“I think that’s lovely.” We stare at the water. “How is your family?”
“Not great,” I admit, rubbing the back of my neck. “My mother isn’t handling it well.”
“I’m so sorry,” she says, not for the first time.
“Do you know what I did while I was on the road? What I thought about?” I play with her hair. The feel of the silky dark locks.
“Hmm?” she asks, staring at me like she expects me to disappear.
“I was thinking about all the ways I want to kill Marko.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Atlas
One Month Later
We have dinner at Cara’s after work, and she cooks us all a roast and vegetables. We’re all becoming one big family, and it’s something I’ve never had before, other than the MC.
But I wish Aries were here. There’s this gut-wrenching pain that doesn’t seem to go away, and I find myself having to distract myself to be able to function. I don’t know what I’d do without Natalie. She’s been a godsend during this time, supporting me. She’s the best listener, and never judges me.
Natalie is playing with Fire, and watching the two of them makes me want a baby of our own.
“Don’t get any ideas,” Cara comments, nudging me. “At least not anytime soon.”
“I’m all right with that, but it’s something to look forward to.” I grin, laughing as Fire jumps into Natalie’s lap and kisses her. “That is one cute kid.”
“Isn’t she?” she coos. “She’s a little spitfire like her mother.”
“How about you? No babies yet?” I pry.
“How about you? When do you think you and Natty will get married? I hope you have a shitload of money for the big wedding she’s always wanted,” she fires back, evading my question with her own.
“Well, after we’ve been together longer would be sensible,” I admit, but hey, who knows. “And don’t worry, I have it all covered.”
In fact, I have double everything that I had before. Aries left me everything. Bastard.
But I’d trade it all and more just to have him back.
“You sound very confident that she would say yes,” she says.
I smirk. “Like I said, when the time is right, I will know.”
“You know, she may understand why you left, but I think it was a shit thing to do. You can’t just run away when things get tough,” she reprimands me, and I know I deserve it. I’ve spent the last month trying to make it up to her.
“You’re right.”
“Well, no matter what, I’ll definitely be at her wedding. My spot is secure. Yours is up in the air.”
My jaw drops, and then I start laughing. I’ve never been so put in my place in my life. “I’ll remember that. You know, I never had a sister, but I never really wanted one,” I fire back.
To be honest I’d never really thought about it. But I like having Cara in my life. She’s so different from her sister, but she’s a beautiful person, and their bond reminds me of mine with my brother.
Unbreakable.
And even in death, our bond will remain.
She smiles widely. “I guess you’re getting one anyway.”