Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 214

"That's all?" There's something in the way he says it that makes me feel better about the whole thing. He doesn't say it like it's nothing. And he doesn't say it like it's a joke. He just asks me if that's really all it is, so he can know what's really going on.

I nod. "That's it."

He pulls me closer, rubbing my back. "Okay. We'll fix it then."

I raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Let's fix your window."

I don't believe what I'm hearing. That is, until he takes my hand, leading me back the way we came. It's such a simple solution, but still.

"Right now?" I struggle to keep up with him and process what he's saying.

He chuckles. "Yes. Right now, Mia."

"But what about the tour?" I ask.

He waves me off. "We're done with it."

"Really?"

"Yeah..."

I give him a flat look.

He scratches the back of his neck.

"Axel?"

"We've done enough?" He smiles, albeit guiltily.

I'm not amused. "Is Aiden gonna think that? Or Carson?"

"Carson's kind of got no room to talk," he says. "He's the one who broke your window in the first place."

"And Aiden?" I ask.

He doesn't say anything.

"Exactly. This is just gonna start a fight."

"No, not exactly," Axel says. "How could it start a fight when he's not even here?"

I raise an eyebrow. "What?"

He doesn't say anything. He just opens the door for me back into the restaurant.

I sigh exasperatedly, not wanting to start the very fight I was trying to prevent. But at the same time, I'm getting really, really irritated. I don't know where this is coming from.

He closes the door behind me, but he doesn't say anything else. I feel like he's miles away, even though he's holding my hand as we walk back to our seats..

"Where's your brother?" I ask more directly this time.

He takes forever to say, "He's helping Carson with something a town over."

I sigh, rubbing my thumb against the back of his hand slowly. "I ask about you too when I'm with them, you know?" I look into his eyes. "I'm just worried."

He squeezes my hand before pulling his away.

I stare at the distance he's created.

"They'll be back tomorrow," he says. Then he smiles like everything's okay when nothing is. "Eat. Please." He pushes my food closer to me. Then he kisses my cheek.

I pick it up reluctantly. "Okay. But let's fix the window today then." Whatever makes him happy.

"Okay. Whatever you want." He looks away. He doesn't touch his food.

We go to the hardware store to get the stuff for the window.

I explain what parts are broken to Axel until he has a good idea of what he's looking for. "You can wait here," he says. "I'll be right back."

Before I can tell him I'll go too, he disappears into the aisles. Well fine then. He can be that way. If he wants to go around fighting with everyone and ignoring people (i.e. just me), be my guest. Whatever. Just leave me out of it

I wait by the paint section, glaring at the different shades of purple and green. He's being such a butt today. I thought we already talked, so why are we fighting again? Excuse me for caring about your brothers. I was just asking if they were okay.

As Axel and I split up, our little group does too. Ethel and Luca stay with me, even though they keep their distance. Onai follows Axel, but before he's gone, he tells Luca, "Behave."

Luca nods eagerly, but the second Onai's gone, he starts experimenting. Ethel's jaw drops. Mine does too.

Luca starts tearing the color sheets apart. He's fascinated with the smell of ripped paper. He runs his nose along the jagged edges. Then he sneezes. I don't know what to do. We had him for two seconds. I look at Ethel.