My big black wolf

"I miss you. Please, let’s talk. Tell me what I need to do for you to forgive me."

I read the message a couple of times, feeling the rage burn in my chest.What a piece of sh*t. He cheats on me right to my face and thinks I’ll just forgive him like nothing happened?

I shoved the phone into my pocket, not in the mood to keep reading his texts. With a deep breath to calm myself, I walked around the house picking up Emy’s toys—my five-year-old daughter tends to leave them everywhere. Once everything was packed into the toy chest, I headed straight upstairs to her room.

She was sitting at the little vanity I had custom-made for her, brushing her chestnut hair while humming a tune and staring at her reflection.

“Need some help with that?” I asked as I walked over. A warm feeling settled in my chest when I saw her in her red little dress. I couldn't help but smile.

“Nope! I’m gonna wear my headband. Look!” she said, picking up the red bow headband and slipping it on over her loose hair. “Do I look pretty, Daddy?”

“You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

I kissed the top of her head and quickly looked through her closet for her red patent leather shoes to put on her.

We had to be at my mom’s place by noon for lunch—or she’d spend the next two hours complaining about punctuality and who-knows-what else.

Sunday lunch at her house is practically mandatory. My mother’s an intense and controlling woman. One time I skipped with the excuse that I wasn’t feeling well, and she showed up to stay an entire week. By day three, I was ready to throw myself off the roof. I never skipped again.

“It’s time to go, baby. We’ve gotta get there on time, or you know how grandma’s gonna get.”

“Daddy, can we get ice cream after? And can we call Aunt Pat?” she asked, walking beside me toward the door.

“Of course, baby. I’ll text her from Grandma’s house.”

I locked up and set the alarm. The drive to my parents’ house takes about an hour. Thank God traffic’s light on Sundays—it’s almost eleven.

Logan is my ex. A surgeon at the biggest hospital in the city. His dad owns a well-known private clinic, but Logan said he wanted to help people, so he chose to work in the public hospital. I thought it was sweet. I still admire that. Doesn’t change the fact that he betrayed me.

I’d gone almost four years without letting anyone into my life, and then he shows up—with that charming smile, gorgeous face, and humble personality. I fell for him fast.

But loyalty and faithfulness are everything to me. It felt like a slap in the face.

For a second, I glanced at Emy through the rearview mirror—she was busy on her tablet.What pisses me off the most is that I let him into her life.I still haven’t explained to her that he’s not coming back.Hell, I haven’t even told my parents yet.

They were thrilled I’d found someone from a “good family.” They didn’t even care that it was a man. Sure, they always knew I was bi, but the idea of me with another guy never sat well with them… until I walked in with the heir to a prestigious clinic.Logan’s loaded—and it shows, from his shoes to that ridiculously expensive watch he wears, which probably costs more than a hundred grand.

Honestly, who pays that much for a watch?

Now I’ve gotta use this lunch to tell them it’s over.God, I need a drink.

I parked outside my parents’ house. It’s a big place in an upscale neighborhood. My dad used to run a law firm, which he passed on to my brother when he retired. I never wanted anything to do with law, so I fully supported that decision. Besides, my brother’s a d*mn good lawyer.

“My beautiful girl!” my mom exclaimed, arms open wide as Emy ran straight into her.

She was dressed to the nines: long-sleeved white dress with navy blue flowers, pearl necklace, and heels. Way too elegant for a Sunday lunch. I frowned.

This... isn’t normal.

I walked toward the door, glancing back at the driveway. My brother’s car was parked out front… and so was another one.

A red Mercedes I recognized instantly.

“Logan’s here?” I asked, feeling my heart slam against my chest.

“Of course. He’s part of this family. His father came too,” she added with a sharp look. “Don’t do anything stupid, young man.”

What the...?

She took Emy’s hand and walked into the house. I had the urge to turn around and leave right then and there—but I couldn’t leave without Emy.

Sh*t.

“Help. Logan’s here,” I texted my best friend, Pat.

Inside, the first person I ran into was my brother. He’s older, but way more energetic and outgoing. He smiled when he saw me and pulled me into a big hug.

“Little bro!” he grinned. I hugged him back, though not as enthusiastically—nothing against him, just… the other visitor.

“Your boyfriend’s in the living room with Dad.”

“Ex…” I muttered under my breath.

Fred raised an eyebrow, smirking.

“Does Mom know that?”

He shook his head. “Forget it. Does your ex know he’s your ex?”

“Considering I told him to go to hell and haven’t replied to a single message all week—I figured he got the hint.” I crossed my arms, barely containing my anxiety. “How bad is it?”

“I’m pretty sure I heard Mom say the word ‘marriage.’”

“Get the f*ck out.”

“Hey, I’m just the messenger.” He raised both hands. “Just giving you a heads-up—they were already here when I arrived. No clue what they’ve talked about. But it’s clear they beat you to it.”

