Page 152 of Reluctantly You

“How?” I manage to croak, and only Magnus, who’s looking at me, his eyes wet, responds.

“Lex. Never mind. We’re here. We know.”

“Emery?” I ask, and he shakes his head.

“He pieced it together when I mentioned who you were. He insisted on coming. Said you couldn’t be left alone.”

Tears leak from my eyes amid the chaos, but no one notices except Gideon and Magnus, everyone else wrapped up in the people and animals surrounding us. Magnus’s lips form silent words, reassurance.

“I’m here.”

I feel the room start to ripple in my vision, yellows, greens and pinks.

Hope.

I sniffle loudly, a snort. An echo follows, and I glance down.

Oh fuck, there’s a pig. It’s wagging its tail and staring up at me.

Her name is Kevin.

I’m not alone.

“You’ve got this, baby,” Gideon whispers in my ear, and I lean into him, gathering strength from him, courage, something, I’ve never had before.

I can do it.

I fucking can.

“Basil.” My words are lost among everyone so I say them louder, a shout. “Basil!”

He turns to look at me and silence descends.

“I—” I can’t do this. I can’t. My heart races, my vision whiting out, and pretty soon, I’m on the ground, slumped forward, trying to find my breath. My brothers crowd around me, their words soothing me, their nearness everything.

It’s fucking everything to me.

But then I see him. Basil.

“You’re my dad,” I whisper and his eyes slam into mine, a confused look crossing his face.

“You’re my dad,” I repeat a little louder.

His eyebrows rise and he turns to look at Jeanette, who just pours herself another glass of wine.

“How old are you, Mitch?” she asks.

“Thirty-two.”

She processes a moment and then shrugs. “Good god. Seems there are three now,” she murmurs as Basil comes up next to me, his warm hand landing on my shoulder.

“Well, shit.”

“Yeah.”

“Seems we have things to talk about.”

I sag against him, my breath leaving my body in a whoosh.

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