by Wolfe, H. M.
Claudio's eyes widened in surprise as he looked in the direction Elliott indicated. "Daniel! Tarquin! Cari nipoti miei! Come here, let me hug you!" Without waiting any longer, he squeezed the two young men to his chest.
Meanwhile, Elliott left the happy family reunion unnoticed. He went down the stairs, wanting to be as far away as he could from that place, where he knew happiness for such a short time. The blond didn't intend to see Eugene ever again. Continuing their relationship would have created a rift between the son and his parents, and that was the last thing Elliott wanted.
"I owe you apologies," the blond heard a voice from behind him, but he didn't turn back, knowing to whom the voice belonged. It was Consigliere Brentano, who probably wanted to unleash more hell on him. "Please, listen to me, figliolo," the voice insisted, pleadingly.
"You don't owe me anything, Consigliere Brentano," Elliott said, continuing to walk. "I will go away, and I will never see your son again, I promise. Just spare me from further humiliation and pain, I've had enough of this for one day."
"No! You can't do this, Cesare would never forgive me if you leave him because of me. I was the one who overreacted and then accused you of things you didn't do. Can you forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive, consigliere, I'm glad everything is OK now, and your wife is safe. My mother didn't get that chance. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
Elliott wanted to leave, but two strong arms stopped him. Then the next second he was pulled to Brentano's chest and engulfed in a warm hug. He was caressed on his head by a loving hand, while words were whispered into his ear, that he didn't understand.
Suddenly, emotions and memories Elliott thought of as lost forever invaded his soul. For the first time in ten years, he felt the safety of a fatherly embrace, the warmth of a caring heart. No one, not even the good doctor, had offered him the affection Brentano gave him right there and then.
"Come, son, everyone is waiting to meet you. I'm afraid that, if I don't bring you back to the house quickly, I will have to face the wrath of my beloved wife, Rosa," the consigliere smiled. "Plus, all the others are waiting impatiently to meet you."
Elliott nodded, smiling weakly. "Very well, then, let's go."
As they came closer to the house, the blond could see that a rather large group had formed. They were waiting for him and Brentano. His face was suddenly lit by a smile, as he recognized the cute little blond twins from two weeks earlier. As soon as they spotted Elliott, the children ran into his arms.
"Whoa, you are Uncle Eugene's special guest?! I am happy to see you again. I thought you forgot about us," one of them spoke.
”How could I ever forget about you, Sir Chatalot?” Elliott took the child in his arms, kissing him lightly on his rosy cheek.
"Daddy is well now. We can go to the mansion with him and papa. You and Uncle Eugene can have the house all to yourself," the little boy winked.
"These kids, always in the center of attention," Elliott heard a voice from behind him. Turning, he saw a raven-haired, solidly built man, looking at him with an amused smile on his face. "Daniel Bloom-Fenelli, Eugene's cousin," he said, extending his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too," Elliott smiled at him, shaking his hand. He looked fascinated into the man's dark blue eyes.
"Here you are, figliolo," Donna Rosa spoke as she headed over to where Daniel and Elliott were. Examining the blond, she shook her head and sighed. "If you and that other one think the two of you can get away with not eating enough, you are so very wrong, ragazzi."
Daniel huffed, amused. "You and Tarquin have landed in big trouble, my friend. Zia Rosa will stuff you with her delicious, tasty food, then she will bust your asses if you blonds don't empty your plates."
"Who's Tarquin? I thought the kids' names were Emery and Lochlin," Elliott asked, confused.
"That would be me," a blond man spoke, circling Daniel's waist and pulling him in a possessive hug. "I am the little ones' daddy and the husband of the big guy here," he continued.
"As usual, we missed all the fun," a redhead who was exiting a car, followed by two boys in their teens, protested. Looking better at him, Elliott recognized Liam, Elizabeth's cousin.
To the blond's big surprise, Christine, accompanied by another raven-haired man who looked familiar, got out of the same car. She went straight to her roommate, hugging him.
"Eugene called and told us what happened. Everything will be all right now. No one will harm you anymore," she whispered, rubbing his back.
Elliott closed his eyes and let out a small, happy sigh. Christine was right. He was among friends now.
CHAPTER 19
”Hello, Colin! Busy evening, huh?” Vincent said, plopping down on his favorite stool, right in front of the bar owner.
"Uh-hu. It's payday somewhere, and the guys reward themselves with something more than the usual after-work beer. There are good guys, though, family men who don't drink away all their earnings."
Vincent nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I know the type. So, what are you planning to do after closing time?" he winked.
"Do you think I will give in to your wicked way without a fight? Do you really think you will have me on my knees before you, begging for mercy?" Colin whispered-yelled in a rough voice, bending over the counter. "Well, think again, old fellow!"
"Old fellow?! Last time the two of us met, I was so rough on your ass, that you must've cried for a week," Vincent grinned, "and now you dare to call me an old fellow?!"
