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He jerks his head in my direction. “We are perfect. Just leave your scorchin’ hot SEAL at home next time you check on Addie and the kids.”
I slap him on the back, laughing. That is definitely not going to happen now. Seeing Aiden squirm is awesome and rare. I also know that he and Addison are rock solid, so I’m not concerned.
“Uncle Max!”
I spin in the bar seat and stand just in time to catch Lulu flying toward me. Her little arms wrap around my neck. If Addison and Aiden hadn’t adopted Lulu, I would have. I don’t know what the hell I would’ve done with a five-year-old, but I would move mountains to make this little girl happy. And she knows it.
“Hey, Lulu.”
“I missed you. Where’ve you been?”
“California, doing some work.” I know she’ll be over the moon when she sees Sydney. “How’s school going?”
A small male fake cough grabs our attention. I look over at their nanny and she’s standing with another kid about the same age as Lulu. She spins her little body in my arms and glares down at him.
“Snitches get stitches,” she sneers at the little boy. I do a double take, looking at Lulu. Whoa. Where did this devil child come from and where did my sweet Lulu go?
“Alexandra Roberts,” Aiden says sternly. The kid rolls his eyes like he’s used to Lulu’s threats. “We’ll talk about this later, but you need to apologize.”
Lulu’s apology is half-assed. I bite my lip so I don’t laugh. Aiden nods his head and walks over to take a sleeping Jett out of the nanny’s arms. Lulu looks back at me.
I whisper, “Snitches get stitches?”
She shrugs. “He shouldn’t tattle on people. If I tattled on half the things he’s done, he would be in so much trouble.” I’m not fond of this kid and his heathen ways already. I watch him and the nanny head to the elevator.
“Does he live in the building?” She dramatically nods her head. “So, what did you get in trouble for?”
A sly smile spreads across her cheeks. “Our teacher is mean. She said that she was sick and tired of kids not listening to her.” She giggles to herself. “So I told her she should go take a nap. Since she was tired. She didn’t like that, so I got put on red today.”
Not gonna lie. I feel like giving her a high five for her wittiness, but I have a feeling Addison would kill me, so I shoot for the responsible uncle talk. “Well, unfortunately, we can’t always have teachers we love, but you still have to be good for them.” She nods, looking down. Addison tells me I need to be more firm with her when she does things wrong. Screw that. I’m the best uncle in the world, the last thing I want is to make her feel bad. “Hey, I have a surprise for you.”
I grab her attention and her eyes brighten. “You brought me something from California?”
I nod.
Yes, because I kick ass.
Chapter Six
Sydney
“Why didn’t you call me?” she cries into my arms.
“I did,” I whisper, choking on my words.
That night was the hardest night of my life. Not only was I burying my fiancé with the burden of guilt that he died because of me, but I went home alone. There was only one person I wanted around me. My person. My sister. My best friend. I’d never been so lost in my life.
That was just the beginning.
“Addie, please pick up.”
Something’s wrong.
Her voicemail answers. I hang up and regret sending Katie home earlier. I just didn’t want company.
I wince at the pain, the phone slips from my hand, crashing to the floor. My stomach twists in ways it shouldn’t. The heartbreak has overwhelmed me the last couple days, so I haven’t eaten. I must be hungry. I focus on swinging one leg at a time over the side of the bed. My feet contact the cool wood and I push off right before another sharp pain bites through me. Falling to my knees, my screams echo off the bedroom walls. Please God, make it stop.
The pain is so unbearable, my stomach twists. I turn and crawl on all fours to the trashcan, reaching it just in time to vomit. I haven’t eaten, so I dry heave most the time.
