Chapter 61

Fuck. I rake my fingers through my hair as I watch her sleep. The dried tear tracks on her cheeks are still visible, and seeing her like this—so utterly shattered—tears me apart.

Sophia has always been a master at masking her emotions. But today, she didn’t. Today, it was raw. Unfiltered.

Her pain was drowning her, and without realizing it, she was pulling me under with her.

I sink into the chair beside her bed, my fingers threading through her silken hair as I massage her scalp gently. How the hell had I never noticed how soft and thick her hair was? Just touching it feels like heaven.

A quiet sigh escapes her lips, her face relaxing as the tension melts away. In sleep, she finds peace—no shadows haunting her, no ghosts whispering in her ear.

I know it’s creepy, but watching her sleep has become my guilty pleasure. I did it yesterday. And here I am again.

She’s breathtaking. Even with the dark circles beneath her eyes, she’s radiant. How the hell did I ever convince myself she couldn’t compare to Isabella?

I press a featherlight kiss to her cheek before forcing myself to stand. Every instinct screams at me to climb into bed beside her, to pull her close and never let go.

But I don’t.

Because I know she wouldn’t want me there. She might have accepted my comfort tonight, but that doesn’t mean she’s forgiven me.

Hell, I haven’t even asked for forgiveness.

And I need to.

Just… not yet. Not when she’s still so fragile.

With one last lingering look, I slip out of her room and into the night. The cool air does nothing to clear my head.

I pull out my phone and dial Sebastian. He answers on the first ring.

"Meet me at the club," I say before hanging up.

I don’t wait for a response. I know he’ll be there.

Half an hour later, I’m stepping through the VIP entrance of my club, nodding at the bouncer before heading straight for my private booth. The pounding bass does nothing for my throbbing headache.

Xavier, my personal bartender, appears with my usual drink before I even ask.

Sebastian strolls in moments later, his sharp gaze assessing me. "What’s got you in such a foul mood?"

"Nothing," I mutter, slumping back into the leather seat.

But the image of Sophia on that cliff won’t leave me. That single step she took toward the edge—it nearly stopped my heart. The terror that gripped me was unlike anything I’ve ever felt.

If I’d been even a second later…

I can’t think about it.

"You forget, brother," Sebastian drawls, taking the seat across from me. "I know you better than you know yourself."

"Sophia," I rasp, her name like a blade in my throat.

"You care about her."

"Of course I fucking care about her. She’s Liam’s mother," I snap, frustration boiling over.

But it’s more than that, and we both know it.

Sebastian leans forward. "It’s always been more than that. You’re just too stubborn to admit it."

I grit my teeth. He’s been harping on this for months—that my feelings for Sophia run deeper than I’ll acknowledge.

Bullshit.

If I were in love with her, I’d know.

Wouldn’t I?

"How is she?" he asks when I don’t respond.

"She’s pregnant."

His eyes widen. "Daniel’s?"

I clench my jaw. "Who else?"

The moment I found out, something inside me fractured. Knowing she carried that bastard’s child made everything too real.

I’d been trying to ignore the fact that she’d slept with him. But now? Now there’s no denying it.

And it fucking kills me.

Which makes no sense. I wanted her to move on. I wanted her to leave me alone. I was planning to propose to Isabella, for Christ’s sake.

But knowing Sophia let another man touch her?

It feels like a part of me died.

"So what’s she going to do?" Sebastian asks, pulling me back to the present.

I stare into my glass. "I don’t know."

I consider telling him about the cliff but stop myself. That moment belongs to Sophia. I won’t betray her trust, not even to my brother.

"Sir." Xavier reappears, handing me a small envelope before retreating.

Sebastian cocks a brow. "What is it?"

I tear it open. A single slip of paper falls out.

[I don’t target children. Your son is safe. But the rest of your loved ones? That’s a different story. I’m coming for you, Ethan. And everyone you care about.]

It’s signed with Damian Slade’s insignia.

I should be afraid.

But all I feel is relief.

Because Liam is safe.

That’s all that matters.

I won’t let Sophia experience that kind of fear again. It’s time to bring Liam home.

He’s always been her lifeline.

And right now, she needs him more than ever.