Looking at Ty with so much hurt, sadness, and regret, Eden just sits catatonic as he looks back and gives her one last smile before filing out with Cassius.
"C'mon, Edee." Helping her up, her father leads her robotic body out to the car she was driven in. "Edee, you gotta snap out of it. I'm sorry honey, but this happened because you and Rome are beginning to play a dangerous game of tit for tat. I know you never give up, but for Cai's sake please stop. This clearly has gotten out of hand between you two. And I am so sorry, I had no idea that you left because Rome stepped out on you. But baby this is getting out of control. Hell Ty is being moved from the only pack he's ever known to a new pack overseas. You guys have to stop, for Cairo's sake."
Nodding somberly, Eden stares blankly at her father. As Bently kisses her forehead, he closes her door. Feeling absolutely numb, Eden agrees with her father.
She is stopping this with Rome. All of it. As she rides back to the main pack house, Eden makes imperative phone calls. Finally arriving, Eden puts her plans into motion.
"Mr.Gary please give me ten minutes."
"Of course, Luna."
And with that, Eden finds Cairo in his nursery with Lily.
"Mami are you positivo?"
"It's the only way to make this liveable. You'll see us everyday." Kissing Lily, Eden takes a sleepy little Cairo and heads back downstairs.
Just as Eden closes the car door, Rome drives into the driveway. Not sparing him another glance, Eden gives Mr.Gary the address. Realizing, Eden has Cairo with her and isn't getting out the car, Rome calls her incessantly. Turning her phone off, Eden closes her eyes while they drive.
"We're here, Ms.Eden."
"Thank you, Mr.Gary. C'mon man let's go home."
Whispering to a sleeping Cairo, Eden takes the elevator to their new penthouse apartment. Walking around the fabulous space it's exactly what she needs. A fresh start without Rome, all his nonsense, or bad memories. Placing Cairo in his new crib, she smiles and kisses him. Going to shower, Eden revels in the peace of her own space, the silence, and the soothing aura.
Keeping her phone turned off, she crawls into her brand new never-been tainted enormous bed and falls asleep for the rest of the night. Waking up to the sweet sound of Cairo babbling in his crib, Eden wakes up and starts their day. Mindlinking Lily, she lets her know that they are ok and will see her in a couple of days. Letting Eden know that Rome is on the warpath trying to find her, Eden decides to just stay holed away for the next couple of days.
Just to refresh her mind and restore her inner peace. As the two days fly by in a blissful, peaceful blur, Eden couldn't be more thankful for her new safe haven. Away from Rome Haven. After getting herself and Cairo dressed and ready for the day, Eden makes their way back to the pack house. Walking to where she smells Rome's scent the strongest she heads to his office. Knocking, she waits for an answer.
"Whoever you are go the fuck away!"
Rolling her eyes at his tantrum, Eden pushes open the door.
"What the fuck?!" Yelling before he turns around, Rome is livid that the mystery person didn't listen.
Seeing Eden and Cairo, he rushes over to her and takes the baby out of her arms.
"Hey man! God I missed you so much." Kissing all over his little face, Cairo giggles and pulls Rome's beard. "What is wrong with you?! Why would you take him from me?! I swear to God you can be such a bit-!"
"Finish it and I will claw you." Nonchalantly looking at her transforming fingers, Eden looks up at Rome in a challenging manner. "Now, I will keep this short and sweet. I can't stand you. You have tried to single handedly ruin my life at every turn. I love my son with every fiber of my being, so I will keep the promise I made to the both of you. I will never take him from you. But that doesn't mean living under the same roof. I have moved out, which means he has moved out. We still live in RiverRun, but not in your house. We will exchange him through our family. There is no need for us to have any more dealings. You showed me three days ago you truly have no regard for me whatsoever. You have never loved me and at this point Rome, I don't know if you ever even liked me. So we don't have to play these games anymore."
"Are you serious right now? There is no way I'm agreeing to this bullshit!"
