Page 61 of Desperate Games

And that’s when things really stop.

Andres blinks. Ellie’s mouth falls open. No one says a word for a full beat.

“Hi there, sweetheart,” Andrea says softly, getting up from the couch. She walks to Callie, kneels, and offers her hand. “Wanna sit with me?”

Callie looks up at me, I nod, and she smiles before taking Andrea’s hand.

“‘Kay, this is my dinosaur,” she says with absolute gravity, lifting the plush toy for display.

“Mom, this is Callie,” Andrea says, not explaining the situation as she just accepts my little girl climbing up on her lap like she’s done it a million times.

They look right like that. This whole thing looks right.

Having both my girls together. Here. Now.

Fuck.

My chest squeezes, and my damn heart starts pounding again.

Andy grins, and Ellie laughs, happy tears still streaking her cheeks. She sits beside them on the couch and smiles at Callie.

“What’s your dinosaur’s name?”

“Mr. Chomp.”

And just like that, the three of them move to the rug, playing with plastic teacups and dinosaurs like nothing ever happened.

Callie’s laughing. Ellie’s smiling. Andy’s glowing.

And I’m still standing there, a little dazed, hand throbbing from the punch I didn’t throw, heart pounding from the life I just claimed.

Andres stands right in front of me.

“I had a twin sister who died,” I tell him in a low voice. “Twins. They run in my family. My sister had Callie a year before she OD’d. I’m her legal guardian.”

He nods, but he doesn’t look away from where his wife and daughter are playing with Callie.

“You better do right by them. All of them,” he says, his voice low.

No threats. Just truth.

“I will, sir,” I reply.

And I mean to.

Chapter Seventeen-Andrea

I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

This bathroom is massive—more spa than space—and I’m brushing my teeth with a freebie toothbrush I found still in the packaging.

The whole thing is surreal.

A gorgeous marble counter.

His and hers sinks. High-end finishes.

This is clearly the owner's suite.