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“Cage!” Ella calls out. “Syrena’s here!”
“What?” a voice roars from upstairs.
A loud banging noise follows, and someone storms down so hard it feels as if there’s an earthquake happening right now. Like a bunch of elephants are having a disco.
Except it’s just him … and his footsteps are coming right toward me.
I have no time to prepare for the massive arms pulling me into his embrace, practically choking me into a hug.
“Syrena, fuck … you’re here,” he growls, hugging me so tight I feel as if I might pass out.
“Can’t … breathe,” I mutter into his chest.
“Oh, right. Sorry.” He puts me down on the floor, and I suck in some oxygen.
“Are you hurt?” he asks.
“No, I’m fine.”
“Did he hurt you?” His voice darkens.
“No … but it’s a long story,” I say.
“What does that mean?” he asks.
“That it was a bumpy ride getting here,” Ella replies.
“A what?” he growls, making me laugh.
“I’ll explain,” I say, sighing. “I just don’t even know where to start.”
“Sit, sit,” Ella says, “I’ll make us some tea, so we can catch up.”
She goes into the kitchen as Cage directs me to sit with him on the couch in their living room. When she comes back with tea and cookies, she tells me how she and Cage escaped and how they fell in love. I adore the story and can’t wait to hear more, but she asks me about mine too. So I tell them everything that happened to me. From beginning to end, no details are left unmentioned. Except maybe the few times we had sex and just how dirty it was … because fuck, whoever can talk about those things without blushing like crazy?
“So you’re with him now?” she asks when I’m done talking. “Like … a couple?”
I rub the back of my head. “Well, sort of.”
“You want to stay with him?” she asks.
“I think so … yes,” I say, smiling. “I don’t think I could live without him at this point, to be honest.”
“Definite yes then,” she muses.
Guess I’ve already made up my mind then. I’m going back with Chase. For a minute there, I was almost doubting whether I should, if I even could, but now that I’ve finally come here and talked to them, I’m only more convinced I belong with him.
I love these guys—they were everything I had for a moment in time—but we’ve all moved on. We all have our own lives now … and that’s okay.
We’re free and happy. Just as we should be.
“She’s blushing,” Cage says.
“No, I’m not!” I hiss.
Ella giggles. “It’s okay. I get it. Love works in mysterious ways.”
I snort. “Can you be any more cheesy?”
“Way more,” she retorts.
“Anyway, he’s good to me. Or at least, he tries.”
“Hey, I’m not complaining. It’s great that you’ve found a place to call home.” She places a hand on my lap. “As long as you’re happy. That’s all I want for you.”
I smile. “Thank you. I … I think I am, actually. I don’t wanna be anywhere but around him.”
I wasn’t sure at first because I felt so guilty for having these feelings for Chase, but the more time I spend with him, the more that guilt begins to fade.
“Good,” she replies. “And don’t forget, you’re always welcome here. And so is he.” She clears her throat. “Maybe you can even bring him to meet us sometimes. Only when you’re comfortable, of course. Someday, when you feel like it.”
I agree. Today isn’t the day, but maybe someday. “Sounds good,” I say.
Suddenly, I hear the noise of a crying baby coming from above. Ella immediately jumps up and says, “Oh, be right back!”
She runs up the stairs and then comes back down again slowly. A baby makes some noise, but she shushes it softly, humming a song. “Syrena …” she says as she stands in front of me. “Meet Forest.”
I smile as she places the little boy in my hands. He’s so big already, yet still so small compared to my hands. His head fits snuggly into my palm, and the soothing sounds of his mother’s voice have lulled him straight back to sleep.
“He’s sweet,” I say.
“An angel,” she says.
“My boy,” Cage says proudly.
We all chuckle, and Ella takes him from my hands again after a while and places him back into the crib upstairs.
“There … he’s asleep again.,” she says.
“Did you have him after … being free?” I ask.
“Yeah. Although, I got pregnant in the compound,” she says, and I can hear the pain in her voice. “But it’s okay. I love him and Cage to bits.”
She sits down on the couch again, and I think they’re hugging.
I just can’t help but think about how much of a family they are … and how I’m still keeping this giant secret from them. They should know. I just never know when the right time is to tell them, and it’s making my heart palpitate.
