Balotelli Bale Series Book #5: The Other Man Part 2

Chapter 4: Expiry Dates

Theo's POV
"Daddy I like this one."

She held up a piece of broken shell. It looks horrible and too damaged to be liked. Setting my glass of wine aside, I sat up to pay attention to the shell my daughter has brought me.

"It's broken ma jolie fille."

"I know daddy. That's what makes it beautiful." She beamed at me. "It doesn't look like the others."

She has his eyes. If he takes one look at her he will know. I have met Helena Bale, Nathan and a few other Bales and they all have the same eyes Marcella has. One look and Nick will know. It is why I always put a hat over her to hide her. It is my greatest fear to lose the children. Yet every time I note a resemblance to their father, I'm reminded I'll lose them. It's driving me to the brink of madness.

Her statement made me glance over at her mother. She is in a wide brimmed brown hat and a black two piece bikini. She looks delightful. If it wasn't for the kids with us at the beach, I would make love to her right here. When I found Keira, she was broken, in my arms as we washed up at the very shore we sat by. I found her beautiful the moment I laid my eyes on her. I desperately wanted to fix and protect her broken soul.

"It is beautiful ma jolie fille. It is beautiful just like you." I complemented her fitting a hat on her head. "I love you."

"I love you too daddy."

Daddy. It melts my heart when they call me that.

She kissed me and ran off to play with her brother. That gave me a chance to speak to Keira. She didn't want to vacation in Santorini. She said the place gives her bad memories. But what had been a bad day to her turned out to be the best day of my life for I met my wife.

"Are you still displeased with your husband ma beaute?"

"I told you I didn't want to come here." She looked at me with her beautiful blue eyes narrowed with disappointment.

Keira can be upset but you can never tell. She wears a blank face most times and she never raises her voice. She can sustain a monotone. She is the perfect definition of a lady. She is well mannered, good natured, composed and gracious.

"And I told you I love this place."

"So once again we bend to your selfish needs." She mumbled thinking I haven't heard her.

I smacked her thigh fast and hard enough to get her to sit up.

"Theo!"

"Talk back at me again. Try it. Do it. Talk back." Nothing came from her. "As I was saying, I love this place. This is where we met. It's special to me."

She kept rubbing that spot on her thigh.

"If you put it that way, fine. It makes sense. We did meet here. I was half way dead, remember?" She chuckled adorably forgetting the pain in her thigh. Marcella tends to forget things just as fast. That is what makes disciplining the girl possible. Marcelle however can be mad for weeks on end just because I reprimanded him. "What were you doing swimming in that cold water? It was raining, right?'

"Yes it was raining. I like cold swims. You know me." I winked at her.

She blushed slightly casting her gaze down on her lap. Moving in on her I lifted her so that she sits on me. I love holding her.

"Did you see me fall?" She asked.

"No. But I saw you fight to surface. I swam towards you and pulled you out of water. I had no idea where you had come from but I remember thinking you were so beautiful a d the only explanation is that you fell out of heaven."