“Married?” I choke, instantly feeling the heat in my cheeks rise. Suddenly, I feel guilty for hiding what happened between us weeks ago. But Millie isn’t the right person to divulge all my intimate secrets to, especially when it invo
lves her ex. “Wh… why would he think that?”
“I don’t know, Ava.”
“Okay, so entertaining Wills theory, hypothetically,” I profess, stalling for just a moment to make sure I word my thoughts right for once. “Why would that bother him? If it meant that Austin married me, it’s not like he’d do that to get close to you? Getting married is a commitment of love, right? We would have to love each other to commit for life.”
“Try explaining that to a billionaire who knows how to decode a computer in like zero point two seconds, but when it comes to his wife, it’s a whole other story.”
My chest hitches before my shoulders fall. Just when I think it will all work out, I am yet to encounter my brother-in-law in beast mode.
“Is Will here, in Manhattan?”
Millie nods. “He took Ashton to Central Park Zoo today.”
“How long are you in the city for? I’d like to spend some time with you without everyone watching us like we’re on some reality show.”
From where they stand, Addy and Alexa are gawking like stalkers. The second they notice I’m looking at them, they turn away, pretending to be engrossed in a conversation.
“I’ve got a few hours tomorrow before we fly out in the evening,” Millie informs me. “But, Ava, so that you know, I’m trying my hardest here. It feels like I’m caught in the middle, trying to juggle being supportive to you but also a husband who has gone completely irrational on me. I’m not sure how Austin feels, but all of this will take some adjustment.”
I nod, then place my hands on my stomach for the baby to kick.
“The baby is reacting to all the cake I ate,” I groan.
Millie’s face lights up, immediately placing her hand on the spot where the baby kicks.
Suddenly, it happens again.
“Oh, my God!” Millie almost screams. “It kicked me. The baby kicked me.”
I rest my head against the chair as my sister continues to talk to my belly about how awesome she is.
The truth is, Millie Edwards Romano is awesome.
The best sister I could’ve asked for.
But, she’s married to a man who is known to be ruthless when he doesn’t get what he wants.
Only time will tell just how far he’ll go to protect his wife.
Or maybe, his protection is what will drive my sister and me apart again.
Nineteen
Austin
“It says to take part B and connect it to part C.”
Ava draws her brows while staring at the instruction booklet in front of her. Her back leans against the spare bed with legs stretched out and feet bare. The blue dress she wears barely reaches her knees.
Unable to hide my grin, I continue to connect the pieces to the sounds of her frustrated huffs, followed by theatrical groaning. Typical Ava—she has zero patience.
“This makes no sense at all,” Ava complains, placing the booklet in her lap. “How are all these pieces supposed to be a crib?”
“Patience, Miss Edwards,” I remind her gently, not sweating this at all. I’ve done far worse in med school. “It’ll come to fruition if you just follow procedure.”
“You sound like a doctor.”