"I will have your ass tonight! It's going to hurt you so bad, you won't dare show your face here again. I will make you my bitch, and I won't stop until you beg me," Colin replied, a bright shade of pink coloring his cheeks.
"Aw, you are blushing, isn't it just sweet?" Vincent continued to tease the bar owner. "Anyway, this isn't going to save you from the fate I've reserved you."
The patrons looked with obvious amusement at the two men, enjoying their banter. Those straightforward, working-class men had come to like the fancy-dressed guy who was, for almost two months, a regular at The Gambit. Vincent's friendly nature and easy way with people drew everyone close to him. The folks in the neighborhood considered him one of their own.
”Hey, Vince, how are the kids?” one of the men sitting at the bar asked, raising his hand as a sign of salute.
"They are doing very well, thank you for asking, George," the answer came. "Hayden bonded very well with his older brother, and Arnett finally decided to take Tarquin's offer, so now he's learning to read and write. How are your grandsons?"
"Driving my poor daughter-in-law insane, as always. Of course, my wife blames me for everything, even if she was the one who gave birth to our son," the man grinned.
"Speaking of," Vincent turned to Colin, "are the little ones still up? I want to kiss them good night if they are not asleep."
”No, they are still wide awake, waiting for their favorite uncle to tuck them in and read them a bedtime story.”
”I better hurry, then, the little curly-heads may fall asleep any minute. Good night, guys, enjoy your drinks,” Vincent waved his hand as he went upstairs.
He walked down the narrow corridor, listening intently, then stopped in front of a room, cracking the door and casting a glance inside. On a queen size bed, two young boys, of about seven-eight years old were playing with a set of building blocks, trying to make a spaceship out of them.
Vincent looked at the little kids, his expression pained and saddened. The smallest one, Aidan, was very shy and quiet, always hiding in the shadows. He desperately wanted to pass unnoticed, always shaking when someone accidentally touched him — the favorite target of bullies.
And then there was Evan, with his little hands permanently balled into fists, hissing through gritted teeth at whoever approached his twin brother with aggressive intentions. He was almost always sporting bruises, the results of the fights the little boy got into, in his attempts to protect Aidan.
Only that sometimes, the bruises were no
t put there by his classmates, but by the larger, heavier hand of Lottie Jones, his mother, who punished Evan for disrupting the atmosphere of their home. That happened at least once a week, sometimes the beatings being so severe, that the kid couldn't leave the house for days.
During these periods, Aidan used to disappear from home, hiding in some dark corner, scared, hungry, disoriented. That was until Colin spotted him and Evan, who came to take his little brother home, promising that he would defend him. Without a word, he took the kids under his wing and offered them the warmth, shelter, food, and love they needed so much.
When, after some more passionate, heated, all-consuming kisses and make-out sessions, Vincent decided to give his feelings for Colin a chance, he became a part of the twins' life, too. Evan at first and then Aidan warmed up to the man, allowed him to touch and hold them, a privilege reserved until then only for the kind bar owner.
Careful not to scare the little boys, who were so absorbed in their game that they didn't notice him, Vincent stepped close to the bed's edge, taking a seat. Then, he put his hands on both boys’ back, starting to rubbing them gently.
"Uncle Vincent," the twins exclaimed at the same time, "you are here! When did you get here? We didn't hear you," Evan asked, while Aidan circled the man's neck with his pale, skinny arms.
"I stayed in the doorway, looking at how nice the two of you were playing," he smiled. "How was school today?"
"It was great," Aidan spoke, a small smile forming on his pale lips and lightening his eyes. "Our science project was voted the most interesting of the entire class. We were the only ones who got an A+", the child continued to brag. "Mom will like it."
”No, she won’t. She never does, Aidan, all she wants is..." the child stopped abruptly, casting Vincent a suspicious glance.
"Since you did so good at school, what about two bedtime stories instead of one?" the man spoke in a cheerful voice, pretending the scene hadn't happened.
”Yay, two bedtime stories,” Evan wiggled his little fist in a victorious gesture, hugging his brother.
Vincent took one of the colorful children's books from the nightstand, starting to read the boys' favorite story in a gentle, enchanting voice. Five minutes later, their even breath signaled that the children were sound asleep. Putting the book back on the nightstand. Vincent tucked the twins in, kissing each of them on the cheek and forehead.
The man was about to go downstairs when he heard someone's footsteps. A dark silhouette appeared at the end of the corridor. He became tense but decided not to change direction, so he continued to walk. A huge sigh of relief escaped from Vincent's lips when he realized the silhouette belonged to Colin.
"Oh, it's you!" he said. "The little ones are fast asleep. I wrapped the blankets around them, turned off the light and left the door slightly opened. I thought you were busier tonight." The last sentence was spoken, as a questioning tone.
”The guys just left, and now El is taking care of everything downstairs. He figured out the two of us would want to talk, so...”
