Chapter Seventy-two

Bram took Rose and handed her to Izabella, “Scarlet,” He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side. “Everything on that table is safe, right?”

“Of course!” She crossed her arms, starting to look offended but the look Bram shot her stopped her in her tracks. “Oh, well… that was a long time ago.” She looked away. “I promise, I swear on my own life and your father’s; I have absolutely no desire to harm my grandchildren or you and your wife. I want you to come back. You made your point. We need you far more than you need us. But I want my family. Please, Bram. We weren’t the best parents, and you were an impossible child, but now that all of it is behind us, we can finally be happy. Especially going this route. Adoptive kids, that was just brilliant.”

“Just make sure they stay safe.” He growled at her. “Because I swear, yours and father’s life do depend on it.” With that, Bram turned on his heals and went to his seat at the table. As he sat next to Izabella, he put his chin in his hand. “What did you get?”

“Oh, it’s so pretty. I want to change and do my hair and show you after that though. Is that okay?” She looked at him.

“Sure. If that’s what you would prefer.” He smiled, piling food onto his plate. His stomach was turning at the thought of eating here, but he wanted to believe his mother wouldn’t have come for his children and Izabella if she had meant to just kill them.

Rose appeared at their side, “Mama, I need help.”

She looked at her food longingly for a moment before standing up and taking Rose’s hand, “Okay, let me help then.”

“Sit down, love. Come here, Rose.” Bram smiled at her and held open his arms. He walked to her plate, which was filled with a bunch of food. Izabella stayed put, taking a large bite. “Show me, what on the table do you want?” She pointed to the tray of cinnamon rolls. “That one, right there?” Rose nodded. “Sarah, sweetheart, could you put that roll on a plate and hand it to me?”

“Of course, father.” Sarah laid her fork on her plate and wiped her hands on her napkin. Glancing at Izabella, Bram smiled. She was so prim and proper for a young girl that grew up the way she did. “Here you go, Rosey.” Izabella watched as she chewed her food, nodding, a laugh playing at her lips.

Bram took it, smiling down at her. “Thank you, princess.” The smile she gave was brilliant and he leaned over, kissing the top of her head.

“You’re welcome, daddy.” Her golden curls bounced as she turned back to her breakfast.

Sitting back down, Bram placed Rose on his knee, continuing to eat his food at the same time. She took one bite of the roll and nearly melted on his lap. “With all that bread, this is enough for her, right?” He turned to Izabella.

“We’ll need snacks, but yes, that’s enough. She’ll likely leave most of it, which we can store and feed her tomorrow too.” Nodding, he sat back and watched his family eat happily. When Gabe reached for a particular dish, Bram snatched it away first, startling everyone at the table.

“Sorry. Not these.” They were fruit tartes. Once upon a time, they had been his favorite too. He couldn’t look at them anymore now.

“What? Why?” Gabe complained, but as Izabella shook her head gently, taking Rose from Bram, he nodded. “Okay, sorry.”

Bram disappeared into another room, then came back a moment later. “Old tragedies stay with you.” When those ice blue eyes landed on Scarlet, she froze in place. Her food halfway to her mouth. “That wasn’t your fault, Gabe. Don’t ever let me see them on your table again, Scarlet. Do you understand me?”

“I-I… yes. I understand, son.” Her shoulders sagged. “They were your favorite.”

“No. I hate them.” Was his only response as he sat back down, offering to take Rose. When the little girl shook her head, he sat back feeling even more frustrated.

Devon leaned forward. “Dad, I’m done. Can I go upstairs back to our apartment and change? I want to call Uncle Tyler too.”

Bram couldn’t have gotten a better way out. When he looked at Izabella, she smiled, nodding. He looked directly at Scarlet. “You swear?”

“On my life.”

“Oh, on your everything.” Bram got up, walking to stand behind her. Then leaned over to whisper in her ear. There were three others in the room staring at their plates, and one who couldn’t look away. “I’m not the child that left. You hurt a hair on any of their heads, and I will burn you and hunt down every memory left over. The council doesn’t fear me for nothing. I believe you already knew that, but I wanted to make sure you remembered.” When he tapped the back of her chair, she jumped. “I’ll be back when Devon is finished.” He said, looking at Izabella.

