Page 65 of Declan

I was starved for her.

I needed her so fucking bad I couldn’t do anything else but think about her.

Then why don’t you go after her, you stupid fuck?

“Hey.” At the sound of my sister’s voice, my fists clenched. “Mind if I sit down?”

With her arms full of her son, she motioned with her head to the chair across from me.

Emotion welled and I had to clear my throat before I could answer, “Yeah, have a seat. How are you?”

“Tired. I’d ask how you’re doing but it’s written all over your face.”

I had nothing to say to that so I remained quiet and studied my sister. Even tired, Violet looked happy. Every time I looked at her was a punch in the gut—twins separated and raised apart.

“He has our eyes,” she told me and I sucked in air.

My hand automatically went to my chest to rub away the ache. Violet had had our eyes, too.

“Dec?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you like to hold him?”

Fuck yeah.

“Nah, he’s sleeping.”

Violet’s bottom lip trembled, reminding me what a shit brother I was.

Before I could figure out what to say to my sister, there was a commotion behind me, and thank Christ, the moment was broken.

In my haste to escape Violet’s tears, I hadn’t considered that what came next could be worse than seeing Violet sad.

But it was.

I hadn’t even looked around yet and pinpricks of awareness raced over me.

I stood and turned. Emerson was hugging an older woman. A man stood at her side, his face twisted into what was supposed to be a smile, but it looked pained. Thad approached, his face set to cautious but open. When he reached the huddle, he offered his hand to the man.

I was too far away to hear what was said, but Thad nodded and smiled.

I took in their features, and it hit me those were Emerson and Autumn’s parents. Before I could stop myself, I moved across the yard searching for Autumn.

“…Can’t believe you’re here.” I caught the end of Emerson’s statement.

“Autumn told us the good news,” the woman said and I jerked to a halt.

Autumn had talked to her parents? My gaze went around the backyard again, hoping like hell if her parents were there, she would be, too.

“You must be Declan,” the man said and I startled at his question. “I’m Justin Pierce, Autumn and Emerson’s dad.”

The man thrust his hand in my direction. Not wanting to be rude, but very definitely wanting to get this over with so I could find Autumn, I took his hand in a firm shake.

“Declan Crenshaw.”

“That Ashaki was right,” the woman spoke, and suddenly the air around crackled.