“I’ll help you get custody of the kids.”
He apologized.
“I’m sorry, this is going to make it difficult at work between you guys.”
Well, the good news was she was on the other side of the country, and if Axelle was planning on leaving the FBI, which she’d not heard a damn thing about, then that handled that problem.
“Axelle will always be family, Duke. I can balance between. I held court between her and Jack forMANYyears after the breakup.”
There were tears in her brother’s voice.
She heard them.
“If those little girls ever find out she didn’t want them,” he whispered. “That will damage them. Charlotte loves her. Lottie worships her mommy, and Abby…she’s the only mother she’s known.”
Elizabeth calmed him down.
“It’s okay, Duke. We’ll work it out. Kids are resilient, and yours won’t be the first two who are the product of divorce. I’ll get Chris to give you the number for our attorney. The best thing is to do it quietly because this will be a spectacle in the media. They’ll make it about Ax and I being at odds, and that’s not going to happen.”
Well, more than they already were over stupid shit. Now, she had to prepare everyone.
“If you do divorce her, Duke, you’re going to have to vacate DC. That’s her area, for now. Think of Damascus as your new home.”
He was honest.
“I’m good with that. Mom said she was staying here if Wyler passed away. She wants to stay on the rez to be close to him. The girls will have her.”
She reassured him.
“I’m going to be here a while. I’ll help you, bro.”
He sniffled.
“I can’t believe I fell for another woman who was overly ambitious and put her career first again. I’ll never love again,” he whispered. “I don’t care, Lyzee. I’ll never fall in love with another woman who will make me and the girls bleed.”
Well, that said it all.
This did so much damage, and it had only just begun.
“Just hang in there. I’ll be home from this case as soon as I can. Clock out, and tell Axl I had something for you to do. Get the girls, and go home. Caryn will stay with you until I can get back there.”
He was okay.
“I just want them to be loved,” he said. “I wanted them to have a good family, and here, they are losing the most important part.”
She stopped him.
“Hey, I didn’t have a mother. I had Dad and a gay man. I turned out just fine. I mean, I twitch on occasion, and I kill things, but other than that…”
He actually laughed.
“I love you, Lyzee. I really do.”
Oh, she loved him too.
“You’re all I have in this world, Duke, that ties me to our Dad. I love you too. I’ll make sure you and the girls are safe. If you want full custody, we’ll get that.”
He did.