“What do I even do?” I asked, rubbing my head. A headache was starting to build behind my eyes.

“You could run. I don’t usually recommend that to my clients, but in this case? Honestly, your best shot is escape. You can’t win against Mom in a face-off.”

The son of our shared mother smirked at his own joke.

“Ale!” came the voice of Grecia, my sister-in-law. She approached with a warm smile, and I greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

As stunning as ever—short black hair, deep dark eyes. She hooked her arm around my brother’s.

“What are you two doing out here? Everyone’s in the living room.”

“Where’s Emy?” I asked.

“She’s playing with Eliot. We really should get together more often. Those two get along way too well to only see each other on weekends.”

“Yeah… you’re right,” I replied, distracted.

Grecia practically dragged me toward the massive living room. All the luxury in that house has always felt over the top to me—but hey, who am I to judge?There he was. Logan. Standing up with a smile as soon as he saw me. He walked right toward me.

“What the hell are you doing here, Logan?” I whispered as soon as he reached me.

He leaned in and whispered in my ear:

“Don’t make a scene, baby. We can work this out.”

He kissed my cheek and slipped an arm around my waist.

“We’ll talk later, okay?”

My phone buzzed just as Logan was dragging me toward the center of the room, where everyone greeted me warmly. I greeted my father and my ex-father-in-law, then sat down on the opposite side of the living room, far away from Logan—even though he'd pointed to the empty seat next to him on the big couch where he sat with his father.

"What the hell is that cloacal larva doing there? Want me to go over and punch him for you? Just say the word and I’ll be there in 20." Pat replied. I couldn’t help but smile.

"You really told him off?"

"Tell me everything!"

"He's here with his dad. They basically got ahead of me. I don’t know what to do, Pat. I don’t want to make a scene," I texted back.

"You know how my mom is. She’d have a heart attack if something like that happened in front of Mr. Halmant."

"Then go talk to her in private and tell her what’s going on. But you can’t just let that idiot get away with it."

“If you’ll excuse me for a moment,” I said, cutting into the conversation I hadn’t been paying attention to at all.

I walked to the kitchen, where I found my mom giving quick, sharp orders to the staff bustling around the enormous kitchen.

“Mom, we need to talk.”

She looked at me, a bit surprised, but nodded and motioned for me to follow.We left through the back kitchen door and crossed a long hallway lined with glass windows. Yeah... this place is more of a mansion than just a “big house.”

“What is it, sweetheart? I’m very busy,” she said, crossing her arms and tapping one with an impatient finger.

“Listen... Logan and I broke up. I caught him in bed with another man and honestly this whole thing is incredibly uncomfortable for me.”

As the words came out of my mouth, I felt a weight lift off my chest and shoulders.

“Sweetheart, do you have any idea how many times your father cheated on me?” she asked, gently placing a hand on my shoulder. “That’s just how relationships are. It’s not all love and fairytales. That man is the best match you're ever going to find, and your daughter deserves a complete family. Why don’t you stop being dramatic and think this through? It was just a slip. You’re the one he wants to be with.”

“Dramatic?” I repeated, stunned. “Dramatic? He broke my trust. He betrayed everything we built over an entire year. I let him into my home, my family, my daughter’s life—and he just ran off with the first good-looking guy who crossed his path. I’m sorry, Mom, but I can’t just pretend that never happened.”

My head was spinning. The entire conversation felt surreal. He cheated on me, and I’m the one being told I’m overreacting?

“Alessandro, you’re being ridiculous, honestly. It was one mistake. Stop acting so childish,” she said, looking at me with that firm, scolding expression. “You’ve always been a sensitive kid, full of all that romantic nonsense, but this is real life. People make mistakes, and we have to do what’s best for the family. Do you even understand the future you're denying your daughter? Logan even said he wanted to give her his last name. Where are you going to find someone better—"

“No!” I cut her off immediately. “No one is taking the name Sara away from my daughter. And I’m done. I can’t do this, Mom. Just... tell everyone I’m sorry.”

I practically ran out the back of the house, into the garden where Emy was playing with her cousin Eliot. As soon as she saw my face, she ran toward me with a worried little frown.

“Daddy, what’s wrong? Why are you crying? Did you get hurt?”

“What? Crying?” I brought my hands to my face, and only then felt the tears streaming down.“It’s nothing, baby. But I need to get out of this house. Let’s go, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy... but don’t cry. Is Uncle Logan coming with us?”

That question hit me like a knife to the chest. My breathing faltered, and I couldn’t stop the fresh tears from spilling down. I shook my head gently, wiping my face with the sleeve of my sweater.

I didn’t want to go back into the house, so I walked around the side through the yard. Halfway to the car, my mom came rushing out with Logan right behind her.

Sh*t. Can’t they just leave me alone?

