Marley Abigail Vance was born at 3:54 p.m. on April 27th, precisely nine months after Aesthetic Ruin’s last tour stop in Los Angeles the year before.

Iris gazed down at her daughter’s sleeping face and felt a rush of love like nothing she had ever felt before . . . and she knew love. Her daughter was utter perfection from the miniature version of her dad’s lips to her tiny toes, and Iris was in awe. And utterly head over heels.

It hadn’t been an easy delivery, but she doubted any mother on earth would say otherwise. She’d opted for a natural birth, wanting to feel everything about bringing her daughter into the world, even though Sara told her she was insane. Even Elijah had gotten a frown on his face whenever she’d talked about it. But he’d supported her wishes, staying by her side through every grueling contraction, letting her squeeze his hands without complaint even though she could feel his bones creaking with her force.

Having Sara and Eli in the same room was still an experience. Sara had never quite gotten used to him, and her face always lit up like a Christmas tree—one with red bulbs—when she was around him. Probably remembering all the naughty things she’d said about him to Iris. But Iris couldn’t hold any grudges. The man was hot. All was forgiven.

Dylan and Seger were ecstatic over their new baby sister. Seger had announced way back that he didn’t want another little brother to pester him, he wanted a sister he could protect. And Dylan, he just couldn’t wait for her to grow up a little so he could teach her to play video games. Right now they were at their mom’s, who had actually sent over a gift from a high-end children’s boutique.

Heidi was most likely feeling generous because she and Nic had happily announced their own addition to the family was forthcoming, so Seger and Dylan didn’t know what to do with themselves with all the new babies. They didn’t know yet if this one would be a boy or a girl.

“Do you think you need to rest?” Eli asked, stepping closer to gently brush the hair back from her forehead. He’d been fussing over her all evening.

“I think I’m running on pure adrenaline right now,” Iris said. “I’m okay. I’ll sleep tonight.”

“Get all the sleep you can in the hospital, honey,” Eli’s mother said from across the room where she and Sara had been chatting. “Once you get home, sleep goes out the window.”

“I know. But I can’t stop looking at her.” Iris was totally enamored with her baby girl, afraid to miss a single thing. Every twitch, every coo, was a thing of wonder. Hers. This was hers. She and Elijah had done this, made this together. She softly stroked her baby’s one little tuft of dark hair and looked up into her husband’s eyes.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

His dark brows drew together. “For what? You did all the work,” he said.

“Raised a smart one, I did,” Abby laughed. “At least he realizes that. Men only get the fun part of making babies.”

“Mom,” Eli groaned.

“Well. It’s the damn truth.”

Sara cracked up. “I like you.”

But Eli wasn’t about to have his competency as a father questioned. “I’ll make sure she gets enough sleep, Mom. I’m rusty but I still remember what to do.”

“Iris, Elijah was sleeping through the night by the time he was three weeks old, so maybe she’ll take after him. The kid loved his sleep.”

“God knows Seger didn’t. I don’t think that boy sleeps through the night to this day.” It still made Iris sad that he had to leave Dylan out when speaking of his genetics being passed on. But it wouldn’t be much longer before the adoption went through. That would be another happy day to look forward to.

“You can always hire a nanny,” Sara suggested, laughing. She probably wasn’t prepared for the sharp, simultaneous glares Iris and Eli sent her; she actually recoiled.

“No,” they both said at once, then looked at each other and laughed. Eli leaned over and kissed Iris on the forehead.

“Hey, I’ve got the best in the business already,” he said.

“Hold on, there, Mr. Vance. I’m not on the clock anymore.”

The love in his eyes, the love she had never once failed to see, shone even brighter as he looked down at her cradling his newborn daughter in her arms. Iris was sore and exhausted and had never been happier in her entire life, but she found room for a little more joy every time she saw him looking at her that way. It had all been worth it, just as he’d promised it would be. The signs had been there, pointing this way all along, and she couldn’t express in words how grateful she was for him and everything he’d given her.

“My own built-in nanny,” he teased, lightly touching his daughter’s pink cheek. “I’m joking. But how lucky she is to have you for a mother. The luckiest little girl in the world.”

It was the sweetest thing he could have said to her. Emotions and hormones warred inside her, pushing tears out of her eyes. “I love you so much. And I think she’s just as lucky to have you as a dad.”

“You both did good,” his mother said warmly. She smiled at Iris as she said it. Over the last few months, Abby had become the mother Iris had always wished she had.

Finally, she had the family she had always wanted, in the last way she had ever expected to find it.

Marley’s little eyes opened, dark right now even though Iris expected they might lighten as she grew. Her mom’s clear blue or her dad’s sparkling green? It would remain a mystery for now. Mother and daughter assessed each other for a long time, momentarily in their own little world. Marley’s fingers closed around one of Iris’s with a surprisingly firm grip.

“Hey there, baby girl,” she cooed. “I love you.”

She could have sworn the baby smiled, even though it would be weeks before that would happen for real. Eli leaned over to watch her, every bit as enchanted with her as Iris was.

“She’s all you, baby,” he said. “She looks just like you.”

“Your lips, though. A little carbon copy.”

“Let’s hope to God she doesn’t have his lungs,” Abby said, making them all laugh. “And his foul mouth.”

Iris hoped Marley had as much of her dad as was possible. Maybe not the foul mouth. But even with it, she loved him with all her heart, and he deserved to see himself in his children, too.

“Oh look,” Sara said as she thumbed through her phone. “It’s already hit the fansites and social media.”

Once upon a time, that would have filled Iris with dread. Now it filled her with pride. “Good or bad?” Eli asked.

“All good. Congratulations all around.” Not that Sara would tell Iris right now about any petty jealousy that might be going around. She’d learned that most of Elijah’s fans, his true fans, only wanted him to be happy. Nothing else mattered.

She would devote her life to that cause.

Smiling at her daughter, then at her beaming husband, she felt peace suffuse her. So far, so good, and she knew it would only get better from here.

About the Author:

New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Cherrie Lynn has been a CPS caseworker and a juvenile probation officer, but now that she has come to her senses, she writes contemporary and paranormal romance on the steamy side. It’s much more fun. She’s also an unabashed rock music enthusiast, and loves letting her passion for romance and metal collide on the page.

When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, listening to music or playing with her favorite gadget of the moment. She’s also fond of hitting the road with her husband to catch their favorite bands live.

Cherrie lives in East Texas with said husband and their two kids, all of whom are the source of much merriment, mischief and mayhem. You can visit her at or at the various social networking sites. She loves hearing from readers!

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Also Available:

Unleashed

Rock Me

Breathe Me In

Leave Me Breathless

Light Me Up

Take Me On

Watch Me Fall

Breathless

Raw Deal

Raw Need

Raw Heat

Sweet Disgrace

Far From Heaven

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