Se connecterSienna’s POV As I move through what is somehow both my baby shower and my housewarming, I’m overwhelmed in the very best way.Everywhere I turn, there’s love.My favorite people are here.My bestfriends and new friends are here.My family immediate and extended.Even coworkers I didn’t expect to show up are here.I feel wrapped in joy.Across the yard, I spot Knox, laughing, relaxed and talking with his father, grandfather, my father, his uncle, and a few business partners. Stephen, Adamo and Shane are over there too, deep in conversation. Seeing him like that, grounded, proud, and confident really makes my chest ache in a good way.I smile to myself and turn back toward Sade.“So… girl,” I say, lowering my voice motioning my hands around her stomach. “When did this happen?” She laughs, shaking her head. “It was another surprise.”Of course it was.“You know they say birth control isn’t a hundred percent, they sure didn't lie about that,” she continues. “And I kid you not, the way
Knox’s POVFinally, it's the day of the damn baby shower.I’m excited, but mostly I’m ready for this shit to be over. And I’ve got a surprise for Sienna that she has no clue about. She’s definitely going to be mad at me for the way I pulled this off, but she’ll get over it.She thinks we’re heading to my mother’s house for the shower.But we’re not.We’re going to our house.The one we’ve been renovating for months.The one that’s finally done.My mother’s been over there all week with Sienna’s mother, setting up everything, from decorations, to food, to the heated tent out back. The dual garage doors are finished, lights setup in the yard, everything is staged perfectly. The empty lot next door is cleared for parking. The whole place looks insane in the best way.The house itself… man, it’s gorgeous. A three-story brownstone located in Bronzeville, renovated from top to bottom, neutral color baby room already done, our master finished in grays, whites, touches of yellow and blue. It
Carmen’s POV Leaving my office, I’m halfway to the elevator when I see him.Of all days.He steps out of the HR office, but doesn’t rush over, doesn’t call my name, doesn’t do anything except fold his hands in front of him like he’s trying to behave for once. I hit the elevator button anyway, keeping my eyes forward. I’m heading up to Knox and Sienna’s baby shower. He can go wherever he wants.“Hey, Carmen,” he finally says as he walks over. “How are you?”I keep my gaze low. “Good. And you?”“I’m good.”The elevator doors slide open. I step in. He follows. Of course he does.I press the button for the baby shower floor. He doesn’t press anything. So, yeah, he’s going to the same place.The doors close and we start moving. He doesn’t speak, but he clears his throat once, twice. The ride is short enough that we could’ve taken the stairs, but fate apparently wanted us trapped in a metal box together.When we stop at our floor, I’m ready to walk out, but he speaks before I can move.“Ca
Sienna’s POV I move through the office baby shower slowly, stopping here and there to greet people, accept their hugs, and smile through congratulations. Kira keeps mentioning that she’s probably going to head out soon, take the babies home before they get overtired.They’re still asleep.I glance over at Knox, then at his dad and Granddad standing nearby, all three of them hovering protectively over the twins like a silent security detail.“Knox,” I say, slipping up beside him, “can you, your dad, and Granddad watch the babies for a minute? I just need to talk to Kira. They’re asleep, so it should be fine unless people start crowding them.”He smiles immediately. “Sure. I love those little babies.”He leans down and kisses me, lingering.“Well, stop talking about the little boy,” I say under my breath.He grins. “I’m just messing around. I know he’s a handsome guy.”I shake my head, smiling despite myself. “Okay. I’ll be back.”I find Kira near the dessert table, already halfway int
Sienna POVTwo days later. A whole two days later.I thought this whole situation would’ve taken a real toll on me, the idea that I could’ve somehow been the cause of someone else's death. At first, it tried to. It hovered. It lingered. It attempted to crawl into my mind and settle there.But the truth is, for some reason… I didn’t feel bad.And that’s a fucked-up thing to admit.After Knox went to speak with his grandmother and grandfather, because they wouldn’t say a damn thing over the phone and when he came back and told me not to worry about it. That it was literally an accident. That nobody expected things to go the way they did.According to him, one of his grandmother’s old friends, an old colleague from the private investigator unit had offered to handle it. Not kill anyone. Just scare Derrick and his family. He’d dug up evidence that was missing. The real evidence. The kind that magically “disappears” in high-end cases. An old police contact, someone known for things conv
Knox’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
Knox’s POVSunday MorningWhen I woke up, the bed beside me was empty. That was weird because usually, I was the first one up, but my baby was nowhere in sight. I rubbed my eyes, squinting at the sunlight slipping through the blinds, and then it hit me, the delicious smell of bacon, pancakes, and s
Sienna’s POVThe room is full of laughter, clinking glasses, and the mouthwatering smell of roasted garlic and jerk chicken. Everyone’s vibing, eating, talking, and laughing, but while the celebration is in full swing, Derek is still staring at me like I owe him something more than a plate of food.
Third-person povAs the night drew to a close and guests began to trickle out, the catering crew and cleaning staff worked swiftly to return the house to its usual calm. Balloons deflated, platters emptied, music now a soft hum in the background.Kole stood near the archway, watching Sienna move ar
Sienna’s POVAs I head back to my office, I slow my steps the second I spot the last person I expect to see sitting comfortably behind my desk, the original, the grandfather himself, Thomas Michaels.“Oh my God, Mr. Michaels!” I exclaim. “Why didn’t you let me know you were coming?”He chuckles, re







