Captive

chapter 68

Weeks had passed since the birth of their daughter, and the beach house had become a place of warmth and peace for Bible, Jeff, and little Gigi. Bible had a surprise planned for Jeff, though Jeff had no idea what was coming.

As Bible and Jeff walked into the house that day, Bible glanced at him with a knowing smile. “There’s someone here to see you,” he said casually.

Jeff raised an eyebrow. “Someone? Who?”

Bible just grinned. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

When they stepped outside, Jeff stopped in his tracks. There, standing near the patio, was none other than Mile. Jeff blinked, his heart racing. The tension between him and Mile had been thick for so long. They hadn’t spoken much in recent months, let alone spent time together, and now here he was, standing in front of him.

“Mile?” Jeff asked, his voice a little shaky. He wasn’t sure if he was excited or nervous.

Mile gave a slight nod, his usual cold demeanor softened just enough for Jeff to sense something different. “I thought you might want me to meet her,” he said quietly, glancing down at the baby in Jeff’s arms.

Jeff's heart skipped a beat. “Her?” he asked, confused. He still wasn’t sure if this was a genuine gesture from Mile or just an act.

Bible stood behind Jeff, his hands in his pockets, watching them both. “Yeah,” he said with a quiet smile. “I wanted to make sure Mile was part of this. He’s family too.”

Jeff’s jaw dropped slightly, his confusion deepening. "What?" His voice was a mix of disbelief and shock. “Did you just say... Mile will be our  family?” His eyes flicked from Bible to Mile. This didn’t sound like the Bible he knew—the one who had never gotten along with Mile, the one who had always kept his distance from Jeff’s brother.

Bible didn’t seem fazed by Jeff’s shock. He just nodded, stepping forward and placing a hand on Jeff’s waist “Yeah. I know it’s been complicated in the past, but we’re all part of the same family now. Mile’s here to meet his niece. Gigi.”

Jeff’s eyes widened as he looked at Bible. “Is this really you?” he asked in disbelief. “Since when do you want Mile in our lives?”

Bible’s expression softened, his gaze shifting to the baby in Jeff’s arms. “Things change,” he said quietly, his voice unusually tender. “I care about you, Jeff. And if you want Mile to be part of your life, then he’s part of ours too. We don’t get to pick our family, but we can choose to make it work.”

Jeff stood there, stunned. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. For as long as he’d known Bible, the idea of him and Mile getting along had seemed impossible. But here they were, Bible, the man who had never been particularly fond of his brother, saying Mile was part of the family.

For a long moment, Jeff just stared at Bible, trying to process what he had just said. But then, he turned his attention to Mile, still standing awkwardly by the patio. Mile was watching Jeff carefully, his hands tense at his sides.

Jeff finally let out a deep breath. "Do you... do you really want to see my girl?" he asked quietly, his voice shaking with emotion.

Mile hesitated but nodded, his gaze flickering to Gigi. Slowly, Jeff walked over and gently placed the baby into Mile’s arms.

Mile looked down at Gigi, his features softening. “She’s beautiful,” he murmured, his voice surprisingly gentle.

Jeff felt a lump form in his throat. "Her name’s Gigi," he said quietly, watching his brother as he held his daughter. "Look at her, Gigi. This is your uncle."