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Just as I finish talking, the door to the room opens, and small steps sprint to me.
“Mr. Daddy, I want waffles!”
“Oh my god,” someone gasps, running after her in a mess of blonde hair and a pink dress. “Lia, come back here. I told you not to go in there.” Alexandra Delacroix, Xi’s sweet girlfriend, looks at me with wide eyes. “I’m so sorry…she’s so quick.”
Rachel stands by the door, holding Livie in her arms, and making sure to stay out of the room when she notices the body. They both insisted on being here, but their significant others categorically refused to let them in the room. Maybe they understand why now.
Lia is already climbing up my leg, and I pick her up quickly, forcing her head away and making sure there’s no way she can turn to see Nino’s body.
I walk out of the room, holding her close to my chest. “And we’re having waffles for dinner,” I conclude to everyone before closing the door.
I’m heading back down the stairs after putting the girls to sleep, when Billie finds me. I’m not sure where Caden is, but everyone still here is in the kitchen, so he might be there.
“You didn’t give me anything,” she says. Her eyes are red, her face puffy.
I can’t share her pain. Not only because I can’t empathize with her, but because there is too much anger in me. Mainly, there’s too much hope. Her situation is irreversible. I know I will find Kay. I have to.
“You’re grieving,” I tell her. “That’s plenty enough.”
“I want to avenge my sister, Nathan.” She shakes her head. “I—We…” She drags in a breath, her bottom lip trembling. “I told her I didn’t want to talk to her anymore. I told her to not call me until she left this life. I was so mad at her and now…” A sob bursts out of her, clearly uncontrollable. “And now she’s gone. My sister’s dead and the last thing I said to her was to stop talking to me. I hung up on her.”
I put a hand on her shoulder, trying to be comforting. But there’s no warmth emanating from me. No reassurance. I can’t offer those things. She’s come to the wrong guy.
“I’ll avenge Emma,” I say simply. “You do what you can to make peace with it.”
I don’t think that helps, but I have to keep moving forward. Billie is stuck, and I have to find the love of my life before a pain greater than hers enters my life.
I walk down the hall, nodding back to my guards who say hello to me. This house is a fortress. This is where I should have kept my wife and daughters. Where no one can get to them. Safe.
The front door opens, and my guard Enzo comes in.
“Boss,” he says. “Someone here for you.”
He steps to the side, and one of the million weights piling on my shoulders falls off.
“Would you look at that. He finally flew too close to the sun.”
I grit my teeth, wanting with everything I have to attack him back. That’s the kind of relationship we have. But I hold back, stay still. And I think he understands I have no intention of keeping the animosity going, so his tone changes.
“So I heard I’m an uncle now.”
My brother Jake doesn’t offer even the hint of a smile, but he’s here, and that’s all that matters. He even brought Jamie.
“You are. They’re sleeping.” I look at their tightly joined hands. He’s holding her like someone is going to snatch her away. “Were you too scared to leave her alone at home?”
“So one of your guards could go threaten her while I’m here? She stays by my side.”
Jamie huffs, pulling her hand away.
“I insisted on coming. In case you both forgot, I have my own experience with people I love being taken away by the Wolves,” she explains. “Hi, Nathan. I’m sorry about what happened. But just so we’re clear, your threats did nothing. I’m the one who convinced him to come.”
I nod. It’s a good thing she’s here. She will be helpful if my brother gives me a hard time.
She looks up at Jake from her petite form. “Come on. Let’s get to it. Time is precious.”
You wouldn’t guess Jake and I are brothers if not for our identical eyes. He’s bulkier than me, slightly shorter too. His hair is the blackest black, like Rose, whereas mine is a dirty blond. The twin’s skin complexion is a little darker than mine too. Despite my chiseled jaw, my features are softer than his. I’m the kind of predator that’ll lure you in to kill you. Jake is the kind you’ll know to stay away from. Well, apparently, Jamie didn’t.
I lead them to the kitchen. Caden and Billie are somewhere else in the house. I sent Lik away earlier, but Sam is back from his first stakeout at Vue Club. Everyone else but Rose and Rachel have their own tasks too.
