Chapter 28 Holt
TWENTY-EIGHT
HOLT
His face is flaming red.
“Oh, hey, buddy.” I bend over the crib and scoop my son into my arms. “We almost made it. You must sense your mom is coming home soon.”
Luca screams, with his little fists raised into the air, shaking them like stiff little rattles.
I pop his pacifier into his mouth, hoping it’ll curb his shrill shrieking. It does the trick and, within seconds, his eyes are floating shut again, his chubby cheeks puffing in and out as the pacifier bobs between his lips.
Grabbing one of his baby blankets, I set it down on the changing table and gently set him on top of it, swaddling him. Wrapping him tightly, he settles into the crook of my arm as I carry him out of his room and down the hall, back toward where Asher and West are sitting.
“Is he all right?” Asher asks, organizing his poker chips.
“Yeah.” I carry Luca over to the kitchen, where West is popping open a beer. “Are you ever not working?”
West chuckles as he slides the bottle across the counter. I catch it and bring it to my lips, taking a sip.
“It’s just a beer, Holt.” He smirks and cracks open another one, taking a swig of his own.
I give him a smile and walk over to the large poker table my staff set up earlier. “Remember when we used to play poker on the yacht?”
“Yep.” Asher laughs, running a hand through his hair. He sits back in his chair and huffs. “That was before marriage and kids.” He nods toward Luca in my arms.
“Hey.” I cup my hand over his soft head, covering his near jet-black hair. “Selene is nervous about taking Luca out on the water so soon. But on the upside, once this guy is old enough, we’ll be able to add another player.”
“It’ll be a while before that happens,” West announces from the kitchen.
Asher’s grin spreads as his eyes drop to my son. “Yeah, and Luca probably won’t be the only extra player we’ll be able to add.”
“What do you mean?” West asks, moving from my kitchen to the poker table.
“Charleigh just found out she’s pregnant.”
“No shit.” West’s entire face lights up. He drops his beer bottle onto the table and pulls Asher in for a hug.
“Congrats, man,” I tell him, laughing.
Once he finishes his hug with West, he returns to his seat.
“I think”—Asher cringes—“I was supposed to wait until the girls got back to tell you guys, but I couldn’t hold it in any longer, seeing you with Luca.”
“We’ll pretend to be shocked when she tells us,” West offers.
“Better get ready, then.” Asher checks his phone. “Because they’ll be here any minute.”
“One more round?” West asks, returning to his seat opposite mine.
My chips are still stacked into a neat pile in front of my seat, and Asher hasn’t yet dealt a new hand. I look down at my son, not willing to put him down just yet. How is it I can be so tired all the time yet never tire of him?
“Dads learn to multitask.” I slip into my chair, careful not to rock him too much, and tip my head toward Asher’s hands. “Deal.”
By the time I’ve lost half a stack of my chips worth five thousand dollars, the women finally arrive.
I look up as my wife enters, dropping her keys and purse on the table and kicking off her heels before racing over to me and Luca. Charleigh, London, and Julianna shuffle in behind her.
Selene meets me and immediately bends down to plant a soft and gentle kiss on Luca’s forehead.
“What about me?” I ask, my heart racing at the sight of her. I’m still utterly obsessed with Selene Capuleti. “Don’t I get a kiss?”
“Always,” she whispers, pressing her lips to mine. She pulls away, making sure to tug on my lip with her teeth playfully before admiring our son once more.
“Did you have fun?” I ask her.
“I did, and we definitely needed it.” She sighs happily. “I missed Julianna, but I also missed you two.”
Despite our endless amount of money to spend on nannies and caretakers for Luca, Selene has never taken up on my offer to hire one to give her a break. Now, seeing her with Luca, I understand why. We try to soak up as much time as we can with him.
Parenting is wild.
Selene caresses Luca’s head once more before backing away.
“I’m not expecting a kiss like Selene, but a hello would be nice.”
I snap my head up to find my sister standing near the front entrance of my penthouse apartment. It’s been months since I’ve seen her, and although we’ve texted every week, I haven’t realized how much I’ve missed her until now.
“Jules.” I sigh, tossing my head and giving her a smile. “Hi.”
I’ll never get over how much she looks like our mother. My chair screeches across the marble floor as I stand, still holding Luca in my arms.
“Here, Selene.” I hold Luca out slightly. “Take Luca so I can give my sister a hug.”
“Wait.” Julianna holds her hand out, her smile dropping. “Don’t hand him to her just yet.”
“What?” I scoff, confused. “Why?”
“Because you can’t get mad with a baby in your arms.” She winces. “Or murder anyone.”
