“Cerb! Hi, boy! I missed you!” I turned my head away as he tried to lick my face and looked at Dante. “Why do you have Cerb?”
“Luc couldn’t bear to have him at home. He reminded him too much of you,” Dante answered.
I turned my head away unable to say anything to that. Cerberus had been inducted into the Foster family at my request. Luc and Cerb had always had a strange relationship, my fur baby preferring me over Luc, but I hadn’t realised that Luc would turn him out of the house.
Cerb’s head had dipped and was now interested in my stomach. I laughed as he nudged it with his wet nose. “You’re going to be a big brother. Isn’t that exciting? You’re going to have a lot more responsibility.”
“It’s pretty late. How about we get you settled in, and then, in the morning, we can discuss what happens next?”
Cerb succeeded in licking the side of my face and I gently pushed his nose away from me. “We’re going to see Luc?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” D answered. “Probably.”
The anxiety grew until I shook from the way it had balled in my chest. I stood up and nodded at Dante. “Whatever you think is best.” I would follow Dante’s lead with this one. He’d wanted me home and he’d gotten what he wanted, so the next steps were up to him. It was probably safer than anything I would come up with.
Picking up my bag, he jerked his head toward the stairs. “Come on. I’ll show you your room.”
Chapter Nine
Dante
The bitter smell of coffee filled the kitchen as I poured myself a mug and carried it back into the living room. It was still early, sun barely peeking over the horizon, but sleep skittered away without the light and warmth this morning. My mind couldn’t rest, and I envied Mia, who was still sound asleep in bed with Cerberus curled up at her feet. The events from yesterday plus the little alien she had growing inside her had probably taken it out of her.
I’d thought finding her would be difficult, but I’d struck gold by getting to Emilio before Luc. Convincing her to come home had been simple, thanks to some quick thinking, even if it had led to Mia being pissed with me. But now that she was home, I needed to figure out the best way to proceed.
Luc could tell people he wanted her dead until he was blue in the face, but I knew the truth. I’d been the one who was there at the start, before Xavier had started to get involved. I’d seen the way he’d collapsed in on himself, told the truth through alcohol-loosened lips and saw the engagement ring in the drawer of his desk at work. Luc couldn’t rid himself of Mia, and if he would allow himself to push past the rage and hear her out, then I was sure they could work through it.
Getting them into the same room and talking would be the first task. Telling Luc the entire truth behind her reason for leaving him still gave me a stomach ache. Somehow, I struggled to imagine Luc taking the news in his stride and behaving in any rational manner. Not that I blamed him. I’d be livid if I found out my life was a lie, but Luc locking horns with Xavier brought a new host of issues to the table, and those involved my personal life.
Xavier didn’t just happen to be our Don but was also my girlfriend’s father. When Tori had granted me a second chance, it had sent a ripple of whispers throughout the family. I’d been young and unfaithful, and yet, seven years later, she’d allowed me to try again, with the distinct warning that my life would not be worth living if I messed up a second time. Older and wiser, at least that was what I believed, I had every intention of treating Tori right, but I wasn’t sure how to juggle this news with my relationship.
A loud knock on the door jolted me out of my thoughts. I set the coffee down and went to answer it, wondering what the hell had happened that would have someone on my doorstep this early. Only the Devil turned up before coffee had been had. When I pulled open the door, I wasn’t far wrong. Gabriel stood on the doorstep, hair slicked back and dressed ready for the day.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
Gabe and I had fostered a tense relationship since we were kids. I was too flighty, and he was an old man in a teenager’s skin. He’d made no attempt to hide his disdain over Tori’s choice to date me again, vocal that his twin could do better. Actually, Gabe made little attempt to hide his disdain at most things these days. He’d always been the odd kid. A little quieter than the rest of us, hanging around the outskirts. Lately, he was wound a little tighter than usual and I couldn’t place my finger on what had crawled up his ass and died.
“Morning, Gabriel. Nice of you to drop by,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Tori’s been trying to get a hold of you. Why aren’t you answering your phone?”
I hadn’t picked up a single call; after all, I was meant to be sick enough that I hadn’t turned up at work. A few missed calls from Tori sat in my notifications but I believed I’d be able to talk her around. A caring boyfriend who didn’t want his beloved to fall sick.
“Luc said he hadn’t seen you either,” Gabe continued. I turned away from him and walked back into the house. My phone sat on the table, and when I went to check it, the screen remained blank. The battery must have died. “Well?” Gabe asked expectantly. He’d followed me into the house without invite.
“I wasn’t feeling well,” I lied.
“So, you were home all day?”
“Yeah.”
“Liar,” he hissed. “Your car wasn’t here. She stopped by to check on you.”
Shit. How was I meant to get out of this one? “She must have caught me when I stepped out.” I didn’t even sound like I was convincing myself at this point.
“If you’re messing her around, Atwood, you won’t get a third chance. I told her she was an idiot for taking you back.”
“Peachy. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
