"Well," Benji said, leaning on the table, his gaze on Rick's. "I wanted to say I don't appreciate you manipulating Angie into making that video-"

"I'm not talking about that," he said, cutting Benji off, his eyes narrowing. "We can discuss it in court."

Lucy's nails bit into her palms at his callous attitude as Benji slowly nodded. "Fine, since you were so gracious to show us what evidence you are bringing to court, we wanted to show you ours. You aren't the only one who can hire a PI."

When Benji slid the file across the table, Lucy loved the look of pure fear that settled in Rick's eyes. "What's that?"

"A file on Amy Masters, who lives in Franklin with your twin boys. You'll find it to be very thorough. It also has information on how you've been taking money out of your mom's account and your personal account with Heidi and depositing it into Amy's account for your children. Pictures of you going to see said children, who are only maybe three? Children who would have been conceived while you actually were still married to me..." Lucy said slowly, Rick's eyes meeting hers. "There is a statement from Amy where she tells the PI that you work in Nashville a lot and can't always come home to her and the boys. That you two haven't gotten married yet because you are in the middle of a nasty divorce with your ex. Funny thing, it was as true when she got pregnant as it may be now."

Rick opened the file to see a picture of him sitting on a bench with Amy, their boys playing in the sandbox nearby. He shut the file and looked back at them. "So, you're blackmailing me? I don't show the video and this goes away?"

"Oh, no," Lucy said, feigning surprise. "Never. We are just reminding you that if you show, we show. While, yeah, it's gonna suck getting out of the fucking custody mess you caused, everyone will know that you are not only married to Heidi with a daughter the same age as the one you're fighting over, but you also have a girlfriend with twin boys that your wife knows nothing about."

"I mean, the video is bogus anyway. All it will cause is an investigation and I'll be exonerated in the end. But the fact you are putting money into another account without the knowledge of your wife or your mother is stealing, fraud even. I'm sure that won't go over well, especially if they press charges," Benji added and Rick's eyes narrowed.

Looking away, Rick sucked in a deep breath and shook his head. Lucy watched as he thought over his words, and she wanted to laugh how the cocky asshole was shaking in his boots. She was disgusted by him. She always knew he was a bad guy, but she had thought there might be a good guy underneath. She was wrong. So wrong, and as she watched the man she had loved at one point in her life struggle, all she could do was feel sorry for him.

He was pathetic.

When she looked over at Benji, he smiled, leaning over to kiss her temple before whispering, "We're okay."

She nodded. "We are."

When she looked back, Rick was watching them, venom in the depths of his blue eyes. "I hate you," he said, looking at Lucy, his eyes dark and full of malice. "I hate who you are, that you trapped me." He paused and Benji went to say something, but she held her hand to his leg, stopping him. "I don't like dealing with you. I want you to disappear more than I can even tell you. Your family has been a problem since the beginning, and now you have this guy you want to marry... Yeah, I'm done."

Her brows pulled together. The feelings were mutual, but what was he saying? "Done?"

"Yeah, listen, I don't care anymore," he said, sitting up and holding their gaze. She wasn't sure what he meant, but her heart dropped to her stomach as she watched him. "I hate doing this with you. Always fighting and having to see your smug face 'cause you think you're better than me. So, you know what? Do you want her?" he asked Benji, and Benji looked confused at the abrupt change in topic.

"Want who? Lucy? I've got her."

"No, Angie. You want her?"

Lucy looked bewildered as Benji nodded. "I mean...yeah. Yes, I do."

"Then take her," he said simply, like he was giving away a dog and not his firstborn. "I don't have the money for child support, obviously. And I was hoping if I got custody of her, boom, you'd be paying me. But now this is getting insane. My mom is saying she doesn't want me to fight anymore, and I just don't have the cash flow for it. The kid doesn't even like me. So if you want her, and you're cool with taking her, I'm honestly done."

Lucy's heart stopped as her eyes narrowed. "You put me through this, put Angie through this, so you could get child support money? For a child you don't even want?"

He shrugged as he held her gaze. "I don't like you. Anything to ruin your life is fine with me."

"But hurting a child, your child, in the process... That didn't matter?" she asked, tears spilling over her cheeks as she held his gaze. But Rick just shook his head. How could he do this? Who was this man she had made a child with?

This filth.

"It's over. I don't care," he said simply and then he stood up. Clearing his throat, he took their file, almost like he thought they didn't notice, before saying, "I'll see you Thursday, and we'll get the ball rolling."

"On what? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Come on, Lucy, keep up. I'm giving up my rights. I don't want her. I don't want to pay for her. I don't even want to deal with her. I'll always love her-I guess I'm supposed to-but she doesn't like me. She likes that guy. So you guys go ahead, be a happy little family."

