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There was no need for words. Instead, I was going to spend the rest of my life protecting what truly mattered.
This family.
The woman beside me, the man who wasn’t my father but still treated me like a son, the beautiful child, and my two brothers. As long as they were by my side, nothing else mattered to me.
Gratitude swelled inside me.
After living most of my life in utter bitterness, I was finally able to taste pure sweetness.
“Here, you go,” said Caleb, sliding a warm plate on my lap.
There were mini pancakes, scrambled eggs, grilled sausages and slices of seasoned avocados. My mouth watered at the sight and smell of the still-warm food.
Grabbing a fork, I stuffed a pancake whole in my mouth.
“Oi, princess,” Corey called Irene over. “Time for your second breakfast.”
Milla chuckled.
Soon, everyone was settled around my bed and eating bits of the food they’d brought me.
“I’d have starved if you guys didn’t bring over all this food,” I said, licking the icing off a piece of cake. “The hospital doesn’t change its menu. It’s the same crap every day.”
“I’ll talk to Dr. Patel,” Milla said in a grim tone. “I don’t like the idea of you being here all alone.” Looking toward Dad, she added, “Will you come with me? I want Noah to stay at home. If needed, we’ll hire some nurses at home.”
“Sure, kiddo,” said Dad. “We’ll take Noah home today itself.”
Hope flared inside me at once.
“Don’t wait around,” I said, giving a playful push to Milla. “Get me out of here.”
“I’ll come too!” Irene shouted excitedly.
“Nope! We need you here, marshmallow.” Corey picked her up in his arms while she squealed and giggled.
Milla hurriedly kissed my lips and got up to follow Dad out of the room.
“How has she been?” I asked when Milla left the room.
“She’s shaken up,” said Caleb in a quiet voice. He came to sit down beside me. “She spends most of the day in the kitchen, cooking or baking. I think that’s her stress-reliever.”
Corey gave Irene an apple and made her sit on my lap.
“Don’t worry about her,” said Corey, coming to sit on the chair by the bed. “We’ve got the whole household keeping an eye on her.”
“What about Luke?” I asked.
“Still in prison,” said Caleb, his expression turning nasty at once. “He’s got his lawyers fighting ours. Doesn’t matter though. Nick will make sure he stays locked up.”
“Someone needs to tell the fucker it’s safer to stay behind bars,” said Corey. “Nick already considers him a threat. He said Milla was family now. I’m sure he’ll take care of the matter in his way if Luke doesn’t start behaving.”
“I still can’t believe Bill Beckett’s dead.”
“I wish I could kill him all over again,” Corey hissed through clenched teeth. “I can’t believe he was going to force her to give up on everything in exchange for your life.”
“Luke had his eyes on Milla since our college days,” I said, remembering the way he tried so hard to get her on his side.
“Milla is ours,” Caleb grit out, his emerald eyes flaring up with a possessive fire.
