CHAPTER 240: MOTHER AND SON, FOR A REASON

Rafe’s POV

Lucian came out of the room at the same time. His expression showed clear surprise at seeing Eira in my arms—so quiet at that.

Seeing us not fighting was unusual for everyone.

"What happened?" Lucian asked as he came to us, his eyes observing Eira.

"She finds me irresistible. So, I decided to be gracious and let her take advantage of me," I replied.

I could feel her frown at my words, but she was truly too tired to even counter me.

She opened her eyes to look at Lucian. "I’m just tired of arguing with him."

Lucian reached out his hand to caress her cheek gently. "I understand. It’s truly tiring." Then he looked at me.

I smirked. "Yeah, you have first-hand experience."

"Take her to sit on the sofa instead of keeping her standing here," Lucian said, ignoring my provocation.

So boring. If everyone stopped arguing with me, there would be no fun. Only Eira and Lucian could do it, but these two were avoiding it now. And this bastard Lucian was being so passive, that it was hard to provoke him.

Anyway, at this moment, only Eira mattered, so I did as Lucian said.

I picked her up and carried her to the sofa while Lucian went to the kitchen.

He returned with a few big-sized chocolate bars. I recognized them quickly—it was the kind Eira used to eat a lot back then, the ones Alice used to scold her for eating too much, afraid she’d gain weight.

But they weren’t available anymore. How did this bastard get them? Well, he was the kind to put a gun to anyone’s temple and make them obey, so it wasn’t hard for him to get those people to make these chocolates again.

"For you," Lucian offered her.

She accepted it and looked surprised. Without a tinge of hesitation, she tore open the packet of a palm-sized chocolate and started eating it hurriedly, as if she had been hungry for ages.

Lucian and I exchanged glances—she’d had breakfast just a while ago.

"Are you hungry?" Lucian asked her.

She realized her action and slowed down, but the chocolate was almost finished. How fast one could eat? Well, this little witch could win the chocolate eating competition if there was one.

She hesitated a little and shook her head.

"You can never learn to lie," I commented, looking at her. "Tsk! Do I need to teach you how to lie as well? You lazy ass—you’re too much of a work for me."

She glared back at me, clearly annoyed that I’d caught her lie.

"Have this one as well until I cook something for you," Lucian offered the rest of the chocolates.

She didn’t take it, but I did. Maybe she hesitated now to ask for anything more from us.

I tore one open and offered it to her. "Kids should eat what they want. It helps them grow better."

She angrily snatched the chocolate from me and ate while looking the other way, clearly embarrassed.

Lucian went to the kitchen while the little witch continued to munch on chocolate as if she was making up for the last six years when she hadn’t gotten to eat them.

Kael and Raven came downstairs.

"Bud, for you," I offered Raven a chocolate.

He accepted it and looked at Eira, who was about to finish her second bar now—but she slowed down the moment she saw him. She was clearly embarrassed to let him see her that way.

She offered him a light, hesitant smile. "Try it... It’s good."

"Yeah, your mommy can’t stop eating it. That’s the whole lot to guarantee it’s truly good," I said. "That’s her second chocolate bar. If you don’t eat this one fast, it’ll be inside her tummy any moment now."

She glared at me but couldn’t curse me in front of Raven.

"Yeah, I got it," I said, wiping the chocolate stained corners of her lips with my thumb. "Such a mess you are."

She shrugged my hand away and pretended to clean her lips with her fingers.

I smirked and I licked my thumb.

Raven sat on Eira’s other side, and Kael tore open the chocolate for him

But then, a sweet, strong scent of chocolate pancakes filled the drawing room like the sweetest delicacy being prepared and...

A pair of mother and son inhaled deeply at the same time, their eyes lit up and their heads turned toward the kitchen on their own. Both swallowed and licked their lips, their greedy darting toward the kitchen with the hope of getting whatever was being cooked.

Kael and I were surprised at their reactions—completely in sync—and smiled.

I chucked. Mother and son, for a reason.

"Let’s go to the dining table before both your drools start to pool on the floor." I stood up and carried Raven in my arms. "Can’t wait to eat, huh?"

The little guy lowered his eyes as if embarrassed and looked at the chocolate in his hands, which he suddenly didn’t want to eat anymore.

"You can eat this later," I said, taking it from him and seating him in his chair.

I turned to look at Eira, who seemed to be waiting for the invitation.

"You should eat there with Raven," Kael told her and sat on the sofa to resume his office work.

As if that was what she had been waiting for, she stood up in a moment and came to the dining table. Both mother and son, impatient like kids, had their eyes fixed on the kitchen, waiting for Lucian like he was some heavenly god who might bless them with a treasure—a treasure he was cooking right there on a hot pan.

Lucian brought pancakes for those two in two dishes. Both their impatient eyes were fixed on the dishes, not on the person, waiting to get their hands on them.

Lucian offered them a smile and placed the dishes in front of them. "For you two..."

They had already picked up a piece of pancake with their hands and started eating before Lucian could even finish his sentence.

The chocolate spread on it stained their hands, but neither of them minded.

Eira was fine, but seeing Raven like this was surprising and delightful. He was changing slowly.