by Tijan
My throat was choking up.
“SBC-er.” I held up a fist.
He cuffed it with his and dipped his head down. “SBC for life, motherfucker.”
Mason had been waiting. Logan turned, and the brothers hugged. There were a couple of fists pounded on the back.
“How’s Taylor?” Mason asked after the hugging was done.
Logan was already eyeing the minibar. “She’s good. After work, she was going to head over to your place and stay with Sam until we get back. She’s taking the dogs, too.”
“You propose yet?” Mason asked with a knowing smirk. The knowing part was because he knew it was a sensitive topic. Logan was starting to realize he had a somewhat unhealthy fear of marriage. The divorce and his parents' relationship contributed to that. He glanced at me before clearing his throat.
The look was because he’d been talking to me a lot more lately about the whole situation.
I didn’t know if Mason knew or not.
“Before we have that conversation, I need to get properly wasted. And before that can happen, we have shit to handle for Nate.”
Mason frowned, then gentled his words. “Sorry—”
My phone started ringing.
It was Quincey.
I showed them the screen before hitting accept and taking it to the bedroom. “When?”
There was a sigh on her end. “We’ll be in the lobby in one hour.”
“No. You bring her up here.”
“Monson—”
“This is the first fucking goddamn time I’m meeting my daughter. You bring her where it’s private. I walked away from your place today when she should’ve been at your house. That’s the second time I gave you. The first was after you told me about her.”
She sucked in her breath. “Listen here, you asshole—”
“You knew for six months. ”
She made a growling sound on her end. I could hear her trying to control herself. “Fine,” she bit out. “What room?”
“We’re in the presidential suite. I’ll call down so you can get up here.”
“You want me to meet them? Ride up with them?” Mason asked when I returned.
They’d overheard.
“I want to be there, but I also want privacy when I see my daughter for the first time.”
Logan said, “Mason can’t. Someone might recognize the dumbass, but I can do it.”
“You know who you’re looking for?”
All joking aside, he gave a tight nod. “You sent me the files. I saw her picture, but I’ve got a feeling I’ll recognize your daughter anywhere. Their PI is normally good, so I’m sure they know who I am.”
“Yeah, about that.”
We both glanced at Mason.
He looked at me. “My dad knows Mallone. You say that you’d been noticing him for a while?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Mallone’s not known to be lazy. If I’m guessing, Mallone didn’t like something Royas was doing. He was letting you see him.”
Logan’s chin jerked up. “You mean, like we could flip him? He's that kind of PI?”
Mason slid his eyes to his brother. “I don’t think it’d hurt to try.” He glanced at me. “If you’re game?”
“Oh. I’m game. I’m all sorts of game.”
“I’ll make the appro—”
“Ooh, ooh! No. Let me.” Logan’s eyes were lit up.
“You sure?” Mason frowned, casting me a look.
“Yes. I’m so sure. I’ll be smooth about it. Don’t worry.”
Mason fully turned and looked at me.
When Logan used that phrase, we knew to worry.
He saw the look. “Come on. I’m not a kid anymore.”
“You were arrested for stealing flamingos from a neighbor’s lawn.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“That was last week.”
Logan’s eyes flicked upward. “I was rescuing those flamingos. And no charges were pressed.”
“Because you offered pro bono work to the guy whose lawn you were stealing them from.”
“I was doing him a favor.”
I frowned. “What’d you do with the flamingos…? No. I don’t want to know.” I glanced at the clock. She called ten minutes ago, saying an hour.
This was going to be the longest hour of my life.
Both guys must’ve sensed the shift in me because they eased back. Logan patted me on the shoulder. “You know about her. That was the biggest obstacle. It’ll work out.”
I was staring at the door.
“Yeah,” I muttered.
It would.
It had to.
10
Quincey
I loved Nova from the first photograph I saw of her.
It’d been that quick.
I never thought about children growing up. Never considered if I wanted them or if I didn’t. Since I was little, my life had been all about dancing. I needed to move.
I loved the spontaneous, free movement.
Of course, that was not what ballet was.
Structure. Foundation. The body was regimented, pounded, trained, forced into a certain look, a certain motion. All to convey the opposite of what we were. We were fierce, but we needed to look slender. We were motivated, yet we were supposed to blend. Always blend until the moment we got to stand out. To bring gasps from those watching us. To make our bodies move in a way that books could make people feel, how a song could make someone cry. We did that by moving, by breaking free of what normal people could do and go beyond. Always beyond.
I was a principal dancer in a ballet production.
I was there where I wanted to be.
Dancing was my life.
Then a text was sent, and an image was attached.
Valerie was pregnant, had already given birth, and Nova’s picture was next.
Everything stopped at that instant.
As I said, I loved Nova the second I saw her. She was my niece.
All those years, all the history where there’d been strained visits, and I regretted everything. Everything.
I needed to be in Nova’s life.
I began lessening my load.
