RAID THE ROGUES: AVOID THE PAIN

GABRIEL

Walking into Kiara's room felt like stepping into a different world. Max's crying was a balm to my aching heart, but the sight of his innocent smile also twisted the knife Mia left there. Kiara looked up, a mix of concern and something else—exasperation, maybe?—etched on her face.

"How's Max doing?" I asked, trying to sound casual, but my voice betrayed me, echoing the concern that was hammering in my chest.

"He's fine, Gabriel. But..." Kiara hesitated, her gaze shifting towards the crib where Max was probably taking one of his short, peaceful naps. "He needs his mother," she finished, her words like a punch to the gut.

I felt a snap inside me, a blend of anger and a painful twinge of helplessness. "Well, since Mia decided to leave, there's no forcing her to stay, is there?" I snapped back, more harshly than I intended. The room was thick with tension, a silent battle of emotions.

Trying to steer the conversation away from the quicksand of despair, I dived into the reason I ca