Page 59 of Merciless King
Piper's expression softens. She reaches out and takes my hand. "I’m sorry I got defensive. I’m upset too at what happened all those years ago. Right now, I’m just thinking of her. I want to protect her."
"Protect her from me?” What the hell? Five minutes ago, Piper was begging me to touch her and now I’m a danger?
“No.” She shakes her head vehemently. “Protect her emotionally. A lot happened today.”
I’m trying to understand, but it’s not easy. “It’s because she was afraid of me, isn’t it?”
“No—”
“But if she knew I was her father, she wouldn’t look at me as another stepdad, one who could be an asshole.”
“Elio—”
“Don’t keep this from me, Piper.”
Piper is quiet for a moment, then nods slowly. "You're right. She deserves to know the truth. And you deserve the chance to be her father."
Relief and joy flood through me, along with fear that Elysse won’t be equally as happy to learn I’m her father.
We dress and then go downstairs. The sounds of laughter and music greet us as we enter the living room. Elysse is standing in front of the TV, her little body swaying to the upbeat tune of a children's movie. It's a relief to see Elysse acting like a carefree child, especially after the trauma she's witnessed. I don’t imagine the emotional scars are gone, but this scene gives me hope that she'll be okay.
Matteo sits on the couch, watching her with an amused grin on his face.
Elysse giggles and beckons for him to join her. "Come on, Matteo. I'll teach you the steps!"
Matteo shakes his head. "I don't know, kiddo. I'm not much of a dancer."
She grabs his hands and tugs him off the couch. "It's easy. Just follow me."
To my surprise, Matteo relents. He stands up and lets Elysse guide him through the silly dance moves. They hop and spin, their laughter filling the room.
I laugh at the sight of my tough-as-nails cousin, my second in command, being led in a dance by a seven-year-old girl. It's a side of Matteo I've never seen before.
Piper leans into me, a soft smile on her face as she watches our daughter. "She looks relaxed and happy.”
"She does. I'm glad she feels safe and comfortable here." I hope that means Piper feels more at ease telling Elysse the truth.
Elysse spots us standing in the doorway and waves excitedly. "Mommy, Elio, come dance with us!"
I grin and lead Piper into the room. "How can we resist an invitation like that?"
We join Elysse and Matteo, letting the music and laughter wash over us. Turns out I’m worse than Matteo when it comes to dancing. But that’s okay because in this moment, all the horrors earlier in the day are gone. Right now, we're just a family enjoying a silly moment together.
As I twirl Elysse around, her little hand in mine, I catch Piper's eye. She's smiling at me, her eyes shining with love and gratitude. I know we still have a lot to figure out, but I know everything is going to be okay. Finally, after all this time, I have what I wanted from the moment I first laid eyes on Piper in high school.
As the movie credits roll, we catch our breaths.
“I’m done in,” Matteo says, ready to leave us.
“Where’s Lana?” I ask him.
Matteo shrugs, a mischievous glint in his eye. "She's working. Probably plotting her takeover of the family business."
I chuckle, shaking my head. I consider that I’m open to the idea of her taking on more responsibility. It would free me up to spend time with Piper and Elysse.
“Or maybe she’s trying to get out of babysitting.”
“You seem to have a knack for it,” I say.