Chapter 143

I pulled back, looking her straight in the eye. "You want normal? Fine. You want to see that boy? You call him right now. You tell him he is coming here for dinner tonight. He meets the family. He meets your father. If he runs, he's trouble. If he stays, we'll vet him, and you can see your boy. You choose on our ground. That's the only compromise." I said,

She nodded frantically, wiping her eyes. "I understand. I really understand. I'll call him," she said hopefully.

I watched her grab her phone. The crisis of rebellion was over, replaced by the terrifying, solid reality of our past. And now, the true test: seeing how fast a high school 'bad boy' ran when confronted with a family that had literally fought wars to stay alive.

McKenzie

Honestly, Darius and I were basically one big, exhausting drama machine. The second I told him Elara had invited the boy, James, to dinner, the relaxing atmosphere in the house dropped to absolute zero. He didn't even yell; he just got quiet, which is way worse.

James walked in at 7:35 PM, clutching a sorry-looking bouquet of grocery store flowers. He was nervous and cocky with cheap cologne, but the thing that got me was how his eyes kept flicking around the room, not looking at Elara, but checking out the light fixtures and the size of the art. He was here for the lifestyle, not the girl.

He managed a tiny "H-hello, Mrs. Cirano," and then he saw Titus.

We had Titus and Cerberus, our security system. Darius insisted Titus sit right next to him, very still. Cerberus was relaxing by the fireplace. They didn't bark, didn't move. They just stared, which is the dogs' way of saying, "We know your secrets."

James tried to start the conversation by asking about the house’s square footage, which earned an eye roll from Cyrus. The dinner was basically a corporate interrogation disguised as spaghetti night.

"So, James," I said, trying to sound encouraging, "Elara tells us you're really into finding your own path. What's that look like?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah. Poetry," he mumbled. "Just, you know, deep stuff. I’m all about being rebellious and anti-establishment, away from the corporate grind," he said.

"That's great," Darius cut in, his voice dangerously smooth. "So you're cool being broke then? That takes real confidence. We respect that in this family." he said

James choked on his water. He clearly wasn't expecting Dad to agree with his life choices while simultaneously pointing out he'd be living in a ditch.

Then Cyrus, the tactical genius, chimed in. "James, your social media bio mentions 'personal freedom.' Just curious, you know that being around Elara means your whole life is getting checked out by, like, actual security guys, right? If you mess up, it's not just a school principal you deal with; it's going to be a real legal problem," he said.

James’s fake smile was sweating. "I... I think I can handle it," he managed weakly.

The worst part was how he treated Elara. He kept cutting her off, only really looking at her when he talked about something expensive, and he was so full of himself.

At one point, he reached down to pat Cerberus, who was lying nearby. "Hey, buddy," he said, trying to be cool.

Cerberus lifted his head, let out a deep, low growl that sounded like a Harley starting up, and then showed just a tiny flash of teeth. It was a clear, non-negotiable "don't touch me."

James yanked his hand back, white as a sheet. Titus let out a sharp huff, like he was annoyed Cerberus hadn't gone for the full bite.

Darius smiled slightly. "They don't like you, and they're pretty good at reading people," he said.

It was a complete mess, but watching Elara was the best part. She started out defensive, but as James kept talking about himself and bragging about parties, I saw the switch flip.

The moment he interrupted her mid-sentence to talk about his own amazing taste in music, she was done. She didn't look at James; she looked at her dad, then at me. It was like she finally saw the guy for what he was: a self-absorbed user who wasn't worth the fight she had with us. She set her fork down with a loud clink that silenced the table.

She stood up, calm and steady. "James," she said, her voice completely clear. "I think you should leave now."

James was confused. "What? Now? I haven't even had dessert!"

"No," she repeated. "You should leave. You're rude, you're boring, and frankly, you're not interested in me. You're interested in my family's money. I'm done with you." she said

James’s face went from confused to genuinely mad. "Wait, you're dumping me? In front of everyone? This is so dramatic!" he said.

"Yep," she agreed, completely unfazed. "I'm being dramatic. And I'm doing it in my own dining room. Ruddy!"

She yelled, and he appeared instantly, like a well-trained ghost.

"Miss Elara?" Ruddy asked, being professional.

"Please help James out," she instructed, pointing at the boy. "And make sure he knows if he tries to text or call me or my family again, it's going to be a huge problem for him," she said.

Ruddy gave James a silent, cold stare. James looked like he was about to pee his pants. He grabbed his cheap jacket and stumbled out of the dining room without another word.

When the heavy doors finally closed behind him, Cyrus let out a long, slow breath and slumped in his chair.

"Well," I said, picking up my fork. "That was quick."

Darius laughed a low, satisfied rumble and finally started eating. He reached under the table and patted Titus’s head.

"Good boy, Titus," Darius murmured. "See, Elara? That's what a real friend looks like."

She sat back down, picking up her napkin. She looked exhausted but relieved.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Mom," she said quietly. "He was a waste of time."

"It's all good, honey," I said, squeezing her hand. "You learned the lesson yourself. You saw the difference between a real risk and a fake one, and you chose us. That's a win."

Cyrus smiled at his sister, a genuine, relieved smile this time. "Nicely done. Next time, just ask me. I could have told you he was a zero," he said.

I rolled my eyes at my son, but I let it slide. The crisis was over. Elara was safe, and the drama was gone. And seriously, I needed that dessert.