Having a Sunday night off had become a novelty lately. Since Roy went to stay with his sick sister, I’ve worked every Sunday night, but now that he’s back I get the next couple of Sundays off.
The sun is shining, the warmth seeping into my skin and turning it a light brown as I sit and nurse the bottle of water that I’m holding.
Both Seb and West tried to get me to drink a beer, but I politely declined. It’s not that I won’t drink, it’s more that I don’t want to drink.
Alcohol has never interested me, even when my peers at school were all gathering under the bleachers to have a sip of the latest bottle of vodka or whiskey that someone snuck into school. I saw the way it made them lose control: it made them become either a worse, a sad, or an angrier version of themselves. I didn’t want to be that way; I wanted to be the version of me that I was.
“Burgers are up,” West shouts, waving the tongs he’s holding in the air.
I chuckle, my eyes scanning the apron that he’s wearing: it’s a mixture of pink and purple with frills all around the edges, but he doesn’t care one iota.
I lift up out of my chair, smoothing down my summer dress and pushing my feet into my flip-flops.
“I’ll have one,” I say, coming to stand next to him.
He turns, flashing me a smile that I’m sure gets all of the girls to instantly combust, but it has no effect on me whatsoever. “Sauce?” He raises a brow, holding a bottle of ketchup in his hands.
“I don’t care what he says!” Seb thunders, causing my gaze to turn toward him where he’s pacing across the bottom of the backyard. “Get me the goddamn information!”
I widen my eyes and turn my head slowly back around to West who is still standing, clutching the bottle in his hands and waiting for my answer.
“Yeah.” I nod my head, holding my hand out for the burger as my eyes wander back over to Seb who is now kicking the plum tree.
“Motherfucking bastard!”
“Sebastian!” Livvy shouts. “Watch my plum tree… and your language.”
His head whips around, his eyes widening as if he’s only just realized where he is. “Sorry, Gran.”
She gives him a look that says, “You will be,” before turning back around to Mal and telling him all about the new club she’s joined.
Shaking my head, I turn back to West, still awaiting my burger. “You have to pay the toll,” he says, pointing to his cheek.
Rolling my eyes, I lift up onto my tiptoes and press my lips against the scruff that lines his jaw. Pulling the plate from his hand, I huff and then take a step toward Livvy, Mal, and Cal.
“You’re glowing,” Cal offers, picking up his glass and taking a long swallow. “I wonder what could have you looking like that?” He smirks knowingly.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I answer, sitting down and placing my plate on the glass table they’re all sitting around.
“Hmmm.” His gaze meets mine. “I’d say that our son has the same glow.”
I choke on the bite of burger that I took, coughing and spluttering before scanning each of their faces that are watching me intently. Mal and Cal haven’t mentioned the fact that we’re dating, or boyfriend and girlfriend—is that what we are now? I knew it was coming at some stage, after all, the traditional meet your parents after you’ve dated is a moot point because I knew them before I realized they were his dad and pop.
“I… I…” I have no idea what to say.
“Cal, don’t play her up, look at how embarrassed she is!” Mal shuffles closer, placing his arm around my shoulders and pulling me to him before whispering, “We’re happy that you’re both happy.”
I nod, not able to form any words before hearing my cell ping. My hand reaches down into the pocket of my dress and I pull it out, seeing Evan’s name pop up onto the screen.
Everything falls away when I see his name: the birds singing, the trees swaying gently to the slight breeze that fans over us all. All the people surrounding me disappear as I unlock the cell and bring up the app to read his message.
EVAN: Did you know, only 8% of the world’s currency is physical money, the rest only exists on computers?
I smile as I read it. I’ve had this cell for a week now, and every day he sends me a random fact, either about computers or clothes.
LEXI: I didn’t know that. But rest assured that if anyone asks me, I’ll be able to answer them correctly.
It takes me what feels like half an hour to text back yet his reply is mere seconds later.
EVAN: Good. I just wanted to part my awesome wisdom on someone. ;)
I snort out loud and then slap my hand over my mouth and nose before whipping my head up and seeing five pairs of eyes zoned in on me.
“I’m just… I’m…” I clear my throat, standing up and pushing the chair back. “I’m heading inside.”
