Page 50 of Sacrifice

"You're awake. Good. It was a bit touch and go there," she chatters away, but my eyes stay on the man. Everyone keeps promising me they won't hurt me, but how can I possibly believe that?

"Charlotte, honey, you need to back away. Aribella is scared and looking at me like she may try to bolt," Kronos says, and Charlotte looks between us.

"Oh, well, we know Vincent said she was feisty." Her giggle makes my tense body relax a little. And as I watch her go over to him, I notice how gentle he is when he helps her into his lap.

"Wait..." I cough and Carly gives me some more water. "Kronos. Greek god."

He laughs. "You met my step-brothers, Ayres and Hypnos. They extracted you."

My body relaxes, and I sigh. Carly checks something on my IV and smiles at me. "Rest, Aribella. These two are going to be here with you. Everything will be fine now."

When she leaves, Charlotte talks to me and tells me all about the three step-brothers and her babies. I come to realize that she's married to all of them. She's lucky to have three men that want her. It makes me yearn for Vincent. It's a hope of mine that I get to see him soon.

A combination of yelling and loud bangs causes me to jump. Kronos stands up and looks at Charlotte. "You stay here withher. Don't let anyone in this room unless it's me, Ayres, Hypnos, or Vincent."

Charlotte hugs Kronos and he takes off as she locks the door. Oh God, has Alejandro found me?

Chapter Twenty-One

Watching Aribella sleep is not calming me down. Every time I see her move, I get another glimpse of a wound or bruise.

"Vincent."

I look up and see Kronos standing before me with a child in his arms. A young woman is next to him and I realize that she's Charlotte.

"We are going to watch over her while you go get some food from the cafeteria." The woman says shyly, and I raise an eyebrow.

Kronos laughs and pulls her closer. "This is my wife, Charlotte. These two kiddos are our identical twin daughters. If she says you are going to eat, that means get up and go eat."

Choosing to ignore him, I sigh and look at the babies. An image of Aribella and I having children floors me and I cave. "Fine. Fine. I'm going."

"Good. I'd hate to have to escort your ass downstairs."

Getting up, one of the girls reaches for me and I swallow back my emotions.

"Sorry," Charlotte says. "They are used to their Daddies." She hands the girl she was holding over to me and I gasp.

Kronos laughs. "They both are." He hands me the other girl and I look at them, flabbergasted.

Have I become family to them? Holy fuck. The anxiety of being responsible for a child is eating at me, but this is huge. They trust me and if I’m being honest with myself, I need this. To feel close to something other than death.

"You're family now and that means babysitting duty."

Charlotte grins at me as Kronos kisses her on the forehead. "Oh hush. You know this is the favor you'll be pulling now that we are all getting along."

Staring at them, I get jealous. There's so much love in their eyes it makes me woozy with need.

"Ayres and Hypnos will be outside waiting for their babies. But you are totally going to babysit one day when Aribella is well."

Grinning, I laugh and leave to get some food. Seeing Hypnos and Ayres standing against the wall opposite the door, I laugh.

"There's our girls," Ayres says and grabs the baby out of my arms from the left. Hypnos takes the one on the right.

Fuck me, jealousy really is eating me alive.

"How dare you let Vinnie hold you," Hypnos teases the girls as he winks at me.

"Unka Benny," one of the girls says and my heart does somersaults.

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