She gasped as she looked up at him, unsure what the hell was really going on.

"Wait, are you serious? Just like that?" Lucy asked, her heart almost cracking her ribs it was beating so hard.

"What, you don't believe me?" he asked. He grabbed a pen from a passing waitress before taking a sheet of paper from the file. They watched as he wrote something and then signed it, laying it on the table. Tapping the file to the edge of the table, he nodded at them. "That's that. See you guys Thursday."

And then he walked away.

Like it was nothing.

Like he hadn't just agreed to give up his flesh and blood.

Reaching for the piece of paper, she read it through tear-filled eyes.

On Thursday, I, Rick Hart, will give up my rights so that Benji Paxton can adopt Angela Lynn Hart.

And then there was his signature and the date. That was it. Wide-eyed, she looked over at Benji. "What?"

He looked at the sheet, shaking his head. "Really?"

"Did that just happen?" she asked and Benji gulped beside her.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I think he just gave me Angie. Like, actually, gave her to me," he said, his voice breaking as her body went numb. Looking over at her, he smiled. "She'll be mine. Like, I'll be her dad. Her real dad-she'll have my name."

Her jaw was slack as she held his gaze, unable to process this. Who just gives their kid up like that? But then...who the hell cared? She wanted Rick gone, and he'd be gone. But above all that, Benji would be Angie's dad. Well, if he wanted her.

"You want her, right?"

"Fuck yeah," he laughed and then his face lit up, tears flooding his sweet, gray eyes. "Lucy, we'll be a real family. All of us. One."

As her tears rolled off her jaw and onto her lap, she cupped his beautiful face. Her heart was in her throat. She couldn't believe it. While she hated Rick with everything inside of her, she could honestly kiss him for making Benji this happy. For giving him everything he ever wanted.

What Lucy wanted.

A good man to love her daughter.

Their daughter.

Around the lump in her throat, she whispered, "We've always been a family, but now it will be official."

Covering her hands with his, he looked deep into her eyes. "Officially complete."

As their mouths met and Benji pulled Lucy into his lap, she couldn't believe that, at one point in her life, she didn't think she could ever love someone, that a man could complete her. As her mouth moved with Benji's, her heart slamming in her chest as his slammed back, she believed it. She believed that two lost souls had become a full one, no longer lost but together. And she believed with everything inside her that nothing could ever break them apart.

Her life was finally beginning.

And what a life it was about to be.

Four months later Everyone had come.

At least, the people who mattered to him.

As Benji looked around the room, Lucy's family-well, his too, now-stood front row, while his core Assassins teammates and their wives sat in the rows behind them. The room was full, a packed house. Even Lucy's dad was there. It wasn't just because he was their lawyer, but because they wanted him there. They wouldn't have gotten here if it weren't for him.

As Angie wiggled between them, her fingers laced with theirs, Judge Walker looked them over and smiled. It had been Angie's idea for all three of them to wear his hockey jersey, with his name on the back but her number. She was very insistent about having her number, not that Benji minded. He just wanted this day to come.

The day he became a father.

Again.

But this time, he wasn't some drunk the way he had been for Leary. No, he was going to be a good, solid father who would love Angie soberly until his dying day. It wouldn't be easy-he knew that because he was in love with her mother, the most headstrong pain in the ass he had ever met-but he wouldn't change a thing about her. He loved them both, and he was ready to start their lives together.

"Now, I have a petition here for the adoption of Angela Lynn Hart by Benjamin Walter Paxton, is that correct?"

Mark stood beside Benji and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Funny turn of events. Not that I'm complaining," the judge said, his face lighting up, and he wasn't kidding. Rick hadn't lied when he said he'd sign over his rights. Before the judge could even ask him if he wanted to consent to the new parenting plan, he'd volunteered that he wanted to give up custody, his rights, and everything to Lucy, as long as he didn't ever have to pay child support. The judge agreed for good reason, and Benji still couldn't believe it.

But he was fucking thankful.

Because that's where their story began.

As easy as it was to get here after Rick was out of the picture, the waiting game was what almost killed Benji. He would be lying if he said he wasn't scared, freaked out that, at any moment, Rick could change his mind, come back, and ruin everything. But they hadn't heard a peep out of him. Hadn't seen him or anything. It was like he fell off the face of the earth. It was ridiculous, but in a way, he didn't care. He'd wanted Rick gone, and he was gone. Now he just wanted to adopt his Angie.

And he was.

"Now, Angela, who is this man that is standing beside you?"