"That helper of yours gives me chills every time I see him. By the way, does he have a name, like normal people? Because you can't consider El as such," Vincent raised his eyebrows while he spoke.
"Elias. That's his name, and there's nothing scary about him. And no, he is not my helper. The boy likes to hang around here. Nowhere to go, I guess. He is the owner of a guns and ammunition store, does fairly well. The kids and I are the only family he has." As Colin spoke, his deep blue eyes darkened, giving up a little of his internal turmoil.
"Sounds like this Elias fellow is a good guy after all," Vincent said, in an attempt to brighten the other man's mood.
He couldn't stand to see Colin unhappy. His heart ached every time it happened. In spite of his muscular body and outgoing personality, there was something about the man that reminded Vincent very much of Sebastian. Just like that poor Bloom kid, Colin was extremely vulnerable on the inside, but he hid that from the others.
"There's something important I want to talk to you about," the blue-eyed man said, bringing the other man back to the present. "Let's go to my office," he gestured to the door in front of them.
The room was pretty small, but it didn't look like a bar owner's office at all. At least not how Vincent imagined it. Everything, from the light beige, the walls were painted in, to the furniture and the little decorative objects spread here and there spoke of elegance, comfort, and an impeccable taste.
"Lately, I've thought a lot, about many things," Colin started to speak, uneasiness in his voice. "The recent events in my life have made me reconsider some of my priorities and to make some decisions I had kept postponing until now."
"What kind of decisions are you talking about?" Although he made efforts to stay calm, worry poured from Vincent's voice.
"I filed for the twins' adoption, and I intend to get full custody. I want that bitch out of their lives forever," Colin answered, his eyes darkening.
"But... how are you going to do that? You aren't related to the boys in any way...or are you?" Vincent didn't try to hide his interest and curiosity.
"No, I'm not, but neither is that soulless creature who calls herself their mother. You see, owning a bar comes with all kind of advantages. You are nice to people, make conversation, find out stuff, without giving the impression you are after specific information." Colin slyly smiled when saying the last part.
"I see... So, what did you find out from your patrons?" Vincent's curiosity increased, as he sensed there was more about the twins' story than met the eye.
"Lottie never wanted children, which doesn't surprise me at all. Anyway, the boys were given to that woman by someone, who, in exchange for a substantial monthly payment, told her to raise them without giving up her routine.”
"What routine?" Vincent was curious but also surprised at how sarcastic the other man's voice sounded when saying that word.
"Well, Lottie is the neighborhood's whore, everyone knows that. The person who entrusted the children to her said they had to stay alive until they reached twelve years of age." Colin's eyes darkened again, anger and frustration written all over his face.
As for Vincent, the other man's revelations troubled him a lot. As he suspected, something was incredibly wrong with the arrangement between Lottie and that mystery person. He also wondered how Colin came into possession of that secret information.
"Anyway, I am determined to get the bitch to sign a document stipulating that she would completely give up her parental rights. And I also want to write my will."
"Your will? Aren't you too young for this kind of stuff?" Worry poured out of Vincent's voice, as he examined Colin's face.
"Not at all," the man replied, smiling weakly. "I'll be fifty in a few years, so thinking about my will is not premature at all. I didn't think of it, until El brought the subject up for discussion, suggesting that I should consider securing the children's future."
”He seems like a caring, intelligent young man, but still creeps me out,” Vincent smiled. ”And what did he say, more specific?”
"El hired a lawyer who helped him with the papers. When he dies, everything he owns will go to Evan and Aidan." Colin shook his head in disbelief. "I knew the kid was doing well financially, but I didn't expect him to be that rich: over two hundred thousand dollars in liquid assets, plus several real estate properties.
Vincent whistled appreciatively. "That's quite an impressive fortune for someone so young if you ask me." Suddenly, the image he had of Colin's helper changed radically, making him feel guilty for misjudging the young man.
"The bar, a house and fifty thousand dollars in a bank account is everything I own, and everything will go to the twins when I no longer walk this earth. I want to appoint you and El as their legal guardians, to watch over them in case I... you understand."
"That is not going to happen, but you are right. You need a good lawyer who can help you with everything, adoption, and custody included. I also intend to find
a lawyer who could represent Hayden's interests in the eventuality of my death. I have a strange feeling about the current one. There's something about him that screams trouble."
"What about we both join forces and look for the best lawyer in the city for our boys?" Colin suggested, smiling. Seeing Vincent was still tense, he added, "Now, that we've agreed on this matter, I can bust your sorry ass at chess."
********
"So, you found the list, after all. Congratulations, my dear Sydney," Carter sarcastically said to the beefy guy in front of him. "Where was it?" he continued in the same voice, carefully examining the man's expression.
"In the retard's room, where else?! I've told you countless times that goddamn kid was a troublemaker, but you didn't bother to listen. If you had let me take care of him a year or two ago, everything else would have gone smoothly, but no." Sydney clenched his jaw, anger boiling inside him.