Chapter 25
Kia
The moment my eyelids flutter open, I take in my surroundings before realizing the familiar nausea that usually sends me sprinting for the bathroom is absent. Sunlight spills through the floor-to-ceiling windows, painting gold streaks across the hardwood.
I haven’t woken up feeling this good since I discovered I was pregnant.
The thought is both comforting and unsettling at the same time.
Maybe I should surprise Laiken and Elody with a plate of smiley face pancakes that are ready and waiting for them. My belly rumbles at the idea, which feels like a small miracle all on its own.
After rolling from the bed, I find a pair of shorts and pull them on before padding out of the room in bare feet. I’m still wearing the tank top I slept in, and my hair is loose around my shoulders.
It hasn’t been a full week since I started this job and moved in, and I’m already comfortable here. The realization circles through my head as I turn it over carefully, trying to understand what it means. Comfort itself isn’t unfamiliar to me, but this kind of ease happening so quickly is.
For a split second, I pretend that waking up in Laiken’s penthouse before wandering into the kitchen is nothing out of the ordinary.
My steps falter when voices from the living room catch my attention.
Laiken’s there, but he’s not alone.
Awareness skitters down my spine.
Shit.
Not wanting to draw attention to myself, I take a cautious step in retreat. Just as I’m about to disappear into the hallway, Elody’s gaze locks on mine from across the space, and her face lights up.
“Kia!”
She rushes toward me at full speed, bare feet slapping against the floor, before throwing herself at my legs and winding her arms around my waist.
My gaze lifts from her smiling face, immediately registering the shift in the atmosphere. Two strangers stand in the living room, their raised brows and stiff posture making it clear they weren’t expecting to find me here.
The older woman’s attention drops to my bare legs before snapping back up, her mouth tightening just enough to send heat creeping up my neck. The man beside her remains silent, his gaze darting between Laiken and me with speculation.
Like I’m a booty call who overstayed her welcome.
“We didn’t realize you had company, Laiken,” the woman says coolly.
The judgment in her tone is unmistakable.
Awkwardness descends, and for the first time in months, I wish I’d woken up feeling sick. Then I wouldn’t have stumbled headfirst into whatever fresh hell this is.
“I’m sorry,” I manage, my gaze slicing to Laiken. “I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s fine. You’re not intruding.”
With a handful of strides, he swallows up the distance between us, stopping close enough to feel the heat of his body at my side. His presence manages to steady me even as thick tension radiates from him.
“This is Abigail and Henry,” he says evenly. “Sarah’s parents. They stopped by to see Elody.” His attention stays locked on me. “And this is Kia.”
Before either of them has a chance to respond, Elody squeezes me tighter before tilting her head back to grin up at me. “Kia lives here with us!” She pauses, as if remembering something important. “She makes the best eggs. Sometimes we color, and she braids Penny’s hair.”
Another shocked silence follows that announcement.
“I’m sorry… did you say she lives here?” Abigail’s eyes narrow. “Exactly how long has this been going on for?”
Laiken’s hand brushes against my lower back. The touch is brief but comforting.
“It’s a new development,” he says.
Henry clears his throat. “And you didn’t think to discuss it with us first?”
Elody’s brow furrows, her small body stiffening, as if sensing the sudden shift in the room. “I want Kia to stay forever.”
I open my mouth, ready to explain that I’m just the nanny, when Laiken beats me to the punch.
“Actually, Kia and I are getting married.”
The words have the same effect as a bomb being dropped in the middle of the room. For a suspended beat, no one moves or dares to breathe. The air feels charged, as if the smallest sound might shatter it.
My pulse roars in my ears. It’s impossible to reconcile the words that just tumbled from his mouth.
Married?
I swing toward Laiken, waiting for him to correct himself, but he doesn’t. Instead, his gaze stays fixed straight ahead, as if daring either of them to argue.
Elody’s face lights up as she squeals while bouncing in place. “Yay! Daddy and Kia are getting married!”
“This is unacceptable,” Abigail snaps. “You should have talked to us first.”
“I can understand why you’d feel this way, but it’s not up for discussion,” Laiken says flatly.
Henry stiffens. “That’s not how this works.”
Laiken’s expression remains calm in a way that’s almost frightening. “Actually, it is.”
The silence continues to stretch until it feels as though it’ll reach a breaking point.
Abigail’s lips thin. “We’re supposed to be consulted on decisions that affect Elody.”
“I would never do anything that wasn’t in my daughter’s best interest,” Laiken replies in a clipped tone. “She comes first. Always. And I don’t need your approval to get remarried.”
“We’ll see what our lawyer has to say about that,” she huffs.
“You do that.”
With an irritated scoff, she reaches for her purse. “Henry, let’s go.”
The older man turns to his granddaughter before forcing a slight smile. “We’ll see you soon, sweetheart.” With that, they move toward the elevator.
Elody waves. “Bye, Mimi and Pop-Pop!”
The elevator doors slide shut with a whoosh that sounds far too final in the quiet aftermath. My heart continues to race as the reality of what just happened crashes over me.
Married.
The word reverberates throughout my head.
There’s no way he meant it.
I look at Laiken again, searching for something to say, but my mind remains stubbornly blank.
He rakes a hand through his hair. “I’m really sorry for dragging you into this.”
“It’s fine,” I manage, still in shock.
“I just…” His voice trails off as Elody darts forward and wraps herself around my legs, her arms locking tight like she’s afraid I’ll disappear into thin air if she lets go for even a moment.
“Are you going to be my new mommy?”
The question steals the air from my lungs. My mouth parts in surprise as my gaze snaps to Laiken’s, panic crashing through me in a rush. I don’t know what the right answer is or if one even exists. Every possible response feels like a misstep.
So I remain frozen, rooted in place, silently pleading for direction.
For rescue.
Laiken moves before I can gather my wits, and drops to his knees beside Elody. With gentle fingers, he brushes her hair back. “Hey, bug, why don’t you go play in your room for a few minutes, okay? Kia and I need to talk.”
Elody’s lower lip trembles as she looks between us, her grip tightening around me. “I want Kia to be my new mommy. Please?”
My heart hurts at the longing that fills her voice.
Laiken swallows hard. “Go play,” he repeats. “We’ll talk about it in a little bit, okay?”
She hesitates, clearly on the verge of arguing, before giving a reluctant nod. Her arms loosen from around me as she pulls back, lingering for a beat longer than necessary before scurrying down the hall.
Her bedroom door clicks shut, the sound unnaturally loud in the silence that follows. I stay where I am, my heart pounding, knowing whatever Laiken says next will change everything.