Page 59 of Judas (The Lito Duet #2)

Pocketing my phone, I look back up to see Nadia and Sadie still sitting at the small patio table talking.

Deciding that I’m done fucking around, I shoot away from the tree and make my way to them.

Don't take me a few steps, a hop over the fence I can’t find the door to, and a brief walk before I’m invading their space.

As soon as I step next to Nadia, I bend over and push a kiss to her temple.

I’d do the same with Sadie but I doubt we are there yet.

One day, though. To me, she’s been mine since the moment I learned about her—stalking your kid will make you love them just as much, if not harder, than having a normal relationship.

The fact is, I’m a stranger to her and will respect her boundaries as she learns to accept me.

“Hey babygirl,” I murmur into Nadia’s hair before fisting the back of a chair and tugging it back away from the table enough for me to comfortably sink into. “Hope I’m not disturbing anything important.”

“We’re just catching up. A lot to talk about,” Nadia replies, lifting her drink to her lips.

Still aggravated with me; something she will just have to get over.

She swipes her tongue along the bottom lip and I refuse to stop myself from staring at the motion.

Wishing she would do it again—parts of me remember exactly what those luscious pouts feel like.

“Yeah? I’d like to help, if you’re alright with that.” Looking at Sadie next, I raise a brow and give her a smile. “You good with that?”

“She’s not big on talking, listens mostly,” Nadia answers.

“I see. Maybe you should give her a chance to speak before talking for her or over her.”

Nadia bristles next to me, putting her cup down a bit harder than normal. Conceding quickly, I put my hands up in surrender and lean back comfortably in the chair.

“I apologize.”

“What is your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem, Nadia. I’m rusty as fuck when it comes to dealing with things other than taking orders and putting people away. I’m sure as fuck rusty with you.”

“And that’s my fault, why?”

Tilting my head back, an exasperated groan leaves me. Good God, we’re both so emotionally immature it’s pathetic.

Lead by example, fuck face, you’re head of household now.

Giving Sadie a brief apology and smile, I twist and devote all of my attention to Nadia. This relationship is the most important one right now, because without her I’m nothing.

“Please accept my apology, baby. I’m simply relearning everything. Absolutely nothing is your fault. Not this situation, not the communication issues, nothing. We have all been through a lot and I only want to help.”

“Can start by not being a dick.”

Sadie snickers for a moment and I bite the everloving shit out of the inside of my right cheek. Her tongue is still as sharp as it was when she was walking me like a dog around Darkwater.

Push harder, snitch.

“I’ll be less of a dick, Officer Pierce. Can we get back on topic, please? Don’t think Sadie wants to see either one of us fight like oil and water.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time I watched my parents fight,” she finally chimes in.

We both look at her then. Her head is resting on her knees now and she looks so damn tired. I wish there was a way I could fix everything for her. I’m only a man though. Nothing special about me other than surviving literal hell. Glad she recognizes her biological parents though, that’s a plus.

“They used to fight in front of you?” Nadia asks a question I already know the answer to. So, I patiently wait for Sadie’s answer. Nadia twitches and looks at her with pain in those stormy grey eyes of hers.

“Yeah. About me. Father, he… he wasn’t kind. I don’t really want to talk about it right now. It makes me feel bad and when that happens, I sort of black out.”

“What the fuck?”

Reaching out, I grab Nadia’s hand and give it a slight squeeze because I see one of her outbursts coming before she does. It’s out of protectiveness, this I know, but not here in broad daylight and definitely not when Sadie says no. Feeling her tremble in my hand, I swap topics.

“Do you like PlayStation portables? I was talking to the kid inside at the counter, before I came out here, and he was telling me about his. It’s the tech most people are carrying around, right?”

“Mmm, yeah. Why?”

“If you want one, I want to get it for you. Not to buy you off or anything, don’t get me wrong. Just thought you’d like to have one.”

“Oh, yeah. There’s this game that came out last year I’ve been wanting to play, but my other parents said it’s too graphic. Could I have it?” She’s perking up, that’s a plus.

“Yeah, I’ll have your uncle download it for you. When we get back to Pennsylvania, he will have it up and ready to go. What’s it called?”

“Deadspace. The original isn’t on PSP but Extraction is.”

“I’ll see what he can do. Guy can get his hands on anything.”

