Chapter 13

There'sa knot in my stomach as the car rolls to a stop. I'm doing this for the kids, I remind myself, not for the first time. But it's the truth. They need me, but I can't be there while I'm visiting Izzy at the hospital. Once I know she's safe, then I'll come back for them.

Yes, it's all about the kids.That's why I'm accepting Gabe's help.

The kids need this.It's the only freaking thought swirling around my head while I gawk at what's going down right before my eyes.

We pull up to an imposing mansion situated right on Lake Washington. It's a striking blend of sleek, modern architecture and timeless elegance. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows show off killer views and make the breathtaking outdoor scenery feel like part of the interior. Meticulous gardens surround the palatial estate, looking like something out of a luxury magazine shoot.

Without a doubt, it's a beautiful property, but between the massive size and opulent features, it feels intimidating and overwhelming. I can't help wishing I was back in the cozy comfort of my New York apartment. Home.

"So, whose place is this?" I wonder if his parents moved out from his childhood home or if one of his siblings lives here.

Maybe Jude married, or . . . that doesn't sound right. Gabe said he shares the penthouse with Jude. And I'm pretty sure Lyric would've mentioned something like that during last night's conversation.Then, who lives here? A cousin, friend, or maybe his new girlfriend. That would be something, if I catch him dating.

"Before you continue wondering, the answer is Piper's," Gabriel clarifies, and I swallow down the bitterness threatening to rise in my throat. Now, I'm meeting yet another one of the people closest to him. It confirms that I was never important enough to be part of his inner circle before.

Okay, I'm bitter, and it's clear that I have unresolved issues.

Should I call my therapist to make an appointment or consider this an emergency and try her direct line? Gideon could help, but then I would have to tell him everything and I'm not willing to do that.

No, he wouldn't give two fucks about this either. Earlier he reminded me how I should just pack my shit and head back home. Izzy and the children be damned. They haven't cared for me. Why should I be here trying to figure out how to help my ill sister?

The neighbor couldn't tell me what happened to Izzy, just that the ambulance came, and Cora carried her baby brother to her house.

Cora seems like a pretty self-sufficient child, and I don't like that one bit. It means that her mother has neglected her and she has been figuring out how to provide for her and probably Caleb too. The thought twists my stomach.

"Are you sure Piper will be okay taking care of them?" I ask Gabe, glancing back at the sleeping children.

He nods. "Yeah. She's our best option. I would ask Mom, but she spent all night helping my cousin Grace with her newborn. Also, we need to have a big discussion about you before I can entrust our little ones or even you with her."

I open my mouth and close it. He said our little ones? That's . . . I probably misheard him and he meant just little ones. Me. He doesn't have to entrust me to anyone. But since he's the only person who can help me with Cora and Caleb, I don't start a big fight.

"I really don't want to impose, Gabe." Or talk to Pria. She was very nice, but she never really thought I was good enough for Gabe.

Gabe opens his mouth but before he can respond, Cora's little voice pipes up from the back seat. "Whese Mommy?" Her small face scrunches with distress, lower lip wobbling. My heart cracks at her lost expression.

Gabe and I exchange a look. We're both thinking the same thing—how do we explain this to a little girl who just wants her mom?

Gabe twists around to meet her eyes. "She's at the doctor's right now, sweetie. But we're going to take good care of you until she comes back."

He's out of the car and at her side almost immediately.

Her little chin starts to tremble. "I wan Mommy," she whimpers, her voice breaking.

"Hey, it's okay. I've got you," Gabe reassures her, unstrapping her from the car seat and lifting her into his arms. Cora clings to him, like a little koala.

"I'll take the baby inside," I murmur, focusing on carefully maneuvering Caleb's heavy car seat out of the SUV. "We're gonna be alright, little man. I don't know how yet, but I promise you'll be just fine."

I sneak a glance at Gabe comforting Cora, my ovaries practically exploding. He looks so paternal and sexy, my hormones are in overdrive picturing him as a doting father. I have to grip the carrier tighter to keep from jumping his bones right here.

Get it together,I scold myself, though visions of a little girl with his light-brown curls and heart-melting grin dance through my head. Would he have been this caring with our daughter too? Spoiling his little princess?

