Page 96 of The Last Ones Standing, Part Two

“You’re not because you’re not leaving us anytime soon. Where is this coming from?”

“I’ve been thinking.” He shrugs. “Besides, you have both. Ny and I get everything. Why shouldn’t I do the same?”

I nod. “That makes sense, but how about we don’t start the day with such morbid shit?”

“Fine, what are we doing about shopping for Bella’s Christmas? It’s the last minute.”

I grin and point my brush at him in the mirror. “You think I wouldn’t take care of my only niece for Christmas?” I tilt my head to the side and pull a face at him. “Come on. There’s an entire room at the office with everything she’s been talking about and more. Including the Viking outfit you promised to wear to tea.”

I laugh and wink at him as I flick the water off my brush into the sink. Jace smiles and runs a hand through his hair. I wash my face as my thoughts run off.

When I straighten, I look him in the eyes. “She’s not going to change her mind, and if you’re worried about me, I won’t do that to you. I told you I’m all in. You heard her decision yesterday. She plans to use the IVF as a backup. However, we’re going to actively try for the twin thing once she gets the all clear.

“It’s going to be fine, Jace. She’s healthy. I know she is. In three to six months after she stops her birth control and it’s out of her system, we’ll be starting a family. We’ll do our part. If our sperm is as determined as we are, it will happen just as we planned. No one will take this from you. I swear on my life you will finish what you started. What’s mine is yours.”

He looks down and nods. “So you and I can get past what I did?”

“Marone. Fuck outa here. Bro, I would pull you into a hug if I wasn’t naked. Yeah, Jace.

“It’s water under the bridge. Like I said before, she would have figured out this is what she wanted, with or without that couple.

“This is who we are. I’d kill a motherfucker and all he loves for you. I’d be the first to jump in front of a bullet to save your life in a heartbeat. I’m not going to hold a grudge over something that was meant to be.”

He grabs a towel and tosses it to me. I wrap it around my waist. While I tuck it in place, he moves in to pull me into a hug. I knew he was stressing all day yesterday, but I hadn’t realized this was on his mind.

“I’m going to be a dad,” he whispers. “You guys mean everything to me, G. Thank you.”

We embrace each other for another moment before movement by the door grabs my attention. I look up to find Ny naked, watching us with a smile on her face. Her hair a little messy since her scarf came off her head in her sleep.

She saunters over and wiggles between us, wrapping her arms around Jace, clearly sensing he needs her most. “Good morning,” she murmurs into his chest.

“Good. I have something I want to say to both of you. Once Ny conceives, if by chance I’m not around and things escalate between you two, you don’t have to ask permission. Because we’re trying for the babies, I think we all get that condoms are going out the window.”

I look into Jace’s eyes. “She’s ours.”

“Oh, not Gio playing nice with others,” Ny says with a smile as she looks up over her shoulder.

“Brush your teeth, woman, before we both give you away.”

She laughs, giving me the finger before moving for the sink. I slap her ass and look her over with hooded lids. The towel around my waist begins to tent. I still have plans for her.

I groan and roll my eyes as my phone rings in the bedroom. Knowing that’s Dante’s ringtone, I jog for it to answer. This better be important.

“Hello,” I answer as I flop down on the bed.

“Hi, Uncle G.” Bella’s little voice comes through the line.

“Bella? What are you doing with your dad’s phone? Why are you whispering?”

“He’s in the shower. I snuck in his room to get his phone to call you.”

I smile. It’s not the first time she’s gotten into his phone to call family. I think it’s time for her to have her own. Maybe I do still have a little shopping to do.

“What’s wrong, princess? How can Uncle G fix it?”

“Daddy has the sads and so do I. The house is sad too. I miss Lizzy. I don’t get to play with her anymore. Can I not play with her because that will make mommy mad in heaven?”

That bitch is far from heaven. I bite that response back and calm down. Dante should have moved Lizzy in by now. He doesn’t listen. And this is why I have to step in.

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