Page 49 of The Alpha's Broken Oath

I want to hold these kids and kiss their tiny cheeks for being on my side.

“Please, Mommy! We’ll have fun!” Asher shouts.

“Yes, baby. We’ll have so much fun in the pool,” I repeat with a cocky grin.

“I know what you are doing, Deacon.”

There’s a fire in her eyes as she lodges that accusation at me, but then there’s the part where I see she wants to spend time with her boys and, me included, and she’s fighting hard not to let me see that.

“Is it working, baby?”

I want to kiss her right now, so fucking bad it hurts.

I want to bruise those lips and ask a lot of questions about Adrian and Asher, but that’s a story for another day.

I can see Asher looking between me and his mother suspiciously, and just as curious as how his mother usually is, he asks, “Mommy calls us her babies. Does Mommy like you calling her “baby” too?”

The question is directed at me, and boy, does it pour liquid fire in my veins as I answer him, “It’s her favorite nickname. Isn’t that right, Winter?”

“I’m not playing this game with you, Deacon.”

She’s stubborn as hell. I give her that, but I can take her fire and her stubbornness any day.

“Game? What game, baby? The boys and I only want to play with you in the pool. Isn’t that right, boys?”

“Mmhmm,” Adrian claps, tugging at his mother’s hand.

Boy, would I give anything to hold that hand, too.

Asher joins in, and together, both twins beg their mother till her resolve breaks, and she says yes.

***

“I’m scared, Uncle Deacon,” Ash says, his fear written in the way he’s holding my right arm tight while we are inside the pool.

“I’m right here, buddy. I won’t let you fall because you, your brother, and your mommy are the most important people in my life. Ready to move your feet?”

Still holding my arm but trusting me enough even though we haven’t known each other for long, Ash gives me a firm nod.

Right there and right then, my heart gallops, and I swear to all that exists, I will be a better father to my sons than my dad ever was to me.

“Great. I’ll need you to move your legs like the way a duck does. Have you ever seen a duck swim?”

“Mmhmm. In the park where Mommy takes us to swim, I’ve seen lots of ducks there.”

She is a strong woman for raising them all by herself and every bit of information I’m fed today reminds me of that.

With determination, Ash starts flailing his legs in the water while I hold him by the torso to prevent him from sinking, and soon enough, the kid is moving his hands, too.

“Uncle Deacon, I’m doing it! Mommy? Mommy, I’m doing it! Addie, I can do it just like you!”

Adrian, who was the first one I taught to float and swim, cheers for his twin brother from the other end of the pool. Winter’s also cheering, and the smile on her face is distracting.

“Ready to swim to Mommy? I’ll be with you every step of the way so you don’t get scared.”

Ash mumbles an excited, “Okay.”

Ash has barely swum past half the pool when his hand takes mine, the water around us sloshing from that mere action.

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