GRANT POV
The drive took four hours. Four hours of Phoenix crying for Sam, of Asher’s silent, accusatory stares. Four hours of Nova looking like she might shatter at any mont.
I’d imagined this mont for six years. Finding them. Bringing them ho. Finally having my family.
I hadn’t imagined it would feel like a kidnapping.
"We’re almost there," I said, trying to sound reassuring. Neither boy responded. Phoenix had finally cried himself to sleep against Nova’s side, his face red and blotchy. Asher just stared out the window, his small hand gripping Nova’s.
She wouldn’t look at . Hadn’t looked at since we left that motel.
When the estate gates ca into view, I felt a surge of pride. This was what I could give them. Security, Luxury and A future without limits.
The car rolled up the long driveway, and I watched Asher’s eyes widen as the mansion ca into view. Good. Let him see what kind of life they’d have here.
"Boys," Nova said softly, shaking Phoenix awake. "We’re here."
Phoenix blinked, disoriented, then rembered where he was. His face crumpled. "I want to go ho."
"This is ho now," I said, trying to keep my voice gentle. "Your new ho."
Ivin opened the doors, and I stepped out first, then helped Nova. She stood there staring at the house like she was seeing a prison.
"It hasn’t changed much," I said. "You rember it."
She did. This was where we’d fallen in love. Where I’d first touched her, kissed her, claid her. Where Lena had caught us and destroyed everything.
"Co on, boys," I said, reaching for Phoenix.
He recoiled. "Don’t touch !"
Nova scooped him up before I could respond. "It’s okay, baby. Let’s go inside."
Asher climbed out by himself, staying as far from as possible. My sons were afraid of .
The staff had lined up to greet us—I’d instructed them to make this welcoming—but one look at the boys’ tear-stained faces and they wisely stayed quiet.
"Mrs. Tori will show you to your rooms," I said.
"Rooms?" Nova asked. "Plural?"
"The boys will have their own room. Connected to yours." I’d spent three days getting it ready. "I thought they’d like so space."
"They’re five, Grant. They’ve shared a room their entire lives."
"Well, now they don’t have to." I gestured for them to follow upstairs. "Co. I want you to see what I’ve done."
Nova carried Phoenix, who had his face buried in her neck. Asher trailed behind, his little hand clutching the wolf stuffed animal I’d given him. At least he’d kept it.
I led them down the hall to the west wing and away from the master bedroom, away from where Lena’s room used to be. I’d had it completely remodeled.
"Here." I opened the door with a flourish.
The room was perfect. I’d hired a designer, spared no expense. Two race car beds. Built-in bookshelves filled with children’s books then a play area with every toy imaginable. A gaming console and their own bathroom with a tub shaped like a boat.
Everything two boys could want.
Nova stood in the doorway, taking it all in. "Grant..."
"Do you like it?" I directed the question at the boys. "This is all yours. Whatever you want, just ask."
Phoenix finally lifted his head from Nova’s shoulder. He looked around the room, his grey eyes—my eyes—wide with confusion.
"Where’s our beds?" He asked quietly.
"Right there. The race cars."
"Those aren’t our beds." His voice trembled. "Our beds are at ho. The ones Dad made us."
The ones Sam made. Of course.
"These are better," I said, fighting to keep the frustration from my voice. "These are brand new and perfect for you."
"I don’t want them." Phoenix’s voice broke. "I want my real bed. I want Dad."
"Phoenix—" I started.
"Boys, why don’t we get settled in?" Nova cut off. "We can explore more later."
"Your room is through here," I said, opening the connecting door.
Nova’s room was equally perfect. King-size bed, sitting area, walk-in closet already stocked with clothes in her size. I’d guessed, since I was usually right about these things.
"I had them bring so things for you," I said. "Until we can go shopping for more."
She set Phoenix down and walked to the closet before opening it. She stared at the rows of designer clothes, shoes, and jewelry.
"This is..." She stopped. "This is too much, Grant."
"It’s what you deserve."
"I don’t need designer clothes. I need my sons to stop crying."
"They’ll adjust." I tried to sound confident. "They just need ti."
"Ti?" She turned to face , and I saw the anger there, the anger she tried to hide from the kids. "Grant, you ripped them away from the only father they’ve ever known. You think ti is going to fix that?"
"I’m their father—"
"You’re a stranger!" She lowered her voice, glancing at the boys who were exploring the toy area half-heartedly. "You’re a stranger who showed up and took everything they knew away. Ti isn’t going to make them love you. It’s going to make them resent you."
"Then what do you suggest?" I snapped. "I apologize for wanting my sons? For bringing them to a place where they’ll have everything?"
"They don’t want everything! They want Sam!"
The na hit like a slap. "He’s not their father."
"He’s been their father for six years. And in one day, you’ve erased him from their lives."
