| 029 | Ruby |

Jumping over the make-up table, I passed my hands over my half braided hair, frustration taking over, mixed with anxiety and everything else.

"I worked hard these last 10 years to keep a low-profile, not to catch the eyes of your family or of my paternal family, and now... it's all going down the drain. By now, my son, who's active in social media even if not that much, probably knows who his father is, because Lloyd definitely saw his mum's post and the comments, and showed to him, and he definitely knows, after you talked to him in the phone, that you're here. And given how I'm not bloody lucky at all, Cole must be freaking the fuck out, learning that I had a son with you, that I and mum hid from everyone, and he and dad, probably, will come after me for answers, which I can't even blame them, given how I did hide everything."

Grabbing the make-up remover tissue, I cleaned the skin surrounding my mouth and my lips from the lipstick he messed up, then I took another one, grabbed him by his coat and made him stand between my legs, and when he understood what I wanted to do, he leaned into me, caging me, so, I held him by his chin and cleaned his lips that I tainted with my lipstick.

"If our involvement and our son are now public," he whispered close enough that I could feel his breath against my skin, "that means, you and Rhett could be in danger. That's more reason for you to move in with me, in our future villa, Ruby," he calmed closer, nuzzling his nose in mine, and I found myself heavy breathing again, his addicting scent drowning my nostrils.

"Rhyot," I gulped.

"Say yes to me," he brushed his lips on mine, making me close my eyes.

Dropping the make-up remover tissue, I held onto his coat, pressing my lips on his softly, and he kissed me back, hands going down to my thighs, pressing me against his body, deepening the kiss. But again, we were gracefully interrupted.

"Is my daughter alive, little ruffian?" My mum yelled at the door.

"Can I kill her?" He cursed under his breath, pressing his forehead in mine.

"No!" I gasped, pushing him away and jumping off the make-up table, then I walked out of the closet and to the bedroom, ignoring the soreness between my legs that's just gotten worse, unlocking the door and facing my mum. "Mum."

Her jaw dropped, "Oh, God, were you making out?" She grabbed my chin.

"We were doing way more than just making out," Rhyot growled, coming from the closet, with one of my handbags in hand, and the box of make-up remover tissues in hand. "But unfortunately, you interrupted us."

"Fortunately," I corrected, glaring at him. "Ignore him, mum."

She narrowed her eyes at me, "So, what have you two decided?"

"She will live with me in a big villa here in London, you're welcome to come to live with us, if you want. Klaus and Addie will too, and obviously, our son. And,"

"No, I will not," I snapped at him, grabbing the tissue from his hand and cleaning my mouth. "Is it off now?" I asked mum.

"Yes, she will," he snapped back, grabbing me by my chin and turning me to him, then he grabbed another tissue and cleaned where I couldn't see. "Now it's clean," putting the tissues aside, he handed me my lipstick.

I pushed him away from me, taking the lipstick, "Personal space, Rhyot."

"And, where will this villa be?" Mum asked.

"There will be no villa, we ain't moving in together," I snapped.

"Hm, I was thinking about Hampstead or Kensington, maybe Chelsea?" The audacious bastard told her, ignoring me.

And to my shock, mum did too, "I don't like Kensington, I like Chelsea, but I like Hampstead more, besides, Lloyd lives in Hampstead, it'll be good for Rhett to live close to his best friend. Especially when we're aiming to build a good relationship with Reids," mum grabbed the lipstick from my hand, held my chin with her left hand and began to pass it on my lips. "I want a big room on the second floor, a balcony with view to the garden, and a bar just for myself!"

"Mum," I groaned stressed, "that ain't happening, we ain't,"

"Deal," Rhyot purred, then he grabbed the lipstick from mum's hand and put on my handbag, then put my handbag across my body, and for the 1000th time, he took me in his arms like a damn bride. "You're welcome to help finding the perfect place, the biggest you can find, since you're more familiar with London."

Mum clapped her hands excitedly, "That sounds amazing."

I felt invisible as they descended the stairs, ignoring me, and when we got to the dinning room, there was a table with lots of food and Niklaus was already there, together with Adeline and a third person I hadn't met yet. Noticing my puzzled look, Rhyot decide to stop ghosting me and said, "That's Damien, he's my third in command, my left arm, and he's got a past with Addie."

"Damn, Princess, he got you so good you can't even walk, uh?" Nicklaus giggled and I glared at him, profoundly annoyed, more and more each time I see him. "You two were very noisy, like cats in heat, and,"

"Another word and I'll give you the Martens' treatment, eBay Kenji!" I hissed.

He gulped as Rhyot set me down and I went to my seat, "She's stressed."

"Then you didn't do a good job," Damien mocked and I couldn't help chuckling.

Niklaus' jaw dropped, "He's not funny. I'm funny, not him."

"You're a clown for sure, but I don't find them particularly funny."

Rhys and Damien gasped and he looked offended, "Excuse me?"

"So, you're a Crowther?" I asked instead.

"Yes, why? Surprised?"

"No. I just thought your father supposed to be east Asian!"

He gasped, "That's racist!"

"No, it's not," I grabbed the croissant and took a bite, starving.

"My mom is from a Japanese bloodline, Princess," he groaned.

"Hm," I tilted my head, chewing and he seemed annoyed by it.

"Did you use condoms? Or should I expect to be an uncle again?" His indecent comment made me choke on the croissant, making Rhyot and mum hush to help me out, and I suddenly felt sick, because fuck, we didn't. "That sounds like a no."

"Shut the fuck up, Klaus," Rhyot snapped at him. "Are you alright, love?"

"Love?" Mum's eyes widened in surprise. "Interesting."

When I felt alright again, I glared at Niklaus, "Are you this inconvenient in general or are you putting an effort on it?"

"When it comes to Rhys, yes, I am, Princess!" He grinned, provoking me.

"Are you in love with him or something?" I groaned.

"Why? Jealous already?" He purred.

I glared Rhyot, "I'm going to murder him, very soon."

"No, you won't," he chuckled, sitting at my side, sipping a lemonade.

"I'm not joking, Rhys, I'm going to snap and kill him."

"Nope, you won't," he picked a cream puff and took a bite. "Hm, I'm hungry."

"I wonder why," Niklaus scoffed. "You've been locked up there for more than a fucking day, probably breeding like animals. Noisy animals for the record."

"We were not breeding," I hissed through clenching teeth.

God, I hope not.

Rhys just laughed as if he found it amusing and sipped the lemonade again, and I glared at him, until he looked at me again, a mischievous smile on his lips, "What?" Is he fucking kidding me?

"I don't like that smile," I narrowed my eyes at him.

And his smile widened, "Why? I have a beautiful smile."

My phone rang on my handbag, saving him from this argument, and when I picked it up, I bit my bottom lip when I read my son's name in the screen. I picked it up right away, "Are you alright, love?"

"Mum," he beamed, "finally! I tried to talk to you, but a guy named Rhyot Crowther picked it up and told me you were bathing. Did you go on a date? Why was he there and with your phone? Who is him?"

I'm pretty sure I paled, "Uh... he... hm... he's... he's a friend from school," I bit my bottom lip and the said friend from school choked on his lemonade, knowing very damn well I gave him that label, since he was close enough to see who was calling me.