Page 35 of From Angel to Rogue (Four Foxes #6)

KATY

“What’s going on here?” I asked a beaming Luka bouncing on his feet with a little too much excitement than normal.

Did Mom and Wiona feed him too much sugar already?

“Whoa, calm down, buddy,” I said just as Luka crashed into my knees. “What’s got you so excited like this?”

“Grammie Lianwa said we are going to watch baby videos of you and Mr. Matty.”

“Mom,” I groaned. “Please no.” They were so embarrassing, and Mom loved to pull them out whenever she had the chance. Honestly, I had to fight tooth and nail for her to keep them far away from Lan ever seeing.

“What?” Mom asked innocently. “I made them so my grandchild could see them one day.”

“Ma, please. Luka, we can watch cartoons; they are so much cooler. My baby videos are so boring.”

“Pleawse, Katiew,” he pleaded, jumping on his toes. “I want to see, please.”

I exhaled, looking deep into his brimming brown eyes. I just couldn’t say no to that, could I? “Fine.”

“Yay,” he cheered and ran over to my mom. I couldn’t help but slide a sharp look her way, to which she gave me a nonchalant shrug.

Reliving my childhood was the last thing I wanted to do today. But if my mortification made a little man happy, who was I to complain?

“What’s the commotion all about?” Lan entered the living room, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his dark T-shirt. My eyes couldn’t help but go straight to the drops of sweat gliding down his muscular abs and deep V carving his sides.

I internally squirmed at that sight but quickly averted my gaze, dragged myself to the couch, and found myself a comfortable corner with too many pillows.

Luka skipped over and announced the same news to Lan.

A certain glint crossed Lan’s eyes like he was the one who was more excited than Luka to watch the Evans’ home videos.

By the end of today, I needed to rent an underground bunker and hide for a couple of days. That was how humiliating this was going to be.

Armed with snacks and Luka cuddling in my lap, Mom started the videos and AirPlayed them on the TV. My entire childhood was now displayed on the big screen.

They were in a linear fashion, almost like a two-hour video, from birth to high school graduation.

A screaming baby form of me filled the video, my cheeks pudgy and red, my arms flailing in anger as I lay next to my twin, who was quietly blinking at me in just his diapers.

Looking at it tugged my heart, it was kinda sweet of Mom to do this for us. Maybe I should do it after the twins arrive and join Luka as well to continue this embarrassing legacy.

A curious Luka asked me so many questions while Lan’s eyes were fixed on the TV. I didn’t think he even blinked. He only watched me, though, not my twin. Like he was taking in a new side of me that he’d never seen before.

The clip cut the sound of my mom beckoning me.

For some reason, I wasn’t even embarrassed to watch that little girl with round cheeks and glimmering eyes, licking the chocolate off her fingers in her proud blue dress. The emotion I felt was sadness.

Sadness that the world didn’t accept that naive girl with simple dreams.

Instead, she was labeled too uncool and mediocre that she forced herself to become a ruthless, cutthroat, independent woman who didn’t make her happy at all.

But looking at her now, I felt proud.

Proud that I was trying to make that little girl’s dream come true.

That I was trying my best instead of giving up.

And I was proud of that, prouder than I’d ever been for any of my accomplishments.

“I want to be a mom and be the best wife to the love of my life and have lots and lots of children.” The innocent voice of little me leaked from the TV. “Oh, also knit my babies cute sweaters.”

My mom’s chiding response gets muffled by the laughter filling the room.

But Lan froze.

Even from a distance, I could feel the tension riddle his shoulders stiff. And for the next second, he stayed just like that. Like he knew the weight of that statement. Like he knew her entire life changed after that.

His eyes snapped to mine. And suddenly, it was just the two of us in the room.

My heart picked up a beat, and his gaze turned more intense. Somehow, I felt naked baring all my bones and insecurities, my strengths and weaknesses, and he could see through it all. Like his eyes were looking into the depths of my soul.

And then a second passed before his lips curved into the softest smile that caressed my skin like a warm blanket.

It felt like amid all the shadows that crowded my life.

He saw me.

My Lan saw me.

Everybody in the room thought it was adorable and innocently cute. But only Lan and I knew the words that little girl spoke were not some silly dream, but it was what she believed as her truth.

That girl in me still does.

My teeth sank into my lips a little harder than they should as I tried my hardest to make a giraffe-shaped pancake. Because Luka and I were having a day out at the zoo to figure out his favorite animal.