I ignored them and walked faster. I finally picked up Emy in my arms to speed up, but it wasn’t enough—Logan stepped right in front of me. He was slightly taller, with a body like a sculpture and that upright posture that always gave him an elegant air. It used to be one of the things I loved most about him.

“Baby, please. Let’s talk,” Logan murmured, reaching out to touch me. I pushed his hand away.“I get that you feel hurt, but you have to forgive me. We can’t just throw everything away over one mistake.”

“I can’t... Logan, I just can’t. Not now.”

Emy sat up a little, noticing the tears on my face, and her expression changed to a fierce little frown.“You made my daddy cry?” she said in that firm little voice that almost made me smile. “Don’t make my daddy cry! I’m not sharing my cookies with you anymore, and my stuffed animals won’t play with you either!”

“Emy, come to grandma for a second so your daddies can talk, okay?” my mother said, holding out her arms. I held Emy tighter, pulling her away.

“Don’t say ‘daddies.’ What’s wrong with you, Mom? I’m the only father Emy has. And we’re leaving. So please, either let me go or I swear I’ll make a scene.”

“Alessandro! Stop being so dramatic! You’re acting like a child throwing a tantrum! I’m telling you, give me the girl and settle things with your boyfriend right now.”

“What’s going on?” I heard Fred’s voice behind me.

“Eliot came running to tell us you were fighting. What’s happening?” asked Grecia.

I turned to my brother, silently begging for help. When he saw my tear-streaked face, his relaxed expression vanished. He walked straight up to Logan and grabbed him by the collar.

“What the hell did you do to my brother?”

I used the distraction to slip away and hurry to the car. My mom’s voice shouting my name echoed behind me, but I ignored it. I made sure Emy was buckled in, then got in and drove off—fast, but not so fast that I’d get pulled over in that d*mn rich neighborhood.

We stopped at a restaurant so Emy could eat something. I had no appetite. I just texted Pat.

"I tried, but it all went to hell. She said I was just throwing a tantrum and that I should forgive him. I don’t know what to do, Pat. I just want to crawl under a rock and stay there for a year."

"How are you feeling? Want me to come get you? Where are you?"

"I’m at a restaurant, letting Emy eat. I’m not up for cooking or eating. Can we meet at my place? Can you come?"

"I’ll be there in an hour, babe. I’m bringing ice cream and a bottle of wine."

"I love you. You always know exactly what I need."

“Daddy… is Uncle Logan a bad guy?” Emy asked quietly. She’d barely touched her food.

“No, Logan’s not bad. We just had a fight… and he’s not coming back home,” I said, not sure what else to tell her. All of this is too much—even for me. I had no idea how to explain it to her.

“But he made you cry… and he said sorry. We only say sorry when we hurt someone, right? And if we hurt people, we’re bad...”

“I… well…”

When did Emy grow up so much? What am I supposed to say to that?

“Look, sometimes people hurt others by mistake. Saying ‘I’m sorry’ means they regret it, and that’s a good thing. Logan’s not bad, but I’m not ready to let him back into our lives.”

“It’s really complicated,” she murmured. “I’ll miss Uncle Logan… but if he makes you sad, I’ll be strong.”

Her smile nearly broke me all over again. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a smart, beautiful little girl—but whatever it was, I’d do it a thousand times over.

“Thank you for understanding. You have no idea how much I love you,” I said, managing a smile. “Now finish your food. Pat’s meeting us at home with ice cream.”

“Yes! I love ice cream!” she squealed, suddenly more cheerful, and started eating her chicken wings and salad.

I couldn’t help but smile at her excitement. Somehow, Emy makes everything feel a little less heavy. I just need space. Time to breathe and think clearly.

But my mother’s words keep ringing in my head.

Am I really overreacting?

Am I being the idiot here?

And yet, every time I replay that moment...

I’d gone to his apartment with flowers, wanting to surprise him for that award he got at the hospital… and I found him in bed with another guy.

They weren’t just having s*x—he was whispering how much he loved his body, how special he was.

The same things he used to tell me.

I can’t just forget that.

Can i?

Pat gave Emy some ice cream and left her in her room playing. Then she came back to the living room with two wine-infused ice cream bowls. I took mine and tried giving her my best puppy-dog eyes to show my gratitude; she burst out laughing.

Pat sat cross-legged, eyeing me with interest. I knew exactly what she wanted, so I told her everything that had happened at my mom’s house in detail.

“How could she say you’re just throwing a tantrum? That you’re overreacting? What the hell is wrong with her?” she snapped, stabbing at her ice cream like it had personally offended her. “I know she’s your mom and all, but I seriously want to slap some sense into her.”

“The worst part is… I actually started to wonder if maybe she was right,” I sighed. “She always has that effect on me.”

“Oh, hell no, babe. You’re not overreacting. That *ssh*l* betrayed you. If we were in my pack, I’d have ripped him to shreds and probably gotten a medal for it.”

I couldn’t help but smi