They made their way down. His dad rolling his eyes. Roman took her hand and looked at her.
He whispered, "Stay beside me; I don't want Ric to get a second chance at cornering you."
She nodded. His eyes scanned the room. She placed her hand against his cheek and he met her eyes. She kissed him gently.
Someone cleared their throat. They both turned to see his mom.
"Come", she said, before turning and walking away.
Roman and Thea followed. As they got closer to the group, Roman noticed Dean glaring at Ric. Brie was whispering to him; he was sure she was telling him to calm down.
"You don't have to stand with me right now. Dean and Brie are over there", Roman said.
Thea bit her lip.
"Its okay, and really, it would ease me to know you aren't anywhere near that man", he whispered, kissing the side of her head.
She nodded and walked over to her sister and Dean. Roman knew his brother wouldn't let her out of his sight.
Roman joined the group and he looked at Ric. The man's eyes were on Thea. He looked at his dad and noticed as his eyes were on Ric as well.
Then his dad looked at him. He hoped his dad saw what he and Dean saw and didn't let his hate for Thea cloud his judgement on the man.
"There he is. Hello again, Roman. I'm so glad you are alive and well.", Ric said, holding his hand out.
Roman shook it.
"My wife agrees", Roman replied.
Ric flinched.
"Oh, I thought…", Ric stopped.
"Still my wife", Roman cut him off.
Ric nodded and laughed. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Sasha walking over. She smiled at him.
"Sorry to interrupt", she said.
His mom hugged her and then his dad.
"So glad you could join us, Sasha. Its so good to see you hun", his mom said.
"Same", Sasha smiled.
She went over to Roman and kissed his cheek. He pulled away, not wanting to be close to her for too long and Thea think its something when it wasn't.
Ric said, "We were just talking about how glad we are that Roman is still with us."
Sasha agreed.
"Yes, we are. Life wouldn't be the same without him", Sasha said.
"Had to fight to stay alive for my wife and daughter", Roman said.
"Ex-wife," Sasha corrected.
"My wife", Roman replied, turning to look at Thea.
Sasha followed his stare. She looked from him to his parents. None of them had mentioned Thea's arrival.
Sasha said, "I didn't know you got remarried."
"Why would you?", Roman asked.
Sasha looked at his parents and then shrugged.
"My life and I choose to share it with who I want. You weren't one of them", Roman added.
Sasha smiled and took a sip of her wine.
"Ro," he turned to see Thea had approached them.
Roman smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist. Thea smiled at Sasha.
"Hello, Sasha", Thea said.
"Tia", Sasha replied.
"Its actually Thea, but, never mind", Thea said.
"Oh, my apologies," Sasha replied.
Roman glanced at Ric and watched as he looked her up and down. The evil in his eyes told Roman he didn't have pure intentions.
"Eyes off my wife", Roman said, his tone left no room for argument.
Ric looked away.
His dad snapped, "Roman!"
Roman didn't take his eyes off Ric. Thea placed her hand on his chest before kissing his cheek.
Ric cleared his throat.
"So, your dad and I were discussing your future in New York. I still have a spot open for you son, that's if you want it. We can have a space set up for you and your, little family. Transportation to and from home", Ric said.
"You discussed my future without me?", Roman asked.
"You've already lost so much time. We were just trying to make it easier for you", his dad said.
"Its my future, Thea's too. Your granddaughter", Roman said.
"Roman…", he cut his dad off.
"Thea and Joey are coming with me, and if they choose not too, I will work from home and travel when I need too.", Roman said.
Sika glanced at Thea.
"And she has said nothing bad about my choices. If I asked her too, she would follow, but I've decided I will not uproot my family", Roman said.
Sika now looked at his son.
"Thanks Ric, for the offer, but I've already made my decision on where I will work and live", Roman said.
"Roman, think about this…", he stopped Sasha.
"You have no say in my life, you aren't my wife or my family", he said.
He set his glass down.
