Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 80207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Everleigh never died in that field. She’s been alive all this time.
Chapter 28
Everleigh
Rosalie forced me to drink a whole glass of sugar water.
Vincent calmed down once he got to play with Roman again.
Viktor is blocking the sliding door like a damn thundercloud, as if he’s scared I’ll try to make a run for it.
I’m sitting on a couch next to Alek, and I have no idea what to say. I dreamed about this moment for years, but now that it’s happening, I don’t know what to do.
I feel close to him but also miles away from him. It’s been four years.
It takes Alek longer to recover from the shock of seeing me. Up until now, he hasn’t taken his eyes off me, but when Vincent lets out a burst of laughter, Alek slowly turns his gaze to his son.
He tilts his head, and a frown forms on his forehead. “You have a child?”
“Baby, let’s give them some privacy. Bring the kids,” Viktor says.
I dart up from the couch, my eyes wildly flying to Vincent. “No, my child isn’t leaving my sight.”
Viktor holds his hands up. “Okay.”
“You have a child?” Alek asks again, but this time his voice is stronger.
I sit down again, and pushing my hair away from my face, I say, “Yes.” Tentatively, I meet Alek’s eyes. “His name is Vincent…Alek Adams.” I swallow hard on the lump in my throat, and my voice breaks over the words. “We have a son. He’s yours.”
Another wave of shock hits Alek, and he stares at our baby boy. “You named him after Vincent and me?”
“Yes.” The word comes out sounding like I swallowed a squeaky toy.
He shakes his head then he says, “I saw you die.”
My breath hitches, and tears start to spill over my cheeks again. “An old man found me and took me to the hospital.”
Alek closes his eyes, a look of intense pain tightening his features. “You didn’t try to get in touch. I fucking thought you were dead.” His voice rises with each word, then his eyes snap open. “You couldn’t think to let me know you survived? I lost my fucking mind!”
Emotions explode in my chest. “I couldn’t reach out to you!” I wave a hand at Vincent. “I had a child to think of. Your father shot me and left me for dead right after I spent two months in hell with you. I was scared out of my mind the bratva would find me and finish the job!”
“I’m going to step in here,” Viktor says. “This is no conversation for a child to hear. Alek, take Everleigh to your place. We’ll watch the kids.”
Alek rises to his feet while he looks at his son. He moves closer and crouching before our boy, he says, “Hey, little man.”
Vincent gives him a cautious look. “Hi.” Then a frown settles on his face. “Why are you making my mommy cry?”
Alek shakes his head. “We haven’t seen each other in a long time. They’re tears of happiness.”
“Oh.” Vincent resumes playing with his cars.
Alek reaches a hand out and brushes his palm over Vincent’s hair. “He looks like me.”
I fold my lips into my teeth to keep the sob from escaping and have to glance away so I don’t burst out in tears again.
Sucking in a deep breath, Alek rises to his feet and walks back to me. He takes my hand and pulls me up from the couch.
Without another word, he tugs me toward the sliding doors. “I don’t want to leave Vincent,” I argue while pulling against his hold on me.
“Vincent will be safe,” Rosalie says, her voice thick with emotion. “I won’t take my eyes off him. Go with Alek.”
I see the promise in Rosalie’s eyes, and only because I know she’s a good mother do I follow Alek out of the mansion.
We walk in silence, and as we cross a lawn toward a cottage, his fingers link with mine.
In this moment, it feels right to hold his hand.
He opens the front door, and letting go of me, he waits for me to walk inside before he follows.
I hear the door shut, and I hardly take in the living room and kitchen before my eyes lock on Alek again.
Standing in front of the man I went through the bowels of hell with – the only man I’ll ever love – I drink in the older version of him. He’s changed a lot during the past four years.
Alek was attractive, to begin with, but now he’s on a whole different level. There’s also a dangerous air about him, making my stomach flutter with nervousness.
He gives me a heartbroken look before he closes the distance between us. His arms wrap tightly around me.
God, he smells good.
I only got to see one side of Alek in that dark room. We were both starved and reeking.