Page 178 of Bleed with Me

“Okay.” My teeth sank into my lower lip. “Maybe he’s slightly crazier than I thought.” She lifted a brow, her mouth twitching. “But only because Malin is in the hospital. Once he’s back, he’ll persuade Zyon that the house is safe.”

“Can’t you do it?” she asked hopefully, but I shook my head.

“Zyon will never believe I have control over Malin’s security system.” I placed a hand on her shoulder. “But I promise that I’ll talk to him about guards inside the house.”

“Thank you,” she exhaled, her eyes shining with gratitude. “He only listens to you or Malin.”

“Well, we’ve been together since the beginning.” I winked at her playfully. “No one can beat that.”

Her face finally lit up.

“Anyway.” She stopped me when I wanted to drag the suitcase into my car. “I called the school to see if they can admit Aryna, and it shouldn’t be a problem. But for Zara’s class, she’ll need to take special exams.”

“Oh, great.” I blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know you were handling this.”

“I just thought of helping you…” She trailed off, turning to look at Aryna. “And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

“Thanks.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek. Zyon would most probably rip my face off, and Nina would clap at the performance, but I didn’t care. “You’re the best.”

With a huge, honest smile, she helped me out of the door and brought Aryna outside.

“I hope to see you soon.” She waved at us, clutching Zara’s hand because she wanted to run away with the dogs.

Aryna talked the entire ride home about Zara’s toys, her board games, her coloring books, the fact that she could sleep with a dog, and that her father apparently promised to take her on a helicopter ride.

“What is a helipopter anyway?” she mumbled, pursing her lips in the rear-view mirror. “Never heard of that.”

I laughed, opening my mouth to correct her and explain, but she didn’t pay me any attention and started another round of talking, so I let her. But my mind instantly returned to my wife.

Nina texted me three stupid words.

Bring her home.

Maybe she wasn’t as angry anymore.

Maybe she’d looked at everything from my side.

Maybe…

I squeezed the steering wheel until my knuckles turned pale.

Don’t be an idiot, I scolded myself. One text didn’t erase everything that happened. Still, she wanted Aryna home.

The thought settled deep inside my chest, warm enough to quiet the constant noise in my head. For a second, I allowed myself to dream a little.

The three of us eating dinner together. Aryna arguing over vegetables. Nina rolling her eyes at both of us. A quiet evening. No blood. No guns. No hospitals. No violence. Just… home.

The image was so painfully ordinary that my throat tightened.

“Daddy?” Aryna’s small voice pulled me back before I disappeared too far into the fantasy.

“Hm?”

“If… your wife…” she said the word hesitantly, as if she didn’t know how to call Nina, “doesn’t like pink, can we paint my room yellow instead?”

A smile spread across my face before I could stop it.

“Angel,” I looked into the rearview mirror, “if you or Nina want it rainbow with purple elephants on the ceiling, we’ll make it happen.”