Page 143 of Shattered Souls
Riley’s smile is soft and endearing as she glances down at her daughter. “Yeah, she is.”
“I don’t think her time spent with my dad has harmed her in any way.”
Riley’s lips flatten, but relief shines in her eyes. “You think so? I mean, she seems to be doing okay. Logan said they talked, and it sounded like Bertram mostly ignored her.” She sighs, staring down at her daughter with concern. “I hope that’s the case but I haven’t wanted to ask her outright in case it upsets her or triggers something.”
“Nah, I think there would be signs if he had traumatized her in some way. Other than being a little shy around one of us initially, which is understandable, she has adapted to being here really well.”
Sinking deeper into her pillow, Riley smiles down at her daughter.
“What about you?” she asks somewhat hesitantly.
“I want her here, Riley.” I infuse my words with sincerity, hoping she hears what I’m saying—believes it. “She’s family. Blood. But even if she wasn’t, she’s your daughter, which means I want to know everything about her.”
She chews on her bottom lip, those fathomless green-brown eyes holding me captive and slowly reeling me in. Not that I’m putting up a fight. Not anymore. Not when it comes to her.
“I don’t know how to explain to her…” She trails off, but she doesn’t need to finish that sentence. I understand.
She doesn’t know how to explain to her daughter that I’m her brother. But I’m also so much more than that.
Her arm stretches across the distance between us, fingers tangling with mine on top of the bedsheets. “I want her to know. Want you both to have that relationship, regardless of whatever you may be to me. Whatever else you may be to her.”
Wriggling closer, I eliminate any spare space until Aurora is a warm body pressed against us, and I can lift my hand to rest it on the side of Riley’s throat. I give it a light squeeze. “Whatever you may be to meis everything.Whatever else I may be to heris whatever she needs. We’re done dancing around this, Riley. You, me, Royce, Logan, and this little girl… we aren’t an eventuality because we’re already happening. Weare.Wealways will be.”
Her cheeks are tinged pink, her lips pressed flat to smother the smile I know she’s struggling not to let loose. “When things are going good, it’s hard for me to believe it will last.”
“Well, this is forever, so get used to it.”
“So possessive,” she mumbles—a deflection.
“Damn right.” My chest vibrates with the confirmation. “You’re ours.” I practically snarl the words. “She’sours.”
“You realize that means you’re all mine?”
My eyes flare, and I hiss, “Say that again.”
I swear, the green in her eyes shimmers. “You’re mine,” she repeats.
In the next moment, I’m stretching over Aurora, careful to keep my weight off her as my lips hover inches above Riley’s. “Say it again.”
“You’re mine.” Her declaration tastes so fucking sweet as I bring my lips to hers.
I can’t claim her the way my blood is urging me to do, and instead of deepening the kiss, I’m forced to pull back.
“You can bet your fucking ass I’m yours.”
We must doze off at some point. When I next open my eyes, curious dark ones eerily similar to mine stare back at me. A tiny finger comes up to poke my cheek before moving to outline my eyebrow.
“You look like the mean man.”
My eyes widen, my body stiffening as my brows likely disappear into my hairline. My focus slides to Riley, pleading for help, but she’s still asleep.Well, shit.
“Erm.” I clear my throat, buying myself an extra few seconds. “That’s because he’s my dad.”
I’ve gone and opened the lid on this conversation. Maybe that wasn’t the right thing to say? I should have distracted her. Bedtime stories and movie cuddles I can do, but the hard-hitting questions? I haven’t a clue how to handle that.
Except, didn’t I just tell Riley I was all in? Co-parents? That means I need to be here for the complicated stuff, too.
Yeah, but I was thinking about deciding on punishments if she misbehaves or discussing whether or not she needs braces when she’s a teenager, not whether or not to tell her I’m her brother.
