Page 64 of Harboring Shantae

"They're disowning you." Camron pinched the bridge of his nose as he continued to read the papers.

She didn't care what else it said. It was like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. If they were disowning her, then they couldn't try to control her anymore. She was free. For the first time since she was born, she was free. Just like she always wished. Too bad her grandparents weren't there to see it happen.

"Ah, why are you smiling?" Camron asked when he finally looked up at her.

"Because I'm happy."

"You're happy your parents disowned you?"

He looked genuinely confused.

"Absolutely." She grabbed the papers and tossed them on the entryway table. "This means they won't be a part of our lives. I'm free to not worry that at some point they will swoop in and cause us problems. Their problems are no longer our problems. They did us a favor."

She could see the moment it really sunk in.

"We're free of your family."

"We sure are."

"I say this calls for a celebration." Camron picked her up and spun around. He raced up the stairs and dropped her unceremoniously onto the bed. He wasted no time peeling off both of their clothes and sliding into her. She moaned at how full she felt.

Shantae was exactly where she was meant to be.

Epilogue 2

Somethingwaswrongwithhim. For a month, he couldn't get Maddie out of his head. He tried to downplay it, but Trista was right. He was hung up on a woman because she was the one to walk out of his bed and not look back.

His bed.

Ray wasn't conceited. He knew that there were women who only used him for a good time, and normally, he would be completely on board with it. Except it was him walking away when he was ready. Now he was getting a dose of his own medicine. He had fallen asleep with her in his arms, only to wake up completely alone. Not even a goodbye note or thanks for the good time.

He probably could've handled it if it was just that. Maybe some boring sex, but no. Maddie had to rock his world and make him actually want to stay around and get to know her. Now he was ruined for other women. The first three women he tried to take home after that didn't do anything for him, so he stopped trying. Trista was probably getting a laugh at the fact that there were no more Ubers of shame. His home had never been so lonely.

Hence the reason he was out grocery shopping instead of sitting at a bar hitting on his latest conquest. Drinking, with no prospect of a fun night, was boring, but sitting at home again didn't appeal to him.

It was the fourth time he'd walked down the same pasta aisle. There were only two things in his cart and there was a good chance the manager would be calling the police soon because his behavior could certainly be considered suspicious. At least one person probably thought he was going to rob the place.

Ray was turning down the next aisle when shiny black locks caught his attention. He would recognize that hair anywhere. He had envisioned running his fingers through it on more than one occasion. More like so much that it was borderline stalkerish.

He gravitated in her direction before he could fully understand what his body was doing. Maddie wanted nothing to do with him. She had made that very clear. And yet he couldn't stop himself. He needed to speak with her even if it would be the last time.

"Maddie?"

His voice shook. He would be embarrassed if he wasn't so damn desperate to catch just one glimpse of her. Her entire body froze, and that made him feel even worse.

Ray was convinced she was going to walk away, or maybe it was all just in his head and the woman in front of him wasn't who he thought. Maybe she was a mirage his mind conjured up, since he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Then she turned around and once again his heart did the stupid flipping thing it had done that first night they met. It was a feeling he wanted to both run from and pull close at the same time.

"Ah ... Ray. What are you doing here?"

Was that fear in her voice? Why did she sound afraid to see him in public and what was with the shifty eyes, like she was looking around to see if someone would see them?

Oh. Shit.

Was she married? In a relationship? He quickly looked down to where her hands rested on the cart handle. An audible sigh escaped his lips when he didn't see a ring. Just like he hadn't the night they were together.

So then why did she look uncomfortable, ready to bolt at just the sight of him?