Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Crispin
“Are you sure you’re okay, Bunny? You’re awfully quiet over there.
” Since we left the club, he’d been radio silent.
Did he regret quitting his job? Was he tired of me asking him to move in?
Tired of me staying at the club while he worked?
Had I overstepped? Mostly likely, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t.
I was a man who went for what he wanted and didn’t back down until I had it.
But was that too much for Beck?
He just sighed. “Yes, Daddy,” and left it at that.
I didn’t buy that for a minute, but I wasn’t pressing and bringing him down any further right before work.
Beck needed to bring his A-game and keep his eyes open.
Many of the patrons there were less than desirable and completely disregarded the rules and Beck spent most of the night dodging their grabby hands.
I seriously had issues with humans who tried to take what wasn’t theirs.
Hence, my insistence on being there when he worked.
Was it kicking my ass the next day after only four hours of sleep?
Hell ya, but there was no way I was leaving my Bunny there unattended.
He had no idea how absolutely breathtaking he was.
It was no wonder that his section of the bar always filled up.
I knew on the trip over that something more was going on.
I watched Beck all night, dancing when he was supposed to, serving the drinks but never once had his beautiful smile lit the room as it normally did. He’d occasionally glance my way and I’d wink, eliciting an adorable blush from my sweet boy.
But his mind wasn’t on the job.
How he managed to serve drinks with a smile while being totally in his head was a talent.
He had a faraway look as he danced, his body moved to the beat but from the neck up he was somewhere else.
But damnit if I wasn’t secretly hoping he’d up and quit.
Selfish, yeah it was, but for all the right reasons and I was glad this fiasco was finally over.
“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” Beck said midway through our drive home.
“How do you mean?”
Beck sighed. “All night I just kept thinking, why am I here? I hate this job, I hate my boss, and I had pretty much decided to quit at the end of my shift before that whole thing happened.”
“Ah, so that’s why you didn’t see that guy reach for you. Usually, you divert their grabby hands with a sly dance move.”
“Yeah, I just wasn’t mentally there tonight. There’s a, there’s something I need to tell you, Daddy.”
Well, the good part of that was he called me Daddy, the bad part was the rest of that sentence. “You can tell me anything, Bunny.”
“Okay, here goes,” Beck gave himself a pep talk. “I love you. I’ve never said those words to anyone but Jobe and he’s my bestie, so it doesn’t mean the same as it does with you. But I’m like totally, how it is in the movies, my heart is all in, love you kind of love. Am I making any sense?”
Happy laughter burst out from me and Beck frowned.
“Wipe that frowny face away, Bunny. I’m not laughing at you, really, I’m laughing at me and how ridiculous I’ve been tonight.
I was worried you were gonna end it with me and instead you said those three words I’ve been dying to say to you but was afraid of scaring you away. ”
“Y-you?” he stuttered.
“Me, yes, I love you, Beck. I’ve tried not to push, and I know I’ve failed but I want to go to bed with you, wake up with you, make you the silly bunny ear pancakes I butcher every time I try for breakfast for you.
I want a future with you, and I don’t like it when we’re apart.
” There, I laid it all on the line. Now it was up to him to determine our next steps.
He burst into tears. “No one but Jobe ever told me they loved me.” Beck struggled to remain seated and nearly choked himself with the seatbelt trying to get to me.
“Be careful with my Bunny, I can’t cuddle him if he’s tied up in the seatbelt. We’re almost home, sweetheart. Then Daddy can love the stuffing out of you.”
Beck hopped up and down in his seat as we passed through the guard shack at the subdivision I lived in while singing, “Daddy loves his Bunny. Daddy loves his Bunny.”
If I’d have known that saying I love you would have that effect on him, I’d have done it the first week we were together. Too soon? Perhaps, which is why I waited, but my heart knew exactly who it wanted and that was our little cotton tail bunny sitting beside me.
Now, would he finally consider moving in with me?
I’d barely reached his side of the car when the door flew open and out came my Bunny full speed. I barely had enough time to grasp what was going on and catch Beck as he launched himself at me. He wrapped his legs around my waist and buried his face in the crook of my neck.
“Bunny, why are you crying?”
“Cause-cause, cause my Daddy loves me.”
Heart. Broken.
There wasn’t much I knew of Beck’s backstory outside of his being raised in the foster system. Which, it was quite possible, were years filled with memories he’d rather leave behind.
“Of course I do, silly boy. You’re the most loveable bunny ever.”
“Daddy’s Bunny.”
“Yes, you are.” I carried him inside and made a mental note to bring our bags in after I got him settled in. “Would Daddy’s Bunny like tubby time?”
“Please, Daddy. I want out of this outfit for good.”
We’d left right after Beck emptied his locker, so he was still in his work uniform. What little there was of it. If I wasn’t worried about what pleather would do to the ozone layer, I’d hold a ritual burning of the damn thing in the firepit outback.
“Bunny,” I gave his button nose a kiss. “Sit here for Daddy while I start your bath and bring our stuff in.” We’d need to move more of his things to keep here soon. “I’ve got your stuffie Bun-Bun in your backpack.”
