Page 42 of A Duke for Stealing (The Devil’s Masquerade #4)

Four Months Later

“ I t is good to have you back,” Tristan said, clapping Everett on the back.

“Well, perhaps not you entirely. You have changed much,” Dominic goaded, giving Everett a rueful grin.

Everett smirked as he elbowed Dominic in the ribs. His friend let out a grunt, but his smile never faded.

“It is true, I have changed,” Everett agreed, holding his glass of lemonade up, “But I am grateful to you all for sticking by my side through the transformation process. Even when I was at my most irritable.”

Tristan, Dominic, Hugo, and Alistair all raised their glasses to clink against Everett’s.

“I believe they are called growing pains,” Hugo remarked, “And trust me, friend, every man must go through them.”

“Indeed,” Alistair agreed. “Here’s to outgrowing boyhood and becoming men.”

They tipped their glasses toward one another and drank to the two toasts.

No longer afraid of over-imbibing, much like he used to, Everett had laced the lemonade with Bourbon.

It felt good to be able to have a drink with his friends once again, while also remaining the responsible and caring father and husband he had become.

Balance, he discovered, was not as difficult as he’d always feared.

As long as those who kept the balance were worth it.

Rose and his niblings? They are worth more than anything in the world.

Everett lifted his head to the joyful sounds of giggling and looked across the patio where he and his friends were standing, onto the lawn.

He took in the beautiful sight of his nieces playing croquet with Rose, Theo, Ophelia, Seraphina, Amelia —and even Betty.

Like him, Rose’s mother had been through quite a transformation herself. As far as he knew, the matriarch had not touched a drop of alcohol in months- or a man. The rumors of her promiscuity had dwindled to almost nothing, and she had become much closer to Rose and his niblings.

He had heard that their first introduction to Betty had been unpleasant, but now the girls always crowed with glee when Betty visited them in Stapleton.

“You can do it, grandmama!” Diana urged Betty presently. “Just one more swing and you shall put our team in the lead!”

Everett watched, amused, as Betty’s expression grew into one of great concentration, and whacked her ball. She missed, and though she frowned, Diana, Rose, and Amelia all assured her that all was not lost.

“Alright, my little spitfire, it is your turn,” Ophelia said to Leah.

Everett’s smile grew as Leah absolutely beamed, taking her stance by her ball.

All of Rose’s friends seemed to adore Diana and Leah, but it seemed that Leah and Ophelia had become the quickest of friends.

His niece’s fiery spirit was brought out even more when Ophelia was around, and Ophelia seemed to adore growing that brilliant flame within Leah.

“Your nieces seem quite taken with their new aunts,” Tristan said at Everett’s side, “Though I watch Leah with Ophelia. Before you know it, the woman will have the young girl espousing matters of equal rights.”

Everett laughed as he watched Leah score another point for her team.

“I am afraid that will happen either way,” Everett replied, as Leah’s team hailed her with support for her good shot. “Leah certainly has a stubbornness to her that far surpasses Diana’s. I must admit, though, I quite like how she questions things. It will make her strong.”

It was Rose’s turn now, and Everett focused on watching his wife line up her pink ball. His smile widened as he watched her fall into deep concentration as she readied her shot. He rather loved the way he wiggled her hips a little every time she was about to swing her mallet.

She moved through her swing, and Everett couldn’t help but join in their gleeful shouts as she scored a point.

Rose’s face turned to him as he heard her congratulations, and the smile she made his heart swell with love.

Never. Never could he have predicted that he would love someone so entirely.

Yet once he stopped fighting his feelings, it became the easiest thing in the world.

It had been four months since they’d made their own vows every morning, every night, and every second available in between, and thus far, they had not broken them.

Even now, with all of their friends around, Everett was trying to work out a way to steal her back to their shared quarters for a little mid-day romance.

“You do know we all know what that look on your face means,” Dominic stated, stirring Everett from his thoughts.

“Yes, I am well aware of what that obsession feels like,” Hugo remarked with a knowing smirk.

“Shall we take your niblings and their new aunties for a stroll to the lake so you and your wife may have a moment alone?” Alistair goaded.

