Kevin walked into the kitchen, placing the dishes beside the sink. He glanced over at Alex's mother, Ruby, feeling a little nervous. "Uh, ma'am, let me wash the dishes for you. I looked for the maid, but I couldn't find anyone around."
Ruby turned to him with a warm smile. "Thank you for the offer, sweetie, but I can manage. How about you keep me company while I wash?" Kevin nodded, relieved she didn't brush him off.
"We only have maids for cleaning. No one is allowed in my kitchen to cook or clean but me," she added firmly, giving Kevin a proud look. After a moment, her expression softened. "So, tell me—why do you like my Alex?" Ruby asked with a gentle smile, her eyes full of curiosity.
Kevin couldn't help but smile at the mention of Alex's name. "Well, honestly, I don't know everything about him yet, aside from the fact that he's a mafia heir," Kevin shrugged lightly, "but he always takes care of me. He doesn't mind my moods, and he has this soft, caring side that he shows only to me. That's what I love the most. I get to see the parts of him no one else does. It feels like we're building something special together."
Ruby finished the last dish and dried her hands before turning to Kevin. She gently took his hands in hers, her grip firm but kind. "Kevin, I want to apologize for what happened on your 6th-month anniversary. Alex couldn't call or meet you because we were dealing with some serious conflicts. He had to stay inside while we managed the situation, and we even had to take his phone away for security reasons. I had to keep him at home until things settled down, which they eventually did. I'm sorry if it upset you."
Kevin's eyes softened as he squeezed her hands in return. "There's no need to apologize, ma'am. Alex explained everything to me. I understand you were only trying to protect him. I would never hold that against you."
Ruby smiled at him, clearly moved. She pulled him into a hug, which surprised Kevin, but he hugged her back without hesitation. "Thank you, sweetie. That means a lot," she whispered before letting go. "Now, come with me. I want to show you something." She led Kevin through a side door in the kitchen.
Kevin followed her, a little puzzled. "Uh, where are we going?" he asked, trying to keep up.
"Shh! If our hubby sees us, I won't be able to show you Alex's baby pictures," Ruby replied mischievously, causing Kevin's face to flush with embarrassment.
Kevin's mind raced. 'Did she just call Alex 'my hubby'?'' His face grew even redder at the thought. Ruby, noticing his flushed cheeks, turned around and gently placed a hand on his forehead and neck. "Sweetie, are you feeling okay? You're burning up!" she asked with concern.
Kevin shook his head quickly. "No, no! I'm fine. Just a little... embarrassed," he admitted shyly, his voice soft.
Ruby's face lit up with realization before she burst into laughter. "Oh, sweetie! You're blushing because I called Alex your hubby, aren't you?" she teased, clearly enjoying Kevin's reaction. She led him to a cozy room that looked like a library and pulled out several heavy photo albums from a nearby shelf.
Kevin immediately stepped forward to help her. "Here, let me carry those for you, ma'am," he offered politely.
Ruby smiled and handed him the albums. "Thank you, and please, don't call me 'ma'am'. You can call me 'Mama' or 'Mom,' just like Alex does."
Kevin smiled shyly. "Okay... Mom."
Ruby chuckled and sat down on the couch, patting the seat beside her for Kevin to join. "Now, this album," she said, opening a black book, "has pictures from when I was pregnant with Alex. He was so tiny in my belly that I thought he'd be born small, but he came out all round and chubby!" She giggled at the memory, passing the album to Kevin.
As they flipped through the pages, Ruby shared stories behind each photo. "Here's one of my favorites. Matt had come home late from work, but he still made time to watch a movie with Alex. Alex fell asleep right on his chest. It was such a beautiful sight."
Kevin smiled as he listened, thoroughly enjoying the stories. Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Alex's name flash on the screen, he grinned, but before answering, he glanced at Ruby. "Should I take this call?"
Ruby checked the time on her old-fashioned, yet elegant, watch. "It's pretty late already? Go ahead, sweetie. You'd better answer, or you'll be in for a long night," she winked before standing up and heading toward the door.
Kevin answered the call in a whisper. "Hello?"
"Where in the fucking world are you?" Alex's voice came through the phone, sounding frustrated. Kevin froze—Alex had never spoken to him like that before. "Love, I'm sorry for snapping. I didn't mean to curse, but I've been looking for you for the past two hours. I went to the kitchen, and you and Mom weren't there."
Kevin quickly reassured him. "I'm in a room that looks like a library. Your mom brought me here to show me something. Should I come downstairs?"
"Yes, love. Come downstairs. I'll wait for you by the staircase," Alex replied, sounding relieved.
Kevin hung up and hurried downstairs. As soon as Alex saw him, he pulled Kevin into a tight hug, breathing in his scent. "Did Mom show you my baby pictures?" Alex asked, his voice muffled against Kevin's neck.
Kevin nodded with a smile. "You were adorable when you were younger. You're still pretty cute, you know."
Alex pulled back, looking into Kevin's eyes with amusement. "Cute, huh?" he chuckled softly. "No one's ever called me that before. Well, no one except my parents."
Kevin grinned. "But you are cute. Sexy and cute," he laughed, his eyes crinkling as he did.
Alex couldn't help but smile as he watched Kevin laugh, his heart swelling with affection. "Love, I really do love you," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Kevin's laughter faded into a soft smile. He leaned in, teasing, "I'll kiss you if you don't."
Alex smirked. "Who said I wouldn't?" And with that, he closed the distance, capturing Kevin's lips in a gentle kiss.
Every time they kissed, a new, overwhelming feeling of love and protection bloomed between them—a silent vow that they would never let go of each other.
—
