You’ve got that right.I was kind of—okay, I was—wishing I hadn’t come in here at all since she was asking me this. I cleared my throat delicately but did what I did best, “Ember, I’d like to have a ‘come to Jesus talk’ with you. It’ll be blunt and to the point because, honestly, that’s how I do this best. Think you can handle it? The truth of the matter?”
Her eyes darted from each of my eyes, and her mouth thinned, but she nodded.
“Good,” I pointed at her, “and just hear me out without screaming or hitting me.” Her eyebrows puckered, but she nodded, so I stated bluntly, “Like I said, I’m a good listener. That makes me a great reporter. And I have the inside scoop that you seem to be missing.”
I paused, then stated slowly, “You’ve had a shit ton happen in your life. It’s been constant hell without much peace. But, almost all of your adult life, you know what I heard as your constant? Your rock?” I paused for a moment. “Grigori. That’s who. I get that you still love Brent, and I understand why you don’t love Cole anymore, since in reality…in the real world…you only knew him for a very short period of time. And I understand you miss everyone over there…” I pointed at the window in the direction of her old house, “…because they were the loving, caring family you never had. Give it time for everyone to adjust and you’ll have them again.
“But,” I cleared my throat, just putting it out there, “Grigori loves you and you love him. And sometimes, in a relationship, it takes more time for one of the partners to adjust to wanting a baby. That’s a huge leap. And you and Grigori are just finally coming out together publicly. I would give him some time. Talk to him, yes, let him know what you want, but then give him time and space to figure out what he really wants. And, to answer your question, no, I don’t think he’s holding back from having children because you’re not his first love. First loves are a dime a dozen. He wants you. He’s made that abundantly clear. So, just give him some time…and yourself time for your life to calm down some. Both of you will feel better about whatever decision you make together.” I had decided at the last moment to keep my mouth shut about both of them being ‘in love’ with one another, remembering what Daniil and my mom had said about sometimes it’s best that people figure things out on their own. She would have probably started screaming at me, anyway, if I had mentioned it.
Her cupid’s bow mouth was thinned so badly, I could barely see it, and I added softly, “And you can’t say that Grigori wouldn’t pick you over his first love if he were to come waltzing in those doors miraculously from the dead. You picked him over your first loves. Who’s to say he wouldn’t pick you, too? You’re only creating issues in your head that don’t need to be there. He wants you now. In this lifetime, Grigori has picked you. Understand?”
Ember stared silently for almost five minutes straight.
I stayed silent. Rotated my ankles a few times.
Her breath caught. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I—” She glanced down at her feet. “I needed someone to talk with.”
I smiled. “We all do sometimes. Someone that won’t judge and look at it from an outsider’s viewpoint. I’m here anytime you need me.”
She grinned softly back at me. “You’re a lot like your father even though you may not think so.”
I chuckled. She wasn’t the first to tell me that. I started walking backward, pointing at her. “Now I’m going to listen to the love of my life play music. In the meantime, get your shit together, and figure out a way to let Grigori know—without a doubt—what you want. Got it?”
Her arms crossed. “I was only confused.”
“And now you see the light.” I gestured grandly, then pointed at myself, grinning, “I. AM. THE. PREACHER’S. DAUGHTER. I know these things.” I pulled an Ember, laughing like Count Dracula.
She snorted. “Not funny.”
I laughed. “Oh, that was better than when you did it.”
I turned on my heel when she opened her mouth again and exited quickly, enjoying getting the last word in. I almost ran smack into Daniil where he rested against the wall a few feet from the doorway. Eavesdropping.
His eyebrows rose and his lips quirked, enjoying seeing me startled.
I scowled. That only made his lips turn into a sexy smirk.
Dammit.
He whispered, “First, I’d like to say that was beautifully put.” His head cocked. “And second, can you imagine what a kewpie doll would look like if they made one trying to glare?” My lips pinched because I got a visual of that and was pretty ridiculous. His grin increased, and he stepped forward, backing me up and down the hallway as he continued moving, and I tried to keep some distance between us. “It’s adorable as you can imagine. When you do that it makes me want to make you do it more.”
Predictably, my scowl increased.
He licked his lips still coming at me. “Yes. Like that. But now, you’re lips are all puckered up, and all I want to do now is taste them.” He didn’t hesitate. He lunged at me.
I squeaked and turned tail, running.
This was…us.
I ran as hard as I could. Straight toward the music room, hearing him chuckling behind, taking chase. Oh, he could catch me easily, but that would take away all the fun. So, as I sprinted, he jogged lightly behind me.
And then I turned the corner…Oomph!...grunting, I grabbed whatever I had just run into. Warm, hard arms enveloped me as my face rebounded off the hard chest I’d slammed into. Daniil cursed behind me, running into my back, pressing me even harder into…I tilted my head up…and blinked a little in confusion, thinking I had hit my head too hard and was seeing double. Until I noticed the pink streaks.
Ah. Grigori. I’d just run into a half-naked Grigori.
“Papa, what are you doing to poor Elizabeth?” Grigori asked dryly, a little smirk on his face.
Daniil wrapped his arm around me under my breasts and stepped back from Grigori, taking me with him, Grigori’s arms dropping even as his shoulders started to shake. I glanced up and saw why. Daniil’s cheeks were beginning to pink. He cleared his throat and stated sternly, in a practiced fatherly voice, “That’s none of your business.”
