Empire of Hate (Empire, #3)

by Rina Kent

“I don’t particularly get attached to places.” “I noticed that.” Her tone softens. “I bet you don’t even consider your penthouse a home.” “It’s just a house.” “Then where’s your home, Daniel?” Right in front of me.

“I stepped on my pride to love you. I crushed my bleeding heart, then gave it to you. All I wanted was for you to see me, to not make me invisible. All I wished for was a tiny piece of your heart, a sliver of your attention, but you never gave me that. You never fought for me as I fought for you!”

“Chris sends his bloody regards,” he whispers near my ear, then pulls back. That’s when a blinding pain explodes in my abdomen and a hot liquid soaks my shirt. My hand grabs the area and it’s drenched in dark red. Fuck. I’ve been stabbed. Before I can wrap my mind around the information, the world is pulled from beneath my feet.

It’s hard to hate you and even harder to forget you, but loving you was the easiest thing that I’ve ever done. It was natural, inevitable, and fucking infinite.”

The wails of screaming pull me from deep slumber. I stumble out of bed, rubbing my eyes as I head to the nursery. My feet come to a halt when I find Daniel already holding his fussy son and rocking him back and forth.

Nine months after that honeymoon, a little miracle called Conrad Sterling was born. He has my eyes, his father’s hair, and the stubborn attitude of the two of us combined.

“Is that why Nicole is pregnant with your second child when the first one is less than eighteen months old?” It’s my turn to smirk. “I said children are spawns. Mine and Nicole’s don’t belong to that list.”

“Especially because of that.” She strokes Conrad’s hair, then palms my cheek. “Thank you for giving me a family, Dan.” “Thank you for being mine, Peaches.” Her lips meet mine and I kiss her at the sound of our son’s giggles.