Page 74 of Redemption

I turn and look at her and my stomach drops. I saw her yesterday but it was from afar. But now that she is three feet from me, I freeze. Her hair is a mess around her face and shoulders, loose curls of dark hair going in every direction. She’s tall too, at least tall for what I think a nine-year-old should be. She’s wearing pink pajamas with a pink silk robe like her mom wears. But it’s her eyes that make me freeze. Sapphire-blue eyes, nearly identical to mine.

“What is with adults lately? Yesterday I thought Mom was having a stroke and now some stranger in the kitchen.”

I blink a few times at her words. Then get protective of her immediately. I am a stranger in the kitchen. She should be scared. Or know how to defend herself. What am I thinking? She is nine years old.

“Moooooommmmmm!” she yells toward the stairs. “There is a strange man in the kitchen and he is staring at me like I have three eyes!”

She turns back to me and I have this strange urge to grab her and hold on to her and never let her go.

“It’s Sunday. We have pancakes on Sundays.” She moves to one of the stools at the island and sits on it. “Who are you anyway?”

“I’m… umm…” This little girl has me at a loss for words.

The sound of feet flying down the stairs has both of us turning to the doorway to the kitchen. “Kilian,” Bella breathes before looking at her daughter. “Aria, I’m so sorry. I… I forgot something upstairs and—”

“I came over this morning to see your mom. She had a few things to do but let me in.”

Aria looks between the two of us then her eyes glance to the security system panel by the back door. “The alarm is still set.”

Damn, she’s smart.

“Okay… what I meant was… that—”

“Is he yourboyfriend?” Aria asks Bella.

“What?” Bella asks in shock.

Aria rolls her eyes. “Oh come on, Mom. You went on that date a couple weeks ago and you are always on your phone. Magda and I were making bets how long it would take for you to tell us.”

“Oh… umm… well—”

“And Tina was telling me that her older brother sneaks his girlfriend into his room. So I know boys and girls sleep in the same room. Her mom and dad do. So I can only guess he came over last night after I went to bed.”

I blink at her in surprise. No idea what the hell to say.

Bella turns to me, her cheeks the color of a tomato. I shrug my shoulders at her. I have no idea what to say. I’ve never been in a situation like this in my life.

Bella must take the hint because she turns to Aria. “Yeah, sweetie, this is my boyfriend. He came over last night and I asked him to stay for breakfast.”

“Well you didn’t tell him it was pancake day,” she moans.

I turn the heat down on the bacon. I frown, sad that I wasn’t here to build these traditions. “Pancakes it is,” I say.

“I’ll… umm… grab the stuff out of the refrigerator.” Bella moves to the refrigerator and grabs a few things before she starts rambling. “What kind, Aria? We are out of mascarpone so no lemon mascarpone. I think we have chocolate chips. Or I have blueberries and strawberries.”

“Fruit and whip cream!” Aria answers.

I smile at her enthusiasm. Still nervous as hell. Bella and I never got to discussing how we were going to tell her that I’m her father. I take a drink of water and nearly spit it out when Aria says, “We have the same color eyes. That’s so cool.”

Bella freezes as she shuts the refrigerator door.

I look at Aria and lean closer to her, trying to remember how I acted around my brother’s kids when they thought I was still alive. “Blue eyes are the coolest eyes.”

Aria’s smile takes up her face. “That’s what I always tell my mom. I tell her that her eyes are boring.”

I look over to Bella, who has made her way next to me. I mouth to her,your eyes aren’t boring.

“Aria, why don’t you make sure all your stuff is ready for your game today? Your uniform might still be in the dryer.”

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