Alone.
“But—why?Everything's going so well.”Her voice was sad, and that did amazing things to my ego.But I still knew I was doing the right thing by leaving.
“It's time,” was all I said.I could have said it was because I still felt like a third wheel.Even though my relationship with my brother and Nick had more than begun to heal.I found myself searching them out more times than not.And they did the same to me.Things still weren't fully okay.Not yet.After everything that had happened, I wasn't sure it ever would be again.This might have to suffice for the rest of our lives.
“Well, we'll just have to try harder to convince him to stay.”Eve smiled at Giselle.And she grinned right back.Then two sets of beautiful—mischievous eyes stared back at me.My cock hardened until it throbbed.
“Momma!”Daniella called from somewhere down the hall.“Mom—ma!”she said again, making Giselle sigh.
“I better go see what she—” Giselle started to say, but Dani beat her to it.
“Momma!”Dani said with delight.“Oh, Uncle Stefan!”She smiled at me and my heart melted.
“Hey, Dani.Come here.”I let go of Eve and Giselle and opened my arms.
Dani didn't hesitate to rush directly into them.I picked her up and tossed her gently into the air before giving her a hug.“Whatcha doin' in here?”She kissed my cheek.
“Uh, I'm going home,” I said in a quiet voice.
Her little body froze as her head tilted to the side in the most adorable way.“Home?You are home, silly.”She patted me on the shoulder and giggled.
I swallowed over the lump in my throat.“I have to go back to my home, Dani,” I tried to explain to her.She hadn't been at my place in a long time.She likely forgot where I lived by now.And to tell you the truth, I did, too.It felt like I'd lived a thousand lives since I'd been home.So fucking much had happened.
I'd been shot.
Almost died.
A few times.
Met the woman of my fucking dreams.
And then she left me.
Dani's eyes filled with tears, and her little chin started to quiver.She crossed her arms.“No!”she yelled.Her looks weren't the only thing she'd received from her mother.She'd also inherited Giselle's attitude.
My heart cracked.“I'll come back and visit you, okay?I promise,” I said, hearing my voice break just like my heart.
Dani burst into loud sobs.
I hugged her tightly while I took a deep breath, blinking away my own unshed tears.There weren’t many people in the world who could make my heart crack right down the center.But Dani was definitely one of them.
“No, no, don’t go.”She clung onto me, rubbing her face into my shoulder.“Stay,” she cried.Her little fingers digging into my arms.I rocked her tiny, shaking body, trying to calm her.
When I peered down at Giselle and Eve, I saw that they were crying, too.I gave them a sad smile.“We can’t keep living like we’re in some crazy commune.You two knew I was going to leave eventually.”
Eve shook her head.“Why not?”Her voice cracked as tears streamed steadily down her face.“We all love you.Stay with us.Please?”
After that, I added her and Giselle to our hug.“We need to get back to normal.”Whatever that was.I had no idea.
All I knew was that it sure as fuck wasn’t hiding out at my brother’s estate feeling sorry for myself.And to take the next step meant I actually had to—take the next step.Move back to my place and get on with—life.
How ever the hell I was supposed to do that.
10
Francesca
“What the fuck happened to you?”A piece of toast fell from my sister's hand onto the table.“Jesus, Franny.What the fuck?”She stood and hurried over to me.The shocked look on her face actually brought tears to my eyes.Dad hadn't told her what happened last night.That didn't surprise me.Not at all.
