Off Limits ( READ THE NEW VERSION OUT!!! )

𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 |10|

Wednesday night

( not y'all thinking the dinner scene was over. )

"How long do you think they're going to keep this up?" Bruno nudges my shoulder and eyes Zade and Dad lost deep in a conversation.

"I have no idea." I pushed the food around on the plate and took small bites before sitting the fork down and pushing the plate still filled with lasagna aside.

I wasn't hungry, far from it. The thought of Zade meeting my brothers and father from Alec's request— demand, killed any hunger I had for food.

"This is bullshit."

"I have to agree with you on that one." Sebastian sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"I mean the whole point of this dinner was to get to know him but from the looks of it, it doesn't seem like that's happening any time soon." He eyes dad.

We all nod our heads in agreement. If there was one thing we all had hated the most, it was not having Dad's attention. Or having to share it.

"What if we just leave?" Alec suggests, nudging Elijah.

Elijah didn't say anything. He sat, slumped in the chair with arms crossed and watched the two men interact with each other.

"It's not like they would notice." I added. "We could go bowling?" I suggested. "It's half off today."

"Zade?" I tried to grab his attention but he laughed and smiled at something dad had said about golf.

I sighed, he was ignoring me and it had hurt my feelings a bit. I mean, I loved the idea Dad liked Zade and they had something in common to bond over.

But seriously, it was golf. There wasn't anything exciting about golf. It was a thing people had done—old people, to make time pass, instead of sitting around in a big, empty house with nothing to do but read the latest gossip in the newspaper.

"I'll drive." Archer spoke up, drawing all our attention towards him, except dad's and Zade's.

We all nodded and stacked our plates up together to bring to the kitchen. Right when we were about to leave and bring the plates to the kitchen to be washed—most likely by me later, Dad spoke up.

"So." Dad laughed and wiped the nonexistent tears out of the corner of his eyes. I scoffed at this, golf wasn't even funny.

"How old are you.?" And with that question I reached for the bottle of red wine and took a large sip out of it.

I needed something to calm my nerves, and something that would take effect quickly. I didn't want to be sober during this part of their conversation.

Dad saw this from the corner of his eyes and glared at me. I sighed and reached for the empty glass and filled it.

It wasn't like I had backwashed out anything, but dad had always thought it was inappropriate and non ladylike to do things such as this when we had guests over.

Which was rare.

Zade coughed and cleared his throat, suddenly growing serious. "43."

It grew silent again.

"You guys still wanna go bowling?" I tried and reached for the keys from Archer. "I'll drive?" I smiled tightly, to which no one had returned or replied.

"That's a bit." Dad paused and searched for the correct words.

"Don't you think he's a tad too old for you honey?" His attention turned towards me and I scoffed at how he dragged out his words as if I was supposed to let them sink in and agree with him right away.

"I don't think the age gap between us really matters." I began and Alec gripped the table and opened his mouth to speak.

I raised an eyebrow at him and continued. "I mean I understand he is older than me. I do. But I really don't pay attention to it or notice it when we're together. It doesn't bother me." I answered honestly.

"I know you must have some doubts and some concerns about this." Zade began, pointing at both of us.

"Any father would about their child dating someone older. Me as a father would also try to address my concerns in a situation such as this and I get it. But no one can control who they like or love." He grips my thigh underneath the table and squeezes it lightly.

"But, we both like each other and would like to continue to explore whatever this is between each other. She's an amazing person and we would like your blessing to continue."

He paused and glanced at each of my brothers. "All of your blessings. But don't get me wrong, even without it, it wouldn't stop me from seeing your daughter and sister. But it would be nice to have it, I know how much it would mean to her."

My eyes watered. "You're so sweet." I leaned up and whispered in his ear. His words and the tone of his voice had moved me in ways I had never been moved before.

Zade was the first man who had guts, real guts strong enough to sit in front of my dad and brothers and tell them their true intentions and reasoning for wanting to be with me.

And he did it with so much passion. He didn't flinch when he spoke. He didn't stutter his words. And he didn't bat an eye, he looked each one of my family members in the eye when he spoke.

"You have mine." Archer spoke up with a soft smile formed on his face.

"Don't hurt my daughter. She's my joy and pride." Dad held out his hand for Zade to shake. They shook hands and dad's shoulders slightly relaxed.

"Mines also." Bruno added.

I glanced up at Sebastian, Alec and Elijah waiting for their reaction—response.

The three of them looked at one another and then looked at Elijah for his approval.

"I don't like it, I don't like this at all." He began and my shoulders slumped in defeat.

"But." I glanced up at him.

"I don't like you not being happy." He smiled softly for the first time this entire day. "You have our blessing."

"Just dont fuck in the bedroom." Alec warned.

"Or get pregnant." Bruno added along with Sebastian and Elijah and Alec nodded their heads in agreement.

"We're too young to be uncles." Archer chuckled.

"Are you sure?" I gripped Zade's face in the palm of my hands. "I think we would make cute babies. What do you think Zade?"

Zade swallowed nervously for the first time since he stepped through the front door. "I uh-." He scratched his head and glanced at my father for help but dad's entire face paled and went stiff.

"Just kidding." They all relaxed in there chairs and laughed

"Now what was this I was hearing about bowling?" Dad swallowed, regaining cover from the thought I had put in his head about being a grandpa.

"Archer said he was driving." I yelled and we all stood for our chairs and rushed out the front door.

I should of put this in the beginning of the book but I was still debating.

- Eleanor age 21
- Zade age 43
- Eleanor's dad age ( Adonis age 53 )
- Lucas age 25
- Juliet age 30
- Elijah age 30
- Alec age 29
- Bruno age 27
- Archer age 23
- Sebastian age 25