Total pages in book: 178
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
I remained silent, sipping my wine, but after some time passed, I replied, “I know. I’m just not ready yet.”
Not a second passed, before she uttered, “He saved Ana’s life, you know.” At my confused glance, she nodded. “I was there.” Her eyes turned bleak. “She was dying and Tony saved her.”
Wait. Ana had lived in my home for months. She never mentioned this. “Did she know?”
“No.” Manda shook her head. “She does now. She’s grateful. Julius, even more so, even though he doesn’t want to admit it.” She peered over. “It’s only a matter of time before he’s accepted back into the fold by his brothers.” Why did that sound so foreboding? “I don’t know my brother like a sister should, but I’m getting there, and from what little I do know, I can guarantee you something, Lexi.” Her expression was grim. “He’s not going to give up his son.”
You know what? No.
I sat up tall, my back rigid. “He doesn’t have a choice on that front.”
Manda twisted her body to me, her eyes imploring. “Listen to yourself. Do you even know who you’re talking about here? We’re not talking about a regular guy trying to get partial custody over his kid. We’re talking Antonio ‘Twitch’ Falco. If you don’t give him something—” She let out a soft sigh. “—I’m concerned he’ll take it without asking.”
Okay. Maybe she did know a little about her brother. “I’ll deal with it.”
Soon after, Manda left, and as I sat alone in my bedroom, my anxiety rose when I pondered how long I would have before Twitch started to take without asking.
I didn’t know what time it was when the knock sounded at the door, but it was still dark out. Waking with a jolt, my heart thumped when the knock sounded again, this time louder than the last.
Sliding out of bed, I slipped on my Pikachu slippers and shrugged on my silken kimono before heading out my room and down the hall. I heard Molly approach from behind, and when I peered out of the frosted side window, I sighed at the familiar hooded shadow before opening the door. “Go awa—” The statement died on my lips when I spotted the bundle he was holding.
“You lose somethin’?” Twitch asked sleepily, holding A.J. in his arms.
My heart stopped.
I blinked in confusion, my lips parted, and when I reached out for him, Twitch pulled back.
Before I could think, I hissed, “Give me my son.”
His face darkened, and he cradled our sleeping son in his arms as he spoke low. “I know you’re pissed at me, and I deserve that, so I’m gonna let it fly the way you just threw an accusation at me. I know you’re mad, which is why I’m not gonna mention that my son somehow got out of his room, out of the safety of his fucking house in the middle of the night with two grown-ass women inside who are meant to be keeping him safe. I’m also not gonna mention how he crossed the street in the dark, where he could’ve been hit by a car or snatched up and taken away without a fucking trace.” Shit. He looked furious. I hated that he had a right to be. Without hesitation, he handed me my son and I held him close, shutting my eyes and breathing him in as I stroked his head and rocked him. And Twitch watched me closely. “I know you’re upset, and that’s why I’m not gonna mention any of that shit tonight.” He took a step back, away from me, but his eyes spoke volumes. “But tomorrow, we’re gonna talk.”
He turned and strode back across the street barefoot, wearing nothing but boxers and his hoodie, and my entire being hummed in fright, because there was no getting out of it.
Tomorrow, we would talk.
Dread had me on edge, and I was sure that was the only reason I did what I did that afternoon.
Coming home from work, I looked forward to seeing my little man after the stern talking to I’d given him that morning. Waking as I did the night before was the scariest thing I’d ever experienced in my life. Waking to find my child out of bed, knowing he’d slipped out of the back door and walked around the house to find his father in the middle of the night was a terrifying thought.
All the things that could’ve happened to him played in my mind on repeat, and I was ready to talk. Or so I thought.
So when I came home to an empty house, I started to panic. My feet took me from room to room and found A.J.’s schoolbag by his bed. My heart picked up pace. Molly always let me know if they were going somewhere, and after last night’s scare, I was petrified at the thought of where my son could be.