Cole takes his phone from him, deleting the image. “She’s married to our dad’s cousin, for fuck’s sake. Besides, she’s at least twenty years older than you.”
“Who cares? She’s smokin’ hottt.”
My thumb brushes over Serenity’s image. “I’ll give her two weeks,” I say, giving them no room for argument.
The guys eventually leave and I finally get my ass to bed. But I find myself staring at the picture again. She looks like she’s been crying. Of course she was. That asshole … I owe the twin’s dad a big one for putting a bullet in that fucker.
I take a deep breath, calming my rage. I definitely need to go to the Cage tomorrow and work some of this out.
The way she’s clutching a blanket to her chest reminds me of Mila. I have to agree with the twins; she probably needs time. They asked me to tell Carver to stay put, and I did but …
Lucky for me the fucker never listens.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Serenity
“You’re not packed,” Big Dan says, standing in the doorway of the room that’s been mine for the past two weeks.
“I am.” I point to the backpack sitting on the vanity chair with the quilt carefully folded on top.
“That’s all you’re taking?”
“Yep.”
He sighs but grabs the bag and leaves the room. I know his wife will be up next. They work as a team.
“Why aren’t you taking your things?” she asks.
“I took what I needed.”
“I saw what Dan brought down. You couldn’t have packed more than a few days’ worth of clothes.”
“Well, I’ll be back in a few days so …”
Her face softens, and she joins me in the window seat. “You’re welcome to stay with us as long as you’d like, but you know your heart is calling you home. Home is not here.”
“I want it to be.”
She places her hand against my cheek. “You know my boys think of you as a sister, and now my daughter has claimed you as one too. You were meant to come into our lives, and Dan and I will forever be here for you. But we wouldn’t be very good parents if we didn’t give you a little nudge out of the nest, would we? Staying here isn’t what’s best for you.”
“I’m scared.”
“Can I show you something?” she asks.
“I suppose.”
She pulls up a video on her phone. I hear Mila’s little giggle before she even hands it to me. My heart begins to ache.
“Sometimes big broody men can be a little hardheaded, but if you get past the gruff exterior, you’ll find something inside them that is golden.”
I let out a half-sob, half-chuckle as Rage and Mila spin in circles with their arms over their heads like ballerinas. They’re mimicking the little duck that twirls on top of the music box.
“Again! Again!” Mila squeals when the music stops.
“I told him the music box would work,” I whisper, holding the phone out to her. “They look happy.”
“But they’re missing someone,” Lily says, gently pushing it back.