"I haven’t erased anything. He can—" I stopped. Because what? Visit? Be a part-ti fixture while I played dad? "He can still be in their lives."
Nova laughed, but it was hollow. "No, he can’t. You made sure of that with your ultimatum. It’s all or nothing with you, Grant. It always has been."
She was right. But I wasn’t about to admit it.
"They’ll adjust," I repeated. "Kids are resilient."
"No. These ones are traumatized." She walked past , back to where the boys sat on the floor, not playing with the expensive toys.
I followed, crouching down to their level. "Boys, I know this is hard. I know you’re scared and sad. But I promise, I’m going to take care of you. We’re going to be a family."
"We already were a family," Asher said quietly, the first words he’d spoken since we left. "With Dad."
"A real family," I anded. "With your real father."
"Sam is our real dad," Phoenix said, louder now. "You’re the man who took us away from him!"
"Phoenix!" Nova warned.
"It’s okay," I said, though it wasn’t. "He’s allowed to be angry."
"I’m not angry!" Phoenix stood up, his little fists clenched. "I hate you! I hate you for taking us! I hate you for making Mama cry! I hate you!"
He ran to the bathroom and slamd the door.
Asher got up and followed him, leaving and Nova alone.
"That went well," I said, running my hand through my hair.
"What did you expect, Grant? Instant love? Gratitude?" Nova sat on one of the race car beds. "They’re five years old. Their entire world just got turned upside down."
"I know that—"
"Do you? Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you expected them to just accept this. To see all these toys and this big house and forget about the man who raised them."
"I didn’t expect them to forget. I just..." I sat next to her. "I wanted them to be happy. I wanted to give them things I never had. Security and the stability of a father who’s present."
"They had that. With Sam."
"Sam couldn’t give them this." I gestured around the room. "He couldn’t give them the best schools, the best opportunities, a future without struggle."
"He gave them love, Grant. Unconditional love that didn’t co with ultimatums or conditions. That’s more valuable than any of this."
I wanted to argue. Wanted to say she was wrong. But looking at the closed bathroom door where my sons were hiding from , I couldn’t.
"What do I do?" The question ca out quieter than I intended. "How do I make them love ?"
Nova looked at with sothing like pity. "You can’t make them love you. Love isn’t sothing you can force or buy. You have to earn it."
"Then tell how. Tell what I need to do."
She was quiet for a long mont. "Start by being patient. By not expecting them to call you Dad right away. By understanding that they’re grieving and letting them grieve."
"Grieving?"
"Yes, Grant. Grieving. They lost their father today. In their minds, Sam died. You need to let them process that."
The words stung. But she was right.
"Okay," I said. "Okay. Patient, I can be patient."
A knock at the door. Mrs.Tori, my head housekeeper, stood there with a tray. "Excuse , Mr. Calloway. I brought lunch for the children. The chef made their favorites."
"How do you know their favorites?" Nova asked.
I shifted uncomfortably. "I may have had soone look into that. Chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, apple slices."
Nova stared at . "You had soone investigate my children’s eating habits?"
"I wanted to make them comfortable—"
"That’s not comfort, Grant. That’s control." She stood up. "Mrs.Tori, thank you. Can you leave the tray? I’ll get them to eat when they’re ready."
Mrs. Tori nodded and left.
"Nova—"
"I need you to leave," she said quietly. "I need to talk to my sons alone. Help them understand this new reality without you hovering."
"They’re my sons too—"
"And you’ll have plenty of ti with them. But right now, they need space from you." She walked to the bathroom door, knocked softly.
"Boys? It’s just Mama. Can I co in?"
I heard the lock click. I stood there, in the perfect room I’d created, with toys my sons wouldn’t play with and beds they didn’t want, and realized I had no idea what I was doing.
I left, closing the door behind .
In my office, I poured myself a whiskey and stared out at the grounds. This was supposed to be a triumph and a win-win situation. I’d found my family then successfully brought them ho.
So why did it feel like I was losing?
My phone buzzed with a text from Luca: Heard you found them. Congrats. Don’t fuck it up.
I managed a smile before texting back: Too late.
Three dots, Then: Kids are tough. They’ll co around. Just don’t be your usual controlling asshole self.
Easy for him to say. Since Nova disappearance issue we’ve sohow started talking again and tried rebuilding the fractures of trust between us
Maybe forcing them here, giving them no choice, making Nova marry —maybe all of it made exactly what they thought I was.
A villain
But it was too late to go back now, not when they’re already here. This was happening.
I just had to figure out how to make them want to stay.
My phone buzzed again. This ti, an unknown number.
Congratulations on your new family, Grant. Sha if sothing were to happen to them. - B
Bianca.
My blood ran cold.
She’d found out. Of course she had. And now she was circling, waiting for the perfect mont to strike.
I imdiately called my head of security. "I need a full detail on the house. No one in or out without clearance. And find Bianca. I want to know where she is every second of every day."
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