Page 24 of Keepsake

Warm under my palm, her head reached right under my chin. We watched dumbfounded Vienna jumping over Lachlan’s seat and land on the sidewalk. But at her first step to freedom, a hand stopped her.

Dashiell’s arm laced around her waist. “What is your problem?” he asked, tsking.

“My door was locked,” she complained, sending me a dirty look.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

“Stay where you are. Don’t cross the road by yourself,” he told her.

Then he came to Lachlan, grabbing his pacifier from his lap, he stuffed it in the child’s mouth.

“Lach, stop.”

At first Lachlan did not stop. He had to hold the pacifier or he would spit it out all over again. But after half a minute, Lachlan latched on to it and Dash removed his hand and opened the seat belt.

Taking his brother in his arms, the wailing completely stopped.

Vienna was still angry, but she held Dash’s hand when he offered it to her. The teenager eyed Logan and I up and down, shook his head in disappointment and brought the kids across the road and to Logan’s building.

It was only when we watched them cross securely that Logan turned in my hands. Her big green eyes were full of tears when she looked up at me.

“I think we fucked up.”

No shit.

AfterDashtookthekids, I finally removed my hands from Logan’s shoulders, and we crossed the street to meet them. I was so busy watching her, I only noticed how ridiculous her building was once I stood at the front of it.

In solid exposed stone, reeking of old money, it stood proudly with a doorman at the front. He smiled and introduced himself as Andrew, nodding when Logan told him I was staying as well as the kids.

“Just let me know if you need anything.” He bowed his head slightly.

The scene belonged in a movie, and it took me a second to return the gesture with a dip of my chin, clearing my throat and thanking the man.

Then Logan took a keycard from her back pocket, a card to access her floor. After swiping, she pressed the eleven.

“I gave a keycard to Dash.” She explained the kids’ absence. “And you can park your truck down in the parking lot. I have three spaces.”

I nodded but looked forward, my eyes glued to the reflective metal of the elevator’s door. Even if it was clearly renovated and modern, the floors were in light marble, with gold accents in the corner proving this building was old and once belonged to practically royalty.

As we ascended to the eleventh floor, I relaxed a little, and I chanced a look at Logan. She was standing in that way of hers, back straight and tense shoulders. Her jaw was clenched, and she was frowning at her own reflection.

I didn’t need to be a shrink to know Logan was freaking out.

The elevator doors opened right in the middle of her living room, and I knew that her penthouse wasn’t meant for us.

The first thing I noticed were the windows. Floor-length windows with a curve at the top framing the outside garden with a view of the city. Shelves and shelves of books, artwork on the walls, and a luscious cream sofa where the three kids sat, looking as misplaced as I felt. She also had flowers everywhere. Pink and white flowers in crystal vases on the tables and counters.

My boots hit the dark wooden floors in a zigzag pattern, and I almost missed as Logan took her heels off and rushed to the kids.

“Everything ok?” she asked.

Dash narrowed his eyes at her. “Yes.”

That was all he offered. Logan laced her hands in front of her torso, and I really felt bad for her. Those kids were going to chew her up.

I scratched my palm over my buzzed hair as Logan made an attempt to perk up, slapping her hands over her legs. “Do you want to see the rest of the place?”

Lachlan slid off Dash’s knees. Vienna took her little brother’s hand, following close to Logan. I let Dash go and followed behind.

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