“Uncle?” Nadia looks at me suspiciously. “Don’t you only have a sister?”

“Matias, baby.”

“No shit! How’s he been?”

See, now this is normal—feels odd, but it’s normal.

I launch into some of the things Matias has shared with me.

Including his rather interesting relationship, giving Nadia a grin.

Seeing if she’s catching what I’m throwing down.

I don't think it would be a permanent thing, like the Ayala bunch, but having control over who or what happens in our relationship is alluring.

“Absolutely not. I just spent too long away from you. I’m not about to share you with anyone,” she answers, matter of factly.

“Oh? I had to share you, though.” Teasing her, I reach out and pull the cup of cooled coffee from her hand and take a drink. Laced with too much cream and sugar, as I guessed it would be. I remember tasting some mocha-frappe-what the fuck ever it’s called on her lips back in the day.

“What are you talking about? I’ve… I’ve not been with anyone. Christ’s sake, Kace, I’ve been in prison.”

“So, you’re telling me licking Fury was an accident? You just happened to fall on her face and your tongue wiped her mouth clean? What about that boy who got you this condo? Another accident? Oops, you jumped up on the counter and magically had your legs around his waist and your lips against his?”

Ohhhhhh, Momma is pissed.

I can’t help it though; while the boy pissed me off, hearing about her show of dominance with Fury had me rethinking a lot of things. Let’s stop while we’re ahead though. I’ll get turned on thinking about her tangled with someone else while I watch and critique the entire scene.

“I thought you were dead!”

“Nadia, baby, I’m not mad. You’re right, I was technically deceased. Would have only haunted them from the grave, nothing crazy.”

“Kace!” she shouts and swings at me.

Containing my laughter is impossible at this point. Instead of letting her act all wild and shit, I yank her arm and bring her over into my lap. Giving her a gentle squeeze and a quick kiss on the cheek to cool her down before she goes off on a tangent.

“Just playing with you, hard ass.”

Leaning in, I lower my tone and speak soft enough where Sadie shouldn’t be able to over hear, but my message is still received.

“I’m going to punish the hell out of that cock sucker of yours later—out of spite for the boy. Remind you who owns your mouth, and every other piece of you.”

She tries to get up, but I hold her down, giving the conversation another switch so she won’t bolt. I don’t want this to end, being with the two of them out here talking about random shit. You can see the curiosity in Sadie’s tired eyes, and the longing in Nadia’s. My beautifully broken girls.

Deciding we have had enough of the great Canadian outdoors, I help Sadie out of her chair, giving her someone to lean against who she won’t knock over. Then I look down at Nadia when she’s done putting their used cups in the trash as she joins us.

All fire and beauty.

And mine.

“What are you staring at, fucker?”

My lip is going to be sore tomorrow from the way I keep biting it, but it’s that or laugh and I’m too cool of a dad for that shit.

“My wife.”

She blushes at that. It’s cute, too cute.

“Don’t say things you don’t mean.”

Oh no, we’re not doing that. Not today, not in the middle of this cluster fuck. She will never, fucking ever , feel inadequate again. Hooking a finger under her chin, I tilt her up to look me square in the face. My eye focuses on hers as they start to turn pink around the edges.

Don’t cry, baby.

“You thought I was lying when I said that I’ll attach my name to yours?

Being sarcastic is part of my sparkling personality, but I would never yank your chain over something as serious as making you my wife, Nadia.

Don’t you understand what you mean to me?

Nothing has existed, nor ever will, that will dull the way you shine.

It’s loud, obnoxious, and blinding how radiant you are. ”

“Good thing you’re half-blind, right?”

Cheeky bitch.

“Yeah, you’re still too bright. I might need to wear my sunglasses at night.”

Dipping, I brush my lips against hers. Reverent, soft, lovingly because when I get her alone, I’m going to ruin them. Just being nice right now. When we make eye contact again, I see hers bouncing from one to the other. And wait for the inevitable question.

“It’s a different color… your prosthetic.”

“Yeah.” My word is breathy, waiting for her to continue.

“Why? Why that color… why gray?”

“Because of you, baby.” She’s trembling, so I wrap an arm around her waist and draw her to my side.

“How’d you get it so close?” Her tone is heavy with disbelief.

“Memory.”

I kiss her like nothing else matters, because it doesn’t.

One gray eye, one blue—I get to match both of my girls for the rest of my life.