LOGINKnox’s POV I threw myself into work, but my mind was nowhere near it.No matter how busy I stayed, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming. Something bad. That sick pressure sat in my chest all morning. Granddad kept telling me to stop worrying, that everything was handled, but worrying about Sienna wasn’t something I knew how to shut off.Especially not with that fucking pervert walking free.Universal Airlines had exploded overnight. We were pulling in extra teams, expanding into more cities, meetings stacked on meetings. I buried myself in it, fingers moving fast across the keyboard, trying to outrun my thoughts.Then my phone buzzed.Granddad:Done. And you’re welcome.I frowned down at the screen.Done… and you’re welcome?I typed back quickly.What are you talking about, Granddad?A few seconds later, all I got back was a smiley face.I stared at the phone, confused, then shook it off and went back to work.That’s when my office door slammed open, then automatica
Sienna’s POVMonday morning. Just a few days before Derrick’s release from jail.I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at nothing and everything all at once, wondering how much more we were supposed to endure in this lifetime. Alex said Derrick would be on electronic monitoring for the next year, but that didn’t calm me. I knew people who could disable those ankle monitors in a heartbeat and never get caught. And Derrick… he was slick. A slippery, perverted bastard who always found a way to slide out of his bad choices and consequences.I sighed again, long and tired.The morning alarm went off, slicing through the quiet.Knox’s hand slid across my lower back as I reached over and stopped the alarm.“How long have you been up, love?” he mumbled, voice thick with sleep.“A while,” I whispered. “Hell, I don’t even know anymore.”He shifted behind me, pulling me back down. “Baby, lay down with me. You’re thinking too hard. And I’m worried about you and the baby.”I let him pull me again
Knox’s POV As I look at my brother who is angry beyond belief, pacing like he’s ready to flip the whole damn house over and I sigh.“Bro,” I say quietly, “let’s go talk.”“Talk about what?” he snaps.Before I respond, my dad steps in. “Come on, son. Let’s just go talk.”Martin gestures toward the hallway. “Use the room on the first floor, the one in the back.”We head there, and the moment we walk inside, I can’t help but scoff. It looks like a second baby room with a crib, soft lighting, toys tucked neatly into little baskets.“If it was up to my sister,” I mutter, “she’d have two rooms for each baby.”Dad shakes his head, but it’s true. Kira’s ridiculous like that. With five bedrooms upstairs, one nursery down here, girl’s building a baby kingdom I guarantee in at least two more rooms.We all take a seat, and I look at Kole.“Alright,” I say. “Explain everything.”Kole throws his hands up. “Man, I just got a message saying I’m a father. She wants me to come see the baby, and she’s
Sienna’s POVAt least they’re not calling the baby ugly outright. You never do that. Babies change every other day. One morning they look like a potato, the next morning they look like a tiny angel. So I just sigh and say, “He’ll be fine, he’s okay, and he’s a good, fine baby.”Grandma Mabel nods. “That he is. He is a fine baby. But look at this little cutie.”She lifts the baby girl slightly. “You wanna hold her?”“No, let her sleep. I’ll hold her later.”Kira comes out right then with her son latched on her boob and a receiving blanket draped over both of them.“Hey, girl, I didn’t even know you were here.”“Yes, Kira, mama,” I say, laughing. “You’re working it.”“Shit,” she groans, dropping down into the rocking chair, “I ain’t working nothing but these breasts. I’m just a human feeding machine.”I laugh. “Well, look at me. I don’t have too much longer to go. I’ll be in the same damn boat.”As she’s rocking, Knox’s mom walks out of the kitchen with Kole and Keisha behind her.“Oh!
Sienna’s POV I finish getting dressed, even though I feel like I’m fighting my closet every damn day now. It’s Saturday, and today we're finally going to visit Kira’s twins face-to-face. Knox has been giving her son the funniest frowny face every time I even mention him.I think both babies are adorable.Knox… disagrees.He keeps saying, “That little boy looks funny,” like he’s trying to figure out how to say something nice without insulting him. I tell him he’s just a baby, he’ll grow into his looks.Knox goes, “Not with that nose. Do you see that nose?”I swear he said it with his whole chest too.I just laughed, because he looked dead serious.“His nose is perfect and cute,” I argue.Knox sucks his teeth. “On a grown man, maybe, but not on a newborn.”I shake my head and keep getting dressed. My belly is really protruding now, and I don’t even know what to wear anymore. My cute cinched-waist outfits are done. My high-waisted pants? Retired.So I put on maternity jeans and a long-s
Crandon’s POV Two Days LaterWhen I show up at my therapist’s office with my homework assignment actually done, I can’t help but smirk to myself. I really sat down and wrote that three page paper. When my name is called, I walk into Dr. Chandler’s office. He stands, shakes my hand, and I take my usual spot on the couch while he settles back into his chair with his notepad.He looks at me and asks, “So, Mr. Morgan… do you have your homework assignment?”I smile.“I do.”“Good. Before you tell me what you wrote, how did you feel while writing it?”I let out a long sigh and look down at the folded pages in my hand.“It felt like… like I was in a house fire stuck behind a wall of smoke. Behind some kind of smoke screen. And the more I wrote, the more the smoke started to clear. I started seeing the way I was treating Carmen. Like everything just got clearer. If that makes sense.”Chandler nods slowly. “It does. Go on. Tell me what you wrote.”I sigh again and pull the papers out. “Do I h
Knox’s POV continued “It’s almost ten,” Sienna said, her voice teasing as she tilted her head and looked at me. “So, buddy... are you spending the night or going home?”I smirked, rubbing the back of my neck. “I mean... it is Wednesday. We both have work tomorrow.”She leaned in, that smile of her
Knox’s POV I couldn’t keep my damn eyes off her.We strolled around the outdoor part of the mall, arm in arm like we did this all the time, like it wasn’t the first time in years that we’d been this close. After making those ridiculous Build-A-Bears, hers with a tiny leather jacket and mine wearin
Third-person POV The waitress finally made her way back to the table, this time with a slight attitude, her energy noticeably shifted since Sienna showed up. She barely glanced at Knox as she asked flatly, “Would you like to order now?” Knox leaned back in his seat, eyes calm but slightly amused.
Knox’s POVAs we all wrapped up our food and headed to our respective cars, I sat in mine for a moment and sent Sienna a quick text:"Not sure what this is, but let’s just play it by ear. No expectations."A minute later, she replied:"Sameses."I smiled, tossed my phone on the passenger seat, and







