Not My Brute (Angels of War Series #2)

Chapter Twelve

I dust the side cupboard for the fourth time, listening to Cameron tell the children that our relationship is going to end. He wanted to explain to them without me, and I respect his wishes.

At the end of the day; he's their dad.

The duster drops out of my hand and onto the wood when the sitting room door opens, Cameron motioning me inside. The children sit on the sofa with their heads lowered.

"Just because Diana and I are no longer together, it doesn't mean she's never going to be around."

I nod, gaining Emilia's teary eyes. "Nothing is going to change with us. I'll still be here for you. I promise."

Her bottom lip wobbles.

My feet take me in her direction before my brain connects, but Timmy stops me by putting a protective arm around her shoulders. "You'll still come to see the animals and ride Toffee."

"I don't want to," she shouts, throwing Timmy's arm off and running out of the room.

"Emmy," I cry.

"Leave her. I'll go," Cameron says, following her up the stairs.

I fall back a step feeling lost and scared.

Timmy lets out a long breath, eyes still misty. "Do you promise that you'll still be around?"

"Yes," I promise him. "One million percent. I won't walk out of your lives forever. I'm always going to be here."

My arms wrap around his small frame when he falls my way. "Where will you live?"

"I'm going to live with my mum and dad for a while."

It's not ideal, but a good way of picking myself up on my own two feet. I'll start looking for places to live when things settle down.

Timmy fiddles with the piece of lint on my trousers. "I really will miss you, Diana."

I sniffle. "It's going to be different around here, but you'll be okay. I cross my heart."

"I sometimes heard my dad shouting at you. Is that the reason why you're going?"

I squeeze him tight. "There's a lot of grown-up reasons. None of which you need to worry about now, Ok?"

"All right," he whispers.

Cameron makes an appearance a while later, Emilia in tow. I open my arms to let Timmy get up and watch Emilia dash across the room to me. I shush her when she gets upset, stroking back her hair and telling her the same as I did to Timmy.

"It's time for you guys to go to bed," Cameron says, smiling gently.

Emilia looks up at me. "Will you be here in the morning?"

"Yes," I say, planning on staying another night for them. "I'll be here until your mummy picks you up."

"Can you sleep in my room?"

Cameron reaches to pull her out of my grip. "No, Diana won't be sleeping in your room. She'll be here tomorrow, though."

"Do you have to broken up?" she sniffles, staring at him with scared eyes.

"We do," he whispers, kissing the side of her head.

"I'm sad," she hiccups, burying her face into his shoulder.

I close my eyes to deal with the pain in my chest when Cameron whispers, "Me too, baby. Me too."

...

The beat of the music in my ears pushes me through my run, the pavement sending shocks up to my knees. It's late, but I don't mind, enjoying the quietness of the night.