Anger and that feeling of being cheated had surfaced fierce and bright, and it had been aimed directly at the beauty who’d turned and offered him a blushing good morning. Her hair had been damp, and she’d dressed in jeans, a white V-neck T-shirt, and chunky gold watch. Nothing else, not even socks or shoes—something he’d gotten used to with her right from the beginning; she loved being barefoot. She loved him barefoot.
It had taken him half an hour and two cups of coffee before he’d been able to speak to her without his jaw locking up.
Gabriel slipped his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “From day one, Sacha accepted all of us as we are. She occasionally showed some fear, but never censure or disapproval, even though I’m sure she felt it. So, I for one, will offer her the same respect. I couldn’t begin to image what she went through after walking in on you with another woman, which means I can’t stand in judgment of her ways of dealing.”
And that right there was why Alek had loved and respected this man since they were teenagers. He was fair, wasn’t quick to condemn, and he had compassion for those around him. Those qualities also made him a great leader.
“I’d hang her,” Maks muttered as he rocked.
A part of Alek understood that sentiment, too, unfortunately.
“Maks,” Gabriel admonished. His tone was one Vasily would have used had he been there.
“What? I get it. Hell, I told him to give up the fight just last night. But I understand why it burns that she took that time from him. Those are a lot of firsts he can’t get back. Picture it. Things didn’t work out with you and Eva last summer. You went your separate ways. This summer, you run into her in Pike’s Market, and she’s got your son on her hip.” His eyes glinted. “That would fly with you? Get the fuck out of here.”
Gabriel bobbed his head. “Yeah. It’s different when you make it personal. So let’s do that. What if it was you? Picture things falling apart with Sydney. You find yourself walking along the boardwalk at Coney Island eighteen months from now and see her on a bench with Andrew and Eleanor. They’re all bent over a stroller, playing with an arrogant little guy with eyes like yours. No doubt the kid would complain good and loud if you interrupted because you’d be taking away his spotlight,” he said sardonically before pausing a second so an image could form. “Now tell me you’d hang your Aussie.”
Alek watched Maks bury a flash of something spooky before a cool grin curved his mouth. “Goddamn right, he’d complain. And you forgot to mention the women in the surrounding area who’d also be fawning over him because even at that age he’d be irresistible.”
Vincente let out a bark of laughter. “Did you honestly expect an intelligent response from him?”
Before Alek could pose the question again and get a serious answer, a loud wet rumble came from the little person in G’s arms. Four heads snapped her way. Lekzi had a too familiar look on her face; her mouth was slightly open, eyes glazed. Nobody wanted to admit it, but they’d all worn the expression at some point in their lives. With their noses twitching, he and the boys exchanged uneasy looks.
V smoothed his hair back when it didn’t need it. “Hmm, as stupid as I feel saying this, that was unexpected.”
Alek nodded, his sudden apprehension making him feel the same. He cleared his throat as Gabriel came over with the baby hanging from his extended arms.
“Since you made her, you can deal with that.”
He gladly took his not-so-sweet smelling baby. “Okay, well, since none of us have done this—have any of you changed a diaper before?” he asked to be sure.
“Negative.”
“Not yet. I’m safe until spring.”
“Seriously?”
“Right. Well, I think we’ve hidden away up here long enough anyway. Sacha has supplies downstairs. Let’s go put them to use.”
“There’s a table full right there,” Vincente said, pointing to, yup, a change table overflowing with everything necessary to get the job done.
“You want to stand here and argue, V?” Alek snapped. As the scent grew stronger, his face got warmer. “She needs to eat, too, and I can tell you, I don’t have the necessary equipment to get that job done either. We going?”
Pretending not to notice the smothered smiles, Alek led the way. Shit—zero pun intended. He’d helped identify the exposed kidney belonging to one of their men after a brutal knife fight a few months ago. But hearing that wet sound? He just wasn’t ready to tackle what would be found in that diaper. Not yet.
Maybe not ever, he thought with a shameful shudder. What if he’d humiliated himself by gagging, for Christ’s sake? Maks would never have let him live it down.