“When you give in to strife, the enemies will come—like hawks circling a mother hen’s chicks. To steal, to destroy. Is that what you want, Alec?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Good. Let peace lead your every step. Not pride, not pain. You have a beautiful family, son, do not let another man take them from you.”
My brows creased with curiosity. “Another man?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Mabel is a beautiful and brilliant young woman. Do you truly believe you’re the only man who sees that? A woman like that—strong, loyal, capable of raising three children on her own— will definitely attract potential suitors.”
“The next man who steps in might not only love her and the children...he might not give you the chance again to come in.”
My chest tightened. Bile gilded over my tongue and I washed i