Angela beamed up at him as she swung their hands back and forth. "He's my dad."

Everyone aww'd behind them as Benji's eyes started to cloud with tears.

"Good, so you know that this man is your father. That it will be as if you are his flesh and blood?"

She nodded. "Yup. He's my dad."

Benji swallowed hard as the judge nodded, "That's right. Now, Mrs. Paxton, do you agree to this adoption?"

Before Lucy could answer, though, Benji heard Autumn in the back. "Did he say Mrs. Paxton to Lucy? Are they married?"

But Lucy just grinned, nodding her head as she swallowed. "Yes, sir, I do."

"And, Mr. Paxton, it is your wish to adopt Angela Hart?"

He almost couldn't speak his throat was so tight, but then she glanced up at him and grinned. A tear rolled down his face as he nodded, his voice hoarse as he said, "I want nothing more than to do that, your honor."

Angie giggled as she bounced on her heels, and when Benji met Lucy's love-filled gaze, his heart ached. They had all been so excited for this day. It was the big event of the year, especially since the Assassins had lost in first round of the play-offs to the Blackhawks. This was something to look forward to. While he was disappointed that he didn't have a run at the Cup, he was happy to have time with his girls.

The whole summer off while Lucy worked.

She was designing like crazy, and they had already decided she would need a bigger place before the New Year. As much as he hated to see her go from the backyard, he understood and was excited for her. Angie had done great in school, excelling in her classes, and she was awesome on the ice. She was the next Baylor, he decided, and just thinking of Baylor made him smile. She had announced her retirement the month before, and while he was bummed to see her go, he couldn't wait to meet the little bundle of joy she was carrying. Autumn was convinced it was a miracle baby, and everyone else agreed. They were all excited.

The way a family should be.

His family.

As Benji looked from Angie's profile to Lucy, he couldn't help but think of Ava and Leary. How he was going to make them proud by loving these two women with all the fierceness in the world. The guilt was still there in the background at being so happy, but he decided that was something he'd have to live with because he wasn't living without his girls.

As they signed the paperwork the judge had given Mark, Benji's hand shook so badly, but he was able to get his signature on the paper. He couldn't help but grin at Lucy as she signed too. They even had Angie sign below their names, and when she looked up at them, the future in her eyes, Benji had to do everything to keep it together.

When Mark handed back the paperwork, the judge stamped it and nodded, looking up at Benji, Lucy, and Angie.

"I'm going to metaphorically take off my judge's robes here for a second, since I know you to be good, Christian people. A child you raise will likely be your greatest contribution to God's kingdom, not your own acts. And I truly believe that a family is God's masterpiece. Benjamin, you are getting the gift of something truly special. A beautiful young lady who you will help mold into an adult who will mirror you and your wife," he said. He paused as lips curved, and Benji's body broke out in gooseflesh. He swore he heard Autumn ask once against if the judge had said wife, and he almost looked to Lucy. Hadn't she told her mother that they had to get married for this to happen? Before he could, though, the judge captured his gaze. "I am very proud of the three people I see in front of me, and I will never forget this case. I pray that you live long, happy lives-and that the teenage years don't drive you into the ground."

They laughed, Benji's face hurting from smiling so hard as he looked down at Angie. As much as he wanted to believe she would be a great teenager, he would never forget the story of Lucy Sinclair as one. Or hell, himself.

They were doomed.

But he didn't care as long as he was with Lucy, being doomed together.

"So let's get this started, huh?" the judge asked and they all grinned up at him.

Benji actually held his breath as he squeezed Angie's hand.

"By the power vested in me by the state of Tennessee, I approve this adoption by Mr. Benjamin Walter Paxton of Angela Lynn Hart, who will now be known as Angela Lynn Paxton. May God always be with your family."

Before his gavel could even hit the desk, Benji had Angie in his arms and she let out a whoop of excitement, hugging him tightly. Kissing her hard, he squeezed her as the room broke out in applause. Pulling back to look at him, she grinned, her green eyes twinkling as she asked, "So you're, like, really my dad now, right?"

"Really."

"And we're a family, right, Mom?" she asked Lucy as Benji wrapped her up too.

"Yes, honey, we are," Lucy cried, leaning against her husband.

"Cool," she decided, and they laughed, probably to keep the tears at bay.

"You know what that means, right?" he asked and Angie beamed.

"We're going to Disney World!"

"Yup."

"Yay!" Angie cheered as Benji's eyes flooded with tears.

Lucy eyed him. "But the real question is are we sleeping in the castle?"

"Pfft. I'm Benji Paxton, the leading scoring defensemen in the league-"