Even though he knew his friends were teasing, he was very much tempted to say yes.

“Do not threaten me with opportunity,” Everett chuckled, raising a challenging brow to his friends, “For I will take it.”

While Everett, Dominic, Hugo, and Alistair laughed, Tristan frowned.

“God, if this is what marriage does to a man, then I am grateful to have stepped around it,” he stated.

“Oh, come now,” Everett insisted, turning to his friend, “You? Out of all of us sinners, are there any that shall not be married? I do not believe it. You are the saintliest out of the five of us.”

“I would take offense to that,” Dominic spoke up, “If that were not precisely true.”

“Here, here,” Hugo murmured.

“I do not agree at all, as I believe I was quite the saint before I joined this sinful group,” Alistair remarked.

They all looked at him with raised brows, and then the five of them burst into laughter.

“Seriously, though,” Everett went on after they got their chuckle in, “Tristan? You will not look for a wife? With your golden reputation, your options would be limitless.”

Tristan grew unusually somber at the question and stared down into his drink.

“It is a matter for another time,” he stated quietly. “When there is much less at stake.”

Everett studied his friend, wondering what such a statement meant.

“Amelia, darling, how are your sisters?” Rose asked.

They had all finished their game of croquet, and it was oh so obvious by the wide, unmoving grin on Leah’s time had one.

She was now speaking with Ophelia in excited tones, over what matter, Rose did not want to guess.

Leah seemed to absolutely adore the attention her new aunties all gave her.

Diana, however, was more bashful and was now glued to Rose’s side, resting her head against her breast.

“I miss them terribly,” Amelia replied with a forlorn sigh, “But they both enjoy their school in Paris, so I cannot fault them for not remaining by my side.”

“Better they are there than here,” Ophelia spoke up, “Lest society force them into early marriages.”

“I do not believe that I wish to marry,” Leah stated.

Ophelia beamed down at Leah and hugged her tightly.

“Are you sure you are not my daughter?” Ophelia jested, and their group laughed in chorus.

“Do not ruin her, Ophelia,” Everett warned, taking a seat by Rose. As always, when he was near, he reached for her hand and squeezed it warmly.

Rose turned to her husband with a loving look, and she was rewarded with a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Even after four months, she still could not adjust to Everett’s openly affectionate ways.

His promise to love her, it seemed, was one he was adamant to keep, and after a month or two of wariness, her heart had finally forgiven him for pushing her away.

All had seemed to settle into place the last few months.

Harriet’s rumor dissolved within weeks, and as they’d promised, they sent her a monthly stipend.

Betty was sober, strong, and not just devoted to Rose and her adopted granddaughters, but now also the Church.

Maxwell had disappeared overnight, and according to Dominic’s spies, had not yet resurfaced.

And she and Everett? More in love than ever. As for the girls-

“Mama?”

Rose looked down at the little girl in her arms. She had gone from ‘Lady Rose’ to ‘Mama’ approximately three months ago, and her heart still radiated with joy every time she heard the new moniker.

“Yes, my darling?” Rose asked, hugging Diana closer to her.

“I am quite tired now. Might I go lie down with the others?” Diana asked.

“Of course you can,” Rose replied, knowing Diana was referring to the children of her friends.

Seraphina’s twins. Amelia’s daughter and her newborn son.

They had all been tired from the journey and had taken naps in the nursery.

In approximately five months, Theo and Alistair’s son or daughter would also be joining them.

“Just be careful not to wake anyone. Let them sleep until supper,” Rose insisted.

“Yes, Mama,” Diana replied.

Diana then leaned up and kissed Rose on the cheek. She then crawled across her lap to give the same attention to Everett, who held her tight and kissed her cheek in return.

“Sleep well, my darling,” he told her, helping her to the ground.

“Yes, Papa,” she replied.

Rose and Everett both watched Diana walk over to her sister.

“Will you have a nap, too, Leah?” Diana asked.

Leah looked to Ophelia, as if she had the answer.

“Oh, naps are very good,” Ophelia said with a nod of her head. “I may have one soon myself.”

