Love & Lost

C H A P T E R ❷❺

"I promise you sweetie, this time he is gone for good," my dad reaches over and hugs me tightly, before pulling away to smile slightly at me. He flew in with Everly and Milo right away when he heard the news of Kayden's arrest. Sadly, Luke decided to leave my mom, knowing he couldn't live with the mother of the person who put his son in jail. I never blamed Luke for siding with his son because that's his blood, but I do blame him for all of the mental pain he has put my mom through since the situation started.

"I missed you, Rosie," Milo, my 10-year-old half brother calls me by my middle name as he attaches his small figure to my side.

"You know it doesn't hurt to call once in a while," Everly, my stepmom, and mother of Milo, pulls me in as she smiles sweetly.

"I apologize for that. I hope you guys don't mind I invited mom to join us since she's been staying with Elena." I smile hopefully to my dad and he shakes his head.

"I'm sure we can stand each other for one meal," dad laughs and Everly hits him playfully on the shoulder. "Rick, be nice."

Dad had invited Soul and me to dinner in the city, which resulted in the whole gang coming along. We all took a seat at the large table, waiting for Oliver, Elena, Raelynn, and mom.

We had different conversations from how school was going with me to how Milo got a husky puppy. I'm surprised he finally convinced them to get another dog. Once everyone else arrived and we all greeted each other warmly, I saw the seat beside me was still vacant and I had a questionable look plastered on my face. "Are we missing someone?" I look over to my dad and he shrugs his shoulders.

"May I take this seat miss?" I hear forty's deep voice echo behind me as his hand brushes over my shoulder and he sits down next to me. I blush profoundly as I look over to see Everly and my dad checking out Forty. Everly definitely finds him attractive and I can tell with how her cheeks tint pink, but my dad starts shooting daggers at the man sitting beside me and I roll my eyes.

"This is my boyfriend, Forty," I take Forty's hand and look over to see him smiling at me with a look of admiration in his eyes.

"You must be the man who saved my daughter and Soul." My dad stood up from his seat and started walking towards our side of the table. Forty stands up as well, towering over my father. My dad puts out his hand and Forty shakes it firmly before y dad pulls him into some kind of man hug. Forty looks a little uncomfortable but once my dad releases him and stares deeply into his eyes I see Forty relax instantly.

"I just want to thank you personally for everything you have done for her," my dad speaks gently and looks as though he is about to cry.

"No problem sir," Forty nods at him and turns to me, "I would die trying to protect her." My heart flutters at his words and the look of desire in his eyes.

My dad nods to Forty before walking back to take his seat as does Forty, next to me. Soon after everyone falls into a normal conversation and I'm glad they are getting along well with Forty, but I still had a question that was yet answered.

"Sorry to interrupt but who invited Forty?" I questioned the table and everyone looked around each other until Elena spoke up, "well after the stunt Forty pulled I knew he was worthy enough to meet the rest of the family and once dad invited us all to dinner I asked him to save a seat for a special someone."

I look at her stunned, " that's out of character Lena." We all start laughing and go back to a comfortable dinner.

I feel Forty's hand lay on my thigh and I look up to see him talking to my dad about what Forty does for a living. Uh oh.