AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Anytime you’re free tomorrow.
Alright then. I guess I’m seeing her tomorrow. A part of me doesn’t want to spend any time in her presence out of worry that emotions I thought buried will rise to the surface. Elena’s always had a way of bringing out the worst in me, and occasionally the best.
One thing’s for sure, though—I won’t be fucking bored with her.
CHAPTER17
Elena
Ipace the length of our living room, only pausing to check my phone every few minutes. From her spot on the couch, Kiara sighs. She’s holding Cassie, who is fast asleep, her soft breaths slightly soothing me.
“Elena, I guarantee that your pacing isn’t going to make Roman arrive here faster.”
“I’d rather he didn’t arrive at all,” I state.
She gives me a disapproving look. “You have to tell him. Better late than never. And this is already extremely late.”
I groan, moving to sit beside her. Cassie stirs in her arms before going back to sleep. For a three-month-old, she sleeps fairly well and I’m so glad for it. We hired a nanny the first month after she was born because Kiara and I were running around trying to get everything ready for our move back to New York. The nanny couldn’t stop talking about what a mild-mannered baby she is. Granted, she has yet to start sleeping through the night, but she barely cries and she eats without a lot of fuss.
When I try to take her from Kiara, she shakes her head, moving out of reach.
“Uh-uh, I’m going to go and grab a bottle and a blanket to wrap her in. We should also leave now so we won’t be here when Roman arrives,” she says. We both decided it would be better if she took Cassie on a walk while I spoke to Roman. She’s not going too far so that she can bring the baby back once I’m done getting Roman up to speed on the situation. “Or do you need us to be here with you?”
I don’t immediately answer. On some level, it might be a good idea for me to talk to him alone, but on another…
“I mean, what if it’s a good idea to have a buffer between us?”
She fixes me with a firm look. “If you want me to stay, I will.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I should talk to him alone. I know he’ll be pissed and rightfully so, but it’s not like he’s going to kill me. Plus, if something goes wrong, I don’t want my baby to be here.”
“Roman can be scary, but he’s not a monster,” Kiara says with a nod.
I snort. “Actually, he kind of is. Maybe I should ask him to divest of all his weapons before walking in.”
I’m only half-joking. Kiara must see the worry on my face before she leans closer and places a hand on my thigh.
“You can do this, Lena. You’re the strongest person I know. Cassie’s proof that you can do anything you set your heart to. You’re almost at the end of your journey, love. Now all you’ve got to do is tell her father the truth. Together, the two of you will decide how to talk to the rest of the family.”
My heart thuds at that, another conversation I’m completely unwilling to have. Very carefully, Kiara gets to her feet and moves toward the bedroom. Cassie looks so tiny in her arms, it sends an ache through me. She’s so innocent, it hurts to look at her sometimes.
When Kiara returns a few minutes later, she’s dressed with a coat over her clothes. I stand up, peeking in at the tiny baby swaddled in blankets. She’s still sleeping so peacefully. I place a hand on her soft cheek, feeling my heart ache.
“Do you think I did the right thing, Kie? Hiding my pregnancy and Cassie’s birth? What if it’s unforgivable?” I ask, nervous.
“Nothing’s unforgivable,” Kiara states firmly. “It’ll take some time for everyone to come to terms with it, but eventually, they will. You’ll see.”
She leaves with Cassie and I spend the next twenty minutes in silence waiting for Roman to arrive. He arrives punctually at 6 p.m. When I open the door, there’s a curious expression on his face.
“Elena,” he greets amicably.
“Roman,” I say, my voice coming out a little breathlessly. “Come in.”
I shift away from the doorway, granting him access into our apartment. I watch as he takes note of his surroundings, and I try to view the house through his eyes. Lilac-painted walls and cream furniture. Considering we only just moved in two days ago, the house is mostly bare, devoid of anything truly personal. Kiara and I took care to clear out the living room of anything that could allude to the fact that there’s an infant living in the house.
Roman’s face is carefully blank. I wipe a sweaty palm against my dress and gesture for him to take a seat. His expression turns suspicious.
“You’re acting weird,” he says. “It’s unsettling.”
