Finding Rowena, page 6
"I know, but I wouldn't want you to get the impression that I am setting you up with one of…" Ro tapped her fingers against her chin. "…what was the term you used? Oh, Octavius' spank happy friends. I'm not doing that, no matter how cute the two of you would be together. Ow." She looked between the other occupants at the table. "Who kicked me?" They both proudly raised their hands.
Luca growled. "You know better."
Ro rolled her eyes at the man. "You are such an old man."
"No matchmaking." A startled cry fell from Ro's lips when her husband whispered those words in her ear.
"Would you quit sneaking up on me?"
"Are you going to quit trying to sneak all the naughty little things you do past me?" He pinched her ass. "Such a pretty little pout." He took the seat next to her.
"You are such a pain in the butt."
"Literally."
Ro stuck her tongue out at her laughing sister, her growl sounding from across the table. "Not helping, Tea."
"Girls," Luca's playful warning had both women laughing.
"They are so cute when they think they're in charge." Tea pinched Luca's cheek.
"I'll show you cute."
Ro snuck a glance at her husband. His wink told her that he had seen it, too. Luca easily brought out the playful side of Teagan, a feat no one else had been able to accomplish so quickly.
Chapter 10
"I'll see you in a couple of days." Ro pushed back the tears as she watched the girl walk into her mother's arms. When they were out of sight, she picked up the phone, dialing one of the few numbers she had memorized. "Hey, Mama."
"Oh, baby girl. Mother Earth told me I would hear your voice today."
Ro smiled as she rolled her eyes. "We talked about listening to her. Remember the last time?"
"Oh, posh. I simply picked the wrong ones."
"Picked the wrong ones. Ate the wrong one. The wrong mushrooms nearly killed you."
"A little high never killed anyone."
"Tell that to the millions of people who have overdosed over the years."
Jean sighed heavily. "Did you call just to scold me?"
"No, I'm working a case and just needed to hear your voice."
"There's more. I can tell. Out with it."
She smiled as she picked up her bags and headed for the door. "I have siblings, Mama."
"You found the woman who gave my baby life? What's she like? Tell me she's kind. What about her aura?"
"No, I found my sisters. I'm a triplet. We're identical triplets, Mama."
Laughter filled her voice. "I knew Mother Earth talked him into creating more than one of you. You're too good for the world to only have one. What are they like? Tell me everything."
A single tear ran down Ro's face as she climbed into her car. She told her mom every detail she could remember. Every fight, every tear, every laugh, and when she was done, she told her of her fears.
"The Mother would not have brought those women into your life if she did not intend for them to leave their mark."
"Now that I have them, Mama, I can't stand the thought of them not staying."
"You simply be you, child, and the rest will fall into place."
"You really think so?"
"I know so."
"Your confidence annoys me."
"It isn't confidence; it's my listening skills. The Mother tells me everything I need to know. All you have to do is listen."
"How did I get lucky enough for you to find me?"
"It was all in the plan, baby. The Mother chose me for you. I have a garden to weed. Am I still going to see you for Thanksgiving?"
"Can I bring some friends?"
"You bring whoever Mother Earth leads you to bring, but those sisters of yours better be in that death machine you call a car."
"Bye, Mama."
"Bye-bye, sweet girl."
Ro set the phone in her lap and stared at the empty parking lot. Talking to her mom did the same thing it always did. It reminded her of how lucky she was and, this time, of how much love she had in herself to give.
"Bear, can you grab the bread out of the oven?"
"The woman can cook a three-course meal, but ask her to toast some bread and she sets the house on fire."
"One time!" She hated the sly smile that spread across his handsome face. "Okay, twice, but we only had to call the fire department once." As she gestured to the bread he pulled from the oven, she smiled. "See, it's only slightly darker than it should be."
The doorbell sounded through the house. "Are you expecting anyone, sunshine?"
"No, Teagan said she was going to be late. I left Evie a voicemail yesterday, apologizing, and haven't heard back from her yet."
"Probably one of the guys."
"It's like they can smell when the food is waiting for them." She smiled as his hand landed on her ass. "Don't think just because your friends are here, you can get all handsy." At his growl, she pressed her butt against the counter, her giggle betraying her teasing gesture.
"Rowena?"
She looked up from the silverware and met a pair of eyes that looked exactly like her own. "Hey, Fancy."
"I'll be in the living room if you need me."
"Thank you, Octavius." As soon as the man left, Evelyn started twisting her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry."
"You're sorry." Ro gathered her sister in her arms. "What do you have to be sorry for?"
"I accused you of stalking me."
She huffed a laugh. "Well, I kind of did."
"I didn't give you much of a choice."
"Our texts should have been enough."
"Don't do that!" Evelyn shook her head when Ro stepped back at her outburst. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just…I'm trying to apologize, and you won't let me. It's frustrating. I'm not mad that you tracked me down, Ro. I love that about you. I love how much you care and that you haven't given up on me, even though I've been a complete bitch to you. The world needs more people like you, Ro." As she reached out, Evelyn gripped Ro's hand. "I need you. Don't ever change."
