Face to Face Again–1
Thea’s POV
I was on the phone with Mom. Yes, I finally started calling Seraphina and Maximus “Mom” and “Dad.” These days they were constantly flying back and forth between states on their private jet, trying to balance their Pack responsibilities with being there for me and the
pups.
“Thea? Are you still there?” Mom’s voice pulled me back to reality.
“Sorry, Mom. We’re all good, just missing you guys a lot,” I said, fidgeting with the edge of my maternity dress.
It was true. They’d been gone for a week and would be away for another. Leo and I missed them like crazy. It was surprising how quickly they’d become such essential parts of our
lives.
“We miss you too, sweetheart. Your father says hello. He’ll call you tonight when things
slow down.”
“That’s fine.” I smiled, still getting used to having parents who actually gave a shit.
“Have you bought anything new for the baby? Four months isn’t long – it’ll be here before you know it.” Her voice always filled with excitement whenever she talked about the baby.
“How could I possibly buy more when everyone else has bought so much? This baby will have more options than a department store.” I laughed.
The baby’s room was already stuffed with everything imaginable. I thought my mom, dad, Iris, and Sophia were going overboard until Graves showed up.
Since I’d allowed him to be part of the baby’s life, he’d been sending adorable little gifts. I had no fucking idea when or where he shopped, considering he was constantly in hiding. Everything he bought was pink. Like Leo and Sebastian, he was convinced it would be a girl.
The thought of Graves wiped the smile from my face. I’d made a deal with him, but I realized later he was involved in the Rogue attack that killed my Sterling father. Even though Derek and I had a shit relationship, he still raised me. And that letter he left me
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before he died… I didn’t want to admit it, but it had affected me.
“I can’t wait to meet this little one. I missed Leo’s birth, so I’m going to make it up with this baby.” Mom’s voice pulled me from my dark thoughts.
“Mom, can I call you back later? I’m meeting Iris and Sophia for lunch, and I see them coming now.”
It wasn’t necessarily them, but my mood was already soured.
“Of course. Talk later. I love you, Thea.”
“Love you too, Mom.” I hung up and sighed, setting my phone down.
Conflicting thoughts immediately rushed in. Derek wasn’t the only issue related to Graves. There was also Sebastian. As much as he wasn’t my favorite person, he was Leo’s father. Graves was hellbent on revenge, and losing Sebastian would destroy Leo.
Graves would likely go after people Sebastian loved. Besides Leo, there was Aurora. I didn’t know what to do because part of me felt giving Graves a chance was a mistake. Another part told me to trust my gut, and my gut said this was the right decision.
“What’s got you looking so lost in thought?” Sophia’s voice made me jump.
“Jesus, you scared me!” I put my hand over my chest as if that would slow my racing heart.
“Sorry. I thought you saw me coming in.” She looked a bit sheepish.
I’d been so wrapped up in my thoughts that I hadn’t even noticed them sitting down beside me.
“It’s fine… I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Want to share?” Iris asked, eyebrows raised.
I shook my head. “Not really.”
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to share; I just didn’t know how to start. How do I tell them that the criminal everyone was trying to find was my baby’s uncle? Or that we’d been in contact, and worse, that I’d allowed him to be part of my baby’s life?
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Face to Face Again–1
“Is it about Sebastian?” Iris leaned forward, her eyes gleaming for some strange reason. “Roman said Sebastian called him a few days ago, drunk off his ass.”
I frowned. I couldn’t remember the last time Sebastian got drunk. After Leo was born, he stopped drinking heavily. And since that night he unexpectedly showed up at my house,
he’d been completely quiet.
I still couldn’t believe I’d punched him. It felt good, though, because I’d wanted to do that
for a long time.
“Why was he drunk?” Sophia asked curiously.
Iris shrugged in response. “Neither Roman nor I know, but I bet Damien does, and I’d bet even more that Thea has a clue.”
Face to Face Again–2
They both turned to me expectantly. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.
“Spit it out, Thea,” Iris commanded.
“Honestly, I don’t know anything. The last time I saw him, he showed up at my house at night unannounced. He was acting weird, so I told him to leave.”
“Define ‘weird‘?” Sophia pressed.
“Leo mentioned G- I caught myself just in time, almost saying Graves’s name. “Leo mentioned suitors, and he went crazy, saying I belonged to him and he wouldn’t allow me
to be with other men.”
Recalling his words, I was still angry. What the fuck was wrong with him? I belonged to him? Since when? And I wasn’t a fucking possession. I was a person.
“Ooh, possessive. I never thought I’d see the day Sebastian got all territorial over you.” Iris said dreamily.
I looked at her like she’d lost her mind.
“You can’t be serious, Iris. We’re talking about Sebastian. The same guy who told me time and again that I meant nothing to him. He told me he would never love me because he hated my guts.”
The pain I once felt was now mostly replaced by anger. All that heartbreak I’d endured, and for what? He was still a thorn in my side.
“I really think he’s realized he wants you. Don’t you think he might—”
“Even if that were true, which I highly doubt, it doesn’t matter. It’s too late. I gave him countless chances over the past seven years, and he wasted all of them. He gave me nothing but pain. So I just don’t see what you’re seeing.”
They fell silent. Both stared at me like they wanted to say something but didn’t know how.
I had once tried so desperately to transform myself into someone I wasn’t, just to make
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him love me, but it hadn’t worked. Even if I tried now, it wouldn’t work. Because you can’t force a heart to want what it doesn’t want. That’s what Sophia and Iris were trying to do. Why couldn’t they understand that just because they wished he loved me didn’t make it
reality?
True, Sebastian’s behavior was different, but I believed it was just a phase. Men want what they can’t have. He wanted me now because he couldn’t have me. I bet he’d soon tire of the chase and return to his true love. If I gave in, I’d end up heartbroken again when he
realized I wasn’t what he wanted.
“So, let’s focus on why we’re here,” I said after the silence descended.
“Fine,” Sophia answered.
“Whatever,” Iris muttered.
I breathed a sigh of relief, glad they were willing to drop the subject for now. I knew Iris would look for opportunities to bring it up again, but I’d deal with that when it happened.
“Can we go to an ice cream parlor or something? For some reason, this fancy place and
those snobby waiters are getting on my nerves,” Iris suddenly said.
“We could go to my restaurant,” Sophia added.
I didn’t know why they hadn’t thought of that in the first place. I kept quiet.
“No, have you ever been to an ice cream parlor or a fast–food joint?” Iris turned to Sophia,
whose eyes darted nervously.
She shook her head. “No.”
“Perfect. Today’s your lucky day. We’re having lunch at a fast–food place, then dessert at an ice cream parlor, and after that, we’ll go to your office to discuss the progress of our
business so far.”
I smiled at the flabbergasted expression on Sophia’s face. Sophia had high standards for
food, as evidenced by the string of restaurants she owned.
Iris pulled Sophia up, and I stood as well.
“What if I get food poisoning? I heard those places aren’t very hygienic with food
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KURU ET MORE TAP
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handling,” Sophia complained, trying to escape Iris’s grip.
“So what? You’ll have terrible diarrhea, empty your guts for a few days, and then you’ll be fine. Trust me. All that fancy stuff has nothing on greasy food,” Iris replied.
I laughed and followed behind them, listening to their banter. It was refreshing.
Just as I was thanking whatever deity had blessed me with such friends, a shrill voice killed all my joy.
“Look who it is? The pregnant bitch.”
I turned to find Callista staring at me with hatred in her eyes. Worse still, Aurora was standing right beside her.
