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I realize she hasn't been in the bedroom Marcus and I share and am chagrined at the oversight. "You want to sleep with us?" She nods. "Braeden is welcome as well." When she gives me a happy smile, I know it was the right thing to say, and finally, I feel like I've found my footing again. "As for Robert, it went as Rex relayed. Much simpler than I imagined it would be.”
"My father has well and truly lost his faculties. His goal of handing down his empire through his bloodline overrode any sense of sanity he had left. Even as he was being handcuffed and put in a transport vehicle, he still thought you were carrying my child, and it would be a way for him to start over and rebuild. The last I heard was him shouting obscenities as the door closed on him and he was taken away."
She looks at me askance, and I can only shrug. There is no rational explanation for him, and I'm glad he's gone for good now.
Marcus adds what little more that we know. "Rex and Emmett had to go in and give their reports on where we've been since they're still actively on the case, but it's much as Apollo said. I was surprised as well, but it worked out alright. And Brent was arrested for his part in it, but I think he'll be released as he was under duress. So now we figure out where we go from here.
Lark leans back against me, and we sit comfortably for a short while until Braeden has a question. "That's really it, then? We can go back to our lives?”
It's a thought I've been dreading, and I nod, unable to speak around the lump in my throat. “If that’s what you want--then yes.” Marcus makes a noise of dissent, and wide-eyed Lark turns to him.
“You don’t want me to get back to normal?” The incredulity is plain in her voice.
"You, yes. Your old life—no. You're stuck with us now, Solovey." He crosses his arms with a no-nonsense frown on his face.
"Oh, well, I can handle that." She shrugs and relaxes back against me. Surreptitiously, I release my tense muscles, not wanting to let on that I was concerned.
Despite her easy acceptance, Braeden lifts a hand, looking. "If I might interject?" He pauses, waiting for everyone's assent. "We need to figure out the living situation. I, for one, don't feel comfortable going back home."
Lark stiffens in my lap, appearing upset. "I love that house."
"I know, Birdie, but maybe we should consider renting it out and getting something bigger. Especially if we're going to have company on a regular basis. It's not feasible with two bedrooms."
Before they can start a discussion, I interject. "Why don't you wait until Rex and Emmett are back to figure it out? They may want to have their opinions on the subject heard." They both agree, and I suggest we retire for what's left of the night.
Lark
We all get settled in Apollo and Marcus' room, which I found to be done up tastefully in black and maroon. I didn't really care about the decor as I'm more tired than anything— the events of the day and evening catching up to me quickly, but the colors are actually soothing. After rooting around in Marcus' drawers, I find a t-shirt and don it before climbing into bed. The guys strip down to boxers and the t-shirts they already have on— in Marcus' case he goes without one.
Comfortably ensconced in the middle between Apollo and Brade, with Marcus behind Apollo, I drift off to sleep. All that's missing is Rex and Emmett.
