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The gentle glow of the bedside lamp created a warm atmosphere in my bedroom. Irene’s presence made everything wonderfully cozy and warm.
A small smile rose on my lips at the sight of tiny red strawberries splattered all over her pink pajama sleeve. Noah was an expert at shopping for our Irene’s clothes.
Our Irene...Nick hadn’t given his full consent to the idea of me adopting her but I already felt so attached to this sweet girl that I knew I’d be crushed if he rejected my proposal.
The door opened slowly.
Turning around, I watched as Noah, Corey and Caleb entered the room.
The soft carpet allowed them to walk over to the bed without making a single noise.
Corey and Caleb’s faces were lit with identical soft smiles.
Noah leaned down and gently caressed Irene’s head. The look in his silvery eyes sent warmth shooting through me.
“I can watch her sleep all night,” Corey said in a low whisper. “How can she be so cute?”
For a moment, I wondered if the Amhurst brothers were relating to the bitterness in Irene’s life.
Caleb hadn’t been too keen to accept her when he first met her but as he understood her situation, he opened his heart to her.
Maybe they all wanted to protect her because they knew how bitter it was to live without a parent’s love.
Maybe they saw the same darkness in Irene’s heart that rested in theirs.
“We need to talk,” Caleb said in a low, grim voice.
I nodded.
I hadn’t gotten a chance to tell them about my conversation with Nick Civella. They still didn’t know about my decision to adopt Irene.
Getting off the bed, I pulled the covers higher until they were at Irene’s chin.
Corey and Caleb walked out first, followed by Noah and me.
The house was quiet and still at this late hour in the night, giving us the privacy to huddle into the room that Corey and Caleb shared.
“We’ve finally got you,” Noah whispered in my ear.
His hot breath fanning across my neck sent a tingle through me at once.
I glanced over at Corey and Caleb. Corey was already settled on the couch while Caleb stood at the mini bar, pouring a dark amber liquid into four glass tumblers.
Walking further inside the room, I settled down on a plush chair.
Caleb set the drinks on the table before us and sat down beside his twin.
“Why did he let Irene stay back with us?” asked Corey.
I took a sip of my drink, relishing the warmth the whiskey shot through me.
“I asked to adopt Irene,” I answered.
“Seriously? Why would you say something like that?” Noah asked, looking unusually grim.
“What did Nick say?” Corey urged.
I looked at Noah, replying to him first. “As long as Irene lives as Nick’s niece, she’ll always be in danger. Adopting her as my family will remove all her ties to Nick and the shadows of the criminal underworld. As my daughter, she can live a safe life. That’s why I proposed the idea to Nick.”