"I don't need your permission. Lily or Israel are gonna meet me to bring him to me in two days. He has enough food and milk."
"Eden." He growls at her warningly.
"No Rome, that hearing was it for me. Cause the thing is I may not have said it outright, but I was trying. I was trying and I actually really was happy with you. I think I was actually starting to love you. And not because we were forced together, but because I wanted to. The love was forming...organically."
Standing up, Eden walks out of his office. Although she did not fully confess the true magnitude of her love for him, it still felt good to finally lift part of that heavy burden of what she perceived as a one-sided love off of her shoulders.
Absolutely stunned by her declaration, Rome doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know if he should chase after her or give her space. For the first time in his life, Rome is stunned into pure paralyzing silence.
"What?"
Finally able to speak, that is the only thing he can think to ask his now empty office.
"She fuckin waits til now to tell me she loved me?!"
Literally in shock, he just stands there holding Cairo. He feels like he's being pranked or tested right now. Why would she choose the moment that she tells him she is unequivocally done and moved out to tell him that she loved him? Feeling like his head is spinning, Rome numbly walks to his chair to sit down before he passes out.
"I. I have to talk to her."
Calling her nonstop, he realizes that she either has turned her phone off or has somehow blocked his calls since they no longer are going through. Jumping up, he goes dashing through the house with Cairo in his arms. Banging on Israel's door, he's tempted to kick it in since it's taking his brother so long to answer it.
"ISRAEL?!"
"GO AWAY, ROME!"
Hearing Israel answer, highly out of breath, Rome puts two and two together.
"I need your phone!"
"Go the fuck away!"
"Give me you gotdamn phone before I kick ya door in!"
Looking at a panting and sweat glistened Lily, Israel kisses her as she giggles.
"Just give it to him. You know he's not gonna stop." Whispering, she kisses his nose.
"I fuckin hate him!" Ripping the covers off of himself, Israel trudges to the door and rips it open, completely disregarding his naked body. "Here!" Shoving his phone at his brother he slams his door.
"Your dick is small!"
"Fuck you, Rome!"
Laughing, Rome runs back to his office.
"Ok little man we gotta figure some stuff out with mommy."
Calling Eden, he waits.
"Hey Issy, is Cai ok?"
"Ede-."
"Oh hell no, Rome! Don't call me, at all!"
Hanging up angrily, Eden huffs and turns her phone off. She decides she'll link Lily to let her know that if anyone at the main house needs her for Cairo, to just have Lily mindlink her instead. She refuses to give Rome any way for a means of contacting her. Not after what he pulled with the hearing.
With many failed attempts to get in contact with Eden all weekend, Rome watches as Lily gets Cairo ready to go back home.
"Look I know she's not speaking to me, but can you just give me her add-?"
"No, Rome. What are you thinking?! I would never! Nunca, nunca, nunca! Edee trusts me I would never betray her like that. And all I know is that if you are even thinking of having a tracker follow me....don't. You do that and psshhh, ha terminado para tu y ella."
"What?! I don't understand that, Lily."
Huffing in exasperation, Rome knows Eden is the only one who fully understands Lily's Spanglish.
"I said if you follow us, it's done for you and her. Eden will never forgive any shit like that."
"How does she want me to be able to co-parent and she's hiding?!"
"Rome, she's not hiding! She is finally being left alone. And it's in your best interest to leave her alone. If, and it is a huge if, she wants you to know where they live she will tell you where they live. But until then just try and give her some space. She deserves it, don't you think?"
Listening to Lily, Rome understands, but with the declaration that Eden made about loving him he refuses to let a significant amount of time pass before she no longer feels that way. But listening to Lily, Rome completely falls back and lets the pieces fall where they may. Even though he knows it may take weeks or months.
"Shiiiiit! Ugh today is not my day!"
Groaning, Eden looks at the countless texts from her support system of how they can't take Cairo for her so last minute. And then she keeps scrolling through the texts of just how imperative it is that she gets to the construction site to try and see how the foundation was mistakenly built over a fault line.