No one says a word as I practically run inside and to my bedroom where I flop down on my bed and start typing him another message.
LEXI: Tell me a random fact about you.
I bite my bottom lip as my thumb hovers over the send button, but ultimately I decide to click it and then wait with bated breath for his reply.
EVAN: The scar on my arm? It’s from a dog bite.
LEXI: Ouch. Was it a family dog?
There’s no reply for several minutes and I worry that I may have asked too much. Although, asking if it was a family dog surely can’t be pushing too far, right?
EVAN: You could say that. It was the dog my birth mother had guard me when she locked me up.
My head reels back and my eyes widen as a gasp leaves my mouth. I read the message again, and again, and again. Not quite believing or understanding what he’s saying.
LEXI: I don’t understand? :(
EVAN: Forget I said anything.
My thumbs fly over the keyboard—fly is a relative word, it’s more of a dawdle—before another message comes through.
EVAN: Family meal is at six on Tuesday, I’ll pick you up at five thirty.
LEXI: Evan?
EVAN: Lex?
LEXI: You know you can talk to me, right?
Those three dots that signal he’s writing a reply flash on and off the screen for a couple of minutes while I sit here with my heart in my throat at the tidbit of information he gave me.
EVAN: I know. I gotta go. See you tomorrow. E x
* * *
I curse myself over and over again on the way to pick up Lexi. I don’t know why I said what I did yesterday; the words flew out of my fingers without me realizing until it was too late.
I knew that there was no way she could have known what I was saying, but that didn’t stop her from asking the innocent question of if it was a family dog. My scar tingles as I think about it; as I think about that day, the day that finally someone took notice.
I remember like it was yesterday. My birth mother wouldn’t take me to the hospital even though I’d been bleeding for three hours. She had sat there and laughed, tears streaming down her face, thinking it was funny that her guard dog had bit me because I wanted to escape to find something to eat. She said it was my own fault for being greedy.
I can still feel the hunger pangs in my stomach as I remember how starving I was: not that she cared.
Watching her until she finally fell asleep, her dog sprawled across her lap—that was when I looked down at my arm: at the fresh blood mixed in with the dried blood and the dirt that coated my skin.
My heart beats hard in my chest as I turn into Lexi’s road, the same way it did when I took a step toward the outside world. The sun beating down on my face, the bright rays warming my skin and blinding me for a second.
I couldn’t remember the last time I was allowed outside. Not even to go to school.
“Hey.” I startle at the sound of Lexi’s voice, not having realized I pulled up outside.
She leans over, planting a kiss on my lips and smiling gently at me.
“Hey,” I say back, tapping the palm of my hand against the steering wheel before I turn around and drive us toward the compound.
I let the music play over the speakers, my head still stuck on that day.
I walked for hours and hours until I finally found a hospital. I can remember the look on the nurse’s face when she saw me, the horror in her eyes as I innocently told her what happened. Up until then, I didn’t understand that what my birth mother was doing wasn’t normal behavior.
For years I felt guilty for telling on her: for getting her into trouble. My dreams would be scattered with memories of her laughing or crying, the dog as it barked and growled at me. All of that noise still consumes me now, the only thing that quiets it is immersing myself in computers and devices.
Too much noise… there’s always too much noise.
I pull into the compound, leaving the car running as I slam my hands over my ears and squeeze my eyes shut as the noise gets louder in my head, almost like I’m standing next to speakers at a concert as they blast out sound at decibels that could deafen you.
I just want it to stop.
“Evan?” I hear Lexi’s soft voice and feel her hand as it strokes my arm. “Evan?”
I shake my head, not willing to look at her as I try to take a deep breath, my chest rattling at the force. “I… I…”
I feel her come closer, the heat of her body seeping into my skin. “It’s okay… breathe… in and out.” I do as she says, my hands starting to shake before I slowly open my eyes, my gaze clashing with hers.
It doesn’t get past me that this is exactly what I was saying to her when she had a meltdown.
“She’d lock me in a room with no windows.” I laugh a humorless laugh. “Room is a vast overstatement.” I shake my head, my gaze wandering away from hers as I feel her hands capture mine. “She’d leave me in there for days. No food, no water… nothing.”
“Evan.” She gasps and when I look back into her eyes, I can see the sheen of tears that threaten to fall.
