Chapter 14 #3
Max takes a second to tell her, “That is beautiful, baby girl. Keep playing Daddy music while I get you dressed. We’ll surprise Mommy when she gets out of the shower with how pretty you look.”
Lyra gives him a huge smile and slams her chubby hand down on the keys again. Max laughs and kisses her head before quickly pulling her other arm through.
“They survived,” I tell him. “I think Ev hated every second of it, but he managed to catch a small wave.”
“And Damien?” he asks, darting a quick look to me before getting started on Lyra’s pants.
“He caught on quick. Although, I imagine he does that with most things. Is there anything he can’t do?”
Max gives a good-natured laugh and says to his daughter, “I think your Aunt Sitka and Uncle Damien are about to make things very complicated.”
“Do you think everyone will hate us for this?” I ask, knowing if anyone can give me some advice on this, it’ll be him.
“No one’s going to hate you,” he says. “I’m not saying they’re going to immediately embrace the idea, but they’ll come around. Your family won’t risk losing you, Sitka. We both know it would kill your dad if you chose Damien over him.”
When he sees how shitty the very idea of having to do that makes me feel, he says, “That’s why he won’t make you choose.
” Looking back at his daughter, he pulls her pants up and then reaches for a pink pair of tiny socks.
“Trust me, I get the whole dad-daughter thing now. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep Lyra in my life.
I would never make her choose where her loyalty lies.
It would kill me to lose her. It’s going to be bad enough when she does meet someone and wants to move out and get married, but to permanently lose her because I’m too stubborn to welcome her husband in?
” He shakes his head at the very idea of it. “Never going to happen.”
Grinning at his daughter, he adds, “If he ever hurts her, I will gut him and use the pieces for bait the next time I go fishing. Isn’t that right, Lyra baby?
Daddy will kill him and smile the whole time he’s doing it.
” The soft, baby-talking voice he’s using is at complete odds with the violent threat behind the words, but it makes Lyra squeal with happiness when she hears it.
Returning to his normal voice, he says, “Your dad will feel the same way and your brothers. They’ll learn to accept that Damien is a part of your life. Word of advice?”
When I nod, grateful for anything he wants to give me, he says, “Tell them before they can find out some other way. It’s only a matter of time before they pick up on it.”
“We’re going to tell them soon. We just want a little more time.”
“Well, for the record, I like the idea of you two together, and I’ve never seen my cousin as happy as he is when he’s with you.”
Surprised, I turn my attention away from the song Lyra is still pounding away at so I can look at Max. “Really?”
He grins back at me. “Really.” His grin turns to a soft laugh when Lyra hits an especially loud and abrasive note. “It’s going to break my heart a little bit if she’s tone deaf.”
When she does it again, Max grabs her, lifting her up so he can blow a raspberry on her stomach. She lets out a loud string of giggles that’s impossible to not smile at. I love seeing the pure joy that lights up her face, and I hope nothing in life ever dims it.
“Someone’s having fun,” Talia says, walking in and giving her husband and daughter a kiss before turning to me, obviously wanting details.
I fill her in as quickly as I can while they get ready to bring Lyra down for breakfast. She gives me a side hug when I say, “He looked really good on a surfboard.”
“Hang in there a little bit longer,” she tells me. “Then you’ll get to see him naked anytime you want.”
Max laughs from behind us. “It truly is one of the greatest perks of marriage.”
“It is,” Talia agrees.
We manage to get through breakfast without anyone noticing the looks that Damien and I keep sneaking to one another, but as soon as it’s over, Misha makes a point of telling me to go and pack my bags.
“Why?” I ask him. “I was going to stay with Allie again.”
“You’re coming with us,” Misha says, making it clear I don’t have a choice.
Yuri softens it by saying, “We want to show you the newest trail. Plus, Nyx misses you. She whined outside my door last night until I let her in so she could sleep next to Hex.”
I feel a sharp pang of guilt at my dog being so lonely and go to pack my bag.
There’s no way for me to say no without it raising some serious suspicion.
I have a feeling this is a test, like Misha is just waiting for me to put up a fight so he can pounce on it.
Instead of giving him the satisfaction, I send Damien a quick text before I leave the room, letting him know I’ll figure out a way to get back here.
Then I walk downstairs, acting like I don’t mind that I have to leave early.
I give Talia and Allie a hug and tell them to give Yulia my love when she finally wakes up and comes down.
Then, I wave to the others and shout a quick bye.
My eyes briefly catch Damien’s before I run out after my brothers like I don’t have a care in the world, like I didn’t just leave my heart behind me with him.
As much fun as it is to see my dog again and go racing through the woods with Misha and Yuri, my thoughts are with Damien, and the longer we’re apart, the more antsy I grow.
When the sun sets, my brothers decide to go into the city, whether it’s to have fun or work, I don’t know.
All I know is my babysitters have left, and I plan on taking full advantage of it.