“We did this to her.”
“No, we did this with her,” Dax corrected. “We all knew what we were doing back in Hawaii.”
Daniel shook his head, flaring out his nose in frustration. “And what would happen once we got home.”
“She warned us.”
“Dax is right,” I said to Daniel. “And yet we ignored her. Kept playing around at our fantasies.”
“Okay, I don’t need to hear this,” Allison said as she put a hand up. “She’s my daughter. You don’t need to rehash how you each slept with her on our honeymoon.”
I glanced over to my dad, who was stuffing a piece of cheese in his mouth. I gave him a shake of my head, and he nearly choked trying to clear his throat.
“Yes, yes,” he said, then swallowed hard. “Ally, dear, this might seem strange to you, but they did nothing wrong.” He put a hand on her back and looked down over her disapproving glare with a forced smile. “They’re adults, and they aren’t related.”
“They are.” She tightened her arms over her chest. “They’re supposed to be siblings now.”
“All of a sudden?” Daniel had held his tongue too long. “Just like that, we’re supposed to put up a boundary and act as though we’ve been her brothers our whole lives?” He chuckled, scowling at the notion of it all.
“Well…” Allison mumbled, but Daniel wasn’t yet finished.
“I don’t care what you think about all this, but you should want her and the baby in your life.”
She leaned on her toes. “I do. I’m not pushing her away. I’m only—”
“What? Disappointed?”
“Daniel, enough,” my dad said, stopping Daniel for a breath.
He stepped over to the door and took the handle tight in his grasp. “I’m going to find her, apologize, and then do everything I can to explain how a life with me,” he paused to look at me and Dax, “and these two buffoons, is better than being upset and alone.”
Allison came to us just before we followed Daniel out the door. “Wait. Please, tell her I’m sorry.”
“You can do that yourself,” Dax said, soft and friendly like always.
I was the last one out the door, but before I closed it, I said to Allison, “Please just remember how disappointed she was that you were moving on from her dad. Put yourself in her shoes.” I stepped out as Allison’s eyes filled with embarrassment. There was nothing else to say. She’d been a good mom, and she took good care of Parvati, but if she couldn’t get over this, then she didn’t need to be in our lives.
Dax and I ran to catch up with Daniel. “Do you think she’s already left?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea.” We reached Daniel just before the elevator doors closed. “I can’t believe Dad was supportive of this.”
“He’s just a romantic fool,” Daniel offered, hitting the basement button several times.
“It’ll go, just give it a second.”
Daniel rubbed his forehead, speaking through tight lips. “Dax, I don’t have seconds right now.”
I couldn’t resist. “Now who’s the romantic fool?”
Daniel shot me a glare, then growled like a wolf hunting his prey. I let it pass without another word, and by the time the elevator stopped on the basement level, Daniel had a red mark on his forehead from rubbing so hard.
The three of us rushed around the parking area for a moment until we saw Parvati standing at the valet station. The clerk was handing over her keys, and a rush of panic flew through my body. I ran to her as quick as I could, losing my breath before I even reached her. “Wait,” I exhaled. I hunched over and drew in shallow breaths. “Don’t go.” When I stood, I realized Parvati was wiping tears from her face.
“Damien, please, I just can’t right now.” Her hair fell around her face as she kept her eyes to the ground.
I begged her to reconsider. “We can’t leave things like this.” I took her hand before she could open her car door. “We want you in our lives.”
Dax reached my side, saying, “The baby too. Of course.”
Parvati’s eyes lifted to Dax’s for a soft smile, one that was quickly pushed away. She faced me, her brow wrestling about like it didn’t know whether to be angry or sad. “We can’t live like this. I’m already a pariah to this family. I’m not going to make it worse by sticking around.”
“Wait.” Daniel’s stern tone stilled Parvati. “Are you saying you’re leaving us? Our parents too?”
She let out a breath, then ran her fingers through her hair. She had tears still hovering along the creases of her eyes, and all I wanted then was to wipe them away and make sure she never cried another tear of pain in her life. “I’m saying that I need to get away from here.”
“Then let’s go.” Dax didn’t hesitate to offer. “Anywhere in the world. Your choice.”