“Yay! Bun-Bun is having a sleepover at Daddy’s too.
Bunny kisses, Daddy.” We rubbed noses, then I brought everything in and locked up for the night.
My sweet boy was on the couch having a conversation with the stuffed bear I got him.
He kept it here so Daddy wouldn’t be lonely, his words not mine, though I did secretly love glimpsing the sweet bear on the couch waiting for his Bunny to come and hold him again.
I loved how easily Beck slipped into his little side when I was around, especially after the night he had.
That was the best form of therapy for him right now.
That and being tucked in his daddy’s arms.
Unloading his backpack, I tucked Bun-Bun into bed, waiting for my sweet Bunny, then I called him in. “Tubby is ready.” The pitter patter of his feet across the tile as he hopped down the hallway was music to my ears. “Um, Bunny, where are your clothes?”
He shrugged. “Here and there.”
“There were only two pieces so not much here or there.”
“Uh-huh, Daddy. I had shoes too, but no sockies.” My cute boy wiggled his toes. “See?”
Good, little Beck was here. “I do, silly boy. Go potty then Daddy will help you into the tub.” I set out the new pj’s I’d bought him and dumped the bag of tubby toys into the water right as he came out. “Alright, into the water so my Bunny can relax.”
You could literally see the stress leave his body as he slid beneath the bubbles. “Mmm, feels good. Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome, sweet boy.”
“Daddy,” another dramatic sigh from my sweet Bunny. “What am I going to do about a job now?”
“What do you want to do?”
His eyes widened and he blinked. “I don’t know. I’ve always just worked to get out of a bad situation and now I left a bad situation so…I don’t know.”
“Hmm, that’s quite the dilemma, Bunny. But…” dare I say it? “This does free up time to travel with Daddy.”
“Daddy, that doesn’t pay the rent.” If I’m not mistaken, my Bunny just gave me attitude. I cocked a warning brow. “Sorry Daddy, didn’t mean it to come out so snarky. But I’m scared.”
“I know, Bunny, but Daddy’s got you. Now, will you please let Daddy take care of you?” Maybe voicing it in the form of a question may help. Or it could turn out to be nothing more than wishful Daddy thinking.
“I don’t know,” he batted at the bubbles and sent them flying, an adorable giggle escaped. “I like the idea of being with you all the time, but I’m scared to not have any money coming in. Does that make sense?”
“Perfect sense, though the question remains, what would you like to do? If you had a choice of any job in the world, what would it be?”
Another shrug. “I like modeling Jobe’s clothes when he’s making them. He said I have the perfect body for a model, but he doesn’t recommend getting into the industry. Something about it being a soul sucker.”
Jobe would know. He got shit on more ways than one while professionally modeling, though he made bank and invested it wisely from what Stanley had told me.
“Maybe talk to Jobe and see if he has a job for you. You won’t have any bills to pay living with your Daddy, but I do understand the importance of having your own income. ”
“That’s a good idea. You’re so smart, Daddy.” But he didn’t acknowledge the moving in comment. Again.
Good lord, was I being played or what?
“Okay, Daddy, here’s the deal. If Jobe has work for me and can pay me, then I’ll move in with you. If not, then I have to find a job.”
“So, let me see if I got this right. Living with your Daddy depends on Jobe? That doesn’t seem fair to Daddy.” I hoped like hell I misread, misheard, mis-something his response.
Beck shook his head. “No, that’s not what I meant. Sorry, the words got all stuck in my fuzzy brain. Maybe I just need some sleep.”
“Sleeping on it sounds like a good idea.” In the meantime, I’d reach out to Stanley and get his thoughts on the situation.
Making my boy do something he wasn’t certain of wasn’t the way to start our life together.
This decision was a big one, for both of us, but it was one that Beck had to make for himself.
I’ll not worry, for now. I’ll save that for another day…if this drags on much longer.
I got my Bunny sorted and tucked into bed then took my turn showering and fired off a text to Stanley before I got in. He was likely in bed given the late hour and would reply come morning.
Me: Well, Beck finally quit after another incident.
I sat my phone down and turned the shower on, not expecting it to vibrate as quickly as it did.
Stanley: Dare I ask what happened?
Me: I hope I didn’t wake you, my apologies if I did.
Stanley: No, had a meeting with investors in another country I was up at ass-crack of dawn for.
Me: Those are a challenge, my friend. Another grabby patron and that was the final straw for Beck but let him tell Jobe that. I believe he’s going to talk to him about moving in with me. At least, that’s what it sounded like.
Stanley: I know Jobe is all for that but those two are close and rely on one another as their sounding boards. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.
Me: Thanks, my friend. Now get back to sleep.
Stanley: Pot, meet kettle. Night, Crispin.
Well, that settled my nerves a bit. Good friends you trusted were hard to come by, but it appeared Beck and I had just that with Stanley and his boy Jobe.
Now, for this tired daddy to get some shut eye.