Visits started slow.
I went to see what Valerie needed, if anything.
I found out about Nico by accident. Not about him. I knew Valerie got married because I was a bridesmaid, but family can be around each other for events and not know a damn thing going on in their world. Nico was one of those “things.” And I knew she was getting a divorce, but I didn’t know the reason until that day.
I’d been changing Nova’s diaper when the phone rang.
I didn’t think about it. Who would? It was a phone call.
But I was carrying Nova back when I heard the first shrieks.
Chills went down my spine.
“You stay away from me! Stay away from Nova—” A break. She was sobbing. “She’s not yours, Nico! She’s Nate’s.”
Nova started crying at that moment, so I cradled her head and walked out, starting to rock her at the same time.
Valerie looked like she had lost thirty pounds in that instant. She was haggard, and I saw all the pain, all the exhaustion. The fear, too.
The fear—it was choking her.
She ended the call with no goodbye, nothing.
Then she just stood there.
I crossed the room. “Give me the phone.”
Her fingers were limp when I took it, and I blocked his phone number.
I pulled up her lawyer and handed her the phone back. “You need to file an order of protection against him. Is his name on the birth certificate?”
She shook her head, everything in her sagging. “I already have one.”
I froze. “What?”
She took a deep breath, looking me fully in the eyes. “I already have an order of protection against him. It’s for Nova and me.”
That had been the start.
She whispered to me later, “I’m so ti
red, Quince. I don’t have any more fight in me.”
A need rose in me, swiftly and promptly. I hugged her tight and whispered back, “Well, I do. I’m here. I’m here, Val.”
Remembering all of that, a tear fell down my cheek as I drove the car to the Corebar Hotel. I flicked it away as the valet came over, waiting as I grabbed everything for Nova and then bent down to pick her up from the seat.
A guy came forward when we stepped inside. I recognized him from Carl’s folder and also from the social pages.
Logan Kade.
Man.
Good looks ran in Nate’s entire friend group. Brown eyes, brown hair, a lean frame, and a pretty face, but it was the charisma that rolled off him that got me the most. I could feel a literal zap in the air.
“I’m Logan.”
“Hi.” I nodded to his hand because my own were full. Including Nova, I had four bags hanging from my arm and another on my back. “She’s starting to wake up, but I’m hoping she holds off on the tears until we get to the room.”
“Sounds good.” He was staring at Nova before he nodded to some of my bags. “May I?”
I nodded as his eyes went back to Nova.
As he took them all from me, except the one on my back, I asked, “You’re the greeting team?”
A soft laugh as he began to lead the way to the elevators. “I am. You can’t get to Nate’s suite without a special card.” He hit the call button and smiled again, so polite. “We’re all trying to be civil here. There’s a child involved.”
Right.
Because I guess I hadn’t been.
I got the message. “Yes. I can see that.”
We got the elevator to ourselves, and Logan swiped the card before hitting the button for the top floor. He eased back as the doors closed. “You’re not close to Graham?”
“Uh.” He was going deep already, asking about my half-brother. I was noting that, too. I frowned. “You’re the lawyer, aren’t you?”
His eyes were steady on mine. “I am.”
Right. Again.
“I’m also like a brother to Nate, so take it as a good sign that they didn’t call me until after your meeting.”
“Yes.” I was realizing that, too.
“Nate’s loved by a lot of people.” He waited a beat. “A lot of people who have different connections and resources.”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
“You don’t.”
My head whipped to his.
I was getting a blank wall from him.
He added, “Your father’s casino has mob connections, but other than that, you have your father and your father’s money. You don’t have a large circle of people. Our search found one or two casual friends. No lovers. You’re not close to your brother or that side of your family.”
I felt slapped by that one, but he was right. I gritted my teeth.
I didn’t have anyone close to me except one friend.
I hadn’t grown up that way.
My jaw firmed. “You’re mistaken about the mafia connection. My father’s never done business with the mob.”
We arrived, and the elevator dinged.
He asked, “You sure about that?”
I stiffened, but Nova began stirring. Her head started moving around, and she was going to wail in the next breath. I didn’t respond, but I truly had no idea what he was talking about. If my father was connected to the mob, that was firstly, chilling, and secondly, needing to end as soon as possible.
Logan held an arm out, indicating I should go first.
There was one room on this floor, and the door opened.
I faltered in my footing, a sudden burst of nerves hitting me hard, but it was the other brother. Mason Kade stepped out and jerked his chin up toward his brother. “You got a call.”
Logan frowned, but Mason handed off a phone. Logan let him take the bags and then turned back, pressing the phone to his ear. “Yeah?”
Mason was now watching me before his gaze fell to Nova. Some of the frostiness from his brother wasn’t with him, and I relaxed, just a little bit. I almost felt grateful, but I noted that it was the opposite of what Carl’s files said about them. Logan was supposed to be the more beta-type with a big personality. Mason was noted to be the alpha leader of the group and not known to be people-friendly. They both were supposed to have anti-authority tendencies.
