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“You can thank me for your niece now.” I smirk at him in jest.
He turns to face me, and his lips tip up into an unusual smile. “Congratulations,” he comments before dropping his mask into place, making me wonder if I imagined the smile.
He turns his attention away from us, and instead goes over to the safe room panel to let in the chaos.
ChapterSixteen
Will
Istroke over Eve’s hair; it has a slight kink in it, so I wonder if it will become wavy like her father’s and Keen’s. She opened her eyes to take a peek at us both before closing them and drifting off to sleep, but you couldn’t mistake the bright blue in them; she’s going to have her daddy’s eyes too.
The children and babies were full of excitement when the safe room door opened. Cyn came over and squeezed me and Eve so hard, Con had to tell her to loosen up her grip.
Sky was her usual fussy self and acted oblivious to the fact that she is pregnant herself. She was already telling Bren how much she would love a little girl after the baby she is pregnant with, which leads me to believe she knows the baby is a boy. She sits proudly on Bren’s lap while he strokes over her hair in a motion I’m convinced calms himself more than her.
“She looks just like you,” Con whispers from beside me.
I shake my head. “I was just thinking how much she’s like you. She’s identical to Keen when he was born.” He jolts behind me, and my heart aches to reassure him. “I love you, Con.” I turn my face toward his, and the emotion splayed out on his would bring me to my ass if I wasn’t already sat on it. Sorrow, regret, and guilt bleed from each tortured wrinkle on his face.
“I know, baby. I just wish...” He struggles to rein in his emotion with a low sob leaving his lips. With my free hand, I entwine it with his and give it a reassuring squeeze that he replicates.
“I know.” I lick my lips. The guilt continues to eat away at him, especially at pinnacle points in our lives; Keen’s birthday, Christmases, and now today. “But what’s important is...”
“Here and now.” He confirms, repeating the words I continuously tell him. The past is in the past, it’s the present that matters.
“Forever. That’s what’s important.” Bren points in our direction. “Forever.” He reiterates, firmer this time.
Con clears his throat and blinks away his emotion. “You’re right, forever.”
A shrill noise breaks through the air, slicing into the calm room, and all our heads turn to one another in question.
“What the fuck now?” Bren bellows, standing so quickly he barely manages to stand Sky on her feet.
“Fire!” Oscar announces with urgency.
“Shit.” Con scrambles up from behind me before pulling me to my feet. “Fuck, baby. Can you walk?” He scans me up and down. “I’ll carry you, okay?” He doesn’t give me chance to reply. I can only nod with a whimper.
The women gather up the kids while Oscar leads us out of the room toward the front door. Smoke bellows in from the kitchen, and Con’s hold on me tightens, with Eve tucked safely against my chest.
“Keen, hang on to my shirt and do not leave my side!” Con barks out, making Keen nod eagerly.
“I’ll bring the stiff,” Bren grumbles. I glance over Con’s shoulder, watching Bren grab a hold of David’s arm and dragging him behind us. I don’t have it in me to explain he’s not dead, yet. That Con is insisting on ending him.
ChapterSeventeen
Bren
With the women, babies, and mutt secure in Cal’s house, me and my brothers stand side by side on the roadside, watching Con’s mega mansion go up in flames.
“Jesus, you said the fire service is on its way, right?” he asks Oscar, his voice laced in despair while he glances around as if a fire truck is going to suddenly appear.
“They are. It appears the snowfall has increased, so there’s a slight delay.”
Con scoffs. “My whole fucking house is ruined.”
“Hey, look on the bright side, at least you get Christmas at mine.” Cal smiles from ear to ear with his arms crossed over his chest, looking like the cat that got the cream, and even I want to punch him in the balls for his shitty timing.
“You got Eve,” Oscar tacks on, and I’m pretty damn impressed with my brother’s caring comment.
