CHAPTER 17 #2
My grip on her tightens and her blue eyes snap up to meet mine. “I mean it,” I tell her, my words solid and filled with truth. “I want you to make yourself at home. One day, I hope you’ll consider it our place, but there’s no rush to get there.”
Haven bites her lip as she studies my face. “Sometimes you say the sweetest things, Knox.”
I make a humming sound, my face drifting closer to hers without even thinking about it. “I only tell you true things, my little storm. I’m glad you find them sweet, though.”
Before she can answer me, the door to Safe Home swings open and Wilde’s voice calls out, “Are you going to kiss or are we moving today? I really want to see Knox’s studio. He already said I could use it.”
Haven jerks back, but my hold on her doesn’t let her go far. My lips curl into a smile before I turn my head slowly toward an incensed little boy. He’s tapping his foot, his annoyance clear as day.
There are times when it’s hard not to laugh at the kid. Even though it wouldn’t be a good idea. It’s just so damn tempting.
If he was a spoiled rotten kid, the way he’s expressing himself now would make him look like a brat. He can get away with It because he’s normally so kind, thoughtful, and respectful.
“Of course you can use my studio,” I reiterate the promise I already made to him.
What he doesn’t realize is that what is mine is his. Haven hasn’t fully figured it out yet either, but she’s getting closer.
“Yes,” Wilde exclaims while pumping his fist in the air.
I gently guide Haven toward him since he shouldn’t have opened the front door of Safe Home. Since Haven isn’t admonishing him, I’m not going to be the one to say anything. He’s about to live with some different rules and a little more freedom.
When we reach him, Haven runs her fingers through his hair. Her voice is gentle as she reminds him, “Remember, you aren’t allowed to open the front door.”
Wilde looks up at her and then down at the ground, his expression sheepish. “I forgot,” he mumbles, “and I was excited.”
“I understand why you did it,” she confirms, “but that doesn’t mean it’s okay.”
He nods while his mouth twists to the side like he’s thinking about something. “I can’t open the door to Knox’s house either?”
Smart kid.
“No,” Haven’s voice is firm, “because it’s an adult’s job.
Even if you know who it is, it’s not safe for you to open the door.
You’ll need to wait.” Wilde nods thoughtfully and when he looks up at his mom, I can see the question he really wants to ask.
Haven must see it too because she shakes her head slowly.
“It’s not about him,” she explains, “it would be a rule, no matter what the past is.”
When he blows out a breath, his shoulders relax, and it hits home just how worried he was. I’m sure Haven will have more rules for him, I just hope she’ll let me sit down with the two of them to talk about them. As a family.
After a few goodbyes and promises to see each other soon, we slip out of Safe Home. I swear the sun is brighter now that my family is coming home with me.
As I’m leading them toward her car, Wilde chirps, “Can I ride with Knox?”
I share a look with Haven and even though I know she wants to say no, she concedes, “Sure, you can ride with Knox.”
I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze to let her know I’ve got him and how much I appreciate her saying yes. “I’ll follow you,” I tell her, needing to have her in my sights as we head home even though it’s not far.
“Shouldn’t I be following you?”
“You know how to get there?” I counter her question with one of my own and she nods. “Then I’ll follow you. I like checking out your trunk anyway,” I joke and wink at her.
She chuckles as Wilde pipes up, “Why would you like her trunk? It’s just a trunk? Aren’t they all the same?”
Haven covers her mouth and slips into the front seat of her car as I mutter, “No, they definitely are not.”
The way Wilde scrunches up his face, clearly confused by my response, has me swallowing down a laugh. I almost tell him how he’ll understand one day, but I’m able to keep that tidbit to myself.
As I help him into the truck before he buckles himself in, I have to wonder if one day he’ll come to me for advice with a girl he likes. I hope so. How can something that hasn’t happened yet leave me with such a sweet feeling?
I already know, if he lets me, being Wilde’s dad will be the best thing I’ll do in this life and probably the next.
