Steel and Hearts

The phone continued its relentless buzzing. Steel glanced at the unknown Oregon number and almost let it go to voicemail. He'd learned long ago that unexpected calls rarely brought good news, and tonight was supposed to be about celebrating Razor's return from his honeymoon. But something - maybe instinct, maybe fate - made him swipe to answer.
"Yeah?"
"Is this Marcus Rodriguez?" The voice was professional, tired, with the weight of someone who delivered bad news for a living.
"Depends who's asking."
"This is Detective Sarah Chen with the Portland Police Department. I'm calling about Elena Vasquez."
The name hit Steel like a physical blow. Elena. He hadn't heard that name spoken aloud in over eight years, but it still had the power to stop his world. Elena, with her dark eyes and infectious laugh, who had disappeared from his life as suddenly as she'd entered it. Elena, who had left him a note saying she needed to find herself and couldn't do it with him.
"What about Elena?" His voice came out rougher than intended.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Mr. Rodriguez, but Ms. Vasquez passed away three days ago in a car accident."
Steel's grip tightened on the phone. The sounds of his brothers laughing and talking seemed to fade into background noise. "I... what?"
"Sir, I'm calling because Ms. Vasquez listed you as the emergency contact for her children. Three children - Sofia, age seven; Miguel, age six; and Isabella, age four. According to our records, you're listed as their father."

Read on to find out what happens next...