"Mom, where are you going?" Kathleen asked her mother after she had hugged the latter’s legs, seeing them come out from the adjoining room where her great-grandmother lay recovering.
"To get lunch," Athena replied simply, ruffling her daughter’s hair fondly.
"Do you want something too, Katie?" Ewan’s smile excited the little one, who nodded enthusiastically and listed off the things she wanted, to the amusement of the few people in the room.
Jessica, laughing, shook her head. "I think she’s ready for her dose of sugar for the day." Check latest chapters at N()velFire.net
But Athena didn’t think so. She believed that Ewan was spoiling her children by catering to their every whim and want. He should be–
"You’ll want some apples too, right?" Ewan had crouched low, winking at his daughter, who bobbled her head while Athena watched, barely restraining her exasperation with the both of them.
And when Nathaniel crossed the distance between them, as if wanting to list off his own wants, Athena knew that whatever existing barricade her children had mounted against falling for Ewan had been successfully dismantled by the latter.
"I want oranges too," the carbon copy of Ewan muttered, looking up at Ewan flashed his teeth, thoroughly pleased.
"Consider it done, buddy."
"You’re not really going to buy all that they asked of you, right?" Athena asked Ewan as they got into one of the cars that would take them to a nearby restaurant.
Ewan chuckled softly. "Not at all, just enough. The rest will be kept in my brain archive should I want to treat them. Still..."
He turned to look at her as the car pulled away from the park, followed by two other cars, Connor remaining with the family at the hospital. "What do you think I should get for them? You know better."
As it should be. A smile tugged at her lips at the thought, but she wouldn’t let it slip free.
"I’ll let you know when we get there."
At the restaurant, Athena refused to sit and eat, choosing to get it on the go. "Every time counts... I can eat while working..."
Ewan was sure that this wasn’t what Old Mr. Thorne meant when he asked that his granddaughter be taken to lunch, but he let Athena have her way, seeing as she was hell-bent on carrying the food back to the lab.
"So, give me details about your old boss... you can keep the location still."
Ewan obeyed, speaking in soft tones, not audible to anyone not between them, as they went about buying what they wanted in the restaurant—intentional about keeping John’s confession off his tongue, including the fact that Cedric’s family had been behind the murder.
"Really lucky," Athena muttered, stepping out of the fruit shop just opposite the restaurant—they had taken a stop there to get fruits for the children. She, however, couldn’t wrap her mind around Ella’s first interest in a crime lord.
How did that happen? Ewan hadn’t included that much in his story.
"So that’s really all?" she questioned, stepping into the car.
Ewan shrugged in response, making her frown just a little.
"Ewan..." she drawled.
She had noticed his quick response to the same question in the hospital and wondered what he was keeping from her. She was sure she was right when he licked his lower lip and wouldn’t meet her gaze, choosing instead to face forward.
"I’ll tell you when the time is right."
What gobshit is that? Athena cocked a defiant brow. "Why?"
Ewan sighed. "I trust you, Athena, no matter whatever postulation you make. I’m asking that you do the same. I don’t want to lie to you."
Athena was hit with déjà vu. Wasn’t this what she had told Antonio nights ago? To trust her, despite keeping him in the dark?
She checked herself. As much as she was excited to know this thing that had Ewan in knots, she trusted him to keep his word—and that, really, was enough.
"If you say so, then." A pause. "How do we deal with the gang then? How do we move forward with them? I’m sure they have more than one branch in this city, and across the country too."
Ewan tapped his knee once. "I think Kael will make our work easier. He’s been making crazy moves recently—not so unlike him though. He even sent me a message this morning after I escaped his ambush. He wants his father’s location... he also talked about a second gift if I didn’t cooperate..."
Athena’s brows reached her hairline. "Since..." she licked her lower lip, mind wheels running. "Since there’s a low possibility of him knowing about the new cure, it has to be something else... if it’s more injured patients, then I think we can tackle that..."
"Or it’s something else... nothing comes to mind though. All that has, has been taken care of. Companies are secured. And I’m sure you’ve taken the same precautions for yours..."
Athena nodded slowly.
"Have you considered merging your companies though? Heard they’re all under different names... I think you can merge them with the Thornes’, since they specialize in different things. Ethna can remain the managing director..."
Athena’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t ask Ewan how he knew about these things. He must have done his research.
"I have thought about it, and have told my grandfather too... you both share the same opinion." A pause. "I will speak with Aiden on the matter. Ethan too. And the others. But that’s until later though... we have our hands full with Kael."
Another significant pause. "I don’t think I can relax until the gang is taken care of at least, as we did for Morgan."
Ewan rested his hand on hers before he could help it. "Leave it to me, and rest, Athena. I will work with the others to abolish the menace. You just focus on your job. Promise me that you’ll do that. I believe our children will want that too."
Athena’s cheeks colored at the emphasis her mind made on our, as if they were a couple—still married.
"I promise," she said softly, looking out the window, her reflection merging faintly with his in the glass.