As we pull out onto the road behind Haven, Wilde’s voice is small as he asks, “Are you mad at me?”
The question startles me because the thought of doing anything to make him feel that way guts me.
“No way,” I assure him honestly. “Why would you think I’m mad at you?”
“Because I broke the rules and we’re about to move to your house,” he explains.
I shake my head and glance at him in the rearview mirror. “I’m not mad at you, Wilde. I promise. Do I want you to follow the rules, especially the ones for our house? Yes, of course, but only because the rules are there to ensure you are safe.”
“I might forget them,” the little bit of worry in his voice has me considering pulling the truck over so I can really talk to him.
But that would freak Haven out completely. Damn, having the two people who matter most being in two different places is not easy to juggle.
“Wilde, I’m not going to lie to you. There may be a time when you do or say something that will make me mad.”
He gasps and breathes out, “What?”
“It’s true,” I reiterate gently. “Being mad isn’t the problem or what can scare people. Being angry is natural. It’s a feeling just like being frustrated, sad, or happy. It’s not the feeling that’s the problem. How someone reacts to feeling a certain way can be.”
“I don’t understand.” His little face is twisted up when I glance in the mirror to see him.
I take a deep breath and decide the only thing I can do is take a chance.
“I’ll never hit you or your mom. Never. While I might be angry about something one day, my anger will never mean violence.
It might mean a raised voice. It might mean walking away to calm down.
It will never mean hurting you or your mom physically. ”
“How did you know?” The way his voice shakes has me clenching my fists around the steering wheel.
“I didn’t know for sure,” I admit. “I guessed from the way you both react to certain things and because of the work Safe Home does.”
Wilde nods, his expression turning despondent.
“He was scary a lot of the time. Mom always had me hide and promise to never come out of my room if there was yelling.” He’s staring out the window when I glance back at him again.
“When it would get quiet, I would go and help her. Sometimes there was blood,” his voice drops to a whisper with his last words.
Fuck. I need Duncan to give me an update soon. Or else I’m liable to go hunt this asshole down on my own. Wilde shouldn’t know what it feels like to find his mom hurt and bleeding.
But he does.
“I will never put you in that position again, Wilde. I promise,” there’s steel in my voice.
I hope he can hear it, and can feel how serious I am.
“Good,” he murmurs just as we pull up to the house.
When Haven and I are parked, I twist around in my seat to look at Wilde. “Are you ready to go and see your room?”
“My room?” His eyes widen as he repeats my words, awe coloring every word.
“Your room,” I confirm. “I’ve been working on it for a while because I knew one day you would come home here.
I wanted it to be perfect. If anything needs to be changed, I want you to tell me.
My feelings won’t be hurt; I just want you to have the best room you can have so I’ll need your help. Okay?”
“Yes,” he cheers, that little fist of his punching the air again in celebration.
When I go around to his side to get him out, his arms wrap around my neck tightly. There is so much unsaid in the small gesture. I hold him close, unwilling to put him down, and carry him over to Haven’s car. She shoots me a questioning look, but doesn’t say anything.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a keychain and a key and hand them over to my woman. Her eyes are wide and filled with surprise as she looks at the key and then back at me. Not only does she have a Vibrant Ink keychain, but she also has a silver storm cloud as well.
“Those are yours, Haven,” I assure her. As I nod toward the front door, I prompt her gently, “How about you let us in?”
Haven looks up at the house with awe, excitement, and trepidation. When she squares her shoulders, my chest warms with pride. She’s so damn strong and the wildest part is how she doesn’t see it in herself. Everyone else sees it though.
Wilde gives my neck a squeeze before he lets his small body relax against me completely. The trust he’s putting in me has my eyes filling with tears. Who knew that my family, one I never saw coming, could make me so emotional?
When we make it to the door, and she unlocks it, I murmur, “Welcome home.”
She might not know it yet, but this is where they belong. Here. With me.