14. Evan #2
“Oh, sweet Rosalie,” he murmured, holding her tightly. “God, I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry I never reached out after…”
“Don’t you dare be sorry. We’re all so damn proud of you,” Dom said, releasing her before going to Anson and giving him a hug. “Brother,” he murmured. “Are you well?”
“As well as I can be,” Anson replied tiredly.
“I’m sorry about Ryder. If there’s anything we can do, let me know.”
“Just find the prick behind this shit,” Anson said as they released one another.
“I will definitely be looking into it,” Dom said as Ellis wandered in. Rosalie gestured for her to come forward, and she did.
“This must be the little princess,” Dom said, squatting so he was at her height. “Ellisandra, right?”
Ellis nodded.
“Well, I happen to know your daddy, and he wanted me to give you something.”
Her eyes lit up. “You seen my daddy?”
“Sure did.” Dom reached into his jacket and pulled out a small velvet box, and handed it to her.
“Mommy, look!” Ellis squealed, opening the box to display a necklace that said princess, a very real diamond for the dot over the i.
“Oh wow. It’s so pretty,” Rosalie said, her voice shaking.
“Can I wear it, Mommy? Please?” Ellis jumped up and down.
Rosalie nodded and took the necklace out before putting it on Ellis, who beamed.
“She looks just like him,” Dom said.
“Be nice to know I have a sister,” Levin muttered. “Or will have a little sister.” He gave Klaus a pointed look.
“I’m sorry,” Klaus said. “I…”
“You don’t need to explain. I get it,” Levin grunted. “I’d have told you to fuck off, too, if I were in your shoes. Still love you, old man.”
Klaus chuckled and clapped Levin on the back, looking relieved that it hadn’t caused a huge rift.
I was thankful too. The last thing I wanted was for all the work Klaus had put in over the last few years with Levin to have gone to hell.
I’d never forgive myself. In fact, I wanted him to know a million times over that I was here just so Klaus didn’t catch shit, but Klaus vowed to keep my secret.
The two times Levin had come to visit, I’d taken Ellis out, and we’d gone to a waterpark for the weekend.
“Uh, well, these are our boys. Sante.” Dom placed his hand on the top of one of the little boys’ heads. Black hair. Blue eyes. Definitely De Santis. “And Kingston.” Dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Fallon’s boy.
“Do you have swords?” The one named Sante asked Ellis.
“I have dolls,” she replied brightly. “Do you want to play?”
King wrinkled his nose. “Are they boy dolls?”
“No…”
“We can turn them into swords, though,” Sante said, nodding. “Come on, Ellis. I will show you how.”
He took her hand and tugged her away, and she went, looking confused and worried, as Kingston followed.
“He won’t turn her dolls into swords,” Dom said. “I mean, probably.”
“He’ll take their heads off, though,” Levin said.
Rosalie winced.
“It’ll be OK,” I said. “Ellis will handle them. Give her some credit.”
“They need someone to put them in their place,” Dom said. “She might be the one to do it.” We all stared out at them as Sante and King took their dolls and smacked at one another with them like they were swords.
Ellis immediately stepped between them, took the dolls back, and pointed to the couch, declaring it was time-out time.
They went with a groan and sat on the couch, watching her as she lectured them.
“Wow. We should hire her to come in and watch them,” Levin muttered.
“That’s… impressive,” Dom said. “Nice job on that one, Rosalie.”
Rosalie chuckled, and I kissed her temple.
We fell into easy conversation with the kings. I caught Ellis teaching the twins her ballerina moves after she let them up from their time out. The boys tried to do what she was doing. King was infinitely better at it than Sante was. It was cute to watch her instruct them.
“We were just finishing making dinner. You guys are welcome to stay,” I said.
“Uh, yeah. We could eat,” Dom said, going to the table.
We called the kids over, and everyone settled in.
“Is that… soup?” Levin asked, staring at my mac and cheese.
“It’s an Evan specialty,” Anson said, grinning at me. “We love it.”