“I suppose so,” Leah sighed. Taking her twin’s hand, the two girls waved goodbye to their guests and went inside to lie down.

“Thank you,” Rose said with a chuckle to Ophelia, “She would not have taken a nap otherwise.”

“Oh, I was quite serious,” Ophelia replied, “After such a competitive game, I find myself quite weary.”

“I could use a lie down myself,” Theo added with a yawn. At her side, Alistair pulled her into his arms and kissed her temple as he placed a protective hand over the bump on her belly.

“Have my darlings had too much fun?” He asked.

Rose watched, happiness flowing through her as her friend looked up at her husband with absolute devotion.

“Never,” Theo replied, “But we are a tad weary. Come join us?”

“You need not even ask,” Alistair replied.

“Perhaps we should all retire for the afternoon,” Everett stated, giving Rose’s hand a warm squeeze. “Come together again at supper, all refreshed and ready for the evening.”

Rose did her best to hide her smirk. She knew her husband had no intention of falling asleep —and neither did she.

“Supper at six?” Hugo asked, rising to escort his wife inside.

“Do make it seven,” Theo said with another yawn.

“Seven it is,” Everett agreed, and they all left the patio to retire to their rooms.

In the privacy of their quarters, Everett pulled Rose into his arms and gave her a long, affectionate kiss. She sighed as he did so, sinking into his tight embrace.

“I knew you did not want to sleep,” Rose playfully stated as he began to untie her dress.

“Did you?” He asked, pulling the loosened gown down her arms.

Smiling, Rose shook her head.

“No,” she confessed, pulling his jacket off of him, “There are many better things we can do than rest.”

“My deviant wife,” Everett chuckled, then kissed her again. “I do love the way you think.”

Two hours later and spent from their lovemaking, Rose lay curled against Everett’s chest, tracing the outline of his muscles with her fingertips as he traced up and down her outer thigh.

“So, shall we join them?” Everett asked, breaking the peaceful silence.

“For dinner?” Rose asked, looking up at him, “We have an entire hour yet before we need to do so.”

“No,” Everett chuckled, then kissed her forehead, “I mean in parenthood.”

Rose’s brows flew up as she leaned up on her arm to get a better look at her husband’s face. The man was still surprising her.

“You want more than our girls?” She asked.

Everett sat up, urging her to sit between his legs with her back against his chest. He dropped a kiss to her shoulder as his fingertips delicately traced over her flat belly.

“I used to never think that fatherhood would be suited for me,” Everett confessed, “But now that I have you. Now that I understand the true joy that comes with raising the twins, I can see why my friends are truly happy with their lives. Their wives, their children. They make them feel as if their life is complete.”

Rose smiled at her husband’s words and huddled further into his chest.

“In truth, I have been thinking of such a thing myself,” she confessed. “I never pictured myself being a wife, let alone a mother, before we married. But now? I sometimes think of our future children.”

“You do?” Everett asked, nuzzling his chin against her head.

“Mhmm.”

“Tell me,” he implored, then kissed her temple.

Rose’s smile widened as she placed her hands over Everett’s, which were still tracing over her belly.

“A little boy with your green eyes and dark curls,” Rose explained. “A little girl with my blue eyes and smile. I should like to try for a golden-haired boy or girl with your green eyes.”

“So many,” Everett said with a chuckle.

“I do not believe we need to stop at one,” Rose laughed. “Five or six, I believe, would suit me well.”

“Six!” Everett exclaimed, and Rose laughed harder.

“What is the matter?” She teased, “Are you not up for the task?”

She turned in Everett’s arms, and he cupped her cheeks, his green eyes shining with utter adoration as he looked into her blue ones.

“With you, my love? I am up for anything,” he replied.

Rose wrapped her arms around his neck as they brought their lips together for another intense kiss, and she slid her hips over his. They both let out a soft cry of ecstasy as she slowly sank the sheath over his manhood, and gently began to rock her hips.

“Let us get started then,” she murmured into his lips.

“Mmm, yes,” Everett murmured back, wrapping his arms around her back, “Let’s.”

The End