Fred
When my sister asked me to go check on her friend slash baby daddy, I thought she was kidding.
Even though we live in the same city, we never really see each other outside of obligations, like funerals and weddings.
Don’t get me wrong: Sheila and I talk once a week.
We just happen to have a sibling bond that does best when we don’t interact within the same physical space very often.
At least that’s the excuse she used every time I asked her to meet up since she had that thing for our mother last fall.
Driving to the more rundown area of our small city, I’m wondering what the fuck I’m actually doing this for.
My sister never told me she was pregnant.
I only found out tonight that I have a three-week-old niece living in the slums with her father who is apparently “the sweetest and unluckiest guy ever” according to my little sister.
I don’t think she would have ever told me if she didn’t need me to check on them for her.
Sheila gave me a quick overview of why my niece is living in such dilapidated conditions, and I have to say that this Radcliffe guy is an absolute tool.
Who runs off two weeks before their kid is set to be born, two months before the wedding?
I don’t know all of the details, but La-La gave me enough to understand that her friend was blindsided and needs help.
My baby sister loves her friends so much that it hurts her to see them in pain.
She’s also dramatic as fuck, so I don’t really put any stock into her assessment of the situation.
That is, I didn’t until he collapsed in front of my eyes.
The split second of panic, loneliness, and terror I saw on his face before he hid it behind the cracked mask of indifference will forever be ingrained in my memory.
Something inside of me is screaming that I need to protect this man.
He feels like he is part of me, but I don’t want to scare him away.
When he leads me into his home, I see it for what it is, despite his look of embarrassment.
He’s doing his best with what he has to work with.
Which, judging by the quick glimpse I got of his fridge before he slammed it shut, isn’t much.
Thinking back to my own childhood, there were many times when our fridge looked like that while Mom was on one of her binges and Dad was nowhere to be found.
I remember washing cars and mowing lawns for miles around to try and get enough money to make sure La-La was fed and happy and never had to suffer through hunger pains like I did.
The little girl in the bassinet reminds me so much of La-La as a baby and I can’t help the smile that comes to my face. My thoughts are interrupted when an ice-cold bottle of water is slammed into my sternum.
I’m glad to see that Caspian still has some fire in him. He’s going to need it if little Ivy ends up even a smidgen like her mother. Being almost fourteen years older than my baby sister meant that I spent a lot of time taking care of her. Our parents were not exactly nurturing people.
Caspian’s eyes are glued to me as I take a swig of the water he gave me, so I glance over only to see him completely miss his mouth while attempting a swig of his soda. I huff out a small chuckle and let my eyes roam down his body and smirk at what is rising up to say hello.
At least one part of him is happy to see me.
Caspian’s hands fly in front of him while he starts to turn an adorable shade of red.
Before I can open my mouth to suggest one of many fun ways to take care of his not so little problem, my adorable little cockblock of a niece lets out a piercing wail that would do a banshee proud.
I watch as the charming man who was slowly emerging retreats back behind the exhausted and overwhelmed father that opened the door.
Caspian rushes over and lifts little Ivy onto his chest, effectively killing any momentum we could have made.
“I guess I used up my shower time, my poison princess, didn’t I?” he mumbles to the baby and starts pacing the room like this is a regular occurrence. Based on the lack of clutter in his path compared to the rest of the room, I would say it pretty much is.
“I can take care of her so you can wash up and take a nap if you’d like.”
The suggestion comes out of my mouth before I can even really think anything of it. For a second, I think Caspian might actually take me up on it before the resignation shows on his face.
“Sorry, but I don’t feel safe trusting my baby to a random neighbor.”
Confused, I furrow my brows for a second. Neighbor? Then it hits me. I never actually bothered to introduce myself. I am a fucking idiot.
“Not a neighbor,” I tell him and step into the path he is walking. “I’m Sheila’s big brother, Fred. She asked me to come check on you both while she’s out of town for a conference.”
His eyes widen in shock as his jaw drops. His mouth forms the most adorable little “O” that I can’t help thinking about shoving my dick into... not now, but soon. This guy is quickly becoming a temptation I don’t want to resist.