Page 202 of Five Summers

But I don’t get far into the house when I hear an excited voice.

“Daddy!” Alex shouts, sprinting towards me and leaping into my arms.

“Hey, little man,” I say, holding him tight.

As I peek over Alex's shoulder, I spot Poppy approaching, rocking that beautiful smile.

“Hey, Princess,” I say, moving closer to her.

The sensation of coming back home now holds a deeper, extraordinary meaning.

I lean in to kiss her, wanting to give her so much more - more like the dirty thoughts that have been looping through my head since I left. But with Alex in my arms, I restrain myself and settle for a simple kiss. There will be plenty of time for that, because I’m not leaving anytime soon.

As Poppy takes a step back, her attention turns to the guys standing behind me.

Theo greets her with his usual grin. “Hey, Spitfire.”

She rushes over and I watch as she warmly hugs each of them, welcoming them home.

As I move closer, Alex stares at the guys, clearly wondering who they are.

“Guys, I’d like you to meet Alex,” I announce as I introduce them. “Alex, these are your uncles.” The moment the words escape my lips, I can’t help but notice the proud expressions on my three brothers’ faces.

Except for Nate, who grew up in a stable family, Theo and Ace have never been a part of a loving family structure. I know that being acknowledged as Alex’s uncles will undoubtedly fill them with a profound sense of pride, something they will treasure deeply.

Theo’s the first one to step forward. "Hey Alex," he says, offering his hand. “Just call me Uncle Theo.”

"Don't freak out the kid," Ace says, stepping up next to him. “Hey Alex, I’m Uncle Ace.”

"Yeah, like that's not creepy," Theo says, laughing.

The clicking sound of heels on the tiled floor instantly grabs our attention, causing all of us to turn and gaze towards the foyer. Ronnie comes forward, her wide smile giving off a feeling of being welcomed as if she’s an integral part of our family.

“How did she get past the gate?” Nate questions.

“I'll call the cops. Nate, contact security," Ace says, reaching for his phone.

Nate quickly grabs his phone and takes a step forward, attempting to prevent her from progressing any further into the house. However, she effortlessly dodges him and proceeds towards Poppy.

"We haven't been introduced yet," she says, offering Poppy her hand.

Poppy looks at me, raising an eyebrow like, ‘Who the fuck is this woman?’ I'm about to hand Alex to Theo, to protect Poppy from this crazy bitch. However, Theo quickly steps forward, positioning himself between Poppy and Ronnie, effectively creating a protective barrier.

“Why the fuck are you here?” Theo demands, his voice brimming with anger. In all the years I've known him, I've never seen him act like this before.

Ace and Nate both quickly turn around, holding their phones up to their ears, as if Theo’s loud voice has shocked them, too.

With Poppy safe with Theo, I turn Alex away from the commotion. However, he squirms in my arms, eagerly wanting to see what is happening.

“I want to introduce myself because I’m curious to know who has captivated the attention of our frontman. As the band manager of Broken Oasis, it’s my responsibility to stay informed about these things,” Ronnie says.

Nate steps forward, slipping his phone in his pocket. “They’re on their way,” he announces, moving towards Theo. No doubt the guys will haul her ass out, but then again, the crazy bitch might have them up for assault if they touch her.

“So, you’re the new band manager,” Poppy comments, stepping around Theo and Nate, before giving me a quick glance. “That’s her?”

I filled Poppy in on all her crazy antics—what went down in New Zealand, Ace sleeping with her, and her non-stop flirtingwith Theo. I've also filled her in on all the crazy shit this bitch has pulled trying to get into my hotel room.

“Yes, I’m their band manager. What other reason would I have to be here?” Ronnie confirms.

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