Page 40 of Fractured Empire

Even though the words are written, I can feel the sincerity in them.

Katya

How soon do you think this will be happening? I know we aren’t in a huge rush or anything, but I remember you said you wanted to have help with the kids as soon as possible.

My eyes scan the message twice and I don’t give myself much time to think about it. I want her here soon. No, I need her here soon.

Leon

Honestly? As soon as you think you can handle. Rayna and Apollo are a lot of help, but they have their own lives to get back to (even if they’d deny it). And I want the boys to have their home to themselves again eventually.

Until we add to it, a voice in the back of my head chimes.

The thought stirs something in me, and I remember that Katya wants children. Of course, I hadn’t forgotten such an important fact, but with everything going on, it hasn’t been at the forefront of my mind.

I love being a dad, and the idea of a new baby, of giving Bastian and Leo another sibling, makes me feel warm inside. A girl this time, perhaps. Well, not if my father’s genes have anything to do with it. But Katya’s mother has only had girls, so perhaps there’s some possibility for the two of us to have a daughter as well. I’d be just as pleased with another son, of course. But I think my boys would absolutely lose their little minds if they had a sister to dote on.

The image of a little blonde toddler, wearing a blue sundress and pigtails, running after her big brothers plays in the back of my mind and my heart nearly stops.

Katya

I don’t mind getting started as soon as feasible. I think I would get anxious with anticipation the longer we draw out the wait.

Katya

Not like cold feet or anything…just impatient and anticipatory if that makes any sense? I should probably warn you that impatience at silly things is one of my worst flaws. I’m patient with children and most people, of course. But as soon as I have to wait for news or a package being delivered? I’m moody.

I can’t help but snort at her warning.

Leon

If impatience is your worst flaw, we’re going to be perfectly fine, Katya. I can be moody as well, we’ll just have to learn to interact with each other’s moods as we go. But I’m glad to hear that you’re eager to get married soon. We can hammer out the details and plan a date tonight if you’re free? We could call so that it’s easier to talk.

Katya

Okay, I’m on board for that :)

Katya

What time do the boys go to bed?

I smile, grateful that she understands why I asked for tonight rather than right now. Sure, I could drop everything and leave Bastian and Leo under Rayna and Apollo’s care, but I try to spend as much time with them as I possibly can. Especially now while my Underboss duties have been lessened slightly. My brother Elio has been around, making sure everything runs smoothly, and with Apollo in my territory, no one has dared act up enough to force me to get involved.

When Cleo was alive, I needed to work a lot more. Until she was actively dying and couldn’t take care of the boys, I would work as much as I could from home while she was sick. But calling Elio in for a while has helped. He didn’t know exactly why I needed help with my position, but he didn’t need to ask questions to agree to help me. If I had asked Cassio, he would know something was up with me, and he would definitely ask questions.

I still haven’t had a sit-down conversation with Cassio since Cleo died, and that’s mostly on me. My brother lost a wife and a baby years ago, and he was devastated for every single day since, until he agreed to marry Ana Knight—our little sister’s best friend—to keep her safe after her family was attacked. He fell in love all over again, maybe even harder this time, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t crushed with grief before her.

He was a wreck, and I was his rock. But I can’t ask him to be mine in return now that my wife is gone too. Because Cassio was in love, and I was in emotional purgatory with Cleo. Our losses are nothing alike, and I wouldn’t even know how to start talking to him about it. Logically, I know he would understand that our situations are different. And still, I can’t make my brain work past it.

For now, having Apollo and Rayna close by is enough. And besides, there’s always our father. Dad would listen to any of us talk about whatever we need, whenever we need. He doesn’t judge us, and he certainly understands the complications of men going through grief. If I need to talk to anyone, it’ll probably be him.

Or maybe, it’ll be her.

Leon

Does 8:00 p.m. work for you?

Chapter Eighteen