Page 66 of Everything We Left Behind

“Well ... um ... good night, then.” She moves toward the hallway that leads to her room.

“Good night, Natalya.” James watches her go. Carlos would have kissed her good night. Or taken her to her room. Made love to her until they crashed, gasping and sweaty, on rumpled sheets. He read those passages multiple times, often wondered how different Carlos was in bed.Would Natalya sense the difference should she close her eyes?

He inwardly groans. Why is he even thinking of sleeping with her? They just met.

With a tinge of embarrassment, he scratches at the back of his head and turns away.

“James?”

He swings back around.

“Julian told me you’re leaving him and Marcus here.”

When will Julian understand he won’t abandon them? “What else did he tell you?”

Natalya comes back into the main room. “He doesn’t believe you want him. And Marcus believes anything his brother tells him.”

James swears. He rubs his forearm, scratches the bite on his elbow. “I’ll be honest; it was rough those first few weeks when I surfaced. Getting our lives in order hasn’t been easy. Okay, it’s been extremely difficult, and that’s putting it mildly.” He slightly smiles with the admission. “But they’re my sons. I love them, and I’ll never leave them behind. I just wish they’d believe that.”

When James initially came to, he and his sons had been confused and scared. While Carlos had prepared Julian for the possibility it would happen, it didn’t make the situation any less frightening. Or had Carlos’s instructions to Julian. He’d told his son he might forget him and need help being a father again. He’d also warned him that James might not want them and they could go live with Aunt Natalya. James could kick his other self in the ass for that. The kid was ten years old at the time. What had he been thinking?

“I don’t know what Carlos told his sons, but he thought you might be like your brothers.” She looks him up and down. “You aren’t like them, are you?”

“Hell, no.”

“Knew it.” She reaches for his hand. “I want to help you.”

“How?” He watches her trace the lines on his palm. That slightest touch buzzes through him. He feels it all the way up his arm. His throat thickens with unshed emotion.

“My nephews trust me. Let them watch how we interact and see that I like you. Let them see that I trust you.” She lifts her gaze and meets his. “Maybe they’ll do the same.”

“Maybe,” he murmurs, staring at her. He can see why Carlos loved this woman. And she just admitted she likes him, James. “Thank you.”

“May I ask you something?”

He nods.

“May I hug you?”

“Ah ... sure.” He opens his arms and she walks into his embrace, settling her ear above his heart. He stands there, arms out, pulse thrumming, unsure what to do. Does he hug her back? Should he hold her? Then he feels her body heat seep into him. He finds it comforts him and he releases the breath he wasn’t aware he held. He folds his arms around her.

Natalya hums, a contented sound. Then after a few beats, a few meditative breaths, she whispers on a sigh, “Same heart.”

CHAPTER 20

CARLOS

Five Years Ago

August 15

Los Gatos, California

Several weeks after Aimee showed up in Mexico and Imelda told me what she knew of my situation and the role she played, I received a package in the mail from Thomas. An iPhone. Aimee had downloaded James’s contacts, music, and photos from his iCloud account when Thomas got word to her the phone was for me. Just in case I found use for it.

I hadn’t, until now.

I’d brought the phone with me and charged it while I showered. Natalya brewed coffee and when the phone could be powered on, she scrolled through James’s contacts. Then she looked through his photos.

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