BLOODY ROSES [3]

7

1851

"I have finished. May I be excused?"
Damon asked as the twins glanced at him in sync, still picking at their plates.
"In a moment."
Giuseppe gave a fake smile to his son's.
The man glanced to Lily as well, the woman looking scared.
"Lily, a bourbon, please?"
She glanced at her eldest son before walking out of the room to pour her husband a drink.
Slowly Giuseppe pulled out the cigar showing it to the boys as he lit it.
"I took this out for a special occasion today. But, in the process, I discovered quite a bit of money missing from my bureau."
Giuseppe turned to the eldest son giving him a cold smile.
"You would not know anything about that?"
The man asked the teen.
"No."
Damon gulped shaking his head.
Giuseppe then turned to the second eldest boy who was almost scared to meet his eyes.
"Stefan, have you been rummaging around your father's bureau?"
Stefan shook his head quietly looking to his twin.
"Roman?"
Roman bit his lip glancing between his brother's.
Damon shook his head slowly making Roman's stomach turn.
"Roman?"
Giuseppe repeater in a growl.
"I'm sorry Papa, I didn't think it was that much."
Roman lied shaking his head.
Giuseppe sighed, a heated glare falling onto his youngest son.
"I didn't raise you to be a thief. But, I also didn't raise you to be a liar, and you have told the truth here today. Have you learned your lesson?"
Roman nodded feverishly, scared of his father.
The man grabbed Roman's arm pinning it to the table as he held the cigar above the boy's skin.
"This is to make certain you remember it."

❁

Roman woke up with a gasp, his hands shaking as he ran them through his hair.
"Love, are you alright?"
Enzo whispered resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."
Roman sallowed hard, glancing down to where the scar used to be on his arm.
"Hey,"
Enzo brought Roman's eyes away from his wrist, their eyes meeting.
A smile slowly pulled at Enzo's lips as he stared at his fiancé.
"I love you."
Roman grinned a small chuckle escaping him.
"I love you too."
Enzo brought the boy into a long kiss.
"Oh bloody hell."
Enzo groaned throwing himself back on the bed as Roman's phone began to ring.
Roman laughed brightly grabbing his phone.
"Hello."
"Hey, Ro. I'm so sorry for how I acted yesterday, but I have some good news."
Roman smiled as Alaric's voice flowed through the phone.
"Really? What is it?"
"I was hoping I could tell you in person, my place?"
"I'm on my way."
Roman smiled hanging up the phone.
"No!"
Enzo groaned like a child as Roman got dressed.
"Just a milk run my love, I'll be back in no longer then an hour."
Roman kissed the mans lips before hurrying out the door.

❁

"Hey Ric, what's up?"
Roman smiled as the man let him into the apartment.
"My kids."
Alaric grinned ear to ear as Roman furrowed his eyebrows.
"What?"
"My kids are alive and Caroline is carrying them."
Alaric laughed happily.
Roman grinned bringing the man into a tight hug as he kissed his cheek.
Alaric pushed back a blush as Roman squeezed his shoulders pulling back.
"That's amazing Alaric!"
Roman laughed running a hand over his face.
"Woah, woah. What is that?"
Alaric rose an eyebrow as Roman smiled holding up his hand.
"Enzo and I, we-"
Roman stopped an excited laugh falling past his lips.
"No way!"
Alaric grinned widely squeezing Roman's shoulder.
"That's amazing."
Ric grinned.
"Thanks Ric that means-"
Roman stopped hearing a buzzing pulling out his phone as he chuckled.
"Sorry that's the clingy bitch himself."
Roman playfully teased, still staring at his phone.
"I'm so happy for you Ric! I'll see you later."
Roman smiled walking out of the apartment.
"Yeah. See you later."
Alaric said quietly staring at the closed door.
The man didn't know why, but for some reason he had expected Roman to stay.
However the Salvatore went home to his fiancé, the two in smiling as they talked about planning their wedding.