Chapter Five

Evelyn

"Guys, time for school." I'd fixed breakfast and the kids had eaten, but now they were dragging their feet getting out the door to the bus stop. It was at the end of the road, so I usually walked with them.

"Coming, Mom." Aneshya was always the one ready to go, but she showed solidarity with her brother by not coming out to leave before he did. Luke was on a mission to home school, so he could stay here and take care of me and his grandfather. Which wasn't happening.

"Lunches are on the counter."

Five minutes later, both Luke and Aneshya came down the hall. Luke looked disgruntled, but Aneshya was all smiles. Just like always.

"I got my book report done." She beamed. "I bet I get an A."

"I'm sure you will, sweetie."

"She always gets an A." Luke said, ruffling his sister's hair as he passed. Aneshya squawked at him and smoothed her hair but grinned, soaking up the praise.

There was a knock at the door. I glanced out the front window as I made my way to the door, surprised to see Knox. He'd been here almost every day since we'd moved in but kept his distance from me for the most part, though I'd seen him speaking with Luke and Aneshya once or twice. Which was understandable. He had a niece and nephew he'd never met. I was sure he'd want to get to know them.

"Knox." I smiled as I stepped back, inviting him inside. "It's good to see you." I blinked, my smile faltering. I was an idiot. "I mean, you know, up close and personal. You're usually off by yourself." Would he think I wasn't grateful he watched over us? Because I knew without a doubt Knox was doing exactly that.

He gave me an amused smirk. "Good to see you too, Evelyn. Glad to see you're getting settled."

"You've been here a lot since we moved in. We've settled in because you and Grover have basically seen to our every need." It was a gentle reprimand, but I doubt he caught it. If he did, he didn't pay attention.

"Good. That's what I was aimin' for."

"Hey, Knox." Luke lifted his chin in greeting as he helped Aneshya put on her backpack.

"Luke. Thought I'd give you guys a lift to school." He shrugged. "If you want."

"On your bike?" Luke's eyes got wide, then he looked puzzled. "But how can we all three ride?"

Knox chuckled. "Right. That's not happenin', and I think you know it, you little punk."

Luke grinned, his cover blown. "Never hurts to try, big guy."

"You don't have to do that." It was automatic on my part. I always said that whenever Knox dropped by and offered to take the kids to school. I didn't want him to feel like he was obligated. Besides, I was growing attached to the big man. He looked so much like Danny it was off-putting at first, but he was nothing like his brother.

"Fully aware I don't. Also, I think you know me well enough by now to know I don't do anything I don't want to do."

"If you're sure."

He gave me a cocky grin, like he'd won this round when I had no idea we were even competing. "I'm sure. Mind if I drop in after I get them off to school?"

"I, uh… W-what?" My heart pounded. Knox. In my home. With me. Alone. Grover had gone to run some errands he said would take all day and to not expect him before the kids got home from school. It was both a fantasy and utterly terrifying. Because, like it or not, smart or not, I was becoming attached to Knox. And we'd barely said two words to each other.

"It wasn't a hard question, Evelyn. Either you're good with me coming back to talk with you or you're not."

"This is more your home than it is mine. You don't need permission to come over." It was a non-answer, and we both knew it.

"It's fine." Luke said, looking from one of us to the other. "Come over anytime you want." He grinned. "Especially if no one else is here but my mom."

If he'd been closer, I'd have head slapped him. My darling son just grinned and urged his sister out the door.

"You're in big trouble when you get home." I pointed a finger at him and tried to look stern.

"No, I'm not." He waved cheerfully.

Knox grinned like an ape. "See you in half an hour."

"You want some breakfast?" If he was coming over, I might as well feed him.

The smile Knox gave me was positively wicked. "Absolutely."

I gasped, feeling the blood rush to my face. How the hell could he make that exchange sound… sexual? He winked at me before ushering the kids out the door. Luke glanced at me over his shoulder and grinned.

