Family Business

Chapter 56.

Chapter 56.

~Draven POV~ April 2038

I called Ana and sigh deeply as one of the twin sisters answers once again, "Is she around? Can I talk to her?" I ask quietly. "Please, Karina or Nat." They were 15 by now and had been in full protection mode over their eldest, pregnant, sister.

"It's Nat and she doesn't want to talk to you," She says, her voice tight.

"Please!" I cried, "Just- put me on speaker or something..." There was a long drawn out pause and I sigh deeply, "Am I already on speaker, Nat?"

"Yes," She admits.

"Is she there?" I press, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. She reminds me a lot of when Aria was a teenager.

"Yes."

I bit my lip and then just spoke as if Natalia was not on the phone call, "Ana, please. I'm sorry that I hurt you and we argued. Please let me come see you. I love you and I miss you." The silence stretched for a long time and I felt frustration rise up in me. "Are you there?"

"I'm here, Draven," She says softly.

My heart leapt at the sound of her voice, "Please, amor," I whispered. "I need to see you. Be with you, you're nearly into your third trimester."

"You read the books?" She asks, sounding surprised. "I did not think you had time with... everything going on."

"This is our future, Ana, of course I read them," I said, looking over at the stack of half-read books. I skimmed a few and then got called away for business. "Please let me come visit." A servant comes over and hands me the mail. I push through it while I wait for Ana to answer me, picking up an envelope with Aria's handwriting. I frown, holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I open it.

"Fine, Draven, come visit," Ana says softly. I read the letter and the phone fell from my ear as I stared at the words. Beck has passed away. My one and only true friend was gone. "Draven? Are you there, amor?"

I scrambled to pick up the phone, tears stinging my eyes. "I'll be there soon," I said, my voice thick. I hung up and read the letter, my vision blurring. Hot tears ran down my cheeks and I silently cursed Beck for always being such a good man; he was always first to volunteer for missions, no matter how dangerous they were.

Ryker comes in and stops as he sees me. I quickly pulled my pocket square from my breast pocket and turned away, drying my eyes. "Is it Aria?" He asks, walking over.

I shook my head, handing him the letter as I furiously rubbed the pocket square under my eyes. "Look," I said, barely managing the word.

He read the letter and sighs deeply, patting my shoulder until I calmed down. "I'm sorry, Drey," He says softly.

"He was a good guy," I murmur, taking a big breath. "I have to go to Ana's now."

"You going to be ok?" Ryker asks.

I shrug, tossing my pocket square into the hamper. "I have to be."

~Aria POV~

I sat down for dinner after getting Sierra settled. I found paper and a pencil, letting her draw while we are at our meeting today. "Mommy, can I have food?" She asks, looking up at me with wide eyes.

"Shh, honey. We're at someone else's house," I said, smoothing her hair with my hand. "The food will be out soon." She sighs dramatically and returns to her coloring. I look over at Sebastian, biting my lip nervously. After the confrontation yesterday with Caine, we got into a huge argument about him not defending me enough in front of the Council. From Caine. It was unfair because he was knocked out for most of the time but I was on edge after it happened, taking it out on him. We both apologize after, promising one another to put each other first should a similar situation ever arise. Now, we are at Bruce's house to discuss the future of the Council. I feel anxious about actually becoming a member of the Council.