Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“You’re going to turn me into the cops? Some aunt you are! My dad would be horrified by how you’re treating me.”
“No,” Gracen replied coldly. “Your father would be ashamed of you.” She ended the call with a shaking finger.
And then she collapsed.
23
Victor caught her, of course.
She lost it on the floor of Regent’s office, crying with huge, gulping sobs. She shook so badly she worried there was something wrong with her.
Victor didn’t try to quiet her. Didn’t say anything. He just sat on the floor with her in his lap, his arms tight around her as he rocked her back and forth.
When the tears started to dry up, probably because she had no liquid left inside her, he stood with her in his arms. Setting her down on Regent’s desk, he grabbed some tissues from the box on the shelves behind the desk.
Did a lot of people cry in this office?
The thought came out of left field but she’d rather focus on that than what just happened.
Victor cleaned her up gently, wiping away her tears. He held the tissue to her nose. “Blow.”
“Ew. No. That’s not going to keep the romance alive.”
“We’ll find other ways to keep the romance alive. Blow.” The last word was said in a stern voice.
She blew.
Gross.
But he didn’t seem fazed at all as he wiped her nose.
“You’ll make a good dad,” she murmured.
He froze, then threw the tissue into the garbage can.
“I’m sorry,” she said hastily. “That was kind of a weird thing to say. I didn’t mean . . . perhaps you don’t want kids . . . I . . .” she trailed off. Why had she opened her big mouth?
“I never thought I would have children.”
“Right, yeah, cool.”
Cool? Was she serious right now? How was that cool? She really shouldn’t be having this conversation when she was beyond exhausted.
“Because I never thought I would find someone I would want to spend my life with.”
“Oh, so you do want children?”
He sighed, tracing his finger over her lower lip. She opened her mouth and nipped the tip. He stared down at her sternly, but she saw the twinkle in his eyes.
And the relief.
Yeah, he’d been worried about her. And she definitely wasn’t feeling a hundred percent better. Talking to her niece had been both cathartic and utterly soul-destroying at the same time.
But she could piece herself back together. And maybe, while she was trying to do that, Victor could be her glue.
“I don’t know if I’ll make a very good father.”
“What? Are you kidding? Yes, you will. You’re patient. You’re a good listener. You’re protective. And you don’t mind wiping snotty noses. All you need is the ability to deal with scrapes and injuries as well as vomit and poop and you’ll be there. Oh, and you already don’t need a lot of sleep. So, you’re the one designated to get up with the screaming baby in the night.”
He stared down at her in amazement.
Getting ahead of yourself, Gracen.
“That’s assuming you’d want to have babies with me,” she added in a quiet voice.
“Gracen, I plan to spend the rest of my life with you. Who else would I have babies with?”
She stared up at him shyly. “Okay, then. That’s nice.”
He shook his head but then warmth filled his eyes. “Yeah, baby. I guess it is. But I wouldn’t mind having you to myself for a while first.”
“I wouldn’t mind that either.” She heaved out a sigh. “I shouldn’t have said that to her. I should really call her back and tell her I didn’t mean it.”
“That you didn’t mean what?”
“That bit about her father being ashamed of her.” She lowered her eyes, ashamed herself. She shouldn’t have sunk that low.
“Baby, look at me.”
When she raised her gaze to his, she found his eyes firm and serious.
“Would he have been ashamed?”
“Yes,” she whispered honestly. “But he might have been ashamed of me too.”
“I don’t think so. But maybe those are the words she needs to hear to get her out of her own head. Or maybe she won’t pay any attention and keep going on this path. The fact is, none of it is your fault. Understand me?”
“I guess so.” That headache was back, worse than ever.
“I know so. It’s up to her now. Although, we can still give that footage to the cops. Or I can go have a chat with her.” There was a dark gleam in his eyes.
“No, I don’t want that. She’s all I’ve got left. My only family.”
“No, baby. You’re one of us now. A Malone. We can make it official as soon as you like.”
Her eyes widened. “Victor Guillaume Malone.”
“You have really got to tell me who told you my middle name. So I can murder them. Slowly and viciously. It was Maxim, wasn’t it?” he growled.
“You cannot seriously be proposing to me right now.”