35. Chapter Twenty-Nine

Trevante

"How long do you think they can stay holed up in that room?" Taylan asks from the back seat. I rub my jaw and stare at the hotel in front of me as I answer.

"They've been in there for three days and the only people they have let in are Kimber and Anna."

"Wrong. Mom flew in with the boys yesterday and brought them here to see Lake and Wave." I turn in my seat to face Knox in surprise.

"I never saw them."

He rolls his eyes. "That's because they arrived when Xander forced your nasty ass to go take a shower," he bites back.

"Mom and the boys are still in there with them, so are Kimber and Anna," Xander adds.

"How long are we going to let them hide in there?" I ask the three of them. They all pin me with a weird look.

"Go knock on the door and see how well Lake takes to seeing you," Taylan says.

"I would love to see my wife rip you apart." Knox's tone is filled with excitement.

"Fuck this," Xander clips out a second before he shoves his door open and steps out, the three of us quickly chasing after him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Knox calls after him but Xander doesn't slow his steps as he makes his way toward the lobby.

"Not letting my girl hide from me any longer," he answers as he reaches for the door but Knox shoulders him out of the way, then pins him against the glass wall.

"She needs time."

"Fuck you, Knox, you have no idea what she needs. If she is hurting, I want to be there with her and help her. I won't let her think she is alone again. I will never leave her." He shoves Knox off and marches inside, I follow after without saying a word because I agree with him. I haven't been able to relax since she left us that night on the bridge. I've sent everyone back home, except for Nano, Brett and Calvin. William will oversee everything until we return.

Are we going to return to Ireland?

I push that thought from my mind as we step out of the elevator. Xander pounds his fist against the door as nerves thrum through me at the prospect of her turning us away. What if she doesn't want us anymore? Could that be the reason why she is hiding away? When the door finally opens it's Clara who stands before us with a warm smile.

"I wondered how long it would be before you came and busted down her door." Her tone is filled with mirth and love.

"I just need to know she's okay, Mom," Xander says quietly. She reaches out and clasps his hand then leads him into the room. Knox, Taylan and I get into a shoving match as we all try to fight over who gets to go in next.

"Fuck off!" Knox snaps.

"Suck a dick, she's my sister too!" Taylan shouts.

"She's my girlfriend!" I snarl as I elbow Knox in his shoulder, the same one Doxy shot, knocking him out of the way, loving the sound of his pained groan as I rush into the room only to come to a halt a few feet inside the room. My eyes widen at the sight in front of me.

"It's a set up!" Taylan mutters. Xander, Knox and I all shoot him a glare. Kimber, Anna, Lake, Clara and Wave all sit on couches facing us while Rave and Axlyn play with their toys on the floor.

"Daddy!" Rave cries out at the sight of his father. Knox pushes past us and drops to his knees as both his sons run to him. I smile at the sight. He holds both his boys close and places kisses to their heads, all the girls melt at the sight but not my girl. She looks fierce and shows no emotion as she keeps her gaze on Xander and me.

"Daddy, come see Aunt Wave," Axlyn says as he tries to drag his father to his feet. Knox helps him out and stands slowly. Wave tears her gaze from us to face her brother and I see a range of emotions flicker in her eyes. Axlyn keeps trying to drag his father toward his aunt but he doesn't budge.

"Anna, would you and Kimber mind taking my boys for a walk?" Lake asks the girls.

"Yeah, I saw a park down the street, we'll take them there," Kimber says. The boys hug their mom and dad before the girls take them out. The moment they leave, the tension in the room soars to new heights as the siblings continue to stare at each other. Lake climbs to her feet and closes the space between her and her husband. He instantly wraps his arms around her and pulls her in close when she is within reach.

I envy them.

I know Doxy feels something for us but she won't fucking admit it no matter what we do!

"Go to her," Lakeland whispers low enough for only us to hear. Knox pulls back and stares down at her. She smiles encouragingly at him. "She needs you." Knox swallows and stabs a hand through his hair and nods. He steps around his wife and moves toward Doxy, slow enough so she has every chance to stop him. Her mother sits beside her, rubbing her hand up and down her back. In a move I didn't see coming he drops to his knees in front of his sister. He tentatively reaches out and grabs her hands, holding them in his as he looks up at her.

"I'm here." Two words, two words that mean nothing in any other type of situation except for this one, and has my girl's eyes filling with tears. Xan and I share a loaded look, she's displaying emotion and it's a sight to see. We are so used to her being cold, reserved and keeping everything locked down inside her. Knox drops her hands, grips the hem of his shirt and yanks it off. Her eyes zero in on the ink that covers his chest. "You have my heart. You are the first girl I loved aside from our mom. I had your face inked on my chest because the day I thought I lost you, I stopped loving everything in this world. I even forced myself to feel nothing toward Lay. There was no light without you in my life, everything was so fucking dark without you. I took over the Da Luca family so I had the manpower to search for you. I made up a fantasy in my head that you got out of that car, ran away and married some rich guy, then had a couple of kids and were happy. I had to tell myself that daily so I wouldn't break down."

"Why?" Knox jerks at the sound of her voice.

"Because you are my womb mate, my best friend, my twin. You are my exact other half, Waverly. I was cold and alone for years until I got my girl back, but she couldn't let you go when she got her memories back. I had to be the strong one and let her search so I didn't break down every time the Seals didn't find a body in that river. I had to hold her together and be strong for our boys." He reaches up to cup her cheek. "If I had to choose between loving you and breathing, I would use my last breath to tell you I choose you."

My heart lurches inside my chest when I see a tear fall from her eye. Xander's shoulders hunch forward, just like me he is feeling pain for her. I hate that we can't go to her and hold her. She is too strong and proud for that to happen, she needs this moment with her brother so she can let go of all the anger inside her. Spending these past three days with Lake have really helped her, I can see it in the way she doesn't sit so straight and tense, and her eyes don't hold that same haunted look like they always had.

"I'm… sorry," she chokes out as she pushes forward and falls into Knox, hugging him. His shoulders shake with silent tears as she sobs in her brother's hold. I look at Clara who has her hand covering her mouth, crying at the sight of her children embracing. It brings warmth to my heart seeing her making up with Knox and letting go of her anger, that shit was eating her up inside.

I hate that uncertainty is warring inside me, what if what we shared means nothing to her and sleeping with me and Xander was just a way to pass time. If she admits to feeling nothing for us, I don't know how I will heal from that wound. I love her, I fucking need her and I don't need anyone. If she chooses to go her own way, then I will continue to work for her just so I would be able to catch glimpses of her and see her happy. I just want to be in her orbit.