Chapter 31 #2
I t isn’t long before Vanna’s got my mother’s old records playing softly, the groceries put away, and our clothes unpacked and organized into the small dresser in the bedroom.
I wrap my arms around her waist as she attempts to walk by me, and pull her back against my chest, cherishing the way she relaxes in my hold.
Pressing my lips against the back of her head, I breathe her in.
God, how I’ve fought to get to this place with her.
It’s been over a year since I’ve felt her flinch or tense at an unexpected touch.
The realization brings a smile to my face.
I am her Knight, and she knows it. Fuck Legion and his mind-fuckery .
“Did you know your great-great-grandpa built this cabin, Ace?” Vanna asks.
Our son is sitting in front of the stone hearth, unpacking the toys he brought from his backpack.
“Daddy’s family lived in these mountains when they came to America, isn’t that cool?
Do you remember the name of this mountain range? ”
He pauses from his task, his little brows scrunching together as he considers the question. “Smoke?”
“That’s right! The Great Smoky Mountains,” Vanna says.
I let her slip from my embrace as she walks over to him.
“You’re such a smart boy, Ace.” She removes one of the iron candle holders from the mantle above the fireplace and crouches to show him.
“Your Ancestors brought these all the way from Scotland when they immigrated. Guess how old they are?”
His little hand grips around the neck, and Vanna carefully allows him to test the weight of the object, letting him hold it but keeping her own hands near in case he does drop it. “A hundred!”
“Close,” she replies, speaking as though it’s an impressive span of time, “ Two hundred and fifty years !”
“Wow!” Ace says, and I suppress a grin because I’m not sure if he is truly impressed, or if he just loves his mother enough to play into her enthusiasm for her sake.
“You’re more than Scottish, though, kiddo,” I add, “Your great-great-great… maybe great -grandmother married an Irishman, hence our last name, Keegan. But did you know you’re also Italian on mommy’s side?
” Ace peers up at me, then looks at his mother.
“Mommy’s grandparents came to America from southern Italy.
They settled in New York, where your Aunt Giuliana, grandma, and grandpa still live. ”
Vanna runs her fingers through the top of his dark hair, combing it back the way she does mine. “One day we’ll go on another adventure, and we’ll take you to the Big Apple to visit them and see where mommy used to live.”
“Mommy lived in an apple?” Ace asks, making Vanna giggle. “ Like James and the Giant Peach ?”
Vanna places the candle holder down on the hearth and reaches into his backpack for his tablet.
“I’ll show you,” she says, bringing up a map of the United States and zooming in on New York.
“This area is nicknamed The Big Apple, but it’s just a city.
” Ace seems mildly disappointed by this, and I have to suppress another laugh.
“And this area here is Long Island, where your grandparents live now. You’ll meet them someday. ”
Ace points at the map. “It looks like a fish!”
“It does!” Vanna laughs along with his gleeful observation. “What does Italy look like?” she asks, adjusting the map on the screen, then points to the country.
“A boot!” Ace smiles up at her.
“That’s right! Your ancestors got on a ship and sailed all the way across the Atlantic Ocean, from here to here, to start a life for us in America.”
“A big ship?”
“Mhmm.”
“ Like Vikings did ?” Ace asks excitedly, pulling a chuckle from us both. “Am I a Viking, too?”
“Uncle Viking definitely makes you an honorary Viking, too!” Vanna’s reply brings another proud smile to Ace’s face.
“You’re a pretty cool little dude,” I tell him.
“Do you know where we are now on this map?” Vanna asks. Ace shakes his head, and she proceeds to show him where our cabin is nestled. Ace’s eyes dance over the map for a moment.
“Everybody is so far,” he says, thoughtfully.
“Do you want to know something really special about these mountains?” Vanna asks, and he nods. “The Great Smoky Mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountain range, and they are over one billion years old. Some of the oldest mountains on earth.”
“ Wow…”
“One day we’ll tell you about Pangea,” I chuckle. Ace peers up at me quizzically. “These same mountains were once part of the Scottish Highlands, where our family came from. The world used to be one big piece of land.”
He looks to his mother suspiciously, before glancing back up at me. “Is this a bedtime story?” he asks, making us both laugh again.
“No, but we have a lot to do while we’re here, so you had better sleep tonight,” Vanna says.
“Mountain things?” Ace asks.
“Mhmm. Did you know Daddy is Appalachian, too? You and your father have strong roots in these mountains.”
Ace stares thoughtfully at the map again before asking, “Where is Legend from?”
I fight the knee-jerk reaction to reply Hell .
