Page 40 of The Fractured

“Sofia was telling me about how for a very long time you refused to go anywhere without your fire truck red rain boots.” She gave me an adoring pout, referring to the two-page spread of toddler me, mostly at the beach, in boots.

“He thought they gave him powers to fight monsters,” Mom added, smiling with pride as she wheeled her chair out from behind the coffee table. “I’m getting more food. There are more photos to see, Lily.” She wheeled herself towards the kitchen, but left with a warning: “Do not get grease on my couch,per favore.”

“Si.” My eyes hadn’t strayed from Lily and the way she was watching me with an adoring grin. “What?”

“The reason why you always wear combat boots makes way more sense now.” Her eyes traveled south, and she raised a brow in consideration. “It would be interesting to see you in red rain boots, though.”

“Nothing but red rain boots?” I quirked a brow, enjoying the way my words made her blush as I leaned in, bracing one hand on the back of the sofa. I planted a soft kiss on the area below the curve of her jaw. “Hi.”

She turned her head slightly, her cheek brushing mine.

“No grease on my sofa, Dean,” Mom warned, returning from the kitchen.

I reluctantly straightened with an inhale and subtle stretch of my back.

“Why’d you wanna come over? Not that I’m complaining,” I asked.

“The apartment was a little occupied.” Lily placed the photo album on the coffee table as Mom did the same with the cannoli.

I frowned, picking up one of the desserts and taking a bite. “Occupied how?”

“Seb and Kira,” Mom said, sharing a smile with Lily. They had discussed a lot during Lily’s visit.

My brow shot up. “That was fast.”

“Yep,” Lily continued. “I’m happy for them, though. Kira deserves it.”

“Yeah, she does.” Without thinking, I went to sit beside Lily. My arm was already outstretched to drape across the back of the couch.

“Dean, the grease!Go shower and change your clothes,” Mom exclaimed, clapping her hands and shooing at me as I paused, halfway to sitting down, while Lily laughed.

I pulled up and half smiled. “Mamma—”

Mom shook her head. “Doccia e cambio.”

Lily, who had been following the entire conversation with an amused look on her face, shrugged. “You do smell like a garage.”

My eyes narrowed on her, and she grinned sweetly.

“Alright, fine. I’m going.” I glanced at Mom, finding her attention was on another photo album, and then looked at Lily and tipped my head in the direction of the hallway.

It took her a second to figure out what I was trying to indicate. Her face changed from confused to wide-eyed.

“Thanks for the cannoli, Sofia. They were lovely.” She stood and collected her bag.

I backed up to wait in the hallway, hands buried in my pockets. My eyes instinctively traveled over her, drinking in the way she moved with bounce and grace in her steps. Everything she did was careful, like she didn’t want to disrupt anything, yet there was still a quiet confidence about it.

She was halfway across the living room, eyes on me with a cute and eager half smile on her lips, when she remembered something and turned on the spot. “Oh, Sofia… Thank you for the conversation earlier too.”

Mom smiled softly. “Anytime, Lily.”

As we turned into the hallway, I gently nudged her arm. “Everythin’ okay?”

Lily inhaled and offered me a content smile from over her shoulder, wrapping her left arm across her stomach to rest her hand on her side. “We were sharing some things. But I’m fine now.”

I nodded in understanding.

When we reached the bathroom door, and she mentioned she needed to get a change of clothes from my bedroom, I looped a finger through the belt loop on her pants and slowly pulled her close.