Chapter 151

ISABELLA

The walk back home felt longer than usual. The air was crisp, a slight chill lingering as the evening settled in, and I couldn’t help but feel the weight of everything I was returning to. My conversation with Maggie had helped—given me clarity—but it hadn’t erased the hurt. As much as I tried to prepare myself, stepping back into that house, with the boys waiting for me, felt like I was bracing for impact all over again.

When I opened the front door, the warmth of the house wrapped around me, contrasting the coolness outside. Luca stirred slightly in my arms, his little face nuzzling into my shoulder, oblivious to the tension surrounding us. As soon as I stepped into the living room, I saw them—Asher, Jax, and Knox—sitting together, but the usual ease and confidence they carried was gone. Instead, they looked unsure, like they didn’t know what to expect, or how to act around me.

Their eyes flicked to me, and then to Luca, but none of them said a word. It was like they were holding their breath, waiting to see how I would react. The room felt thick with unspoken words, emotions barely restrained, and my own heart thudded loudly in my chest.

I stood there for a moment, taking in their faces—each of them carrying their own version of guilt and regret. Asher’s shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched as if he was holding back a flood of apologies. Jax’s eyes were dark, almost pleading, but also full of shame, the kind that gnawed at him from the inside. And Knox, though he tried to keep his usual composure, looked lost. The three of them, men I loved so deeply, were all waiting on me. Waiting to see what I would do next.

I looked down at Luca, his soft breaths soothing me as his small hand curled into my hair. He was so unaware of everything, so untouched by the complexities of the world he was born into. And yet, he was the thing that held us all together. The one perfect thing in the midst of all this chaos.

Without a word, I stepped forward and walked over to Asher. He looked up at me, surprised, and when I held Luca out to him, his face softened in a way that made my chest ache. He took our son into his arms, holding him with a gentleness that always caught me off guard. Luca stirred again, his little fist brushing against Asher’s chest, but he stayed asleep, as if knowing he was safe in his father’s arms.

Asher cradled him for a few moments, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head before passing him to Jax. I watched as Jax held Luca carefully, his expression shifting from guilt to something softer, more vulnerable. It was like Luca was the only thing in the world that could break through that wall Jax had built around himself. He kissed Luca’s forehead, his eyes lingering on his son’s sleeping face before handing him over to Knox.

Knox, always the charmer, managed a small smile as he held Luca, though I could see the turmoil beneath it. He rocked him gently, whispering something I couldn’t hear, and for a moment, I saw that familiar spark in his eyes—the one that made me fall for him in the first place. But it was fleeting, clouded by everything that had happened between us.

Once Luca was safely back in Knox’s arms, I finally spoke.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forget what you’ve done,” I said softly, but firmly, meeting each of their eyes. “Killing Dominic... taking that choice away from me—it’s not something that will just disappear. It’s something I’ll carry with me, always.”

They all stiffened slightly, the weight of my words hitting them hard. Jax lowered his gaze, unable to look at me, and Knox’s smile faded entirely. Asher’s grip on the back of the couch tightened, his knuckles white.

“But,” I continued, my voice steady, “I think, in time, I might be able to forgive you. Not today, not tomorrow, but one day.”

Asher’s eyes met mine, and I saw the flicker of hope there, mixed with all the pain he’d been carrying. “Is that... enough?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“For now,” I nodded, “it’ll have to be.”

They all seemed to exhale at once, as if my words had lifted a small part of the burden they’d been carrying. It wasn’t full forgiveness, but it was something—a step forward, even if it was a small one.

Knox carefully stood up, still holding Luca, and walked over to me. He looked down at our son, then back at me, his hazel eyes softer than I’d seen in days. “Luca... he’s our reason,” he said quietly. “Everything we did, we thought we were protecting you and him. Even if we were wrong and we didn't even knew we would have a son back then.”

I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. I knew they had acted out of love, out of their instinct to protect, but that didn’t make it easier to accept. Still, looking at Luca, so peaceful and innocent, I couldn’t deny that he was the glue that held us all together.

“He deserves more than what we’ve given him so far,” I whispered, brushing a hand over Luca’s soft hair. “He deserves a family that can be honest, even when it’s hard. I don’t want him growing up in a house full of secrets.”

“We’ll do better,” Jax said, his voice quiet but filled with determination. “I promise, Bella.”

I didn’t respond, but I gave a small nod, acknowledging their promises, even if I wasn’t ready to fully believe them yet.

Luca stirred in Knox’s arms, his little hand reaching out as if searching for something. Knox smiled softly and kissed the top of his head again, then carefully handed him back to me. As soon as Luca was in my arms again, I felt that familiar wave of calm wash over me. He was the heart of all this—the one pure thing in a world full of complications.

I held Luca close, my eyes flicking from one man to the next. Asher, Jax, Knox—they were all broken in their own ways, just like I was. But we had Luca. And for him, I knew I would find a way to move forward, even if it took time.

“Let’s just... be here for him,” I said softly, looking down at our son. “For now, that’s enough.”

The three of them nodded, their eyes on Luca, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the tension in the room eased just a little. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.

And for now, that was good enough for all of us.