"Its late, we should get home to our daughter", Roman said, taking Thea's hand.
"Excuse us", Thea said softly, as Roman was tugging on her to follow.
"Rome…", he stopped Thea.
"Not here. We discuss our life in the privacy of our home", he said.
She nodded. They passed Brie and Dean.
"See you both at home", Roman said.
Dean nodded. As they got to the front door, his mom came after them.
"Roman, please think about this, about Joey. This is more for her future than yours", his mom said.
"Is it? Or are you just trying to take me away from my family again?", Roman asked.
"Ro", Thea said softly.
He sighed.
"I love you both, but these decisions aren't yours to make", he said.
He walked out. Thea looked at his mom. Patricia looked at her.
"You know what decision is better for him. Let him go, let him experience things he didn't get to because…", Patricia stopped.
"Because he met me and married me, that's what you were going to say. Right?", she said.
Patricia sighed.
"Unlike what you think, I never forced him to stay with me. I never tricked him into marrying me and get pregnant for child support. Every decision he or we have made, was together. I have done nothing but support him", Thea said.
Thea could feel tears welling up in her eyes.
"I think the only times I've disappointed him were when I thought I was pregnant, only to take a test and it be negative. He wanted to be a dad and I was failing him. Then I was pregnant and he was so happy.", Thea said.
"Come over tomorrow. Sika and I would like to speak to you alone.", Patricia said, before walking back to the party.
"Thea", Roman called.
Thea walked out, Roman had her door open.
"Should we pick up Joey?", he asked.
Thea smiled.
"Or, we could be alone tonight", she said.
He smiled.
"I love my daughter, but being alone with you sounds good right now", he replied.
She giggled. Once they got home, Roman stretched and kicked his shoes off by the door. She smiled.
"What?", he asked.
"You always did that when we came home. Kicked your shoes off, grabbed the remote and sat on the couch to watch football highlights", she explained.
He chuckled. Then his smile disappeared.
"What?", she asked now.
"Would you hate me if I don't ever remember our life together?", he asked.
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"As long as you promise we can make new ones", she said.
He smiled and nodded.
"So many new ones", he replied.
"And thank you for putting Sasha in her place. Even when we were married they invited her to stuff and rubbed how much they loved her in my face.", she said.
"I'm sorry, and I hope I did something then?", he said.
"You did, like I said, you always defended me", she replied.
She took a step away from him and took his hand. She started to pull him upstairs.
"Thea, I…", she cut him off.
"You don't want too?", she asked.
"That's not it. I just don't want to force you into anything if you don't want too", he replied.
"But I do," she whispered against his lips. "That's why I'm taking you upstairs, Mr. Reigns."
He smiled and followed after her.
Dean and Brie could hear Sasha arguing with his parents. Something about not being told Thea would be there.
"We didn't think he would bring her," his dad replied.
Sasha said, "I was going to tell him tonight. Announce it to the whole room."
Something about those words scared him a bit.
"Tell him what?" Dean asked.
Sasha looked at him and then at Brie.
"I'm pregnant, and before you say it isn't, he was the last guy I was with. We hooked up a few weeks before he got back together with Thea," Sasha said.
Dean looked over at his mom.
He asked, "Mom?"
She gave a nod of agreement.
She replied, "We saw the sonogram and the blood work."
Dean looked at Brie. Sasha turned to his parents.
"Now I want what I was promised, and that was marrying Roman. No, I am not living the life his ex-wife wanted. We are going to New York and securing our future there."
Dean looked back at his parents.
"That's the woman you wanted for your son instead of my sister.", Brie said, shaking her head before leaving.
"Brie's right. That woman is horrible", Dean said.
"We know that now," his dad mumbled.
"Roman won't leave Thea. They can barely get by as it is. Sasha is going to bleed them dry, and I do mean them because Thea won't leave Roman to handle this alone," Dean said.
He sighed.
Dean said, "I'll leave it to you to tell them." Then he walked out.