Well, shit.

As the door shut and I heard Knox and the kids chatting on their way to his truck, I peeked out the door. It had only been a couple of weeks since one of these brothers had turned my world upside down. Was I a fool for letting Knox get close? I still didn't know where he'd been this whole time, and it wasn't my business. But what if he disappeared again? Grover had told me he'd thought Knox was dead all this time.

I hadn't been close to Danny. If it hadn't been for Luke and Aneshya, I'd have left him years ago. But we weren't married, and since he'd never threatened or abused any of us in any way, I'd never keep his children from him if they wanted to see him. I hadn't spent much time one-on-one with Knox, but he'd quietly but persistently inserted himself into my life. Even though we weren't romantically involved with each other, if something happened to Knox, I wasn't sure I could ever let go. Especially knowing he'd come back from the dead once already.

Breakfast consisted of biscuits and gravy, eggs, hash browns, and sausage. Thankfully, there had been leftovers of everything other than the eggs, which were easy to make. I'd just taken them off the stove when there was another knock at my door.

My heart leapt. God! I felt like a stupid schoolgirl with her first crush. It was insane.

"It's not been thirty minutes, but I just finished the eggs. I take it traffic was better than usual?" I stopped dead in my tracks. "Danny."

"Hey, honey." He smiled at me. Like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't been gone for more than two weeks. Like the last time I saw him hadn't been in the hospital where he was sitting with his pregnant wife who was also the owner of our building.

Like he hadn't abandoned his children. I could understand him going after his pregnant wife -- or any pregnant woman -- in a burning building. She'd been just as capable as me, but she was in advanced pregnancy. I wasn't. But him not even calling to check on us, on his kids, that I couldn't forgive.

"You shouldn't be here, Danny."

"Why not? This is my home more than it is yours." He stuck his chin up. I wasn't used to him being belligerent after he knew he was in trouble. He always backed down, admitted how wrong he was, what a piece of shit he was, and that he didn't deserve the wonderful family he'd been given. Now, he had the intention of trying to get me to take him back. I'd seen him act this way with people in his life, usually his father. It didn't matter to him if I wanted him back or not. He simply didn't care.

"It's your father's house. You shouldn't enter unless invited inside."

"He's my dad. I don't have to ask permission." Yeah. This was a side of Danny I'd seen before, but never directed at me. He was cutting me out of his life. Or trying to make me beg him to come back. "Where're the kids?"

"Seriously?" What kind of question was that? It was a school day. They're in school. Duh!

"Yeah, seriously. I wanna see my kids!"

"Well, they're in school. They'll be home about three-fifteen. You're more than welcome to come back then. Whether or not you can stay or even come inside is up to your father."

"I'm not leaving, Evie. I'll wait for them here. Or maybe I'll just go get them myself."

"What's wrong with you?" I yelled at him. This was completely out of character for Danny. Yeah, if he didn't have a use for a person he could be -- and often was -- cutting. But something was very different. He almost seemed… desperate? "We've been here more than two weeks, Danny. You've not called, come by, or tried to get in contact with us in any way. Now you think you get to take my children?"

"Did you try to find me? I coulda been hurt."

"You were in the hospital with your w-wife." I was proud I only stumbled slightly over the word. "Why would you even consider I'd try to find you?"

"If you loved me the way you always said, you would have."

"Look, I don't know what the problem is, but you need to leave."

"Or what? You're in my house. If anyone's leaving, it's you, Evie. All I have to do is call 911. Then you get charged with trespassing and breaking and entering and whatever else they can come up with. Which would go a long way toward me getting custody of Luke and Aneshya."

I gasped. The blood drained from my face. I felt it go and knew I was going to faint.

"I sincerely hope this is your idea of a bad joke, Danny." That voice… I sagged in relief. How could two brothers who look so much alike sound so completely different? And how had I stood Danny's whiny voice all these years? So much time. Wasted. Instead of trying my hardest to make Danny love me. I should have been finding someone who actually would.

