Page 292 of The Grand Duel

Lissie’s voice haunts me every time she speaks. Even as it lowers, as she begins to sing softly to the children, it travels to the deepest parts of me and squeezes around my heart.

It’s not until the room at my back falls silent, a hand settling on my cheek, that I open my eyes.

“Bedtime, big man,” Mason tells me.

He takes my hand and pulls me up off the ground, Nina smiling at me as she steps back and heads to their bedroom.

“I can walk to my room on my own, Lowell,” I tell him, righting myself and smoothing out my jacket.

“I’m not allowed to tuck you in?” he asks, walking alongside me.

I don’t want to go to bed. Not alone without Lis when she’s right there.

I’ve gone too many nights without her.

“I fucked up, Mase.”

He walks into the bedroom, flicking on the bedside light and pulling back the covers. He tips his chin towards the bed.

I pull off my jacket and fall onto the mattress, the room spinning.

I feel my shoes being pulled off.

“I fucked up,” I murmur. “I left her on her own. She hates being left on her own.”

“You didn’t leave her on her own, you went and got her sister from another country. Don’t worry tonight. We’ll fix it in the morning, Aldridge.”

“I don’t think I can.” I look up at him. “I’m having a baby.”

“You don’t know that.”

My eyes burn, my body feeling heavy. “I do.” I stare through my best friend. “It’s my baby, Mase.”

He sighs, walking around the bed and dropping down onto the mattress beside me.

“We’ll figure it out in the morning, okay? Go to sleep.”

“Will you always take care of her?”

He sighs, rubbing at his face.

“If she doesn’t let me, Mase, or tries to push us all away like Lance did, you’ll make sure she’s okay, won’t you? And if she falls in love, you can’t tell me, but you have to make sure he’s alright. She doesn’t have anyone else to do that for her, so you’ll have to be the one. You’ll do that for me, won’t you?”

He looks down at me, a sadness in his gaze. “Always, mate.”

I nod, turning onto my back, letting my eyes drift closed.

Lissie

I should be asleep.

I should be, but Charles Aldridge is drunk and alone in this house, and I can’t sleep until I see him. Until I have proof that he’s safe and okay and didn’t get caught up in the horrible fighting before.

With the dogs at my feet, I find his room and slip inside, instantly locking eyes with Mason Lowell. He’s in the bed with Charlie, sat up on his phone, suit still on.

He smiles at me after a moment, and I relax, waiting as he uncrosses his ankles and stands from the bed.

He smooths down the girls when they jump at him. “Were they okay downstairs tonight?” he asks, referring to the dogs.