Chapter Seventy-six Evan Sterling's POV (Present Time)

"Don't worry. We are almost home," she said in a shaky voice. I reached for the hand she placed on the gear, interlaced my fingers with hers and lifted it to my lips, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand, I heard her release a shaky breath. I leaned closer to her and pressed a kiss to her temple and felt her shoulder shake as she continued to cry quietly.
Soon enough we got to an estate with buildings of similar structures like a suburbia layout, but I knew we were still in New York. Her house was the second to the last by the right, and she drove through an automated gate and parked inside a wide garage. I could see two other cars parked and covered in the expansive space. From the corner of my eye, I saw the garage door lowering locking us in.
I pushed the door open and helped to carry the boys inside the house through an adjoining door to the side wall. The house was dimly lit and she put on more light fixtures, leading me up a flight of stairs.
I followed her down a wide corridor to a room at the left end of it. The first thing I noticed was the double bed for the boys, placed on opposite sides of the wall. I helped tucked Rolland in the bed with his initial on the bedboard and smiled to myself when I recalled his facial expressions when I called him the trouble maker.
Pressing a kiss to his forehead, I joined Estera on Adrian's side of the room. Before she tucked him in I carried him and held him to my chest sitting on the side of the bed. I shut my eyes, rocking back and forth. The gnawing pain inside me was profound. I felt Estera wrap her arms around my shoulders and she pressed a kiss to my temple.
"Evan…" she whispered my name in a voice filled with emotions and I turned my face in her direction, with my eyes still closed, she peppered kisses all over my face. I could not hold back the tears. I was finally reunited with my family. I was home. And this time, I will fight to the death to keep them in my life
I placed Adrian in bed but didn’t make any move to get up or withdraw from Estera. Her arms were wrapped around my neck now and I just sat there watching the boys sleep.
Estera kissed the side of my lips and I felt her release a shaky breath, right before she cupped my chin and pressed her lips to mine. I parted my lips for her, letting her take the reins. She kissed me with a fiery need that got my blood rushing in my veins to my groins as she ran her fingers through my hair, holding my head. She repeatedly whispered my name. When she let me go, I opened my eyes and saw her face was stained with tears, and her eyes were red from crying. I touched my hand to her face and whispered, "It's going to be alright."
I got up and placed an arm over her shoulder, as she wrapped an arm around my waist, and together we left the room, going back down the stairs to the living room. She offered me coffee. I asked for liquor.
"I have red wine?"
"Okay," I said, and she left. I used the opportunity to assess the open-floor living room. It was a high ceiling and was nicely decorated. The boys’ pictures were positioned on the mantle and I was mighty glad that Foster was not in any of them. I swore that would have been the last straw.
A set of traditional, light-grey chesterfield sofas with button tufting and leather upholstery were neatly arranged opposite the fireplace and just against the side wall with an area rug at the center of the room. A crystal prism chandelier hung over it from the white coffered ceiling and everything was pristine. A recessed wall niche at a side corner caught my attention, I was already smiling before I got to it because I knew what I would find. I chuckled when I saw a very comfy sofa bed with lots of throw pillows, right at the center of two bookshelves framing the space. A French window was at the center of the shelves overlooking a colorful flower garden.
Estera came to stand beside me, offering me a cup of wine, I turned and craned my neck to look at her with an arched eyebrow.
“Could you be more predictable?” I said. She gave me a warm smile. It was evident in her eyes that there was something weighing heavily on her and I was about to ask her to finish her story about the Dallas’ when I heard a car engine. I walked to the front door and peered through the peephole at the newcomer. A big, metallic grey, Ford Jeep came to a halt right in the driveway. I clenched my jaw when Foster exited the driver’s side. “I don’t want him here—” I mumbled.
“Please, Evan—” Estera said, coming to stand behind me, she wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing her face against my back. When I turned around to face her, she gave me a pleading look.
“He is my friend,” she said.
“Yeah, a friend indeed,” I replied, giving her room to withdraw from me before I pulled the door open. And then I caught him bringing out a key. ‘You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!’ I fumed quietly.
“Hey,” he said.
“Come in, Cole. I just brewed fresh coffee, I will go make a cup for you,” Estera said, expecting me to leave the doorway so the fucker could come in. But I stood there giving him a pointed look.
“Evan, please—” Estera said. I turned and walk back to sit on one of the chairs.
“Are you okay?” I heard him ask but didn't hear Estera reply. And then he asked, “Are the boys asleep?”
“Yes,” Estera said.
I directed my attention to the picture of my children on the mantle, thinking of how much of their lives I have missed and how many times Foster had stood in my place. The thought brought a bad taste to my mouth. A deep frown furrowed my eyebrows. But I knew neither Foster nor Estera was to blame for that. My own family were responsible for those time lost, and I wasn’t planning on letting them make me miss a minute of their lives again -- never again. When I directed my gaze to the sofa opposite mine, I saw that Foster was sitting there now, silently assessing me. I was tempted to use the take a picture line but I figured that would be childish. I want this guy out of our lives, but I had to respect Estera’s wishes. Estera came to give Foster the cup of coffee she made and I watched as he gave her a warm smile as he accepted it. He must have felt me watching him because he darted a glance at me.
"I'm sorry, Cole, for what I'm about to drag you into, but I know you would not forgive me if I went to the police, and have you find out from someone else…" Estera said and I directed my eyes to her.
"Police?” I repeated and stood up, placing the glass cup on the side stool. “Just what is going on, Roberts?" Foster asked, sounding
concerned.
"Let's hear it, babe," I said. She sighed.