Page 45

Madison

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

I try to act calm as I pace back and forth, checking to make sure everything is okay at the kids' party, but inside, my heart is pounding like crazy. Zeus sent a message saying that Larry is parking.

Before my world turned upside down, I hired a company to organize the twins' birthday celebration, and now, the entire living room is decorated with red clowns. The entertainer will arrive shortly, and I pray that the little guests don't feel scared, as Silas and Soraya truly love clowns.

A few other babies from the neighborhood have come, whose mothers Eleanor’s befriended while walking the twins around. So in addition to my niece and nephew, who look beautiful in white outfits, there are half a dozen little ones.

Today, as if he knew it would be an important day, Silas took his first steps. Soraya, however, doesn't seem very willing to leave the ground and only follows her brother by crawling.

I read that some babies walk even earlier than a year, but doctors say everyone has their own time. It's no reason to be worried.

I wish Brooklyn was here. The doctor told me today that he believes she is making progress, but when I visit her, I don't notice any difference.

Doctor Athanasios seems very determined to bring her out of the coma, and the other day, I caught him looking at her strangely . Not scary strange, but the way a man looks at a woman he wants, which seems crazy, as there is no prospect of my sister waking up anytime soon.

The doorbell rings and my foolish heart races. "He's here," I tell Eleanor.

"I think so. Do you want me to let him in?"

"No. I can do this."

I dry my damp hands on the skirt of my pink dress, and I walk as steadily as I can, but when I open the door and face him, I know for sure that I'll never be immune to this man.

No matter what happens, Zeus will always be the love of my life.

"Hi," I say, almost voiceless.

"Hey." His eyes devour me with the same greed with which I look at him, and it's very easy to read the hunger there, since it's nothing more than a reflection of mine.

"This is Joseph," he says, showing me the toddler he’s carrying.

The little boy is beautiful, a little bigger than Silas, but when I approach to talk to him, he grabs Zeus's neck and hides from me.

"He's not very sociable."

"Do you take after your uncle?" I say before I can control myself.

"I was never antisocial towards you."

I feel my face heat up. "The reason you didn't push me away cannot be discussed in front of minors."

Before I know it, he approaches and wraps his free arm around my waist.

He doesn't kiss me on the mouth but on the forehead, and the time he spends with his lips on my skin, as well as the grip on my back, makes me want to cry.

Zeus is part of my life, no matter how much I fight against it.

When we pull away, he sees my teary eyes.

"I didn't come for this," he says.

"I think I'm very sensitive these days. Come, come in. There are more children inside."

When we reach the room where everyone is gathered, the mothers and nannies who brought their children stop talking, and it takes me a few seconds to understand why. They're all drooling over him.

I stiffen my posture, crazy with jealousy, but I maintain good manners and introduce him—generally, because there's no way I'm going to say their names one by one—to everyone.

"A single dad?" one of the sassy ones asks.

"No. I'm Madison's boyfriend, and this is my nephew, Joseph."

You can see the disappointment on their faces as we walk away to look for Silas and Soraya.

When we reach the hallway, I turn to face him. "Why did you say that?" I ask.

"Because you are mine."

"The day before yesterday, you told me that I was under contract."

" Sugar baby or girlfriend—you choose the label, Madison, but I'm not leaving your life until I'm sure whatever is between us is dead."

Eleanor approaches and, after greeting Zeus more coldly than usual, speaks to Joseph. To our surprise, the little boy throws himself into her arms.

"Can I take him to see the twins?" she asks.

"Yes, you can," Zeus replies.

After she leaves, we don't move, our eyes locked on each other.

“You hurt me,” I say.

Before he can speak, Silas appears, walking up to us.

"Euuuuussssss!" he shouts when he sees him.

"Hi, big guy. So you're already running around, huh?" He bends down, and my nephew walks with those drunken steps. He only stops when he reaches Zeus.

"He started today," I say.

"What about Soraya?"

"Not yet."

As if she knows we’re talking about her, she crawls around the corner. Eleanor is close behind, hand in hand with Joseph, who is already walking much more steadily than my nephew.

Zeus stretches out his hand, and to our surprise, with the greatest difficulty in the world, she leans against the wall and stands up. When she's standing, the three of us are expectant.

She lets go of the wall and threatens to walk. She staggers, and I hold my breath, but I wait.

And then, my little girl takes her first steps, but instead of coming to me, she goes to Zeus.

"You walked towards Uncle Zeus, my love!" I praise, kissing her cheek.

Joseph claps his hands, as if he is happy with his new friend's victory, and Eleanor wipes away a tear, because my mother cries about everything.

"She came to me," my Greek says, all proud, and I smile despite myself, because it's charming for such a powerful man to melt for a little girl.

"Yes, to you," I say, looking at him.

He looks at me, with my niece and nephew sheltered in his arms, and his features change.

He's not smiling anymore.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"I love you, Madison. I didn't even know I was capable of love until I met you. I love you, and this will not pass. I don't want it to pass."