That’s where Wylder found me, a throw blanket tossed around my shoulders and a now cold cup of coffee clutched in my hands. The sun is now an hour into the sky, at least, but I can’t bring myself to go inside. The world is quiet, peaceful – something I’m sure I’ll never feel again after this morning.
Wylder comes up my steps, light on his feet with a pep in his step he tries horribly to disguise. I’m happy for him, though. He deserved to experience that happiness with Ro.
He may hate us in an hour.
They all might.
Wyld grabs my cup, having to reach down and pry my fingers from where they’ve hardened after beingtense for so long. He sets the cup down on the small table next to me then drops down into a crouch, taking my hands in his and massaging them one by one until they loosen up.
“I’ve never known you to let a cup of coffee go to waste.”
I feel the tears begin to gather in my eyes as I look down at him, his face gentle and loving. It’s wrong. He should hate me for the heartbreak I’m about to cause him.
A tear begins to slide down my face, and he reaches to wipe it away before it has the chance to fall. “Don’t cry, love. Everything is going to be okay.”
I shake my head, my curls still wild from my bedhead swaying with the movement. “No, it’s not. They’re going to leave me, Wylder. He’s going to leaveyou.”My voice breaks as I admit to him my biggest worry, that someone else I love will be collateral damage in the whirlwind I call my life.
He doesn’t ask how I know. He just shakes his head and reaches up to catch another tear, this time sucking it from his thumb as he pulls away. “He won’t.Theywon’t. They fucking love you, Evie. They’ll understand. Hell, Roman will probably marry you on the spot for being so ruthless.”
I can’t help the small laugh that escapes, the movement releasing a few more tears. “He is a little odd, isn’t he?”
Wylder shrugs, “He is, but that’s why we love him. His oddness compliments our own.”
I continue to sob and Wylder’s face changes from something loving to the dom he turns into when I need release.
The smirk on his face falls and his eyes drop to the still full cup of coffee on the table. His tongue comesout to wet his lips as he looks over me, lingering on my hair and the shirt that’s somehow on backwards.
“Get up, Evangeline.” His voice demands I do what he says with no questions asked, but that’s not who I am.
“What?”
“Get up, Evangeline. Now.”
When I don’t make a move to do what he says, he grabs my hand and pulls me up until we’re practically chest to chest.
“Wylder, I – “
His words cut off my own. “Enough.” He raises my hand up and moves the coffee mug into my open palm. “Drink the damn coffee. Then we’re going to go inside and I’m going to pick you out an outfit while you brush your teeth. Do you understand me?”
“Wyld, I don’t think this – “
He shoots me a glare. “You tried it your way, Evie, and it didn’t work. That’s why I’m here. Now drink your damn coffee.”
He looks back down at me, raising his eyebrow until I take a tentative sip.
Oh God, this is the best coffee I’ve ever tasted.
“Good girl, Evangeline. Now finish that coffee and get your cute ass inside that house.”
His face melts as he watches me finish my coffee as he requested. When I’m done, he takes the mug and sets it back down on the table.
He leads me inside, throwing a quick command at Altas to get Abel ready for school. How did I get so lucky to find men that loved my son as much as they loved me? Ones that would be my support when I was failing?
Failing miserably right now.
I shake away the dark thoughts as I make my wayinside and up to my bedroom, Wylder following my every move with a heavy foot and a swish of his leather jacket. When we get to my room, I head directly for my ensuite bathroom while Wyld heads toward my closet, hangers shuffling around as soon as he turns the light on.
I return to the bedroom to find an outfit waiting for me on the bed. A pair of leather pants, a red flowy tank top, and my combat boots. An outfit sexy enough to kick ass while comfy enough to break down in, if I needed to.
