I pulled back at her and stared. “Damn. When did you go and get all grown up? Where’d the little girl with the retainer go?”
“Dear God, if you ever let that out, I’ll sue you for breach of your NDA,” she said, face serious in the way only a drama queen can do.
I punched her in the side. “You’re such a bitch.”
She broke character and grinned at me, hugging me again and dragging me against her. “and you wuv me for it. Now let’s go get matching massages and loosen you the fuck up!”
“Sleep first,” I cried. “I was on the train for over three hours. And after today…” I shook my head. God, I’d never experienced a day full of so many ups and downs. I was bone-tired and couldn’t imagine how I’d made it this long without passing out somewhere. I imagined the babies’ umbilical cord in my stomach like a power cord plugged into my energy system, sucking every ounce of extra momentum away.
Just then Makayla’s phone rang. She pulled it out of her leggings pocket and looked at the screen, then her eyes flew to mine. “It’s you.” She held it out to me and I saw my number and ID flash across the screen.
I gulped. “It has to be them. They found my phone and they must be calling all my contacts trying to find me.”
“Do you want me to answer?”
My heartbeat fluttered and I shook my head no in a panic. No. I knew I’d have to deal with them eventually. But then I closed my eyes. Maybe that wasn’t fair. I was carrying their babies. Was it really okay to just disappear because I was out of sorts and not sure what I wanted at the moment? I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to deal with their rationalizations and explanations at the moment.
I needed what I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to ask them for: time off. Time off from all of them. A vacation. Time to rest and get my head on straight.
“Text them back,” I said to Makayla impulsively. “Tell them I’m fine but I need a couple weeks to myself. And that I’ll contact them soon.”
Makayla’s eyes were big as she watched me, thumbs hovering above the phone. “You sure?”
I took a deep breath. “Sure.”
Then I went and crashed on her sumptuous hotel bed.
Only to wake to loud, brutal knocking several hours later.
I roused and blinked my eyes open to one of the twins’ loud voices shouting through the door from the living room, demanding to see me.
Chapter 2
JANUS
I’d prepared a thousand speeches on the three-hour train ride to Milan to get Hope back. She’d texted us from her friend Makayla’s phone so it wasn’t too hard to figure out where she was. Not against Milo’s internet sleuthing. Makayla had posted on her Insta about her vacation in Milan a couple days ago.
Leander was in no condition to go running around Italy and considering the lies Lena had told about me that had set all this off—I felt it had to be me.
And for once, I wasn’t needed for the scenes being filmed tonight and tomorrow morning. We were starting night shoots soon and they were giving us a couple days to get used to the new schedule while all the sets were made ready.
I thought, perfect, I’ll go, get my woman, and be back just in time.
Just one little hitch. I was currently staring down a very angry superstar who wouldn’t let me in to see Hope.
“Get out.” Makayla blocked the door to her apartment with her body, arm up and leg out. “She doesn’t want to see you.”
I’d never met Makayla before but her face was familiar to me, as I’m sure mine was to her. A weird quirk of celebrity.
“Look, I just need to talk to her. Then she can kick me out. But I’m not leaving until I see her.”
Makayla’s eyes narrowed. “You know, it’s guys like you who’ve always pissed me off. No means no and if you can’t get that—” The door started to close in my face as she yelled, “I’ll be happy to teach you!”
Fuck. I was playing this all wrong. “No, wait! Please, I just need to—”
Right before the door slammed in my face, through the last sliver I could still see of the apartment, I saw my beautiful woman step out from a bedroom. Hope looked gorgeous and sleep-rumpled.
“It’s okay, Kayla,” Hope said, her voice sleep-softened.
But my eyes were frozen on her belly. I’d seen her earlier today but it felt like I’d been taking everything about her for granted lately.
Our children.
She was carrying our twins.
She’d blown into our lives like a miracle.
And so easily she could slip out of our grasp if we weren’t careful with her.
Makayla spun to look at Hope. “What? Are you sure? ’Cause I can kick this asshole to the curb. I don’t care which one he is.”