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“They’llget over it.You’reLupeRamos’sson—wait till they see you got her gifts, too.”
Adrianreenters and settles on the floor, making himself comfortable between my knees and resting his head against a thigh.Hetakes a deep breath. “Thatgirl is passed the fuck out.”
“So’sher daddy, so hush.”
“No, he’s not,”Shannonsays softly.Hescoffs. “Iwake up whenever she moves.”
Ibrush his bangs off his forehead. “She’ssafe, hon.We’reall here to watch her.”
“Whatif she runs outside again lookin’ for her?” he whispers. “Andnone of us realize it until it’s too late?”
“Shan, don’t think like that,”Iinsist. “Thenew locks are tight on all the doors.Eachof us have given her a stern talkin’ to so she doesn’t scare us or her daddy again.”
“Butshe needs her mama,Steph,”Shannonsays tearfully. “Ineed her, too.”
Hecovers his eyes.Myhand rests on his chest, where his heart beats so hardIthink it might be him subconsciously trying to push me away.
“She’llcome back,”Zakreassures softly.
“Whatif she doesn’t?”Shannon’shigh pitch breaks my heart.
“She’dbe stupid not to come back for you and y’all’s baby,”Isay. “Justsleep—you can’t think straight when you’re this exhausted.”
“HowcanIsleep, huh?Whenevery day my baby girl is asking for her mama andIcan’t tell her when she’ll be back?Ifshe’ll ever come back,” he blubbers.
Thetwins andIare silent, lettingShannonunload what he keeps bottled up tight during the day aroundDrea.Idon’t know if anything can console his tender heart.
Hisnew wife, his one and only walking out on him and their child…
Losinghalf of their entire world would make anyone shatter.
“Ican’t do this without her,”Shannonwails. “Ican’t.Iwon’t.”
“Giveher a little while,”Zakcoaxes. “Shewon’t stay gone forever.”
Shannon’scries make tears of my own well up in my eyes.
“C’mon, man,”Dreesays as he rises from the floor.Heholds out a hand. “Let’sget you in bed.I’llcuddle with ya, too.”
Shannonchuckles and lightly punchesDree’sarm as they head toward a hallway. “Don’ttempt me.”
Halfof a smile lifts my features for a split second before it all comes crashing down.Iset my flower on the coffee table beforeIclose my eyes and snuggle intoZak’sside with a yawn.
Heslips an arm behind my back, under my knees, and lifts me up from the couch.Iyelp in surprise, clinging onto him for dear life as he carries me down the other hallway into his room.Hegingerly lays me in his bed, pulling up the covers and tucking me in.
Heperches on the edge of the bed next to me, fingertips grazing my cheek. “Wedon’t deserve you.”
Iturn to kiss his palm, holding his hand to my cheek. “Ilove y’all.Iwouldn’t be anywhere else.”
“Iknow.Welove you, too.”
“Ijust don’t understand how she could do this to them,”Isay. “That’sher brand-new husband and little girl out there.Andshe just drops them like fucking nothing?”
“Wedon’t know what she’s going through,” he reasons.
Myhead shakes. “AllIknow is my best friend and his little girl are hurting.Ican’t forgive her for putting them through this.”
Zakdoesn’t say anything else, only pecks my forehead before ambling off for a shower.