This huge oversight of the concerte team has now set the build back an additional month, especially since there was a heavy rain and the mud shifted. Which in turn broke the already laid slab.
Cursing up a storm, Eden has only one option. The last option she truly wanted to use, none other than wonderful Rome Haven. And being that she hasn't seen him in a month and a half, she really isn't looking forward to contacting him for anything.
Pacing back and forth, Eden reaches out to the construction team to see if she can do it any other day, but today. Finally reaching the foreman, he is adamant that she comes to the site to figure out what to do. Sucking up her frustration, she unblocks Rome's number and calls him.
"Uhh, hello?" Confused as to why her number is calling him, Rome answers hesitantly.
"Rome?"
"Yeah, what's good?"
"Umm normally I wouldn't ask so short notice and I'm sorry to inconvenience yo-."
"E, if it's about Cai it's never an inconvenience. What's up?"
Hearing him say that absolutely makes her smile. To know he truly will drop everything to be with their son, shows her just how much he loves him.
"I absolutely have to go to a construction site, but I have no one to watch him. And it's beginning to rain again, so I don't feel comfortable taking him."
"You wanna drop him off with me?"
"I'm like two hours behind, can you just come to my house and watch him, please?"
Hearing the desperation in her voice he knows she's really in a bind.
"You don't wanna meet somewhere?"
"I would, but I don't have the time. I just need to go as soon as you get here. Please?"
"Yeah, just text me the addy and I'll be there as soon as possible."
"Thank you soooo much! You can bring Brooklyn too and when I get back I'll keep the two of them."
"O-. Ok, cool. I'll be there shortly."
As he hears her include Brooklyn, his heart beats a special rhythm realizing she truly accepts and loves his daughter as if she is her own.
Getting dressed, Eden rushes around packing her equipment as well as the new blueprints of the city that show the fault lines and water pipelines, to ensure she avoids this mishap again. After about 20 minutes her penthouse doorbell rings, signaling Rome has arrived. Pulling the door open, Eden's waist is engulfed.
"MY EDEEEEEE! I misses you at home! Now I only sees you sometimes, it feels like too-ever that I sees you!" Pouting Brooklyn, stares at her.
"I know, mama but guess what?!"
Crouching down, Eden smiles at her and is absolutely captivated by Brooklyn's aqua colored doll-like orbs and stunning smile.
"What, Edee?!"
"You're staying the weekend with me and Bubbie!"
"Oh my goshness! YAYAY! DADDY I STAYIN WITHS EDEE AND BUBBIE!"
"I know Brookie, but right now Edee has to go to work so let's let her go."
"Ok, I sees you in a lil bits. I love you soooos much, my Edee!"
"And I loooooovvvveeee you, my Brookie!" Kissing all over Brooklyn's face, Eden listens to her giggle. "He is asleep in his room. The door has a huge C on it. He's changed and fed. And the video monitor is set up by the couch. Anything you need or want help or food the concierge can hel-."
"Eden, go! I'm good, I'll figure it out!"
Laughing, Rome steps aside to let her through. Smiling, she looks up at him and he is unbelievably handsome. Just casually dressed in a black tracksuit, his muscular physique looks phenomenal.
"Thank you!" Giving her thanks, something just washes over her.
Whether it's his cologne, his pheromones, her hormones, or possibly a combination of all three, she just wants to feel his body against her's. Stepping to her tiptoes with her hands pressed against his warm chest, she presses her lips to his and kisses him quickly and fully. Even more fully than she originally intended, but when he immediately becomes receptive she keeps deepening the liplock.
"Thank you."
Smiling shyly, she sucks her bottom lip into her mouth as she waves and scurries off.
Licking his mouth to savour the taste of her lips, Rome stands there smiling stupidly to himself.
"Ooohhhh! You and Edee did kisses!" Singing gleefully, Brooklyn runs to the kitchen to find some snacks and make herself more at home.
____________________
Don't judge my girl life happens!
Thoughts?🐺
💗A.J