Danny whipped around to face Knox. "What are you doing here?"

Knox shrugged. "Like you said. This is my house."

"Dad told me he'd sold the place. Years ago."

"Yes. He did." Knox didn't expound.

"Well, obviously either he lied or you bought it."

"That's none of your business. Neither is Evelyn. Or the kids." Knox didn't sound angry… exactly… More like he was stating a fact. The look in his eyes, though. That told another story. Unless I completely misjudged Knox, right now, he was completely furious. I actually backed up a step away from him.

"Luke and Aneshya are my children, Knox. My name's on their birth certificates."

"That's something we'll be discussing later. Right now, though, I think you'd better leave."

"This is between me and Evie. It has nothing to do with you or Pop."

"If it involves Evelyn, it involves Dad and me. We've been the ones who've been on her and the kids' side after they lost everything in that fire. You should have come to at least check on your children. To make sure they weren't hurt in the fire."

"I saw them at the hospital. They were fine."

"Two and a half weeks, Danny," Knox snapped. "Two and a half Goddamned weeks. Not one word from you. Not to Dad. Not to Evelyn. Now you're threatening to take her children and throw her out of the house."

"What is she to you, Knox?"

"I can't answer that question, Danny. Not yet. Like the woman said, come back this afternoon. After three-fifteen."

My knees did give way then, and I collapsed onto the sofa. Knox winked at me.

"What the fuck, Knox? She's my girlfriend!"

Knox threw his head back and laughed. Actually guffawed. "Are you shittin' me? You honestly think that after finding you with your pregnant wife, Evelyn is still your girlfriend? Is that truly how you thought this was going to work?"

"I could give two shits, Knox. The only thing I care about is my kids. I want custody of them."

Knox took a threatening step toward his brother. "Over my dead body."

Danny looked from Knox to me. "I'll be back."

"At your own peril, Danny. You hurt anyone in this house, and it will be the last thing you ever do."

With one last venomous look at me, Danny stomped out the door. Knox followed him, then shut and locked the door before turning back to me.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to your kids, Evelyn. No one is going to take them from you. I swear it."

"I can't imagine what's going on with him." I shook my head, my voice soft. I wanted to avoid the conversation to come as long as I could. What did he mean when he said he didn't know what I was to him yet? Was he merely trying to keep his brother off-balance? Or did he intend to define our relationship and his place in my life as the children's uncle?

"He's never acted like this before?"

"I was just thinking to myself how cold and distant he was. He has no intention of trying to be part of my life. He didn't once act like he regretted anything. And honestly, I feel sorry for his wife. I also feel guilty and like so much of a fool I don't deserve to breathe. I lived with Danny for thirteen years! And he was married the whole time? How did I not know?"

"Didn't look to me like his wife knew anything either. He's good at deception."

"Why in the world would he do this, Knox? He obviously intends to stay with his wife, which I'm oddly grateful for. But, with her so close to having her own baby, I can't imagine she'd want his children by a secret lover living with her."

"That's something I intend to find out. But that can wait. You and I need to talk."

"Is this where you tell me to leave?"

Impatience flashed over Knox's face. "I thought we were past this. I promised you no one would take away your children, Evelyn."

"Then what is it?"

Knox took a slow step toward me, a wicked smile on his face. It was the smile of an alpha. A predator. "Until I walked in here and saw Danny with you, I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to say to you."

"You're going to have to explain, Knox. I don't understand."

"I'd planned to tell you I wanted to be part of Luke and Aneshya's lives. That I wanted us to have a good relationship. But as a brother and sister-in-law. I didn't know how awkward it would be for you, and wanted to establish some boundaries."

"Don't remind me," I muttered.

He chuckled. "Yeah, well, I decided I don't care how awkward it is because you might not be mine yet, but you're not Danny's anymore, either. And I intend to make you mine."