“I had to protect my brother.”
“Jayden, right?”
“How… Did Astrid tell you?” She practically gave him a report on the drive here.
“It was Daniel, actually. He called me two days ago, told me he found you and your brother. He also told me that he’s bringing you to London, in case I wish to meet you.”
“He…did that?”
“Yes, and I’m grateful. I’ve been searching for you for years.”
“But why? Don’t you hate me?”
What resembles pain crosses his features. “I never hated you, Nicole. I admit that after I found out Victoria toyed with Jasmine’s breaks, caused her death, and nearly killed Astrid in that hit-and-run, my sole purpose was to make her pay.”
“She…died of cancer after giving birth to Jay.”
“I know. I visited her often.”
“You did?”
He hated her with a ferociousness that scared me, so to say I’m surprised he’s the one who visited her while she was in prison would be an understatement.
“Yes. I wanted to see her suffer. But it wasn’t the imprisonment or cancer that ate her alive, Nicole. It was the fact that you turned your back on her.”
“She turned her back on me first.” I fight the tears gathered in my eyes.
The main reason I let Christopher roam free is because I was scared of her, of the sacrifices she made for me, of how people would see us.
I was terrified of her reaction to even consider mentioning it.
If it was Uncle Henry, he would’ve fought for me. He wouldn’t have told me to swallow the knife with its blood.
“She hurt you when you only took care of us,” I continue in a broken voice. “She made me lose you for good.”
He takes one step forward. “You never lost me, Nicole. The day I let you walk out of my house is one of the worst regrets of my life.”
A bubble-like pressure deflates in my chest and I can’t control the lone tear that escapes my eye. “I’m sorry, Uncle. I’m so sorry I’m the daughter of the woman who caused you so much pain. So sorry.”
He erases the distance between us and wraps me in a fatherly hug. Uncle Henry is an aristocrat through and through, so showing any emotion is blasphemy, but he’s patting my head now.
And I cry like a baby.
I cry for losing him. For thinking he always wanted to get rid of me.
“It’s not your fault, Nicole. I’m the one who’s sorry I let hatred blind me from what’s important.” He pulls back, smiling. “It took losing you to realize you’re my daughter as much as Astrid is.”
“Uncle…”
“You can call me Papa or Dad, as Astrid does, whenever you’re ready.”
“You really forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive. What Victoria has done is on her. You were a victim, too.”
“But…but Astrid doesn’t like me.”
“It’s because she only saw the mean side of you. She’ll get around as Daniel has.”
I bite my lower lip. “I don’t think he’s come around.”
He just likes the sex. He said it himself, that he enjoys fucking me out of his system.
A knowing smile covers Uncle Henry’s lips. “Yes, he has. But if he hurts you, just let me know.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you for giving me another chance.” He kisses the top of my head. “Welcome back home.”
My heartbeat roars in my ears and that’s not good for my stupid heart because it’s starting to believe this happiness is real.
28
DANIEL
I take a sip of the horrible coffee that definitely doesn’t have one gram of sugar and obsess over Astrid’s house with the impatience of a toddler.
It’s been exactly two minutes since Nicole and Uncle Henry disappeared in there, and yes, I’m actually counting the time, because that’s also how long I kept myself from following after and making sure she’s fine.
“You’re drooling.”
My eyes meet Astrid’s narrowed ones and I resist the urge to grunt because that will definitely give her the reaction she’s asking for, and that shit won’t be happening.
“And you’re heading to the old hag category faster than an express train.”
Searing pain explodes in my leg when Levi kicks me under the table. “No talking to my wife that way unless you want your head hanging on her art studio’s entrance.”
“Glad to see you’re still a crazy motherfucker, Captain. Let’s hope the spawns don’t inherit that.”
Levi shares a look with his wife. “Did this cunt just call our children spawns, Princess?”
“He’s jealous.” She glides her fingers through his hair.
“Of what, exactly? Giving birth as a sport or changing nappies?” I take another sip of the coffee.
They ignore me and Astrid kisses his lips.
“Some of us are trying to drink some coffee. Disgusting.” I push the cup away.
My friend doesn’t even spare me a glance as she pulls away and whispers to Levi, “Can you go check on Lan? You know he shouldn’t be left alone for long.”
He strokes her cheek and nods. Then he glares at me. “Behave.”
“Yes, Captain,” I mock salute, and he flips me the bird.
As soon as he’s out of earshot, Astrid practically lunges to my side with the lethality of a coup d’état. “Explain.”
“What?” I grab hold of my cup of coffee and take a sip of the revolting thing, pretending it’s actually exquisite.
“Don’t give me that, Bug. You’re with Nicole, of all people, and that needs explanation.”
“I already told you…”
“You slept with her that night eleven years ago, okay, but how can you forget about everything else she did?”
“I didn’t. Which is why I couldn’t be in a relationship with her.” I release a breath. “I had feelings for her long before you came along, but I fought them harder than anything I’ve done in my life. I just couldn’t believe that I’d be into a bitch, especially after the way she treated you.”
Her lips part. “You…have feelings for Nicole?”
“Had. Did you miss the past tense?”
“You’re with her now after you’re all grown up, so don’t even dare to deny it.”
I grumble but say nothing.
“I’m still wounded.” She sighs, her voice lowering to a murmur. “She seduced Levi, Daniel and it hurt me so bad at the time.”
“She didn’t do it for the purpose of seduction or out of interest in Captain. It was her fucked-up way to get attention.” I can at least admit that now. She did a lot of twisted shit to get my attention and I chose to see her in the exact opposite light.
“Wow. You’re actually defending her.”
“She’s not who you think, Bugger.”
“Obviously. Am I speaking to you or your dick right now?”
“It’s not about my dick.”
“It obviously is! Did you forget that she had sex with Christopher Vans in our pool house while you were having these feelings for her?”