Page 159 of Nash

Again, her gaze drops to the floor. “What did you mean about Michael … I meanAxel… fighting with Loch over me?”

“As much as I fight with Axel,” I explain, “I’ve always been the closest to him. Sire is like my big brother, but Axel’s like my twin. Like Vale and Blair, I guess. And so, Axel always took a shine to you.”

“A shine?”

“He always cared. He’s usually a dick to everyone but never to you. So, I asked him to be your godfather, and he takes it seriously. He almost beat the shit out of Loch when we found out about you two. Part of me knows he did it, so I wouldn’t. And he did it because he couldn’t help himself. He loves you, too.”

She nods, and more tears fall. “I need to talk to him.”

“He’s waiting right outside for you.”

She startles, then stammers, “Yeah. Loch. Send him in to talk to me.”

“Give him a chance.”

Silence.

“And please forgive me.”

She raises a brow.

“Okay. In time. I hope.” I cup my hands over hers. “Just please know, Alena, how much I love you. From the moment I held you in my arms, I knew why men wage wars. I will always fight for you. You’re my greatest gift and the reason I live. So please, try to forgive me one day.”

She chews her lip, staring me down. I see her fury, but I feel her love.

Goddamn, she’s my soul.

I kiss her hands. “You just have a fucked up dad who fucked up. And I’m sorry for hurting you. I really am. But I’ll never apologize for loving you and keeping you safe.”

Her big brown eyes are almost the same size as when she touched my cheek and first called me “Dada.”

They’re still the center of my world.

“Just get her back, Dad,” she insists. “So at least one thing will be right in my world again.”

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

VALE

“You’re being stubborn.”Jace tosses a shrimp up, proudly catching it and chomping it down. “It’s not a good look on you.”

I roll my eyes.

He catches that, too. “Keep doing that,” he says, “and maybe you’ll find that big brain of yours back there and start using it again.”

“He’s your king.” Axel drums his inked fingers on the arm of the side chair. “You owe him an audience.”

I laugh. “Are you always such an idiot or just showing off for me today?”

Jace laughs at that, too.

I’m holding court on the sofa in Alena’s villa, where I’ve camped for three days, while she’s finally in her bedroom, trying to sleep.

Blair was supposed to come, but I told her not to. It only reminds Alena of her destroyed dream.

Alena talked to Loch, called off the wedding, made him leave, and then sobbed for hours about it. Nadine tried to comfort her, but Alena said she needed space, so Nadine quietly left, too. Then, I tried to comfort her, but I started sobbing with Alena the next day because she said she forgave me about Nash.

But what kills me is that the only reason she does is because she’s too heartbroken over Loch.

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