“Arizona,” Vanna quickly shows him on the map.
“Is he a Viking, too?” Ace asks.
“I don’t know where Legend’s family comes from,” Vanna says.
“ Maybe Hades .” I shrug, watching Vanna’s reaction. She presses her lips together to suppress a smile.
“Where is Hades?” Ace asks, glancing back down at the map.
“I don’t know, but this tablet needs to charge, and mommy has to get dinner going for us,” Vanna quickly says, powering down the tablet.
She holds it up for me to take, avoiding eye contact with me now.
I know it’s because she doesn’t want to laugh and raise Ace’s curiosity any further on the topic of Legion.
I place it on the end table, and she grabs the candlestick, standing to place it back on the mantle. Ace resumes unpacking his toys.
Vanna peers up at me as she walks to the kitchen and whispers, “ You know he’s going to repeat that.”
I don’t bother hiding my grin when I covertly grab her hand to stop her. “ I hope he does .”
“You’re a menace.”
“I’m gonna wear him out before dinner, so I can lay this strong root in you later .” I wink at her.
“ And a rogue.” She smirks.
W hile Vanna prepares dinner, Ace assists me with bringing in enough firewood to last us the two days we’ll be staying.
Half we stack neatly on the porch near the front door to be brought in later, and the rest we stack beside the stone hearth.
Though the cabin has warmed up a little more from her cooking, I show Ace how to build a fire to keep the cabin warm through the night.
Granted, he’s three and will probably forget everything I’ve just shown him, but he still asks an abundance of questions, of which I’m happy to answer.
“Alright, my little lumber-snacks, come eat supper,” Vanna announces, taking a seat at the already set table.
“Some of my favorites, but is he gonna eat steak?” I whisper to her as I sit.
“ I brought nuggets as backup,” she conspiratorially whispers back, then smiles down at our son. “Besides, if Daddy eats it, you will too, right, Ace?”
Ace studies his plate and picks up his fork like he’s got a job to do. “Yeah… Daddy is a fine male spess-man.”
Vanna blinks, stunned, and I clear my throat to ask, “A what now?”
“Miss Dixie says Daddy is a fine spess… spess-a-man .”
“ My Gods ,” Vanna whispers under her breath while I try not to laugh. “I’m all for our son spending time with his biker uncles and you at the roadhouse a few nights a week, but maybe you should lay down the law with certain talk around him?”
“Are you mad, Momma?” Ace asks before I can reply.
“ No , angel, eat your supper.” Vanna pulls on a reassuring smile for him. “If you want to grow up to be big and strong like your Daddy, you have to eat your meat and veggies.”
“Okay,” he says, going straight for the mashed potatoes and gravy.
“Including those string beans, mister,” Vanna says, nodding at his plate.
“ Lizard tails ,” Ace insists.
“Alright, eat your lizard tails .”
I love them myself, but they’re not Ace’s favorite, even though she prepares them with garlic and butter. But Ace makes an effort to please her, forgoing his mashed potatoes for a moment to pick up a string bean with his fingers and gnaw on it.
He peers up from his plate at us, as if seeking further encouragement. “These will make my root strong, too?”
Vanna nearly chokes on her wine, a giggle escaping despite her effort to suppress it behind the hand she’s got pressed to her mouth. He really does hear everything and repeat it.
“How are those mashed potatoes working out for you, buddy? Good?” I can’t help chuckling at him as I cut into my steak. “Let’s get some more of those in your mouth.”
A little while after dinner, Vanna and I set Ace up on the new couch in the living room with his sleeping bag and extra blankets.
I place a large piece of oak into the fire, which should burn for hours and keep the front of the cabin toasty until early morning.
Ace is generally a pretty solid sleeper, and after lugging in firewood with me, I suspect he’s down for the count like I was hoping for.
Vanna lightly kisses his cheek and carefully tucks him in a little tighter before she runs her fingers through my hair, flirtatiously gripping it and giving it a rough little tug that shoots right to my cock.
She scampers off to the bedroom, smirking over her shoulder, and I’m eager to join her.
Just in case Ace should toss in his sleep and roll off, I line the floor along the couch with a few extra pillows.
“Daddy?” Ace’s sleepy voice draws me back to him before I can stand and make a break for the bedroom. His little fingers curl around the top of his sleeping bag. “I’m not tired,” he mumbles, though his drooping eyelids beg to differ.
I gently stroke the top of his head. “We have lots to do tomorrow, buddy. You need to rest up.”
“Can you tell me a story?” the little traitor bargains.