"I can do that." Ro pulled her into her arms. "This is me, so you'd better get used to my hugs."
Octavius chose that moment to rejoin the women. "Does the two of you hugging mean the coast is clear?"
Evelyn looked from her sister to her husband, smiling. "Yeah, we're good."
"And she's staying for dinner," Ro announced.
When she pulled out of the hug, Evelyn shook her head. "It smells delicious, but I can't impose."
"We're family. You can't impose on family." Octavius stated as he took a seat at the table.
Jason walked in from the garage, his eyes trained on his phone. "I'm pretty sure sleazebag's girl is sitting in the driveway."
"Jason!" Ro turned and eyed the man, her hands landing on her hips. "That 'girl' is standing right here."
"Way to go, nerd," O mocked.
Color flooded Jason's face a moment before he tripped over his feet. He managed to catch himself, but his glasses flew from his face. Evelyn snatched them in midair and dangled them in front of his face.
"Sleazebag?" Icy disdain dripped from her words.
"Shit," O muttered.
"That sleazebag is the governor-elect and one of your best clients."
"And he's sleazy as fuck." Jason held out a hand, shrugging. "Glasses, please."
"You're very rude; you know that?" Evelyn shoved the glasses into his hand and turned to Ro. "Thank you for the offer to stay for dinner, but I need to go. I'll see you later."
"No." Ro ran in front of her sister, blocking the door. "Don't listen to him. He doesn't know what he's talking about." As she crossed her arms over her chest, she eyed the man. "Apologize."
"Rowena!"
"O! You can't be serious!" Ro stomped her foot. "He insulted the man she loves, the man she is going to marry! That's not okay."
"Ro," Octavius growled the single syllable.
After shooting Ro a look that rivaled her husband's glare, Jason turned back to Evelyn. "I'll apologize if I hurt your feelings. But I won't apologize for calling a sleazebag a sleazebag."
Evelyn sighed and shook her head. "No. You didn't hurt my feelings. I've heard him called worse on TV and online. But it doesn't make it easier to hear, you know?"
Ro glanced at Evelyn then Jason. It was too bad Evie was engaged. They made an adorable couple. And she couldn't shake the feeling that Jason would be better for her sister than her admittedly sleazy fiancé. While she pushed away the traitorous thoughts, Ro clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.
"Who's ready to eat?"
Laughter sounded around the table.
"You threw your bra at the mayor?" Teagan's mouth hung open, eyes rounded in shock.
"It was just a bra. I hate to think of what I would have thrown at him if I had skipped wearing one that day."
"Yeah, it was 'just a bra' until the hook caught his eye and he demanded she be arrested." Octavius gave his wife the stink eye.
"It's not like I did it on purpose," Ro defended.
"Did they arrest you?"
"No, bear saved me." Ro smiled up at her husband.
The man in question huffed a laugh. "Out of the pan and into the fire. If I remember correctly, I threw you over my shoulder and slapped your ass all the way to my truck."
"And in the truck." Ro laughed.
"He hit you?" Evelyn's eyes were huge. "I can't imagine O hitting a woman, especially one you'd just met!"
Heat rose into Ro's face as she realized their slip. She decided that honesty was the best policy, so she told the rest of the story. "We had actually met once before, a few months earlier at a mutual friend's play party."
"Play party? I'm going to regret this, but what, exactly, do you mean by 'play party'?" Evelyn refused to make eye contact with anyone, instead watching her hands as she twisted the napkin around her fingers.
"It's a term used to describe when a group of kink friendly people get together and play." She fumbled, hoping she had chosen the right word.
"Get kinky."
"Not helping, Tea."
"What? It is."
"Yeah, but I was trying to be classy about it."
"Did the two of you, um, play together?" A pretty blush crept over Evelyn's face.
"That first time? No." It was Ro's turn to blush.
"No?"
Octavius said, chuckling, "We intended to. We sat down, discussed all our limits and a safeword. Then I got a call from Jason. We had just started S.E.A.L. and were still taking contracts to compensate. I left her my number and didn't see her again until the protest."
"You ghosted him? I never pictured you playing hard to get." Teagan put her hand over her chest. "I'm so proud."
"No! Sometimes, I swear you're out to get me in trouble, Teagan. I lost his number."
"Typical excuse." A crumpled napkin bounced off Teagan's face.
"But it was months before. What if something had changed."
"As soon as I saw her, I asked her out. And we had the whole limits conversation all over again, right there in the middle of the protest."
"And you're okay with this?" Evelyn looked quickly between the couple.
"Crave it, actually." Ro sent her sister what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "For the most part, my parents didn't believe in rules, so when I started exploring sex, having someone else take control just fit."
"What do you think about all this?" Evelyn turned to her other sister.
Shock was clearly on Teagan's face. "Evie, they are consenting adults. If I thought for a second that she didn't want this, I wouldn't be sitting at their table; none of us would be." After a moment, she added, "And he would be in the hospital."
Luca smiled. "GSW?"
Teagan nodded at the man. "And not to the foot."
"Can we change the subject? I would like to keep my supper down." Evelyn pushed the hardly touched food around her plate.
