Page 19 of The Alpha's Broken Oath

I slapped him, but that doesn’t erase the fact that he kissed me hard enough to leave a bruise or the fact that the taste of his kiss, the touch of his lips, and the dominance in the way his hands held me in place were more intoxicating than any drink I’ve ever had. If he wasn’t holding me up in that office, I would have fallen over. My knees would have given in for him. Curse him!

I don’t know how long I stay in that parking lot, debating whether I’m okay enough to drive home. Seconds turn into minutes, minutes turn into hours, and the only thing that breaks me from the spell is the sharp ringing of my phone somewhere in my purse.

Picking my phone and seeing Isabel’s name has me wiping my tears quickly.

“Winter?”

Isabel’s voice comes from the other end of the line.

The sound of my kids laughing in the background somehow injects strength into my system.

“Hey, Isabel. How was today?”

“Apart from Asher asking about you while I drove us home, everything has been okay. Sorry to disturb you at work like this, but the kids kind of want to know if you are coming home to make dinner tonight. Adrian and Asher made new friends today, and they can’t wait to tell you all about it.”

I smile, knowing how my boys will be when I get home.

“I can imagine their excitement. I’ll be home in thirty. Can you handle their chaos until then?” I joke.

Isabel laughs. ” I’ve handled their chaos since they were babies. I’ll tell them the good news. And, Winter?”

“Yes?”

“Did something happen at work today? You don’t sound like yourself.”

“I’m okay. See you in thirty.”

I’m far from okay.

xxx

Isabel left fifteen minutes ago.

When Adrian comes tugging at my skirt, I put down the carrots so that I can look at him while he speaks.

“And Devon and Abby said we can play with them at their house. They said they have a pool, Mommy!” Adrian claps, and I hold back a chuckle.

“Is that right?” I ask incredulously.

Asher comes to stand behind his brother with the same smile.

“They said they know how to swim, Mommy. Their daddy taught them, isn’t that cool?”

Pinpricks spear my heart at the mention of ‘daddy’ knowing that my sons’ daddy is in the same city we are, and sooner or later, my boys will meet him, and I can’t let that happen.

“So cool, baby.”

How do I tell my babies we might leave this city in the next week?

I can’t risk my babies getting rejected like I did.

“And… and Abby said their daddy can teach me and Asher to swim!”

“Adrian,” I ruffle his hair.

I’m not about to let some stranger teach my kids how to swim.

“Don’t worry, Mommy. Daddy won’t get jealous. He’ll watch over me and Asher from heaven.”

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