Page 28 of Vows of Betrayal

My knees got weak, and I leaned on him. His hand slipped into my hair, and he pulled me the rest of the way to him.

His lips crushed onto mine, and he kissed me.

Thoroughly.

And I met him with everything I had. It felt like years since I'd kissed him last. Even though it had only been a few days. It was still too long.

“Uncle Stefan!” a high-pitched voice pierced my ears. I pulled away from Stefan to see a tiny little girl running toward the bed. She had long dark ponytails and a huge smile on her face. Gosh, she was freaking adorable.

“I drawed this for you!” she said excitedly, waving a scribbled picture in her hand.

“Sorry for interrupting. She's so excited to see her uncle.” It was the blonde-haired woman who I'd seen in the hallway a few days ago with Giselle.

Eve.

And she was equally as gorgeous as Giselle.

Where did those guys find such beautiful women?

“Daniella!” Stefan yelled equally as loud. “Come up here and give me a hug.” He grinned at her and held his arms out.

Eve picked her up and put her on the bed. “Careful, now. Uncle Stefan has a big booboo on his chest. Be gentle, okay?”

Daniella nodded obediently as she looked at Eve. Then she turned around and gave Stefan a big hug.

“Oh, my girl. I missed you so much.”

She nodded her little head. “I missed you, too,” she said in her sweet voice.

“I missed you, too,” Eve sputtered out, tears falling freely down her face. “So much, Stefan.”

Stefan gazed over at Eve and something transpired between them. Something strong. Something powerful.

Something that made me jealous.

“Christ, Eve. Come here. Don't cry. Jesus.” Stefan moved Daniella to his right side. “Let's make some room for your auntie Evie, okay? Squish over a bit,” he said into Daniella's hair. She nodded and complied instantly.

Eve cried harder but managed to sit down on the bed beside them. Stefan wrapped his arm around her and said something into her ear. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but whatever it was, it made her cry even harder.

Oh, boy.

“Daniella? I'm Francesca. Would you like to come with me and find some stickers? I know where some are at the nurse's station. I think we have some crayons and coloring pages too.”

Daniella perked up at that and looked right at her auntie Eve.

“Go ahead. Don't forget your manners,” she said, still crying. Then Eve looked at me as I picked the little girl up and set her on the floor. “Thank you,” Eve said to me.

I nodded and offered my hand to Daniella. Then we walked down to the nurses’ station to find what I promised.

8

Stefan

“Stop cryin', sweetheart. Fuck, Evie. Stop already.” I kissed the top of Eve's head while she continued crying on my shoulder. “I'm fine.” I rubbed her back.

She shook her head and cried harder. “We almost lost you, Stefan. We almost lost you.”

The woman wasn't wrong. But her getting all upset wasn't going to change that fact.

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