I went downstairs to the gift shop and purchased some things for Bianca and the babies before putting the bag on my chair in the waiting room. I’d forgotten a card, so I quickly returned to the gift shop and got one before stepping off the elevator on Bianca’s floor.
Alessandro came out of Bianca’s room, and I strode toward him
“Father,” he greeted me tensely.
“Alessandro.” I glanced at Bianca’s closed door, knowing damn well he’d caved and given her the phone to speak toDominic and the kings. I wasn’t upset, but I didn’t like him hiding it from me, but I supposed he still feared I was the monster everyone said I was.
I smoothed my tie as Alessandro looked past me to Alessio, who was muttering in Italian at the vending machine. It had eaten his money.
“How is she?” I asked, concern threaded through me.
“Uh, she’s OK. I needed a break. They’re taking her for a C-section. They should be here any minute.”
“Plans for the children?” I asked, wondering what he truly had up his sleeve.
“Take them home, and I’ll raise them with her.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Get rid of them.”
“I’m sorry. What?” Alessandro tensed, glaring at me.
“It is not safe. I don’t care what you do with them, but they cannot exist.”
“You want me to kill them?” he snarled.
“Listen to me. I have put off Carmine as long as I can. He will come. He will bring Francesca. It is imperative that those babies be nowhere near. You do not want those children marred by those monsters. Theylovenewborns. Do you understand?” He needed to understand that these people were a different kind of monster.
A look of comprehension washed over his face.
“OK,” he replied. “I’ll do it. I’ll see to it that they don’t exist.”
I gave him a nod, knowing he’d handle this and keep the babies safe. Nothing within me told me those babies wouldn’t be returning home to Dominic and the kings.
“Anything on Rosalie? You said Klaus had a lead.” Alessandro gave me a hopeful look.
I sighed, hating that I had to give him bad news. “Turned up a dead end.”
“Fuck. If Everett has her?—”
“He will die.” I paused. “Alessandro, we do need to speak.”
“About what?” He rubbed his eyes. He was exhausted. I could see it on his face and the way his shoulders slumped. He’d been out just as much as Klaus. It was taking its toll on him.
“The Rosalie situation. Klaus cares for her. I have never seen him so… desperate.”
“He loves her,” he mumbled.
“It is what I fear,” I replied. “She needs to leave. You need to ensure her safety. Klaus has other things he needs to do before he can even consider love. He is not ready.”
“Where is this all going?” Alessandro asked, glancing back at Bianca’s room. “Just… give me a minute, OK? I need to check on her.”
“Of course. I will wait here.”
He opened the door, leaving me. I cast a look back at Alessio, who seemed to have gotten himself a package of crackers out of the machine and was now relaxing in a chair in the waiting room, his nose wrinkled. He hated cheese crackers, and it looked like what the vending machine gave him.
I wandered over to him, and he got up.
“Want some of these shitty styrofoam crackers with the fake cheese?” He held out the package.
