Chapter 22

Reece

After having finally left the lunch, I all but sigh solemnly, for while it had been a stressful event, not having Ella next to us was all but weighing heavily upon my heart, the need to have her constantly by my side was more than enough to keep me as well as my brothers on edge the entire time we were gone from her.

Fuck, this is going to kill us if she chooses to go off to dance school, I think silently to myself, my eyes now focused on the road as I move to drive us home, the need to check up on Ella a top priority for us.

“You're quiet suddenly, what’s on your mind?” asks Dylan, knowing something was definitely wrong with me.

Sighing, I try to think of what to say to him, knowing that if I didn’t say something to him soon then both he and Caleb would continue to probe me until I eventually spilled my guts. “It’s Ella” is all I manage to say hoping he would drop it.

“What about Ella?” asks Caleb, causing me to groan.

“You both fucking know why” I growl my hands gripping the wheel as I drove. “I’m afraid of what she’ll do if she attends dance, I’m afraid of losing our little sister” I admit to them openly, knowing that while in the car no one would be able to hear us except for each other.

Taking in their silence I hope it’s enough for them to leave me alone until we get home, only for it to backfire on me.

“We are too Reece, you're not the only one afraid of losing what belongs to us” admits Caleb finally voicing both his and Dylan’s thoughts as well.

Humming I know there both right, knowing that I wasn’t the only one who would be losing a precious piece from their life if Ella chose to leave for New York while granted Dylan and I both had companies stationed in New York as well as a massive penthouse that we could stay in during her time there in New York but like I had previously mentioned before I wanted Ella to decide for herself.

“I know, it’s just hard when that’s all I’ve been thinking about since we left the lunch” I say with a sigh, my eyes glancing back towards Caleb who happened to be sitting directly in the middle of the back seat so his eyes could focus on both Dylan and I as we spoke.

“If you know then trust her, Ella’s smart and I’m sure she’ll choose the right path, after all, if her kisses at the mall were any given indication that she wanted us right there and then, then I have not doubt in my mind that she’ll stay” remarks Caleb once again, as if suddenly over the who scenario from before with us not trusting him.

“Your mood’s changed, what happened to you” I move to ask, now curious of Caleb’s sudden change in behavior as does Dylan.

“Yeah, earlier you were all upset and mad that we didn’t trust you with the information about Ella and her acceptance letter to you now all chill and relaxed as if you magically know she’ll stay here with us” comments Dylan as he moves to look at his brother.

Smirking, Caleb moves to glance at each of his brothers, a sense of calmness washing over him as he did. “Of course I’m sure, Ella is the light of our lives, our reason for breathing and.. I don’t know about you but I plan to make sure Ella’s 18th Birthday goes off without a hitch”

FUCK! I mentally scolded myself, the birthday party, I had totally forgotten about that too. For during the funeral I did mention about waiting until Ella turned 18 and now with Caleb all but planning out Ella’s party I all but groan, being stupid for forgetting.

“Well then, since you're suddenly the expert in all this, what do you suppose we do for Ella’s birthday party?” asks Dylan, my eyes focused on the road ahead of me as I drove.

“I say we throw her the most awesomest party ever, a pool party, invite close friends and family and just have a blast” chimes Caleb almost excitedly for it.

Groaning, I know I have to stop that thought before it becomes a reality, “How about we skip the pool party and just have a small intimate party with close friends and family, I don’t think I’d want someone else eyeing what’s ours, especially in something like a 2 piece bathing suite.”

Blinking it all but takes a second before Caleb finally blinks again, realizing what I had just said before growling, knowing that I struck a nerve with him. “Yea, you're right, scratch the pool party, no one but us gets to see Ella in a 2 piece” mumbles Caleb, not one to share what rightfully belonged to us.

Chuckling, we move to secretly plan out a more suitable party for Ella, one in which it would be a bit more formal than others as we would also be introducing Ella as a legal adult too.

Crazy to think that in less than a month our dear sweet Ella will officially be 18, in which we can openly accept her as ours, I murmur to myself knowing these next couple of weeks would be hard as Ella had obviously made it clear that day at the mall that she wanted us, and if we caved too soon, then Ella wouldn’t be able to experience that special moment when we would give her the best night of her life.

Spotting the gates that led straight into the mansion I all but sigh, a sense of calm washing over us, knowing that in less than a few minutes we would be able to bask in the warmth of our Princess, the light of our lives as I begin the slow yet steady drive up towards the mansion.

5 minutes later…

Putting the car into park and turning off the engine, we all but moved to climb out, Grant’s vehicle already parked off to the side from having arrived before us as we each moved to climb the stairs that led us inside the mansion, maids and butlers all but moving to greet us as we entered.

“Welcome back Sirs, the Princess is currently upstairs if you're looking for her” replies one of the butlers as he bows slightly next to us.

“Did she eat?” I ask, knowing that was one of the explicit rules I had given to Grant when they left.

“Yes, she made sure to eat before retiring upstairs, she’s been up there ever since” was all I heard as I began to head up, the need to see her growing as Dylan and Caleb both move to follow me as well.

Approaching her room, I move to knock on her door, only to frown when I don’t hear a voice from within. Odd, I muse, moving to open her door only to freeze, her room completely empty as if she hadn’t even entered the room.

“ELLA?” I call out, moving to enter the room as Caleb and Dylan both do as well, both equally confused as to where she could be.

“Didn’t the butler say she was up here?” asks Caleb, his eyes scanning her now empty room.

“If she is she’s here, where the fuck did she go” growls Dylan in frustration, fear now rising in each of us.

“Find Grant, ask him if he’s seen her since their return” I order, forcing myself to turn and leave the now empty room, Dylan and Caleb both directly behind me before moving to find Grant and Hayden, my body still standing in front of her door.

Clenching my hands I’m about to begin searching rooms only to pause when I notice that the door leading directly into my room was slightly ajar.

“Why is my door open, I thought I had closed it” I whisper, moving to inspect the door only to pause when a faint rustling sound could be heard, drawing my attention to the inside of the room as I all but move to enter, only to pause.

For there, lying directly on top of my bed was none other than Ella, our little princess who all but held our hearts to her, now asleep, her arms wrapped around the big stuffed bear we had won her as a smile slowly made its way across my lips.

She’s here, was all I think as I move to relax, any tension I might have had now flowing from my body as I move to close my door carefully deciding to find Dylan and Caleb instead and to let them know that I had found her, asleep and within my room.