I was getting the opposite reactions from them.
And I didn’t know whether to be grateful or scared out of my mind at that revelation.
He nodded to the bedroom. “He’s coming out. Logan and I will give you some privacy.”
My throat just doubled in size, with a full boulder choking me. I could only jerk a nod in response.
His eyes returned to Nova, and he softened. “Test or not, she looks like him.”
I looked down. “Interesting. I only see Valerie.”
Nova had a good mop of curly red hair already, bordering on strawberry blond. Then she opened her eyes, a yawn leaving her, and she started stretching her arms up. Her eyes were definitely Nate’s, though, bright and green. Valerie had dark eyes.
Mason called out, “We’re heading out, Nate.”
“Okay,” came from inside.
He slipped out the door, shutting it gently behind me.
I took a moment, my nerves on full blast, and I waited.
Nate didn’t show.
Still carrying Nova, I moved forward, going to the opened doorway.
My heart was beating so fast, so loud, that it was almost all I could hear.
He was on the edge of the bed with his head hanging down. His hands were clasped together, his elbows resting on his knees.
A wave of understanding hit me. Right behind it was an intense sensation of pity? Did I feel sad for him?
I frowned, but he lifted his head.
His eyes were blinking back unshed tears, and he blinked them rapidly as he rose. His gaze latched onto Nova.
When I looked down, her eyes were locked right back on him. She could see him approach.
She was taking him in, drinking in the sight.
He was doing the same.
It was just the two of them in the room now. I didn’t exist.
Love was a somewhat unfamiliar emotion in my family with how I grew up, but right now, I was watching a father fall in love with his daughter right before my eyes.
And it was rather glorious.
He was melting in front of me. His entire face softened, and his shoulders fell in a swoop.
The air in the room lessened, a charged feel to it, like something amazing and life-changing was in the process of happening.
It was a beautiful sight to witness.
“She’s just waking up.”
“Does she—I mean, Mason’s little girl doesn’t like waking up.” He glanced at me, a question in his eyes.
I shook my head. “Not Nova. She’ll wail at first, but she’s already past that. She’s fixated on you.”
“Can I?”
I nodded. Of course.
That was all I was thinking.
Of course, you can hold your daughter.
Of course, you’ll love her.
Of course, this would only cement how much you need her.
He slid his arms around her, taking her from me, and he slowly sat on the floor with her. She was eighteen months, so she’d want to stand on her own. She’d want to be moving around, but she didn’t.
She stood on his lap, her hand clutching her stuffed penguin, and she didn’t do anything except stare at him.
This was the right thing to do.
I knew it, felt it in my bones.
If Valerie had been there, she’d be crying, too.
“I’ll give you some privacy.” My voice came out in a whisper.
He barely acknowledged me as I backed out, going to the next room. I sat on the couch at first, listening to them starting to talk.
“Hi.” From Nate.
“Hayeeeyayayeeeyaa!”
/>
I smiled.
“I’m your dad.”
“Ayyyyaaaa yayaya ogd. Penna. See.”
“That’s your penguin?”
“Ayyyayaalllmmaa ooooo penna. See. See. See.”
A soft laugh from Nate. “I see. I like penguins. Do you know what sound they make?”
Nova just giggled.
When I heard her excitement and her joy, I made a decision that I hadn’t known I’d been debating until this second.
I pulled my phone out.
Me: We’re not fighting Nate.
He responded right away, but I knew he would. He would’ve been waiting for a report, and this wasn’t the type of report he wanted.
Duke: You’re emotional. Rein it in and don’t promise anything.
11
Nate
“She’s perfect, Aspen. Just perfect.” I was near tears, my voice barely coming out, but I’d never been happier. I had sunk into my hotel room’s bedroom chair as soon as I got back to the room.
I hadn’t fought the tears earlier in the room. Nova kept wiping them from my face.
Her little face puckered up as she grabbed both of my cheeks, then a babble came out.
Quincey started laughing, but she was sniffling, too. She wiped her nose and flicked her own tear away, translating, “She asked if you’re unhappy.”
My heart pierced again, but in a good way. I smiled, letting it blind my little angel, and she started smiling and giggling with me. “No, baby girl. I’m very, very happy.” My voice was a whisper by then, but more tears came, and Nova got all serious. She held my face and shifted up, her little forehead coming toward me.
I knew what she wanted, and I thought she had blasted through all my walls, but this little movement made everything shift all over again.
I stopped and moved my forehead some more, letting her close the distance. There was a slight bang, and I winced, holding her tighter, but she only started laughing. Then she got serious, and I was watching as she closed her eyes, her little lips moving and soft words slipping out. I couldn’t make sense of them. I waited, but Quincey wasn’t translating, and then Nova lifted her head, leaning back, and she clapped both sides of my face, her head moving in a firm and final nod.