“I don’t want your pity,” I grind out, ripping my hands from hers and pushing out of my car.
The sound of her door opening and closing sounds around me as I lean against the side of the car, the gravel crunching as she walks closer before she stands directly in front of me.
“I’m not giving you pity,” she snaps.
I stare into her eyes, looking for the truth behind her words. I’ve never told anyone this and the thought of her knowing has me breaking out into a sweat. What if she looks at me differently?
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself enough but my voice still comes out shaky. “I was a kid… I didn’t know that it wasn’t normal to not be allowed outside and to be fed every day and not have to sneak around for one slice of bread.”
I look away, not able to see the heartbreak in her eyes.
“She’d get her dog to guard the room, making sure I didn’t come out while she had men over and ate all the food that she used to keep tightly locked up.” I clench my teeth together, the muscle in my jaw ticking. “I was so hungry that day, the pain was too much.”
I feel her come closer, her hands landing on my biceps, her fingers stroking softly. “The scar.”
“Yeah.” I nod my head, chancing a look at her as she lifts the sleeve of my t-shirt, her eyes landing on the jagged scar that runs down my bicep.
“She wouldn’t take me to the hospital, so I escaped when she was asleep.”
Her gaze flicks up to mine, understanding and… something else shining in their depths.
My stomach flip-flops as I stare at her. Dad and Pop know what is on the official report, but I’ve never told anyone, not with my own words.
How can someone have this effect on me? How can one person have me pouring my heart out without even prompting me?
There’s something about Lexi, something that feels right. We fit perfectly, like the bullet in the barrel of a gun. You can’t use one without the other, that’s exactly how I feel about us. I can’t be me without her, not the real me.
“That day people finally noticed what was going on in that house. When the neighbors were questioned, they swore they didn’t even know she had a son.”
A tear escapes her eye but she swipes it away angrily before pushing her shoulders back and lifting her hands to my face. Her fingers running through the scruff before she pulls me down toward her. “I love you.”
My eyes widen at those three words: three words that render me speechless, three words that mean every single thing to me.
I slam my lips down onto hers, swiping my tongue in her mouth, not asking or begging but taking. My chest heaves as I place my hands under her ass, lifting her and letting her wrap her legs around me.
Her hands hold onto either side of my neck as I spin around to the hood, letting her down and pushing her onto her back as I continue to pour everything I feel into one kiss.
“I love you, too,” I breathe out when I pull back, my eyes drifting over her swollen lips and up to her beautiful hazel eyes.
We stare at each other for several seconds before I lift her up and hold her against me not willing to let her go: the lifeline that I’ve been searching for all of these years.
“Thank you for telling me,” she whispers, her breath flowing over my neck.
I don’t answer her, instead I pull her closer, telling her without words what I want to say to her: that I’d tell her everything if I could.
* * *
I close my eyes, basking in the feel of his arms around me as my heart breaks for the little boy who was mistreated so badly by the one person who should have loved him unconditionally.
His hands shake as he pulls back and frames my face, letting me see everything in his honey eyes, the gold darker as he stares at me for several seconds before leaning forward and pressing his lips against mine softly.
“Evan!” Both of our heads whip to the side and toward the big house that sits opposite the warehouse. “Are you ever gonna come in? I’m wasting away here!” Luke shouts, leaning against the railing of the wraparound porch.
I swallow, my nerves taking over as I turn back around to Evan, my gaze clashing with his.
“Come on,” he says, his voice gruff as he places his arm around my shoulders.
We walk over the gravel and toward Luke, his eyes firmly on us before his hand reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell. I tilt my head as I watch him pace back and forth as he ignores it and pushes it back into his jeans pocket and storms into the house, leaving the door open for us.
“So…” Evan starts as we step inside the house. “Kay has a…”
I gasp as a black dog trots over to us, sitting down and watching us, his head tilting to the side as he tries to make a decision whether we’re a threat or not. Evan’s hand grips my shoulder, his muscles tense as his breath skitters out of him.
“A dog,” I whisper, finishing his sentence for him.
I frown, wondering why they would have a dog when they know what Evan went through, but when my gaze snaps up to Evan’s, I realize that they don’t know.
