Page 54 of Kingpin's Secret Baby

That I can be strong enough to do this alone.

But in the quiet moments, when the bus rocks me almost to sleep, I remember:

The warmth of his arms around me.

The sound of his laugh.

The way he looked at me like I was something precious.

The future he thought we could have.

And I wonder if I made the right choice after all.

But then I think of all the people I've destroyed. My father. My brother. Everyone who ever tried to love me. And I know- I know- that someday, Piers would have ended up hating me too.

Better to leave now, while I still have the strength.

Fantasia Warwick-Ashwood doesn’t exist anymore.

And neither does the woman who loved Piers Warwick.

I can’t let her exist.

Not if I want to survive.

“It's just us now, little one,” I whisper, so quietly no one else can hear. “But I promise- I'll do better for you. I'll be better.”

I have to be.

Because this time, I'm not just running from something.

I'm running toward something too.

Chapter 27

Piers

“Your place is with us now. With your real family.”

Desmond’s words still ring in my ears, and I hate how much they get under my skin.Real family.What a fucking joke.

I sit stiffly in the seat of the private jet, arms crossed, jaw tight. Across from me, Desmond leans back like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Like I didn’t just wake up tied to a goddamn chair.

The entire flight to Dublin, I alternate between seething silence and demanding answers. Each time my “brother” opens his mouth, my anger spikes higher.

“So, what, you expect me to just pack up and play house with the Crowes?” I bite out. “Because we share blood?”

Desmond exhales, shaking his head. “I expect you to listen.”

I don’t want to listen. I don’t want to hear another fucking word out of his mouth. “Not really in the mood for storytime,” I snap.

“Too bad,” he says flatly. “Because you need to hear this.”

I scoff, looking away. But when he speaks again, his voice is quieter. Measured.

“A few days ago, our father had a heart attack.”

I don’t react. Not at first. Not until the words sink in.Our father.

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