Page 96 of Allegiance

That was going to hurt every day.

The worst part was that it also made her heart skip a beat. There was nothing she craved more than that man, and having him be hers.

She hated that he still made her want him when he clearly was only here because he found out about the baby.

Not her.

The child.

Again, she meant nothing to him.

In her airy kitchen, she poured some decaf and took a deep breath to try and get into control.

Over the last three months, she and Violet were going to therapy. Violet for the abuse, and her for the abandonment issues.

She was working on the rage too.

Now, it was all coming back because she missed him, and here he was, putting her crib together.

HER CRIB for HER BABY.

As she was standing there, it dawned on her that she no longer heard the piano music playing.

What was Violet doing?

Of course, she had to investigate.

As she reached the living room, Violet was gone, but her berries were not.

That’s when she heard them talking from down the hall where the nursery was.

As she approached, she listened to them talk—telling herself that she was making sure he didn’t upset Violet. Then, she’d have a reason to kill him.

Only, that’s not what she heard.

Not.

At.

All.

“I bet you’re excited about having a sibling,” Dakota said as he worked on the crib.

Violet sat beside him and held the directions. He didn’t need them, but he didn’t want to be alone. When he was alone, the thoughts consumed him.

Ethan Blackhawk had been right.

He had been planning to leave so he could die alone.

“I kinda am. It’s been great with mom, but…I want a friend. It’s tough out there. With a brother or sister, I get backup.”

Dakota listened.

“Do you have siblings?” she asked.

“Nope, but I have the men I became friends with. Zayn, Jagger, Rogue, Boone, Gene, and Tommy are like brothers. Sometimes, you have to make your family. It’s not always blood.”

“Mom says that.”

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