Does that mean that I’m the only one that… my stomach tumbles and a warmth flows through me, feeling like I’m even closer to him.
“Monty!” We hear Kay’s voice before we see her and then she comes barreling toward us. “Heel.”
Monty—the dog—looks up at her and then seems to silently communicate something with her before he spins around and trots through the door that Kay came out of.
“Hey,” she says, stepping forward and pulling me in for a hug. “I’m so glad you came—”
“Mom! Luke said we can watch a movie before we eat.”
Kay rolls her eyes but a smile lifts the corner of her lips as she turns to face the boy who is coming out of a room to the right.
“Eli? Come and say hello to Evan’s girl—” She stops suddenly, her eyes wide as her gaze bats back and forth between Evan and me.
I smile at the boy who comes to stand beside Kay, his green eyes so bright that I nearly gasp. “Hey.” I wave, not knowing what else to say or do. I haven’t been around kids for so long that I’m not sure how to act.
“You’re Lexi?” he asks, giving nothing away in his features.
“I…” I turn my gaze back toward Evan before looking down at the boy. “I am.”
He nods, seeming to think of something before he steps forward and holds his hand out. “I’m Eli.”
“Nice to meet you, Eli,” I say, confused by the offer of his hand. I go to place mine in his but he pulls it away and swipes it through his hair, his eyes lighting up with laughter.
I can’t help the chuckle that bubbles up and slips free.
“I taught him that,” Evan whispers, and when I look back up at him, I see how proud he is of that fact.
His lips quirk up into a smirk as he holds his hand up for a high five to Eli. The grin on my face spreads wider at seeing him acting so carefree. After what he’s just told me, I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to be here around the people who he’s made his family. But I can see now that it’s exactly where he needs to be.
“I’m guessing you’re Evan’s girlfriend.” Eli raises a brow.
“I—”
“She is,” Evan answers, snaking his arm around my waist and squeezing gently.
“Would you like a drink, Lexi?” Kay asks, wiping her hands on the towel that is hanging over her shoulder.
“Water, please.”
I smile softly before she nods and spins around shouting over her shoulder, “Make yourself at home!”
I nod even though she can’t see me and then turn my gaze back toward Eli who is watching me—studying me.
“There’s one important question before you come any farther inside.” I swallow at his serious tone—how old is this kid? Like seven?
“O-okay.” I shuffle on the spot.
“Which superhero are you?”
“Which-what?” I frown, my gaze snapping back to Evan but all he does is smile encouragingly before Ty calls him. He plants a kiss on my temple, wandering off and leaving me alone in this intense interrogation.
He huffs, planting his hands on his hips as he shakes his head. “Which superhero are you going to be?”
“I-I’m not—”
“Eli! Come on, it’s about to start,” I hear Luke call, and when I spin around, I see him sitting on the sofa, the TV on pause as he stares at us. “Come sit,” he says, his ice-blue eyes focused on mine.
The first time I met Luke, I was sure that he was a broody asshole who hated me, but every time after that, I realize that it’s a front of sorts. I see the pain masked in his eyes all of the time, and although he tries to act relaxed right now, I can see his eyes dipping to the screen of his cell that sits on his thigh and the way his muscles tense when it vibrates.
Eli steps forward, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to the large sofa that takes up most of the space in the room before sitting down next to Luke and patting the spot next to him.
I feel so out of my element it’s unreal, but I can’t see or hear Evan or anyone else right now and I don’t want to go wandering around someone else’s house looking for him. I have no choice but to sit down and watch whatever it is they’re going to watch.
“So,” Luke starts. “Which superhero are you?”
“I—”
“I’m Captain America,” Eli says, his gaze clashing with mine. “I used to love Spiderman, but Captain America is sooo much cooler.” I nod, listening intently. “Uncle Luke is Thor… because he has blond hair and is huge!” I chuckle at his analysis before he places his finger on his chin, tapping away as he stares at me. “I think you’d be Scarlet Witch.”
I’m lost, so lost that I feel like I just entered another universe and they’re talking a completely different language.
“I can see that,” Luke says, nodding his head before he presses a button on the remote.
“But…” I bite my bottom lip when Luke snaps his head to mine and pauses the TV, his gaze batting back and forth between us. “Who is she?”
