Page 156 of Santiago's Conquest (Four Dark Horsemen 1)

We ended up with identical twin girls and twin boys, and the pregnancy was difficult, but we wouldn't change a thing. Holding them for the first time broke my heart in more ways than one, because they were so fragile, but I already loved them with everything in me.

That’s when I fully forgave my father, understanding his pain.

Carina points an accusing finger at him. “Only because one of you pushed me!”

Miguel motions for them to shut up as they finally notice our presence, gasping before standing in line in front of us, their hands locked behind their backs, meeting our stares head-on. “Hola, Papá.” They greet me in unison just as a man runs toward us, pulling at his hair.

He exclaims, “My statue!” He bends down to pick up a piece, running his finger over it, and a single tear rolls down his eyes. “Destroyed!”

“Oh.” Carina snags a handkerchief from her dress pocket and extends it to him. “Lo siento, señor.”

He accepts the handkerchief, and Amai says, “It was very pretty.” All of them nod, and Elton straightens a little, some of his sorrow gone. “You’re very talented.”

“Ah, thank you, sweetie.” He pats her head yet still glares at us.

Wincing, I apologize to him. “Lo siento, Elton. We’ll pay for the statue, twice the price.”

“It’s not about the money.” Although his mood is improving rapidly for a man who is not concerned about the money.

Briseis goes to him. “We know it’s no compensation for all the hard work, but almost all your pieces sold out today, so we will be happy to feature your next work.”

At this point, Elton grins, clearly happy about all this, and on cue, my mother pops next to us and drags him away, probably ready to talk his ear off while Dad laughs several feet away.

Everything his grandkids do, he finds amusing.

People slowly move away too while the cleaning crew comes to sweep away the mess.

“Are we in trouble?” Carina asks, and Briseis nods, placing her hands on her hips.

“Big trouble. You broke someone’s work. He spent months creating it. I told you to be careful and not run.”

Javier tries to defend them. “We didn’t do it on purpose! It was an accident!”

“Yes, it was just a bet.”

“A tricky bet, Mamá!”

She ignores all the whines. “Who pushed the statue?” She always asks the same question in different variations.

They exchange looks, and I grin when they reply in the same manner they always do. “We all did.”

My quadruplets are so tight, always protecting each other and never allowing anyone to come between them.

My four riders who brought love, peace, and happiness to my dark life, brightening up this world of mine in a way I never anticipated.

“Well then help clean it up.” They nod and then gasp in outrage when she adds, “No one will play with Leo this week either.”

Despite his old age, my lion still stays at our place once a month, enjoying having me around, although he moves slower now and has no teeth, so the kids interact easily around him, with me present at all times. The kids love running around him or sitting by him while they’re reading or playing. I sometimes think they just consider him a domestic cat.

My brows furrow when I remember Arson’s latest gift to them, a fucking talking parrot who won’t shut up.

He knew I wouldn't be able to get rid of him once the kids saw it, so he went behind my back.

“Mom!”

“It’s unfair!”

“Leo will miss us!”

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