12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Etienne/Stephen

Stephen

I paced the restaurant trying like hell to come up with a reasonable solution to our problem. Etienne was moping and silent, which wasn't surprising since it was his fault in the first place.

The whole family was present, and I metaphorically prayed that someone, anyone , had some insight into how to fix this problem with Ryker. Had he not walked in on Etienne and me arguing, I was sure we'd have chosen a better way to explain who and what we were, but we were so pissed at each other that we hadn't heard him—which was monumental because we could hear ants crawling. It was a fucking disaster.

The House of Tremblay was closed that Wednesday. We'd canceled the reservations, citing a water leak because Etienne was too distraught to deal with guests or staff. I was right there with him, but it was his fault this whole thing was happening in the first place, so I made him do the announcement.

His stubbornness and refusal to see Farrah for the manipulative shrew she had been was Etienne's downfall and my cross to bear, and I had no idea how to change his mind. He'd relinquished control to me after Ryker ran out of our apartment—sight included—but he refused to speak, especially to me.

Cubby and Rory had returned to New Orleans after I'd called to have Cubby check on Ryker because I was worried about his mental state after what he witnessed. Cubby had agreed to lie that Ryker had called him because I didn't want Ryker to think I was trying to take over. I wasn't sure if clouding his mind to who and what we were would work—or if I even wanted it to work. Deep inside, I wanted him to know and accept me.

When Ryker didn't go to work that morning, I had Sabine call his office and say he was meeting with me regarding our charity and wouldn't be in. I didn't want him to get fired. He wanted to work in the legal field, or he wouldn't have spent all that time in law school.

"I can't see where one human is worth the two of you making all of us miserable." Sabine was standing behind the bar wiping water spots from the glassware. She was fucking miserable on her best day.

"Oh, Sabine? Why don't you tell him what ye said to the lad?" Georgine had no filter, but at that moment, I appreciated it.

I rushed around the bar and grabbed Sabine by the throat, pushing her against the brick wall between the bar and the dining room. "What did you say?" My growl was a good sign I wasn't fooling around.

Suddenly, Sabine was pulled from my grip, and it was me being held against the wall by Thomas. He was strong, but I was stronger. One quick spin, and he was pressed into the wall, his feet dangling in the air. "So, you and Sabine? Does that mean she's over me and taken up with you?"

Let me take over. Put Thomas down, Stephen.

I dropped the asshole on the floor and allowed Etienne to take over. We weren't getting anywhere, anyway.

Etienne

"Calm down, everyone. I refuse to allow a human to break up our family." I wasn't joking, either.

We'd been together for a long time, some of us for centuries. After the debacle with Farrah, I'd sworn off humans, but I knew the others had had human lovers. As long as they didn't cause problems, I never mentioned it, especially after Killian was eliminated.

He'd been an authoritarian and ruled with an iron fist. Some members of our coven were no longer with us because they didn't follow Killian's rules. Some covens banished members who behaved in ways detrimental to the good of the group. Killian eliminated them in the most painful way he could conceive.

It was why, when Killian broke the rules and turned Rory in such a public way, Stephen and I spared him no mercy. His flaunting of the code of conduct he had established centuries ago was met with an appropriate punishment.

Rory and his new source of nourishment, Cubby, came in through the back door of the restaurant. "You guys really did a number on my best friend," Cubby said as he wrapped his arm around Rory's shoulders and kissed the top of his head.

"How bad?" Thomas stepped closer and put his hand on my shoulder.

"He believes we're a cult. I understand why, but I can't help but believe he'd be a wonderful part of our family. He's a kind person, and I'm sure he cares about the two of you." Rory was staring at me, and I knew he was right.

"Yes, but it's too much for the human mind to comprehend. We've already ruined it." I sat on a chair and wept. Georgine stepped closer, handing me a woman's handkerchief to dry the tears. I took it and squeezed her hand in thanks.

"Etienne, I'm the last one to ever tell ye what to do, but me Seanmháthair used to drag me and me sister together by the ears when we'd fight, and she'd say, ‘Don't forgive each other to make them feel better. Forgive each other to have peace in yer heart.'

"In other words, the key to yer troubles is forgiving Stephen for whatever you believe he did to you, though I'll say that Farrah was a conniving cailleach…bitch. She did everything she could to part ye with yer money so she could buy fancy presents for Tara in hopes of winning her heart. I'd venture to say Stephen knew it all along but kept his mouth shut. Ye wear yer heart on yer sleeve, Etienne."

I scanned my brothers and sisters in the room. They were nodding in agreement with Georgine. "All of you?"

Rory, the sweetest of them, stepped forward. "Etienne, I love you like a big brother, and I wasn't around when Farrah was in your life, but the stories I've heard have led me to believe she was taking advantage of you. I beg you to forgive Stephen and find a way to co-exist peacefully."

"I'm not criticizing, Rory, but I don't want to turn Ryker into a vampire, and I'm sure Stephen does. I can't let that happen."

Rory shook his head. "Funny, I thought it was the human's choice. I didn't get a choice with Killian, but I'm giving Cubby a choice. If he decides he doesn't want to walk through eternity with me, then I'll get one of my family members to destroy me when he dies. I don't want to exist without him." He then turned to Cubby. "That's not a threat, my love. I just don't want to be without you."

Cubby held his arms open, and Rory stepped into his embrace. They held each other and exchanged a passionate kiss before going upstairs arm-in-arm. My heartstrings were plucked at the sight.

"Stephen, come forward."

I glanced around to see everyone had left us, so when Stephen came forward, I gave him his sight. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you told me about Farrah. I thought she was the one for me. She wasn't sexual, much like me, or so I thought. I didn't put it together that it was because she was in love with a woman. I enjoyed her friendship much more than any sexual encounter we'd have had I believe.

Stephen offered a grin. "I may have done you a disservice, Etienne. Perhaps you're not sexual at all. You may need more of a connection with a partner before you can form a relationship, or maybe you don't desire sexual gratification. You may just enjoy the intellectual connection. Do you think we can find a peaceful way to be everything Ryker needs?"

I chuckled. "First, we have to convince Ryker he needs us ."

Stephen nodded. "If you need time to settle into your new realization, I'll leave you alone. I don't believe we need to completely merge under these circumstances. We can just come to an agreement."

"Stephen, I've been stubborn about things between us, thinking I needed to control you. I see that I was wrong. Together, we can decide what's most beneficial for Ryker."

It was the right thing to do. If we ever wanted to win the heart of Ryker DeWitt, we needed to present a united front. The man was important to both of us for different reasons. It was time to prove it to him.