“What the hell?” I ask, holding Luca closer to my chest. “Why would I have any reason to murder—"
I don’t get to finish my sentence before Rome steps out from the end of the hallway. I’m suddenly standing face to face with a man I’ve hated my whole life. While the reason has been convoluted for generations, my beef with Rome isn’t. It’s crystal fucking clear.
“Take the baby, Selene.”
Selene takes a step, holding her arms out.
“Don’t do it, Selene,” Julianna warns, locking eyes with me.
Selene freezes mid step.
I grind my teeth, unable to break my focus from Julianna. “Take our son, Wallflower.”
“Using her nickname is useless right now, Holt.” Julianna smirks, and that look makes me want to fucking explode. I hate she’s fucking right in this moment. I can’t get angry with Luca in my arms.
“But,” Selene mutters, quiet as a mouse, “I do like it when he uses my nickname.”
Julianna shoots her sister-in-law a glare. “Not the point right now, Selene.”
“Right.” My wife snaps her mouth shut and waves a hand before taking a step back. “Sorry.” She chuckles, hoping it’ll lighten the mood, but it doesn’t.
My entire body is humming with anger. White hot blood is racing through my veins, and I want nothing more than to set my son down gently before murdering Rome fucking Montgomery, staining my marble floors with his blood.
“You were trying to be friends with Rome, remember?” Julianna reminds me. “All those months you spent cozying up to him.”
“That was before the asshole fucking sued me, Jules,” I seethe. “He nearly destroyed my magazine and my life.”
“Yes, and you nearly destroyed his. Plus, he dropped the lawsuit.”
I scoff, cackling with disgust. “As if that makes it any better.”
“Actually, it does,” Rome cuts in, his voice setting me on edge.
“Rome,” Julianna whispers, grabbing onto his hand.
“It’s fine, Lark.” Rome touches her cheek, and if I could, I’d chop his fingers off just for doing it.
“Don’t you fucking touch her,” I hiss, anger building in my chest. I take a step closer.
“She’s my wife, so I have every right to touch her,” he barks back, broadening his shoulders.
I blanche, my skin growing cold. A chill wraps around my spine, and I’m utterly frozen. Only seconds ago, I was seething with rage, but now I’m simply… numb.
“Your wife?”
“Holt.” Julianna drops Rome’s hand, and I can’t help catching sight of the ring on her finger. “Please. I just need you to hear us out and then I think you’ll understand.”
“I don’t need to understand anything. I don’t need to understand this ridiculous lie that you’re married to Rome.”
“But I am.” Her tear-filled eyes scan the room filled with our friends and family. “I’ve been married to Rome for ten years. Longer than we’ve known anyone else in this room.”
My jaw practically drops to the fucking floor.
“Oh, fuck.” West’s cheeks puff as he blows out a heavy breath and wraps a steadying arm around his fiancé London. “Perhaps we should go. This sounds like a family matter.”
“Are you kidding? We can’t leave now.” London swats at West, her mouth agape. “Besides, this does have to do with us. Holt is my brother-in-law.”
“I think West might be right.” Asher stands, sliding out from his chair. “The four of us should go. Come on, Charleigh.”
Asher slips into his suede coat before placing his hand on the small of his wife’s back, inching closer to the front door.
“Don’t leave. This isn’t a family matter because Rome isn’t family,” I argue, curling my top lip. “Get the fuck out of my house, Montgomery.”
“We’re not leaving until you hear us out, Holt.” Julianna steps closer, crossing her arms. Fuck, she’s always been defiant.
“I don’t need to hear anything.”
“You owe me at least a little.” She cuts me a bitter glare. “I know about Rhys.”
A bone-chilling sensation snakes around my spine.
Julianna and I stare at each other in a silent standoff.
“Yeah,” London concedes in a high pitch tone. “Maybe we should go.”
I know the last thing London wants to do is talk about Rhys O’Connell, considering what happened to her ex-husband. Our friends hug Selene, muttering their goodbyes to me and Julianna from a distance.
Nearly everyone is out the door before Rome is turning toward Asher. “Congratulations, Asher,” he offers him. “For your marriage and your baby on the way.”
“Oh.” Asher blinks, shocked by Rome’s comments. “Erm, thank you, Rome.” He gives me a side-eye before inhaling a deep breath. He’s my best friend and I get his silent message straight away.
Be nice and hear them out.
“We’ll catch up with you later,” he says to the four of us before leaving my apartment.
All that’s left is just Selene, Julianna, Rome, and me. Oh, and Luca.
“Am I safe to take the baby yet?” Selene asks, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. “I’d like to get him back to his crib.”
“I don’t know.” Julianna pops a brow at me. “Is Selene safe to take the baby?”