I bite my lip hard, fighting the rising tide of emotions. I can't handle his well-meaning hero act or the complicated feelings crashing inside me while holding the carrier. Part of me wants to steal Gabe's car and those credit cards he always shoves at me, just drive far away from all these messy emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

Hold it together long enough to get through this day,I tell myself.

Before we can knock, the front door swings open. A stunning woman with vivid teal hair and piercing eyes so blue they're nearly violet stands there appraising us. Piper. Those intense eyes blaze over me briefly before gentling at the sight of the kids.

"Hey, Pipe," Gabe greets her.

She nods at him and then focuses again on me. "Hi, I'm Piper, and you are?" she asks, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that's almost unnerving.

"Ameline," I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. "Thanks for helping us out."

She looks me over, then her eyes flick to Gabe, but she doesn't say anything. I can't help but wonder if she knows about me, like Seth or Jude. There's so much I know about her, but what if Gabe hasn't mentioned me to her yet? In fact, a part of me wants to offer my condolences for Archer, but it feels too forward, too presumptuous.

"Don't mention it. Though, I'm interested in learning more about you," she pauses, glances at Cora and then the baby carrier. "But of course, we'll do it later. My husbands will be the ones taking care of them if that's okay. I have to visit Harper."

Her husbands? As in two? I'm not judging at all, but I want to ask if I heard right? The question bounces around in my head, but before I can give it voice, Gabe jumps in with his own concerns, "What's going on with Harp?"

"You'll have to wait," she tells him. Piper relieves me of the baby carrier and directs us toward the back of the house. As we walk, she chatters about Orrick and how he's teething. She throws me a glance. "Zero-out-of-zero recommended."

"I'm hungwy," Cora pouts.

Piper smiles warmly at her. "Alright, let's go see what we can find in the kitchen. We can choose a snack right now and then we'll cook so when Rhea wakes up you two can have lunch together."

In the kitchen, Gabe gently sets Cora down onto a stool by the counter.

As I take in my surroundings, my eyes land on Archer. He's alive? Confused, I blurt out, "Archer is alive?" I ask confused.

His gray eyes stare at me and his jaw tightens. "Let me guess, we were close friends or something?"

I'm lost for words, turning to Gabe, who lets out a sigh. "They found him, but he's lost his memory."

"How do you know, Finn?" Piper asks, rummaging through the pantry.

"Finn?" I'm even more confused now. Who's Finn? There's no one else here.

Gabe gestures toward Archer. "That's Finn. As I said he was MIA for years and came back with amnesia. Sometimes he remembers things, but not much."

"Oh," I mumble, not sure what to say. Sorry, nice to meet you . . .

Then Finn, or Archer, looks at me, a flicker of something crossing his face. "I remember you," he says, and there's a hint of a smirk as he looks at Gabe. "Not too long ago, I told Piper about a memory. You were in a house, about to get married in secret to"—he points at me—"her. Ame is the name and Gabe pretended to do it because of the insurance but he loved you. Also, you were sick, a brain tumor."

I gawk at him while Gabe says, "Shut the fuck up."

He laughs. "So it's true, huh. Piper told me I was confusing a dream with Archer's reality, but I think I wasn't."

Piper's eyes flick between Gabe and me. "You two got married?"

"We need to check on Ameline's sister," Gabe says, a subtle urgency in his voice. Then, with a hint of a wry smile, he adds, "Seth's rearranging the penthouse so we can take the kids there. If there's anything you can think of that they will need, let him know. What you see in the diaper bag is all they have."

Piper glances at Cora and mumbles, "What's going on with her mom?"

I sigh. "Wish I knew. She asked me to come, and I feel like I arrived too late."

Gabe glances at Cora and Caleb. "Don't beat yourself up. You were able to get them out of a bad situation on time. We'll figure out the rest soon. Promise."

But that's the problem. He keeps saying we, and for my own sanity I can't keep being next to him or accepting his help. More so when he looks too fucking handsome while he carries Cora. As I said before, my ovaries might explode, even when they have useless eggs. They will explode and would ask for retribution—or a baby.

Just one. Can we just have one?

Shut up, Ameline. You know that road will just drag you back to hell—not that you're out just yet.