Page 38 of Her Dark Melody
She stroked his face, lightly scratching at his dark stubble and kissing him softly. “I love you somuch.”
Much as she would have loved to make love with him, she was as exhausted from the day’s events as was he. They wrapped around one another and were soon fastasleep.
Later,when Atlas was still asleep, Ebony woke with a dry throat and got up to get some water. As she padded down to the kitchen, she stopped and listened. She could hear crying. Worried in case it was Fino, she followed the sound of it until she heard a young woman’s voice. Bella. Bella was crying as she talked to someone. Ebony inched closer to the door, raising her hand to knock when she heard Bellagroan.
“No, you can’t…no, that’s not fair, it isn’t right. But…I cannot believe you’re going to do this. No…no…I won’t. No, fuckyou.”
Ebony heard the splintering of glass against a wall and guessed Bella had hurled her phone across the room. She knocked tentatively. There was a hesitation then, “Comein.”
Ebony pushed opened the door and smiled at Bella. The red-haired girl was sitting cross-legged on her bed, her face tear-stained. She wouldn’t look Ebony in theeye.
“Are you okay, pumpkin?” Ebony went to sit by her and Bellashrugged.
“Just my mom being mymom.”
Ebony peeked over at the smashed iPhone on the floor. “Beingextra-Mom, I wouldsay.”
Bella half-smiled. “She just gets tome.”
“Want to talk aboutit?”
Bella shook her head. “Butthanks.”
“Anytime.” Ebony got up and went to the door before Bella called herback.
“Ebony…just…be careful. People sometimes aren’t who they say theyare.”
Ebony frowned. “Who do youmean?”
“No one in particular. Just…becareful.”
Ebony went back to bed after looking in on a sleeping Fino. The boy had lost weight and looked so tiny and vulnerable in his bed that Ebony wanted to cuddle him, wanted to promise him that nothing bad would ever happen again. Of course, she couldn’t promise that, couldn’t bring Mateo back for hisson.
As she crawled back into the warmth of Atlas’s arms, she couldn’t help thinking about that terrible day. Mateo, his handsome face not comprehending at first what had happened, then understanding and grief for his son. His last thought had been for Fino, Ebony knew, and suddenly she was crying, trying not to wake Atlas, but she couldn’t stop the tears. When she felt his lips against her forehead, and his arms tightened around her, she let go, sobbing out hergrief.
As her sobs subsided, she looked up at Atlas, her eyes determined. “Atlas, ask me that question again. Ask menow.”
Atlas looked confused. “Whichone?”
Ebony smiled, but her face set with resolution. “Yes, Atlas Tigri, I will marry you. I will marry you because I love you now and one year from now nothing will have changed in that respect. I will marry you and and together we will fight for Fino, fight for our children. No one else is going to hurt this family again, do you understand me?Noone.”
Gathering her into his arms, Atlas’ kiss said everything his heart was too full toreply.
Chapter Eighteen
Gracie Allende plucked her twin siblings away from their mother’s abdomen. “What did I tell you?” She said to them primly, and Romy had to hide a smile. Gracie patted the twins on the head gently. “You can’t crawl on Momma’s tummy. It’s sick, and we have to becareful.”
Gracie looked at her mother with wide, green eyes. “That’s right, isn’t it,Momma?”
“It is petal, just for now. Just until I feel better. Then all five of us are going to go have fun. Daddy’s already talking about going somewhere hot for a vacation…maybe somewhere you would like…maybe somewhere with a fairytalecastle?”
Romy laughed as Gracie whooped.All the money in the world,Romy thought fondly,and all my daughter wants to do is go visit MickeyMouse.
Gracie frowned at her. “Do you think the castle has alibrary?”
“A library?” Romy asked in confusion, aware her young daughter loved to read but still not connecting that withDisney.
“Beauty and the Beast,” Juno stuck her head around the door and grinned at her sister. “Come on, Romulus, keepup.”
