you have to be. You are allowed to mourn the way you need to." She turned. "I’ll help Wendy cook. Goddess knows the chick needs help with spice." Then she turned and left.

Carly wiggled down and was about to leave when I called after her. "Before you go, I want to give you something." I pulled out the bag that I kept hidden and handed it to her.

She looked at me with wide eyes and crouched over the bag. "What’s this?"

"A present. Open it." She squealed and pulled the bear out of the bag. She held it out and looked him over. "He’s wearing a flannel, like Daddy." I nodded. She pulled him to her chest. "I love him." She squeezed the bear tightly.

"Hey baby girl." Carl’s voice crackled from the bear. "I love you so, so much. I know I’m not there where you can see, but I am always with you." Her eyes snapped to mine, and she squeezed the bear again. "Hey, baby girl."

"Daddy…" She buried her head into the bear. Toya and Wendy both came out of the kitchen and watched Carly hug the bear. "Is that really Daddy? His voice?" She looked up at me with eyes full of tears.

I crouched down next to her. "Do you think I would do all this just to lie and say it was his voice?" I shook my head and I rubbed her cheek. "I called for him to help, and he showed up. We were sure it was going to work, but whether it was magic, or the goddess, we got his voice."

She squeezed the bear again and closed her eyes when Carl’s voice rang out. "Hey, baby girl."