“Okay.” Eli huffs before standing up and turning around as he stares between Luke and me and holds his hands out in front of him. “Scarlet Witch is Magneto’s daughter—”
“Who?” I ask, getting more confused by the second but deciding to lean back on the sofa to get comfortable.
“Magneto is the bad guy in X-Men.” Eli rolls his eyes and turns toward Luke, his face expressing “how does she not know this.” Luke smiles, a chuckle breaking free as he leans back too, watching our conversation.
“The X-Men?” I ask, completely enthralled with all of this new information that is being thrown at me.
“That’s another conversation,” he says, holding his hand up and then swiping it through the air. “Back to Scarlet Witch. So...” He clears his throat. “She’s Magneto’s daughter—he controls metal.” He smirks, raising a brow. “Now that is freaking cool.”
“Eli!” Kay shouts from the kitchen. “I hope you didn’t just curse.”
He rolls his eyes, letting his head fall back before he shouts back, “No, Mom! I said freaking.”
I lean to the side, catching Luke’s gaze before I whisper, “Do I need to know all of this?”
“Yeah,” he says, his face a mask of seriousness. “There’ll be a test before you leave.”
My eyes widen and then I see his lips quirk. My hand lifts and I push him before he holds his arm, portraying that I really hurt him.
“That—”
“Uncle Luke.” We both turn back toward Eli. “Can’t you see I’m teaching Lexi important stuff here?” He throws his hands up in the air, shaking his head before he looks back at me. “Where were we?”
“Magneto controls metal,” I supply, proud that I remembered.
“Right.” He nods. “So Scarlet Witch is his daughter so she has powers too.”
“She has powers?” I ask, clutching my hands on my knees as I watch him intently.
“Yep.” He nods his head, opening his mouth before Kay shouts that dinner is ready. None of us move as Eli continues explaining who she is.
“She can make things all of a sudden turn to flames or rust.” He jumps up and down on the spot. “She also studied witchcraft, so she can do… witchy things too.” He gasps all of a sudden, his eyes swinging between the both of us before he runs off.
“What—”
Luke chuckles and shakes his head before he stands up, tilting his head at me to signal for me to follow him. My eyes wander over the walls, seeing photographs of men in uniform and also of Eli and Kay. There’s one of the three of them—Ty, Kay, and Eli—huge smiles on their faces, but I can’t help see that Eli looks nothing like Ty.
I step inside the room behind Luke, and when he moves to the side, I see the table is full of people. Ty sits at the head with Kay next to him, Kitty and Dean sitting to the left and Evan to the right with two seats empty next to him.
Luke sits in the chair at the opposite head and my gaze turns to Eli as he stands there, all attention focused on him. “Lexi is Scarlet Witch,” he says, pointing at me and then turning to Evan. “Which makes Evan the Vision!”
There’s a beat of silence before Luke says, “Holy shit!”
“Luke!” Kay scolds.
“Sorry.” He widens his eyes before he holds his hand up to Eli. “That was a perfect choice in her being Scarlet Witch.”
“I’m a genius!” Eli shouts.
“Does that mean I get to wear the green suit that Vision wears?” Evan asks, holding his arm in the air and flexing his muscles. “I’d totally wear it all the time.”
Eli sits down next to Evan before turning toward me and pointing at the empty chair between him and Luke.
I sit down, looking around. “Hey, everyone.”
I get “heys” back before Eli blurts out, “Mom can make you one, she’s making Uncle Luke a Thor cape.”
“I am?” she asks, her brows raised.
“Yeah.” He nods, scooping a spoonful of potatoes onto his plate. “I asked you last week.”
“I don’t remember you—”
He shrugs and tilts his head to the side. “Or did I dream that?”
The room fills with laughter as we all start passing food around and the conversations go on around me. I’m more than content with sitting here and listening to them all talk as Eli continues to expand on who Vision is, ending with, “He and Scarlet Witch get married.”
I almost choke on my drink but manage to keep it down as Evan’s arm extends behind Eli’s chair and to my shoulder to gain my attention.
I turn toward him, giving him a soft smile and basking in the atmosphere that surrounds us. This right here is a family, a family that has been manmade but you can feel the love and respect that surrounds all of them.