“Okay, if I finish first, I’ll head to you.” She nodded, sighing as the door closed behind him. Looking over at Bram’s trembling mother, Izabella cocked her head. Standing up, she brought Rose to sit in her lap and took Devon’s abandoned seat. “Scarlet, I don’t know what happened back then, but it sounds terrifying. I couldn’t think of what I would do to someone who hurt my child in such a way.”

Rose put her cinnamon roll down and Izabella washed her hands. Gabe put down his fork. “I think I’m finished. Jen?”

“Me too.” All the other children put down their utensils. She wasn’t sure if Gabe and Jen caught on to what Bram was talking about or not, but clearly it startled them enough that they no longer wanted to be in this room. Just like Bram and Devon.

“Let’s take a walk outside in the sunshine really quick. It’ll feel good to get some fresh air.” She smiled, remembering there was a garden they could stop at on the way back. This was only meant to give Bram a little time to conduct whatever business was needed with Gavin and Tyler. As Izabella opened the door to the garden, the youngsters all laughed loudly, running outside. They were almost immediately playing hide-and-seek. Rose wiggled in her arms, wanting down too. Izabella perched herself on a wooden swing in the center of the garden where she could watch over the children as they played. The most dangerous person to them here couldn’t come out here during the day, and that made Izabella feel a little better knowing that. Jen sat next to her while Gabe chased the kids around, keeping an eye on Rose especially.

“What happened back there, Izzy?” Jen asked, not taking her eyes from the other kids.

Izabella sighed, picking crumbs from her shirt. “I’m not entirely sure. I can only read between the lines. But what I do know is that Scarlet, her husband, and that other woman spent years trying to get rid of Bram. He even questioned the guy who came to tell us breakfast was ready, asking what Scarlet made. Whatever he heard during that question had already put him on edge. When he reacted to those tarts, I connected it with the presumed trauma that Scarlet likely tried to poison Bram with them when he was much younger. I have a feeling that it nearly worked.”

“Aren’t you afraid that you threatened a witch? Someone who could almost kill him is terrifying Izzy.” Jen looked at her, worry in her eyes. Gabe was close enough to hear, and kept looking over at them, but chose not to interrupt. “Why are we staying here if it’s so dangerous?”

Izabella sighed, putting her arm around the girl’s slim shoulders. “I believe he thinks anywhere is dangerous right now. We were nearly attacked in his home, and I think that made him ask questions he wasn’t ready to ask. I also think it proves that there are those he had trusted which turned their backs on him, and he’s not sure who those are. Which means the city isn’t safe. What’s more, I think we’ve caught the eye of some even more dangerous people too. I think he’s going to stay here, because he knows his parents and that woman are dangerous. But if they’re sincere about wanting to help, they’re his best option right now.”

“Has he told you all of this?” Jen looked at her nervously.

“Not in so many words. But with everything he has told me, and what I know about our situation, I think it’s the mostly likely.” One of the children started crying across the garden and Izabella got up, going to them. It was Missy. She’d tripped while playing and was now holding her knee, crying. Izabella pulled her into her arms and went back toward the swing. By the time she got there, Bram was standing next to Gabe, watching her.

“Oh, no. What happened?” Bram asked, taking Missy from her and holding her close.

“She twisted her ankle playing with the other kids.” Izabella said, patting her back. “Poor thing.”

“I-it h-hurts, d-d-daddy.” Bram hugged the girl close while Izabella bent over her foot, trying to see how bad it was.

“I’m sorry, baby.” He rubbed her back, “But you know what?” The girl looked up at him, wiping the tears from her face with her arm. “You have a beautiful voice.” The girl started sobbing again, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. “Missy, dear, are you ready to get ready for our adventure outside?”

She nodded against his shoulder, and he called out to everyone. The children all came running, and he walked them all back to their rooms where they changed into the clothing Scarlet had bought them.