“I’m a terrible cook,” I admitted. “But Ellis gobbles it up.”
“Can’t be that bad.” Dom took some onto his plate. “Probably beats anything Fallon tries to make. I swear he’s going to burn the house down one of these days.”
“Dad, Ellis is a ballerina!” King called out. “I want to be a ballerina too!”
Ellis grinned at that news, and Sante wrinkled his nose.
“Uh, we’ll have to talk to Mom and Dad about that,” Dom said, frowning.
“It’s a girl thing,” Sante said to King. “You’re not a girl.”
“Boys dance,” King shot back. “Dad dances with Mom all the time.”
“That’s different,” Sante argued. “You have broccoli in your teeth.”
“Shut up! You have broccoli in your hair!”
“No, I don’t—”
King threw a broccoli floret at Sante, nailing him in the forehead.
“Hey, knock that shit off!” Levin said, beating Dom to it.
The boys went quiet, King smirking at Sante, who glowered back at him.
It reminded me of Dom and Fallon being enemies in the beginning. Their boys seemed to have inherited the rivalry.
“I still want to dance,” King muttered, looking at Dom. “So I can dance with Ellis.”
I chuckled softly at that, knowing we were likely in for some trouble when they all got older. Rosalie glanced at me, smiling. Even Klaus gave me a knowing look as Anson studied King, a curious look on his face.
“Sorry about them,” Dom said. “They’re… wild.”
“They’re fine,” Rosalie said. “They’re just excited for new things.”
“I like her,” Sante said, grinning at Rosalie. Rosalie smiled back at him.
“Dad, can we show Ellis our house?” Sante called out around a mouthful of grilled cheese.
“Uh, not today. Maybe soon..?” Dom looked at us.
“We’re actually leaving,” I said. “Tomorrow.”
“Oh?” Dom frowned.
“I was going to call you tonight to let you know,” Anson said. “We really do appreciate this place. Thanks for letting us stay here.”
“Of course. You’re family,” Dom said, waving Anson off. “You will always have a place with us.”
Anson smiled. “We do have money for you—”
“Keep your money.” Dom shook his head. “I’m not a damn landlord.”
“Technically, you are,” Levin said.
“Not here. This is a safe place,” Dom muttered before looking at all of us. “No money. I wanted to help.”
“We really do appreciate it,” Rosalie said.
“You’re very welcome.” Dom smiled at her, and we went back to eating and easy conversation. I was surprised at how well Dom and Levin took everything. I thought for sure that with Dom’s short temper, his fists would fly.
When dinner was over and we’d cleaned up, the kids ran to Ellis’s room to play, and we went to the living room.
Klaus was quick to pull Rosalie down onto his lap and hold her.
“That’s so weird to see,” Levin muttered.
Dom smirked at him. “They look good together.”
Klaus chuckled as Rosalie snuggled against him.
“I’ve actually asked Rosalie to marry me,” Klaus said. “She said yes.”
“Oh wow!” Dom grinned. “Congrats. That’s… great. Wow. You hear that, Levin?”
“I heard it.” Levin stared at Rosalie. “Are you sure? I mean, he’s my dad.”
“Very sure,” Rosalie said. “He’s so… wonderful. I love him.”
“You’re drugging her, aren’t you?” Levin asked.
I chuckled at that.
“Yes, with my cock, son.” Klaus smirked.
“Oh, what the fuck. You win,” Levin said as we all laughed at him. “I was just giving you shit, but no. I’m done. Rosalie, you’re a hell of a woman. Welcome to the family.”
“Thanks.” She smiled at Levin, who still looked grossed out by Klaus’s comment.
“So you guys spoke to the horsemen?” Anson asked after the laughter died down.
I watched Dom to see his reaction. Nothing in his movements suggested anything bad, but his words told another story. He was definitely good at masking, I’d give him that.
“Yeah, man. We did. It’s not… good.”
I swallowed.
Of course it fucking wasn’t. Damnit to hell.