Redemption (The Bet) (20 page)

He awoke hours later and made them all a hearty breakfast. The parents had been pleased, Ronnie had told Gabe to take lessons and the children had happily eaten. It was as if the events of the evening before had never transpired. But, as much as Ellie wanted it to be so, things never worked out
the way she wanted them to.

Much as she hated to be a pessimist, she had a feeling that a certain someone was going to drop by and ruin it all for them. Ellie felt as though Nicholas had that innate knowledge of pinning down the exact moment she was happy and voila! He comes in and ruins everything, indifferent to any
one else's feelings but his own he takes whatever he needs and leaves.

"Ellie?"

"What?"

"You're frowning, what's wrong?"

The tray held tightly between large hands was topped with three colorful polka dotted mugs that Ellie had bought two years ago at a flea market for a very good price.

Bella pulled away from Ellie's side long enough to grab hold of her brown and pink polka dot mug, before snuggling back against her mother's side, careful not to spill.

"It's nothing, just thinking about my lesson plans for next week." She hated lying. She hated when her kids lied and yet Ellie always managed to lie when it came to her fiancé. Lie after lie and it bothered her, because the irritating fact was that the lies always spewed forth when her thoughts strayed to Nicholas...always that contemptible man.

"It must be some lesson plans if it has you scowling so much."

"Grammar can be very challenging." and you're full of shit, Ellie's mind supplied

Devlin's face mirrored Ellie's thoughts and when
he set down the tray and took a seat adjacent to her and Bella, Ellie worked hard to put a smile on her face. "Much as I love seeing you concentrate on work, I'd love it more if you gave us your attention right now." He gently tugged Bella to him and dropped a kiss on her head.

Ellie grabbed her own mug, dappled with green and lavender polka dots and took a sip. "
You both have my undivided attention."

So Ellie, Devlin and Bella snuggled on the couc
h like a well contented family. They played games, Devlin told stories, and they watched movies to take Bella's mind off the storm. Approximately two hours later, while the movie played and the three occupants napped, the doorbell rang, and instantly roused Ellie from the odd little dream she was having. With a soft kiss on Bella's warm cheek, she told Devlin she'd answer the door before groggily making her way to the foyer.

Nicholas seldom doubted himself. Being who he was did not afford him room for indecisiveness and yet the entire evening before and through his morning meetings, he'd been trapped in a limbo of irresolute thoughts. All revolving around Ellie and the discovery of the children he didn't know he had until now.

Being sleep deprived was a hindrance he'd learn to co
pe with since his teenage years. It was only when he was feeling exceptionally tired did Nicholas give into his body's desperate plea for sleep. But last night, he'd deliberately ignored the call of slumber and instead sat in the warm comforts of the office in the cabin, the very same cabin that held a torrent of memories and always managed to overwhelm him whenever he stayed with his godfather.

A master sadist at heart, Nicholas loved indulging the limits of his masochism and allowed himself to be haunted by the memories embedded in the oaken walls of the small cabin. Memories that hurt as much as it pleasured. Memories of a time long
past. Memories of what he'd lost. It was nothing new, though the pain he felt was as fresh as the first night he'd returned to the cabin. But now, Nicholas no longer spent his evenings floating between fantasies, with his left hand wrapped around his cock and Ellie's name slipping past his trembling lips.

She'd been stunning, even more so now, years later, surpassing all of Nicholas's imaginings. Seeing her again, had been like the very first time Nicholas had met Ellie all those years ago. Sitting on the hood of her car, as carefree and uninhibited as the curly locks on her head, unrepentant humor and all. Ellie had caught Nicholas off guard that long ago afternoon. Last night, the emotions Nicholas had felt the very first time he'd seen
her had slammed back into his body with such force that he'd been stunned.

Left breathless and gaping, he'd recovered quickly upon Ellie's snide remark to Devlin and it had been all Nicholas could do to stop himself from acting on his male pride when realization finally
came to him. It'd been Ellie's engagement party he'd been invited to. Ellie and the man who he'd been contemplating making a part of his team. It had been their engagement party and Nicholas had felt the blow resonate through every fiber of his being.

He hadn't expected a warm welcome or even
reconciliation, but somewhere deep inside, Nicholas had yearned for the impossible, had hoped for it. But, seeing Ellie in the arms of another man had quickly obliterated that flicker of hope and Nicholas had been left feeling the frosty fingers of bleakness grip his heart. That feeling hadn't abandoned him. Which was why he was now musing on whether to ring Ellie's doorbell or scamper back to his metropolitan office and resume whatever work he had waiting his approval.

He felt like an idiot and probably looked like one too to anyone staring outside their windows right at this moment. He was surprised no one
had called the cops on him yet. If he was a kid and saw a strange man standing outside, dressed in all black, standing next to his pitch black limousine, holding onto his large black umbrella and looking like the grim reaper, he'd be phoning the authorities in a heartbeat.

Nicholas h
owever, wasn't a child. He was a man who owned a multi-billion dollar corporation. He was a man who faced far more dangerous situations dealing with both reputable and shady people in his line of work than a disgruntled ex-lover who had a tendency of smacking him. He was a man, who no longer had the affections of said ex-lover, but he did have his children and today's impromptu visit was the reason why he was here. Isabella and Dylan would be the focus of his attention.

Ellie...Ellie was another tale. Sophie, after all, was rooting for their happy ending and Nicholas was intent on making Sophie as happy as he was going to make his biological children.

Mind finally made up, Nicholas began his trek up the cobbled walkway. Putting finger to bell, he pressed the black button twice and waited.

