HIS: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (Part Three) by Glenna Sinclair Read Free Book Online Page B

Virginia’s suit for custody—he had no reason to be anywhere but here. Constance was helpful, too, answering questions I should have been able to ask of my own mother and providing extra hands when necessary. And then there was Adam. He was surprisingly gentle with the babies despite his outward appearance. Another clear example of the whole you can’t tell a book by its cover.
    Virginia was granted visitation rights by the court, but she had, thus far, failed to show up. But a week after Vivienne came home, she called Nicolas’ lawyer and insisted she be allowed to see them at home.
    “She doesn’t like hospitals,” Nicolas said.
    “Even for her grandchildren?”
    Nicolas didn’t answer, but his body language made it clear that he felt as outraged as I did. These babies might have come from Aurora’s eggs, but I carried them, I suffered through months in the hospital for them, and I was the one taking care of them, nursing them in the middle of the night, and worrying over every little sound. I was their mother. And I was mortified that a woman who claimed to be so concerned for their welfare would refuse to see them at their sickest but wanted to see them now that they were well and thriving.
    But, Virginia was their grandmother. And, since both my mother and Nicolas’ was dead, she as their only grandmother.
    “We have to let her come.”
    Nicolas nodded. “But only for an hour. That’s all that’s required by the court.”
    I nodded. “Only an hour.”
    Vivienne was awake before the appointed hour. I was sitting out on the back porch with her, rocking her on a loveseat-style rocker in the shade. She’d already eaten and didn’t seem discontent. She just liked to be awake, to stare at the world around her. I had no quarrel with that. I loved to hold her as much as possible. It would never make up for the two weeks after her birth that we couldn’t hold her, but it helped ease the memory.
    I studied her little face, my finger catching curls in her fine, dark hair. She looked like Nicolas more and more every day, but there were other things about her that seemed so familiar. The slight upturn of her nose. The bow shape of her lips. The tiny dimple in her cheek. Her eyes were dark, as was her hair. But they say the hair falls out after the first few months of life and regrows in the color it would be as she aged. It was possible she might have lighter hair like Aurora. That she might have a wider jaw like Aurora. But right now…was it stupid of me to think she looked like I did at her age?
    “They’re here,” Adam said, appearing out of nowhere, as he sometimes had the habit of doing, his step purposeful as he headed toward the back doors.
    “Should I come inside?”
    “Stay there for now. I’ll come get you when Nicolas is ready.”
    I watched him go then turned my attention back to Vivienne. She made a funny little sound, and her eyes began to droop. Time for her nap. I pulled at the cannula in her nose, adjusting it a little. The tubing ran under her head to a canister propped up beside the rocker. It was flowing well, I could feel it against my fingers. And she was breathing smoothly, a positive sign. She had a doctor’s appointment next week. Hopefully they would reduce the amount of time she had to be on oxygen then.
    “Ana?”
    I looked up and smiled as Daniel poked his head out the back door closest to us.
    “Hey. I didn’t know you were coming.”
    “Virginia doesn’t drive much these days, so I drove.”
    “How’s it going? Is Nicolas being nice?”
    “Extremely polite. I think if he says please or thank you again, his head might explode.”
    “It’s an awkward situation.”
    “Yeah.” Daniel stepped outside and came around so he could see Vivienne. “She’s beautiful,” he said as he reached down to brush her cheek. Vivienne made a soft sound, but then she snuggled back down and fell into a deep sleep.
    I looked up and caught a small frown crossing Daniel’s face, but then