I stared at the note again, and then at Jace.
" They came with flowers. I gave them your secretary," he said.
My palms were already sweaty. I knew what they wanted to talk about. It was about the twins. The Carters will want to be in their lives as well.
" I don't know if I'm ready for this," I divulged. He sat next to me.
" The children are part of the Carter family, and they will want them in their lives, Lovie," Jace said gently.
" I know, but for five years they were only mine, and now, I have to share them?" I pouted, and he smiled.
" It will get dirty if you resist this. If you don't know this already, the Carters run this city," Michael said, impressed by his words. I scoffed.
" Do you know who my family is?" I challenged, and his smug smile vanished. Everyone in the werewolf realm has at least heard the tales of the Chasia brothers. My family was powerful. The Lycan king was my uncle.
" Good," I was the one who wore a smug smile.
" You need to be civil for the kids. Whatever feelings you have against Ellis, don't involve them," Jace reasoned. He was right, but it was still difficult. I felt like I'd be allowing Ellis back into my life, and I didn't want that. He hurt me enough.
After the discussion I had with Jace and Michael, I occupied myself with work. I noticed Ellis wasn't in his office. I'm sure he went to see the children. He couldn't wait. I called the bodyguard to tell him about Ellis so he wouldn't be alarmed when he saw him.
' Love,' Vee called gently.
' Hmm,'
' He's here to stay. I hope you are ready,' she said softly and locked herself to the back of my mind. May the goddess give me strength.
I reached home thirty minutes later after work, and to my surprise, I found David in the kids' playroom, sitting on the large fur carpet as they played with toys. When they noticed me, they rushed to hug me, making me stumble a few feet back.
" I missed you too, my lil monsters!" I smiled, kissing their hair. I froze when I caught it. Ellis' scent is on them. Did he do it on purpose? Cayden and Solara didn't have a scent because I thought it would easily give them away. I told a mage to remove it. Ellis doing this was a claim on them. I inhaled that familiar intoxicating fragrance. It was filling and made my lycan, Vee, purr.
" Mummy, Daddy was at our school," Solara says, excited. Stomping her little feet on the ground in giddiness.
" I heard," I said with a smile. She told me how her father complimented her shoes. Solara talks about Ellis like he's her superhero. I glanced at Cayden. My son only frowned as he watched his sister do the talking. He will definitely make Ellis run for his money to get him on his good side.
" Alright, go back and play. I'll join soon," I said, and they went back to the playing room.
I was about to speak to David who was watching us with a smile when he walked towards me. He kissed my lips tenderly. He smiled when he pulled back,
" How was work?" he asked, holding my hand and taking me upstairs.
" It was good. I spoke to the head of the HR department," I sighed. Just thinking about my conversation with Michael angers me. How can Ellis be this petty?
" I got into it with Carter about the stupid policy. You know it was all him, right?" he eyed me. I nodded, not adding a word. David opened the door to my bedroom suite. He takes me to my vanity table. I sit down, and he stands behind me. His hands are on my shoulders as he massages my tense muscles gently, and he bends to kiss me.
" Ellis is still in love with you," he stated, and I glared at him through the mirror. David looked sober.
" He has a mate," I all but growled. The word mate seemed to burn on my tongue. I hated it. David notices the snicker on my face and he abruptly turns the white seat to face him. He squats and caresses my cheek.
" Well, Ellis is a complex man. He wants his mate and you at once," I swallowed after his words.
" There's nothing left between us now," I said hesitantly.
" Love, he wants you and was so violent against me just for telling him how much I loved you. He even made absurd accusations against me," he said.
" What accusations?" I asked, inquisitive.
" It doesn't matter baby, just remember whatever he tells you it's because he wants to turn you against me. You need to stay away from him," his voice was gentle, and I saw concern in his eyes. I didn't think Ellis would stoop so low as to denigrate David's name to get my attention.
" Tell me what he accused you of," I said, grabbing his shirt. However, David wouldn't tell me what he accused him of... I stood up and walked to the other side of the closet. He followed me.
" Love, you have to stay away from him?" he insisted.
" How? He's the boss, and we have kids together. We can't stay away from him now that he knows about the kids,"
Ellis wouldn't just stay away knowing his children are in the same city as him. I knew his heart.
" You should have seen his eyes and aggression. He doesn't want you to be with anyone, yet he goes around fucking that woman," he said, and I froze. Why the fuck did it affect me. They are mated, and of course, they fuck. Yet, I was here, just waiting. Waiting for what? I didn't know. I never gave myself away to someone else because Ellis was the only person who I wanted to be one with. He knew exactly how my body worked, and what I liked and did not. He was the master of my body and didn't want anyone else to have it.
" Do you still love him?" My heart was racing in my chest at the question. I love him, I will never stop loving Ellis Carter. I've told myself several times that I didn't love him, but seeing him again, I knew I was wrong. I scrutinized David, he was disappointed by my reluctance to answer each second that ticked. I should lie to spare him from being hurt, but the words that flew out of my mouth didn't spare his feelings.
" Yes. I thought I didn't but I was wrong," I confessed. He took a step back, disoriented, but only for a few seconds.
" You do," his words came out breathy.
" I don't want to love him anymore. I want to love you, David," I said. David was a good man, and he loved my children. He was the best option, and I needed to give us a real fighting chance. He proved time and again, that he wants me. He smiled faintly and caressed my cheek.
" I want you to love me too. I want to be with you," he said firmly. His eyes focused.
" I'll make you love me," He was determined. He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him. Our breaths were in sync.
" I'd like that," I whispered.
" However, I need a fair chance. You can't entertain your ex, Love, he should only be that an ex," he said.
" Only an ex," I affirmed, wrapping my arms against his neck.
" Clean slate," he murmured against my lips. I nodded, and that broke Vee's heart to pieces. She held onto hope that maybe we may rekindle our romance with Ellis, but it wouldn't happen. I'm serious about giving David a real shot.