“I love you,” I whispered to him. “Be grandpa’s big, brave boy. Take care of your daddy when you get to him.” My throat burned as a tear slipped down my cheek.
“Dad?” Alessandro murmured, clearly having heard what I said.
I shook my head, letting him know we’d speak later, before I went to Bianca. Sante already had his fill.
She wept softly as I placed him in her arms.
“You won’t be away from them for long,” I said. “I promise, Bianca. This is to end the madness. It’s to give them a safe world. I swear.”
Her bottom lip wobbled, but she nodded and kissed each of her boys.
“I love you both so much,” she said, tears on her cheeks. “I’ll be home soon. Take care of your daddies for me.” She kissed them again, and we gave her a few moments as Alessandro went to look out the window next to me.
“Is everything in order?” I asked softly.
“Yes. I will leave here as soon as Bianca is done. The babies will go to Dom and the kings.”
“And your flight is booked? Everything settled?”
“Yes. We will stop in Colorado. Kurt—Santino—reached out and invited us to stop in. Rosalie wanted to go there anyway, so it worked out perfectly. We will hang out there for a few days before we continue on to L.A.”
I nodded, liking his plan.
“Is Klaus coming back?” he asked softly. “Or has he decided he doesn’t want Rosalie?”
“Klaus is handling his business. He needs this,” I said. “Trust that.”
“I just don’t want her to get hurt. He hasn’t reached out at all?—”
“She is going to be yours, son. I saw to it,” I said.
He crinkled his brows at me. “You… did?”
“I did. Just give it time, OK?”
He nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “What about you?”
“I have plans with Bianca in the works.”
“What?” His eyes widened. “What plans?”
“Things we can discuss later. You have already broken things off, correct?”
He nodded, frowning. “I did. She really didn’t seem to mind.” He gave me a sad smile. He was quiet for a moment. “Dad? You and her… while I was engaged…?”
“I did not sleep with her,” I said.
“OK.” He didn’t question me. “Will you come out to L.A. and see us?”
“Yes. I will come.” I gave him a sad smile.
“You better.” His eyes raked over my face, like he knew I was full of shit. “Promise me.”
“I promise,” I said softly.
He nodded, his throat bobbing. “You fucking better, old man.”
I chuckled at that. “I would not lie.”
