Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“You have to figure out what to do with her. I’m going to take it she’s not safe and happy somewhere,” Alex said, his eyes on the screen.
If it were that easy… “They killed her mom, changed her name, and shipped her to an orphanage in fucking Siberia.”
“Okay. So we have to get her out,” Alex said evenly. “Let’s sit down with everyone and decide the best course of action. I know Robert and Ariel talked about taking her in. That might be the best situation for her. Ari’s a therapist.”
“She doesn’t specialize in kids, and she doesn’t speak Russian. Tasha’s not a baby. She’ll need someone to talk to, to play with. She’s seven, and she’ll be in a foreign country.”
A brow rose over Alex’s eyes. “Do you want me to talk you out of this? Or into it?”
He groaned. “I don’t know. I need to think. I need to talk to Charlie. I want to say this isn’t my problem. I want to shrug and not deal with it because I’ve already got four freaking kids, and who knows how a new one will throw things off.”
“Who knows what she’s been through and whether or not you can handle her damage. Or what happens if someone comes for her one day. What do you do if you love this kid and someone else shows up with a claim on her?” Alex said softly. “Adoption is hard. It’s harder when you’re talking about adopting an older kid. I’ve adopted two, and I will tell you that I don’t love them any less than Vivi.”
Cooper and Hunter were Alex’s adopted sons, and Vivian the miracle baby he and his wife Eve hadn’t even dreamed about.
“I’m not scared of adopting. Everything is peaceful right now. As peaceful as it can be with Kala around.” He looked back to that sad-eyed little girl. How would he feel if this had happened to his Kala or his Kenzie? “And this could bring chaos we don’t need.”
“Or a peace you didn’t realize you were lacking,” Alex countered. “You know this, man. We can’t see the future, can’t predict what’s going to happen. We make the best choices we can and then hold on through the storm. Whatever you choose, I’ll back you up. She’s not going to be alone. We just have to find the right family for her. How about you talk to Charlotte and I’ll get the Lost Boys together on a call.”
“You know what Charlie’s going to say.” It didn’t matter what the Lost Boys decided. Charlie would want what was best for Natasha, and she would think it was them.
Alex handed him a fork. “Yes, and I know what you’ll say when you’ve had more than ten minutes to think about it. But Ian, you do not have to take on this responsibility. It’s not your burden.”
He looked back at the girl. Sometimes truths slid into place, and there was nothing he could do to deny them. He’d known shortly after he’d met Charlotte Denisovitch that she would hold his heart for the rest of time. He’d known when he’d lost her the first time that he couldn’t go on with life the way he had before. Those pivotal moments happened, and there was no fighting them.
“She’s coming home with us,” he said quietly.
“I know that,” Alex said. “So eat your pad thai and I’ll go grab a couple of beers and we’ll get Mitch on the phone.”
“And Adam.” He wanted Adam in on this. “Ask Adam and Chelsea to come up. Tash is going to need paperwork. The Russians closed adoptions to the US years ago. She’ll need a more friendly passport, and we’ll need cash to get her out.”
He liked Hutch, and Hutch could probably do all of it, but this was his…fuck. He was already thinking of her as his kid, and he wanted the best. Adam and Chelsea were the best.
“Congratulations, Dad,” Alex said with a shit-eating grin.
He got the feeling the fifth time wouldn’t be as easy as the other four.
* * * *
“I knew I was on the right track.”
Ian stared at his wife. She was looking at the documents and information Kelsey Owens had sent over. “Do you know the woman who sent it?”
Charlie shook her head. She looked pretty in her comfy pj’s, with her hair up in a messy bun, but then she always looked pretty to him. “Never heard of her before.”
There was a crash somewhere in the house immediately followed by a little girl shouting, “I’m okay!”
To her credit, Charlie didn’t even look up. Until they smelled fire or heard a pain scream, they pretty much stayed calm. It was the only way to survive their twins.
Would they get along with Tasha? Did he have any right to bring a traumatized girl into his chaos?