242 Epilogue Part 2

"NO!" went Sapphire and the peanut gallery.

I jumped up just as Gus stomped towards Chase and Sapphire grabbed onto one of Chase's broad shoulders.

Chase, to his credit, didn't even budge. He just lowered his heavy brows, ducked his chin down, and spread out his arms as though readying to catch a charging bull.

"DON'T YOU DARE, DAMASCUS!"

Gus tripped to a halt at his full name. Just as I had when he was young, I only ever used it when he was in trouble.

"Don't talk to me like that, woman," he growled.

"Oh, you did not - " I kicked his shin, softly I'll have you know, but Gus acted as though I'd broken his leg anyway. I did hip bump him hard just as he leaned onto one leg and managed to throw off his balance. He gave me a real glare for that, but I was too busy smiling at my first son-in-law. Kel had been a hopeless cause as she delighted in scaring away any suitors with her sheer ferocity. Being raised among boys could do that, I suppose.