“We’ll be OK,” I murmured. “Everything will be.”
“Promise?” His voice cracked.
I leaned in and kissed him gently. “Yes. I promise.”
He wrapped me in a tight embrace, his tears coming freely. Klaus got up, and I heard him talking to Ellis and then their footsteps as he led her away so she wouldn’t see what was going on. The moment she noticed Evan was crying, she would cry and want to know what was happening. I didn’t want her to be worried.
“I fucked everything up. All I could think about was saving you, but here we are. Right back where we started, Ro. What the fuck am I supposed to do? I’m torn between wanting you happy and free and making things right with my brothers, who are right where we left them. Am I terrible? Did I ruin everything?” He stared back at me, his sunglasses gone. He’d suffered so much, and no one saw that. They saw that he’d left, not his pain in the decision to do so, or the pain he went through as he tried to overcome. Evan was a good man who loved endlessly. I knew leaving the horsemen had broken him because he loved his brothers.
But he said he loved me more.
I hated that he ever had to compare the love, and all I wanted was for him to be happy. Right now, I wasn’t so sure he’d get that, and it was tearing me apart.
I had to fix this.
“You didn’t ruin anything. I swear you didn’t. Cole is angry and hurt. So is Ethan. They will come around. I promise.” I wasn’t sure I could keep that promise, but I knew I’d damn well try. Evan was worth it and more, and I’d do what I had to do to make it a reality.
I held him as he cried. Klaus came back into the room without Ellis and sat next to us before wrapping his arms around us.
“All will be well, brother,” he murmured to Evan. “Time can heal us all. I am a testament to that.”
Klaus kissed the top of Evan’s head.
Evan pulled away, finally, and wiped at his eyes.
“I’m going to take a nap,” he said softly. “I just… I need to get out of my head for a bit.”
“Go,” I said gently. “I’m going to call Ani and check on Ryder.”
“OK, baby. I love you.” Evan kissed my forehead before squeezing Klaus’s hand. I watched him get up and walk to the bedroom before closing himself in.
“We have many secrets that need to be revealed,” Klaus murmured.
I sighed. “Yes, we sure do.”
Klaus gave me a sad smile. “No matter what, though, I love you all and will be at your side always.”
I kissed him gently. “And I love you.”
He dragged me onto his lap, his kiss commanding and in control.
I fell into it easily, wanting him, but knowing we couldn’t. Ellis was likely only playing in her room.
“The things I want to do to you, hummingbird,” Klaus murmured, his lips skimming along my jaw. “It has been far too long since I’ve been lost inside your warmth.”
It was true. I hadn’t had sex since the night I was with Anson and Cole. That had been well over a week ago now. Everything had been too hectic, emotions all over as we tried to navigate through everything.
“Soon,” I said, breathless, as he gripped my hips and pulled me against his hard cock straining against his pants.
“Not soon enough, my love.” He nipped my bottom lip.
“I need to check on Ellis,” I rasped.
He chuckled softly before releasing me. I stared down at him, hungry for all that was him. His blue eyes sparkled knowingly before he kissed my rings on my ring finger.
“I’ll have you soon. See to our daughter. I need to call Levin.”
I surged forward and crushed my lips against his in a deep kiss. Klaus was everything to me. He’d softened so much over the years. When I’d first met him, he’d terrified me because he was so quiet, sullen, and grouchy. Now, I realized it was all a mask, and he was really the sweetest man and loved deeply. He’d just never had anyone before who cared for him in that manner.
