Page 61 of Merciless King

Piper watches us from the couch, a soft smile on her face. She looks relaxed and comfortable too, and more than ever, I feel like my dream has finally come true.

As the movie ends, I scoop Elysse up and spin her around. She giggles and wraps her arms around my neck. "That was fun, Daddy!"

My heart swells at hearing her call me 'Daddy'. “Daddy needs a break. I think it's time for some dinner. What do you say, little dancer?"

Elysse nods enthusiastically. "I'm hungry."

We enter the dining room to find Lana and Matteo already seated at the table. They both smile warmly at Elysse.

Elysse stops and hides behind my leg when she sees Lana.

“I know how you feel,” I joke, “but she’s more bark than bite. In fact, she’s your aunt.”

Lana arches a brow at me but then smiles again at Elysse. “Come with me, kid, and I’ll tell you all the dirt on your dad here.”

Elysse looks up at me.

“She won’t don’t do that. I have more dirt on her.” I lead Elysse to a spot at the table near me. It’s where I used to sit when my parents were alive. In that moment, I finally have a feeling of being head of the family.

“I never had an aunt before. Or a cousin.”

I’m beginning to sense how small Piper and Elysse’s worlds were, especially with Gabriel.

“Well, get used to it. We’re going to spoil you rotten,” Lana says playfully. I smile at her, hoping she sees how appreciative I am at her accepting Piper and Elysse, even as doing so fucks up things with Vincenzo Rinella.

Matteo grins. "Just wait until Christmas, kid. Your aunt and I are going to make sure you have the biggest pile of presents ever!"

For once, dinner isn’t filled with me and Lana griping or all of us discussing dinner. Instead, we learn about Elysse and her love of dancing. I make a mental note to find out about dance classes for her. Elysse also shares different words she used when in England, like biscuit for cookie.

“I don’t hear an English accent,” Matteo says.

Piper laughs. “She has an American mom and grandparents.” It makes me ridiculously happy that she doesn't mention Gabriel's influence, that she’s already culled him from Elysse’s past.

“Are your parents still there?” Lana asks, innocently enough. But I see the glimmer of light in Piper’s eyes dim.

“Yes.” She looks down.

Lana glances over at me, a brow arched in question.

“I believe they were in league with Mom and Dad.” No sense in keeping the truth a secret. What I don’t understand is why they were so eager to get her away from danger they perceived from me but didn’t help her leave Gabriel.

“What’s in league?” Elysse asks as she pokes a cooked carrot.

“In cahoots,” Matteo says.

“What’s cahoots?”

“It means they worked together,” Piper finally says.

Elysse looks up at Piper. “To do what?”

Piper turns to me. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to shut up or answer or do anything at all. But I have my fatherhood to defend.

I put my hand on Elysse’s. “Remember when we told you that I didn’t know about you?”

She nods.

“That’s because my parents and your mom’s parents didn’t want me to know. They worked together to make sure I didn’t.”

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