"Speaking of supper, I talked to my mom today. She invited everyone to her house for Thanksgiving." The silence was deafening. "Okay, we aren't to that point yet. No big deal." Except it was, and Ro knew the smile she had plastered on her face was shaky at best.
"It's not that. I-I have never had anywhere to go on Thanksgiving. I usually volunteer to work, so the guys with kids can be home," Teagan said. "I've worked every Thanksgiving for a decade. It might be nice."
"Then you'll come?"
Teagan thought about it for a few seconds. "Is there a dress code?"
It was Ro's turn to laugh. "The only rule is that clothes are required at the table."
"That's kind of an obvious one, isn't it?"
"Not with her parents," O said as he laid a kiss on the back of her hand.
Teagan smiled. "I'll be there."
Ro turned to Evelyn. "Fancy? Do you want to come?"
"She and Branson are going skiing."
Evelyn's eyes swung to Octavius. "How do you know about that trip?"
"Branson told the man we have on him that he will not be needing our protective detail starting the night before Thanksgiving until the following Monday, because he is taking a trip."
Ro watched as Evelyn twisted the napkin around her fingers as tightly as she could. Like when she chewed her lips, the twisting was her tell. Evelyn did not like this conversation.
"I'm not going with him, actually. It's some work thing, and he doesn't need me this time." Again, Evelyn refused to look at anyone.
"Any plans with your parents?"
This time, she did meet Ro's eyes. "We aren't speaking."
"But they're your parents."
O gave her hand a squeeze. "Rowena."
She hated when he used her name as a warning. "They're her parents."
"Adopted parents. You remember, the people who lied to me my entire life about who I am and where I actually came from?"
"Fancy."
"Don't defend them, Ro. They lied to me."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Teagan's fist bounced off the table as she stood. "Poor Evelyn. Her mommy and daddy kept a secret from her. Boo fucking who. Do you know what I would have done to have people love me, actually, love me? To see me as more than a paycheck? So what, the people who gave you love and a place to call home, honest to God home, didn't tell you that they scooped you out of some orphanage? Who cares?"
Luca cleared his throat, his disapproval of Teagan's behavior clear on his features. "Teagan."
Tea narrowed her eyes at the man. "Who. Cares?"
"I care! I could have searched for you sooner. I could have had my sisters sooner. And maybe if I'd found you, or if I'd known, I wouldn't be…" She stopped herself and took a deep breath. "My life could be so different right now is all I'm saying."
"We have each other now." Ro knew how she felt. She would have loved to have had these women in her life sooner, but it wasn't in the cards, and there was no use in wasting the precious time they had with the people they loved.
"What's so wrong with your life, anyway?" Teagan sat back down before spearing a piece of bread with her fork.
"Right. My perfect life. I suppose I could start with how I haven't spoken a word to my parents in two weeks, and they haven't so much as sent a text to see if I'm even still alive"
"So, you'll come? Both of you?" Rowena looked between her sisters, hoping that her attempt at changing the subject would take.
"We'll be there." Teagan declared, not bothering to clear it with Evelyn.
"I don't think that could have gone better," Ro said as she watched her siblings back out of the driveway.
"Proud of you, sunshine."
"Thank you." She beamed up at her husband after shutting the front door. "What's wrong?"
"It's probably nothing, but I didn't just assume Evelyn was going with Branson. The man we have on him daily was told very clearly that Branson was not going skiing on his own."
"He isn't; it's a work thing."
"Ro, Branson is the type of man who forgets the 'help' is around. He was very open about what he planned on doing the whole weekend and why he would not be leaving the cabin. That is why I thought Evelyn was busy."
"You think he's cheating on her?" At his nod, she continued. "But, she didn't say anything."
"Embarrassment?"
"Motherfucker."
"Rowena Erikson!"
"I…" She looked to her toes. "…I'm sorry. I should have chosen a different word."
"I love it when you melt into your submission like this." He tipped her chin up. "Don't make me regret giving you this one pass. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Sir."
Chapter 11
She watched the scenery fly by. It would have been beautiful if she had actually been paying attention. Instead, she was trying to work up the courage to say the words floating around in her head. They were on their way to her appointment with a fertility specialist, and with every passing mile, her dread grew.
"What if we didn't do the treatment this month?" She let the words hang in the air, not daring to turn from the window, afraid of what she would see on his face.
She took a deep breath as he pulled the car to the side of the road. She had to hold back the tears when she felt him touch the side of her face with the back of his hand. "Look at me please."
"If I do, I'll lose it."
"Why?"
"Because you're my safe place."
"Then let me be that for you." Without another thought, she turned to him, letting the tears flow. "Good girl."
"How can you say that?" She smiled sadly despite the tears.
"You did as Daddy asked. That makes you my good girl."
"I'm asking you to not try for a family this month. I'm asking you to put our dreams on hold."
"You're asking for a break, baby. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that." He held her chin firmly between his fingers. "You say the word, and we stop this all together. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"You being in a good place is the most important thing to me. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"For now, I am going to make a decision that I believe will be the best for us." He took a deep breath. "Let's wait to do another round until after the holidays."
