Page 28 of From Angel to Rogue (Four Foxes #6)

KATY

“I’m nervous. Are you nervous?” I asked, pacing the floor. Luka would be here any moment now and I was already losing my mind.

“Katy, it’s going to be fine,” Lan offered with a reassuring smile. “It’s Luka, and he loves you already.”

I nodded, forcing a tight smile that did nothing to help the nerves twisting my gut.

“K, come here.” Matty gestured from the couch to sit beside him.

I shook my head and both the men sighed loudly while I slid them a glare.

The shrill of Lan’s phone echoed through the room, and I stilled, watching as he spoke in hushed tones to Naomi.

“They’re here,” he announced as the call ended. “I’ll go and bring Luka up.”

“I’ll go too.” I was already walking toward him when he gave me a look that stopped me in my tracks.

“You stay right here with your brother, Katy,” Lan warned, and he didn’t give me a second to react before he bolted out.

And I stood there gaping at the closed door.

“K.” My twin’s big hand gripped my shoulder, tugging me toward the couch. “Sit.” He motioned like I was some anxious pet, and I sighed, lowering myself.

Maybe I was being a bit too dramatic than necessary.

It was just that…just that I was scared.

They didn’t know. They just didn’t know how I felt.

All I wanted was to be a mother, and this was my chance, and I didn’t want to mess it up like I’ve been ruining everything lately.

The seconds ticked louder than usual and after what felt like ten minutes, the sound of the door code beeping made me jump to my feet.

I held my breath as I watched Lan walk in carrying an awe-eyed Luka in his arms while he dragged the smallest suitcase behind him.

Something clawed my chest at the sight of that. Is that all he had? All his life reduced to the tiniest possible suitcase when I’d been hoarding unnecessary things all my life to keep up an image, when kids like Luka didn’t even get to have food.

Guilt added to my chest, I made a mental note to spoil him and make a few donations.

“Luka,” I greeted, rushing to his side.

His eyes lit up when his gaze snapped to me. “Katiew,” he shouted, holding out his arms.

Unexplainable emotions crowded my chest as I hugged them both together, squeezing Luka between us and Lan’s other arm wrapped around me, caging us in.

I pressed about a dozen kisses on Luka’s soft cheek and he smiled.

“Katiew, I think I am cruswhed,” Luka announced in an adorable voice that made both Lan and me laugh.

I ruffled his hair as I pulled away. “Are you excited to live with Lan and Katy?”

“Yes.” He nodded, biting his lip. “Lawndon told me we can have ice cream for dinner, Katiew. Can I have chocolate flavor, please?”

“Of course, baby.”

Lan narrowed his eyes. “Only if you get to brush your teeth and be a good little man.”

“Duh, I am a good man, Lawndon,” Luka said like it was the most obvious truth.

The expression on his face only made us smile harder.

“Don’t say you forgot me now that you got new friends, little fella,” my brother’s voice hollered from behind me.

Luka blinked at the apartment, like he was looking at something so big and wonderful for the first time in his life. His eyes rounded like saucers when they landed on Matty.

“Mr. Matty,” Luka squealed, and Lan smiled warmly, letting him down. He ran to Matty whose big frame swallowed up little Luka.

“Hey, little fella, how are you?”

“Good, Mr. Matty.” Luka smiled. “I’m going to be living with my friends, Katiew and Lawndon, and they told me I get to see you and Sira every day.”

Matty nodded, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Sierra will be here soon to see you. We brought you presents for your welcome party.”

“Party?” He blinked, his long, dark lashes curling with the motion.

“Yes for you.”

“I’ve never had a party before,” he whispered, his eyes dashing to me. “Will there be chocolate milkshake, Katiew? I like them.”

“Of course, Luka,” I said, forcing myself to remain composed and not turn into a mush on the floor. “Why don’t we go see your room before everyone else gets here?”

“Okay,” he mumbled.

Lan and I took each of his hands, while I handed Matty my phone to take pictures.

“You ready, buddy?” Lan asked with a grin, his one hand on the half-closed door.

“Yes,” Luka said in such a serious tone, like he was going to war or something.

Lan chuckled, opening the door farther. “Welcome to your room.”

Luka’s eyes widened so big that I was scared they might bug out of his head. Complete awe filled his face as he took in his yellow room, with the mural like it was straight out of The Lion King, with every possible animal.

We made his bed with the same soft yellow bedding with too many pillows and animal plushies.

I didn’t know what kind of toys he liked, so I filled an entire basket with every toy for a six-year-old. I even added some coloring books and crayons to his tiny desk with all the materials his school sent over.

Luka would be attending a local private school starting this Monday, and that was making me a whole different kind of nervous.

I also added a big welcome home sign with a bunch of glittery animal-shaped balloons.

Lan came to my side as we both watched Luka look at every detail in his room, his wide eyes unblinking as he took in everything.

“Do you think he likes it?” I whispered to Lan.

“I’m sure he will, angel.” Lan flashed me a smile. “Stop worrying.”

I don’t think that was something I could ever do again, now that Luka was here, I felt all my motherly feelings burst inside me. I think I was always going to worry about this boy, no matter what.

“Luka, do you like your room?” I asked, five minutes later, when Luka’s eyes finally landed on me after he finished his little exploration.

“Yes, Katiew, I love it. I have never had a room this big before,” Luka said, red splotching his cheeks. “Thank you.”

I smiled. “Do you like the color? I don’t know your favorite; we can change it if you like.”

“I don’t know what my favorite color is.” He tilted his head, frowning. “I don’t really have favorite things.”

My heart squeezed.

I bent to his eyesight. “How about you and I figure out all your favorite things so you don’t have to worry about that anymore?”

His pink lips spread into a shy smile. “Okay.”

Soon, all our friends crowded the apartment and Luka was the man of the party, as he met all his new friends who adored him to bits.

Matty and Sierra gave him a kid-sized drum kit which got him so excited that he even played us a beat and I already felt like a proud Mama, watching him.

When everyone cheered and clapped after his performance, he got so shy that he ran and hid behind Lan’s leg.

Mikey and Lily brought him so many colors and papers and anime toys that made him so curious. Knowing Lily, she was soon going to make Luka an anime fan.

Emmie and Evy brought every expensive toy under the sky.

I even saw a limited edition transformer set and a rare collector’s Ferrari truck that probably cost a fortune.

They even bought Strawberry, their golden retriever, who made Luka giggle as she chased him around the living room, causing a ruckus.

Luka was spoiled, and I knew you shouldn’t really spoil a kid all at once from the dozen parenting books that Lan and I had been trying to read.

But then why wouldn’t I spoil my child?

I didn’t know if at the end of this, Luka would be my son but at least till then, I would give him the childhood he actually deserved.

A safe roof and nights where he would never have to go to bed hungry.