Beautiful Broken Promises(108)
I almost cringed when the needle touched the back of my neck, but I was able to maintain a stoic yet relaxed face in front of my anxious crew. After a few minutes of the buzzing sound across my skin, Kate finally let out a deep breath. I watched as she realized I wasn’t being tortured and that this was something it was time to do for her brother.
Ash had once written Kate’s name out across the back of my neck. I wanted a piece of both of her parents to show my love for her. It was only right to do the same for my son. And Raegan needed to be the one to write out his name.
My son. Those words still blew my mind.
The formal adoption papers had finally come in the mail this past week. Raegan had officially adopted Kate, and I had done the same with Braden. I wasn’t surprised when Adam had readily terminated his parental rights, even though Rae had been worried we’d have to fight him. It wasn’t hard to convince him though. I put a little extra on his prison commissary tab and, just like that, he signed over his son. Disgusting bastard.
Our family was now legal. Raegan and I had gone to the courthouse and said our vows not long after the whole Adam debacle. I’d protested and said that we should have a big affair because she deserved to be spoiled, but she swore up and down that wasn’t what she wanted. All she wanted was to work on the adoptions and we had to be married for that to happen.
My mom kicked my ass from New York to Texas when she found out I was married in a courthouse. She even traveled the fifteen hundred miles just so she could frown at me while she made me help her unpack. She and my dad bought a little house in the same town where we lived after he retired from the force and joined the County Sheriff’s office to work alongside Mack. Mom would never let him putter around the house in retirement; they would drive each other nuts. I loved that they lived so close to us and the kids loved having their grandparents nearby, who did everything in their power to spoil them rotten.
“You done back there?” I asked over my shoulder.
“Lane!” Rae hissed. “Do not rush him!”
“I’m antsy, babe.”
“The plane doesn’t even leave for another six hours. We can’t get there any faster,” she laughed.
“Maybe we could ask them if they have any flights going out sooner?” I asked, grasping at straws. She mouthed ‘no’ to me and I lowered my head back down to my chest in defeat.
“Dude, I can’t believe you’re getting a tattoo right before you head to the beach,” I heard Jace’s voice from behind me.
“Uhh…. I have to advise against that,” James, the tattoo artist, said between the buzzing sounds of his machine.
“I’ll be fine.” I shrugged it off without actually moving my shoulders.
“Yeah, my dad is strong!” Braden cried out. I reached out my fist and bumped knuckles with the little dude.
My front door opened and closed a few more times, and I knew the whole gang was here now. I paid the tattoo artist extra to come to the house. I didn’t feel right about taking Kate and Braden to a tattoo shop. There was no telling what the other artists would be tattooing or piercing on their clients. The kids weren’t old enough for that talk yet.
“Hey!” Audrey called out. She walked into my view and held out her arms for Braden. “It’s the big day, huh?”
“Yeah! That’s my name, Aunt Audrey. It’s gonna be there for-ev-er!” I loved how he had enunciated that last word.
“That’s right, you’re stuck with me for the rest of your life, bud,” I said.
“Hey doll, guess what?” Braden asked. The whole room burst into laughter. Braden had taken to using my nickname for her a few months ago and it still made us all laugh.
“What, love?” Audrey responded.
“Mama and I get new last names now! I get to be Braden Parker!” he cried.
Braden really had opened up and was becoming quite outgoing, just like his sister. Who, by the way, was currently cuddled up in Jaxon’s arms. Those two had built a pretty solid bond and anytime they were both in the same room, she suckered him into holding her until I would finally have to go steal my daughter back.
“That’s right, buddy, you’re mom is finally admitting who she belongs to.” I eyed Raegan playfully and tried to tamp down my libido. When Raegan and I had said our vows, she decided not to take my last name until Braden could officially have it as well. I couldn’t argue with the idea of not leaving Braden behind, but I also couldn’t help the caveman inside of me that wanted his woman to be branded with his last name. When I thought about her being Raegan Parker, I needed to rip her clothes off and christen the marriage all over again.