26. Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rory
The longer we stayed at the house, the more I realised that this was where we belonged, in the bosom of Zeke’s family, and when the agreed few days were up, it was time to talk to Carlotta.
I took her into the garden, away from everyone else. I had things to say to her, a confession of sorts, and I felt we’d glossed over the events of the previous months.
Mrs Gold had made some scrumptious hot chocolate, complete with whipped cream and marshmallows.
“Do you like it here?” We sat at the large patio table, wrapped up against the cold. The weather had closed in over the past few days, but at least it wasn’t raining.
“I love it. It smells so different here than in London.” She wrinkled her nose, and I knew what she meant. London reeked of diesel fumes, discarded rubbish, and fast food. Nauseating at the best of times.
Here, the air was clear. She’d played in the garden with Smokey and collapsed into bed each night, exhausted from her exertions. I sometimes forgot that she was still a child. Still only twelve. Soon enough, she’d be a teenager, no longer na?ve.
I hadn’t seen her this happy in a long time. Would she want to move here permanently? There was only one way to find out.
“How would you like to live here?”
“What? Forever?”
“Well, not forever, but would you like to move here instead of living in London?”
“Can we? Really? That would be so cool. I’d get to see Smokey every day. Would we live here, or would we have to stay somewhere else? Because I really love my room and… and…”
“Take a breath.” I held her hand and waited while she calmed down. “Yes, we’d live here, but you’d have to move schools. You know that, right?”
“I don’t care, Papa. When can we come back?”
We were due to leave tomorrow, and the plan was for me to speak to work and Carlotta’s school about leaving. We’d need to sell the apartment, which would give me some capital, so money wouldn’t be an issue. Not that it was anyway, with the money Mia had left me.
“I’ll make some calls, and we’ll see what we can do.”
“I don’t want to go back to London or the school.”
“Are you sure? When we moved from Italy, you had to leave your friends behind.”
“I can make new friends.” She shrugged as if it was the easiest thing in the world to do. Which it probably wouldn’t be. Teenagers could be mean, but she was a likeable girl, or maybe I was biased.
“There was something else I wanted to talk to you about. Not just moving here. It’s been a difficult few months for you, and we’ve not had much chance to talk about what happened with the kidnapping and your grandfather dying. If you need to talk to someone, I can find someone.”
“I’d like that.”
“Is that why you don’t want to go back to London? Because I guarantee the people who did that to you are no longer around.”
With Ernesto six feet under, there was no likelihood of that happening again.
“Kind of. I didn’t mind living in London, but it was always so busy. I thought I’d enjoy it in the city, but I like it better here.”
“We’ll need to go back to sort everything out. Sell the apartment, collect the rest of our belongings. Are you sure this is what you want?” I had to be one hundred per cent positive before I got the ball rolling.
She nodded enthusiastically. “Definitely. It means you get to stay with Zeke too. I know you like him.”
“Yes, I really do. Is that okay? You don’t mind?”
“I like him. He’s funny and smart and very handsome. You could do worse.”
“Hey! But you’re right on all counts. I just worried what you’d think after the last conversation we had about your friends’ moms.”
“That was different. I didn’t like them. I know you were with Mamma before, but bisexuality is a thing, Papa.”
Whoa. Where did that come from? How did she know about things like that?
“Or you could be pansexual.” She hugged her mug and sipped at it, the cream coating her top lip.
“I don’t even know what that means.”
She rolled her eyes. “Google it, Papa. Was there anything else?”
“No, that was it, really.”
We drank our hot chocolate in silence. It was peaceful here, and I could envisage us here in summer. Could we put in a pool?
A week later, we were back in the same place, except now Zeke was with us.
“So, here we are.” I didn’t quite believe we’d made the move.
“That you are.” He reached across the table and took my hand in his. I glanced at Carlotta, waiting for a reaction, but none came.
She was far too busy playing with Smokey.
“Carlotta will start her new school after Christmas. Seems pointless starting her with just a few weeks to go until the school finishes for the holidays, and I’m sure she won’t mind the extra time. The new school seemed happy enough, given what she’d been through.”
“I’m happy you moved here. It’s not London or Italy.”
“It’s not, but it’s where you are. It’s where my heart is.”
