TENACITY

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Friday, 3rd August, 2018
Valencia, Spain

"Lexi, are you done?" Trey called out in askance. He eyed the two giggling squirts running in circles, high on chocolate. "I could really use your help here!"

"You decided to feed them all that chocolate this early in the morning, so deal with it!" She called back, amusement clear in her voice.

Trey sighed, looking at his toddlers. "Stop running around else daddy won't give you chocolates ever again."

They paused, stumbling a bit but when they righted themselves, Winslet shook her hand in warning. "No no daddy," she said.

Rhett hugged Trey's legs, looking up at him with the cutest green eyes—both kids had inherited Trey's eye color. "Chocolate?" When Trey shook his head, Rhett covered his face, fake crying.

Trey nearly gave in when Alexandra reappeared, a towel around her body. "If you give in whenever they cry, they'll use it against you." She sat on the floor and picked Rhett onto her lap; Winslet came to be held as well.

"You've both had enough chocolate so if you don't eat any more, I'll reward you with pizza. You want some hot and yummy meat stuffed pizza?"

"Yesh," Winslet answered, getting off Lexi to do her happy dance—which basically involved clapping and bouncing; it was a messy dance since she wasn't very coordinated. She was a mini-Lexi through and through. Rhett, the quieter of them both, stayed nestled to his mom, smiling up at her at the prospect.

Trey watched Alexandra with their kids—her dramatic fall back when Winslet crashed into her—and smiled alongside their giggles.

It had been a long journey to getting back to normal—or close. Several therapy sessions, several dates and several constant checkups on the babies and Alexandra herself later, they were ready to move on. It still wasn't easy because she constantly worried, and occasionally still got nightmares over those three's deaths but she was better now.

Trey has spoken to his father too, actually spoken to him and they'd mended the rift between them—Ashley was glad because she'd never liked that they hadn't gotten along because of her. They didn't exactly have the best father-son relationship, but Andrew was just glad to have the opportunity to be there for his grandchildren.

He was a completely different person with them and doted on the twins so much that they were always thrilled when they were visiting him. They always came back home with a gift or two, giggling unend.

Trey had also moved them into the new house where security was much better due to Amaris' presence. And when the move was complete, he'd held a gathering for his security team, allowing his friends and family to join them; each member of the team had left with fat packages of thanks.

Leander had been allowed to attend, though his feet had been chained. He'd been able to officially meet his son in law and grandson and apologize for the effects his actions had had on Evelyn's life.

Then they'd had to go to court to offer proof that Lexi hadn't killed Wheeler on purpose. After hearing it all and seeing all the laid-out evidence, the court had ruled in Lexi's favor and instructed that the bank transfer all of Wheeler's assets—current and fixed—to Lexi and the babies as compensation.

For a long time, Lexi couldn't stand being touched intimately because it reminded of Wheeler forcing himself on her. So, he'd been patient, not touching her at all for a time. They had focused on rebuilding their relationship and being the best parents they could be to the twins.

He'd taken time to woo her, taking her on dates, spending quality time with just her to assure her he loved her. They had established a friendship as the foundation of their relationship this time, and it had worked out; Lexi had decided she wanted to marry him again.