~*
~*~*~

Ellie hiked the legs of Devlin's sweat pants from beneath her socked feet and tied the strings around her waist in hopes of keeping the overlarge pants on, before turning the brass handle of the door. It wouldn't do at all to greet wh
oever was on the other side with a full frontal scene of her goodies. Ellie wasn't sure about the other person, but Devlin sure as hell wouldn't appreciate it.

"Hello, Ellie."

Nicholas did always enjoy her goodies, Ellie mussed as she stared owlishly at the father of her children.

~*~*~*~

"Hey squirt." Gabe tugged on Sophie's braids before occupying the seat beside her. Sophie gave him a noncommittal response while her gaze remained on the flat screen, the Wii controller held in her hand. She leaned forward, arms resting on her
thighs; she scowled and sucked her teeth as her player lost a fight.

"Shit
." it was barely audible, but Gabe heard it all the same. "Watch it with that kiddo, wouldn't want Ronnie to hear you, we'd both get an earful."

"Sorry." Put off guard by Sophie's offhanded response, Gabe appraised his goddaughter,
there was tension in that body, wound tighter than her hold on the controller.

"You're alright,
Soph?"

Sophie turned her head and spared her godfather a look. "I'm fine."

With an inward sigh Gabe mourned the days when bogeyman could be scared away by nightlights and a good tickle attack or even when the slightest scrapes and bumps were alleviated by a trip to the ice cream shop and a walk around the park.

Sadly, those days where long gone. They were no
w entering a new era, where the teen angst seemed endless and the parent bashing was as natural as breathing air.  Gabe thanked the heavens that he was spared a few more years before his own children entered that inevitable stage.

"You know your Mom used to say that a lot when something was bugging her and she didn't want to talk about it?"

Sophie continued to play, heedless of the words her godfather spoke and for a moment Gabe thought she was ignoring him and would've been prompted to say more, only Sophie's next action immobilized his move. Settling the controller down, Sophie flopped back against the couch with a resigned sigh and pursed her lips.

Silence reigned, stretched and choked, before Sophie opened her eyes, turned her head and gave Gabe a pointed look. "Did Mom ever get bothered by not having a father? Because I am, it bothers me every day and I hate it. I don't know my real Dad...I don't even remember him,"

"Sophie…"

"But I remember Nicholas. I remember him being a really
nice to me and mom. He made us happy. I don’t understand why Mom refuses to see that. He belongs with us...we're not a family without him." Sophie tilted her head and stared up at the ceiling, Gabe did not fail to see the mist of tears in her eyes.

That
 had come out of left field. Gabe hadn't expected Sophie to come right out and say it. Sure he had hoped to get down to the root of his goddaughter's problems and rectify it, but this---this was just---

"Bella and Dylan deserve
to know how good a father he is. Mom needs to give him the opportunity."

In that instant, Sophie sounded far older than her
twelve years. Gabe had never credited her as more than a good, oftentimes spoiled kid with an impending attitude problem. Now, Sophie displayed a perception that no child her age should be able to grasp until they were maybe in their mid to late teen years. Gabe was proud.

"You're right," Receiving Sophie's gaze, Gabe elaborated. "Your brother and sister deserve a chance to be with their father. I know you don't want them growing up not having the chance to realize the sort of man he is and your Mom wouldn't want that either. But have you stopped to consider that the reason why your Mom doesn't want him back into
 her life is because Nicholas isn't such a nice guy? You have this image of Nicholas that is so hard to shake, but maybe what you see isn't exactly all that he is."

Blinking tears away Sophie frowned and asked. "What do you mean?"

"Nicholas has brought nothing but pain in your Mom's life from the very moment they met. He's a selfish, cruel egoist who only sees your Mom as nothing more than a possession, a pretty prize he needs on his arm to make him feel better about himself. Someone like him only brings trouble wherever he goes. I'm not saying he can't be a good person, but he's far too jaded and corrupt to give you guys anything but a fat child support check every month. He's not the fatherly type, Soph."

"
That’s not true! You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Towering over her godfather with fist clenched at her sides, Sophie looked on the verge of smashing Gabe's face or having a mental breakdown.

Ronnie came running with the children, with Sabrina at her hip, she hurried to where Sophie stood and looked between Gabe's calm expression the coil of tension that was Ellie's eldest daughter. "Gabe what's going on?" She really wanted to know why Sophie looked ready to leap and claw her husband's face off.

Gaze still anchoring Sophie's, Gabe spoke. "Just letting, Soph here know why it wouldn't be such a good idea to let Nicholas back into our lives."

Sophie shook her head fiercely. "You don't know him! You don't know why he left us!"

"Could it be that he got bored of playing house with you and your, Mom? Because that's what people like Nicholas Grayson do, Soph. Once you've served your purpose, you cease to matter to them. That's what he did ten years ago and that's what he'll do again if you let him back in your life. You Mom doesn't want to tell you the truth, but I know that you'll be better off hearing it from me, then getting your heart broken again when he leaves. And he is going to leave, Sophie, mark my words.”

"Gabe, that's enough." Ronnie warned, having heard quite enough from her tactless husband.

"She needs to know the truth."

"
It’s not your place to give it to her."

"I don't care what you say.
I know that he's a good person and no matter what anyone may think, he and my Mom belong together. I have faith in them. I have faith in him." Sophie walked away then and disappeared into the adjacent room.

"
Liam, Eric, Dylan, go to your room."

"Oh man!"
Liam whined, stamping his foot.

"Now!" The c
hildren made haste in vacating the premises. The tread of their feet could be heard overhead.

Ronnie took a moment to reign in her annoyance and anger before speaking. "Mind telling me what the hell that was all about?"

"Don't chastise me, Ron, I'm not a child."