I was done with pussyfooting around. The mating needed to happen as soon as possible. I’d discussed the finer details with Jason, and while I was a little apprehensive, I was excited at the same time.
“There is one thing we need to discuss.” I lowered my voice. “When we arrived, you talked about having to move on at some point because people would notice you didn’t age. What happens to me? When I’m old and grey and you still look like that.”
He gazed off into the distance, and I knew he was stalling.
“Once the mating is complete, you won’t age. We’ll grow old together at the same rate.”
“So, I won’t die before you? What about Carlotta?” My breath came out in pants. I’d have to watch her die, and that wasn’t something I was happy about doing.
“I’m sorry. I should have mentioned that before.
I know what you’re thinking, and it’s going to be fucking hard.
I’ll not lie to you. At some point, you will have to have a conversation with her.
Jason had yet to come clean with his family and friends.
If you don’t want to go ahead with it, I’d understand. It’s harder for you than it is for me.”
It was the most he talked about the mating. I wasn’t going in blind, but there were still some things I wasn’t happy talking to Jason about. Some things were private. But I’d made my decision, and I knew this was the right thing to do.
But saying goodbye to my daughter would be the hardest thing to endure. I’d already said goodbye to Mia, and I’d barely come back from that. If it hadn’t been for Carlotta, I wouldn’t be here.
“Is there anything else I should know?” I asked, hoping that was the worst of it.
“I know it’s the right thing to do, Rory. I won’t, no, I can’t live without you in my life. You and Carlotta have become the most important people to me. More so than Mal and Jason. You are my life.”
Jesus, when he put it like that.
I sat with my thoughts for a moment. Once it happened, there was no turning back, no take-backs, no returns. The decision I made would be with me for the rest of my life. A decision not to be taken lightly, but was I willing to deny us both this chance to love, to be together for all eternity?
The answer to that was no. I wanted it all with him, even knowing the consequences.
“Then let’s do it. Sooner rather than later. I want to be yours, Zeke. Now and forever.”
He brought my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles.
“Aww, you two are so sweet together.” We both looked at Carlotta and laughed. She had tears in her eyes, her hand to her mouth.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“I know.” She snivelled. “I’m so happy to have a family again.”
What could I say to that? But I gathered her into my arms and held her close. “You always had family. We just have a bigger one now. A found family that will love you as much as I do.”
Zeke was nodding, and was that a tear in his eye?
“Carlotta,” Mrs Gold shouted. “Want to help me make some pasta for dinner?”
“Oooh, yes. I love pasta. I love you guys too.” And with that, she was gone.
We looked at each other and laughed. She was such a character and growing in confidence every day. Moving here was the best decision.
It was ironic that the very person who strove to break us brought me to the man I planned on making my mate. But when? When would be the right time?
Who knew?
“Fancy a ride out on the bike? Riding through London is no fun, but around here, there are plenty of roads where we can open her up.”
“I’d like that.” Time to do things to make me happy. For the past two years, I’d lived in a pit of despair and grief. It was time to take my life back and enjoy it.
Ten minutes later, we were racing along country lanes. It was exhilarating and liberating. I’d never felt happier or free.
I clung to Zeke, the familiar stirring in my groin. Was it his proximity or the throb of the engine between my legs? Whatever it was, my cock was as hard as steel.
Zeke pulled into a secluded clearing and cut the engine. We removed our helmets and sat with the peace and quiet.
“What are we doing here?” I asked. There was nothing around.
“I used to come here when I needed to think. It’s so peaceful. I thought you might like to see it.”
I climbed off the bike and listened. Nothing, no sounds at all. Complete solitude.
“This place. It means something to you.”
“It does. Coming here quietens the voices in my head and settles my demon.”
“Perhaps we could make it more special.” An idea formed in my head. It was the most ridiculous idea and one I needed someone to talk me out of, but I knew no one was going to do that.
Zeke frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Let this be our special place. A place that means something to us both. A place we declare our love for each other in the most intimate of ways.”
I didn’t know how else to put it without it sounding crude or vulgar. I needed this to mean something, for us to remember the exact time and place we cemented our bond. Where we became mates for life.
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“I am, yes.”
He growled and removed his jacket. “Get over here, Rory.”
I did as he asked, anxious and excited at what came next.