Samantha looked up, startled by the quiet honesty in her mother's voice. The laughter dimmed, as if the house itself leaned closer to listen.
Linda's eyes shimmered, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. "After everything that happened — the danger, the secrecy — I used to lie awake wondering if you'd ever find peace. But seeing you here, with them…" She gestured lightly toward Marcus, Kai, and Callum, her voice trembling with warmth. "You look alive again, sweetheart."
Samantha blinked rapidly. "Mom…"
James smiled beside her, one arm draped casually around the back of Linda's chair. "She's right. I've never seen someone look more at home surrounded by three men who could probably destroy a small mountain."
Kai leaned back, grinning. "We try to keep destruction strictly ornamental these days."
Marcus shot him a look. "You nearly blew up the wine cellar last week."
"Experiment," Kai said firmly. "Controlled chaos."