Lan and I dedicated one day on the weekend where we get him all to ourselves so that Luka gets a bit of us to himself. And this week it was my turn.

I spoiled him with anything he asked because who else have I got to spoil? Right when I had that thought, a heavy kick came from inside my stomach, followed by another one.

And I smiled, rubbing my belly. Of course, I’m going to spoil you both, too.

They answered with another round of kicks.

My palms splayed over my stomach and tenderness filled my heart before I could stop myself.

My babies. Growing inside my belly.

It was the weirdest sensation in the world to carry two tiny humans inside your belly while they rolled around like they were in the pro leagues.

“We are ready,” Lan announced, walking in with Luka, who was dressed adorably like he was going to the safari in his khaki shirt, matching shorts, and a red scarf around his neck.

“Oh my, has anyone seen my little Luka anywhere?” I gasped for a dramatic display, holding a hand to my chest. “I only see a grown-up man looking so fine.”

“I’m right here, Katiew,” Luka huffed, hands on his hips.

“Wait you.” I pointed a finger at him. “You can’t be my Luka.”

“But I am.” He waved his hands. “See.”

“Are you my Luka?” I gasped.

“Yes, Katiew.” He giggled, bouncing on his feet.

The sound just made me want to cry. At least now, I knew the reason my tear ducts burst at almost everything. Even commercials on TV and random social media posts made me cry.

And it wasn’t just that.

Although Lan kept me very satisfied in the bedroom department, my uncontrollable libido was going off the roof. I would be doing the most random things, and the next minute, I want to hop on top of him and fuck him like a puck bunny in heat.

Last week was the hardest to get him alone with our mothers here. Usually, Luka would be at school or would be asleep or having playdates at Matty’s, so it was easy for Lan and me to sneak off for a quickie.

With our apartment a little too crowded last week I had to count the minutes till I could get him alone and have the quietest sex we had ever had since our teenage years. It was a true pain.

After Luka munched his breakfast and had his mandatory milkshake, we grabbed our coats to leave.

“Do you really have to go?” Lan pouted, leaning against the wall.

“Yes,” I replied sternly.

My tone made Luka cover his mouth to hide his smile. He loved watching Lan and me argue like children.

“Why can’t I go along too?” he pleaded. But I wasn’t about to be fazed by those brown puppy dog eyes.

“Are you seriously asking me that?” I pointed a finger at him. “If I remember correctly, last week you took Luka away the whole day, and you didn’t see me complaining.”

“We were at the bike shop.” Lan lifted a shoulder. “I was teaching Luka how to fix a bike with the boys. You girls would’ve just been a temptation, and we would’ve had to cut our time short.”

“Exactly,” I countered sweetly. “Which is why I am going to the zoo with Luka today, so you won’t be tempted to take me home soon.”

His eyes darkened at my suggestive tone, but he nodded. “Fine,” he huffed. “Take care of Luka and this precious package.” He playfully tapped my belly, clad in a sunny yellow dress. “And be careful.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “You are my favorite package.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Bye, buddy.” He waved to Luka. “Take care of Katy. And you be a good boy. I’ll be waiting for you to come back and tell me what your favorite animal is.”

“Yes, Lawndon.” Luka grinned, folding his tiny fingers, motioning a salute. It was his new obsession.

We both waved goodbye to a sullen Lan and headed for our day out.

The weather was pleasant—not too hot or too cold—which was a blessing, considering I’d have to be on my feet for hours.

The walk should do me some good, though.

Luka’s soft hand gripped mine as we explored the zoo. I didn’t realize a simple trip to the zoo would make me this happy, but it did. I hadn’t had this much fun in a while, and it wasn’t even tiring to explain to Luka about all the animals and take a thousand pictures of him.

“Katiew?” Luka asked, still focused on the zookeepers’ feeding fish to the penguins.

“Yes, buddy?”

His brow was pinched in a frown. “Is this the pengwin’s home?”

“Hmm, not really. It’s kinda their other home,” I said, my eyes roaming over the creatures flapping around on the manmade stony terrain. “Where they come from is a lot colder, Luka. Like, there will be snowfall and ice.”

“Then why did they bring them here?”

“For us to see.”

“Did the pengwin’s want this to be their new home? It’s so small for all of them.” His frown deepened as he eyed the area.

“No, buddy, they can’t really leave.”

“What if they want to go home?” Luka’s tone ringed with sadness.

“They can’t,” I said softly. “But they take good care of them.”

His eyes darted from me to the penguins and back to me again. “So they can’t leave?” His lips quivered.

“No, buddy.”