Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Izzy
I’ve never felt more loved and special as I lay in bed with Lance. Sex had always been something I did, and there were huge consequences. There were a few times I went on dates when I was back home, but I never felt any sort of real connection. But being with Lance, I feel like our souls are entwined.
He makes me feel wanted. Sensual and sexual. A side of myself I only explored on my own. Literally. Between Knights of the Night fan fiction and smutty fae books, I didn’t know how good it could be. I thought it was all romanticized glitter, but here this beautiful man gets dressed and wraps a blanket around me.
“I’m going to do a security check,” he whispers as he leans over and kisses my forehead. “Relax for a little while.”
I’m blissed out, warm, and safe, but not relaxed.
Something happened at my apartment that put our lives in danger, and I still don’t know what.
“What happened?”
Lance would never let something happen to me or Drew. But I need to know. I need to know what sort of danger I’m in.
“I shouldn’t have left. I’m so sorry.” The edge of the bed sinks as he sits. He’s quiet, and when I think he’s going to sidestep the question, he says, “Your ex breached security and left you a present.”
“What kind of present?”
He frowns. “One you can’t return, that’s for sure.” The way he says it, I know he’s not going to tell me anything else. Whatever it was, it’s better to let my imagination run wild. Pulling his phone out, he pauses again. “According to Alana, she’s got a full manhunt going on. You’ll be here until he’s in custody.”
“And what makes you think Alana can find him? Why wasn’t she doing this before?” I want to pout and cry. I thought I was safe with Mastodon Security, but now I find out they weren’t even searching for him.
“The Four Families had been hunting him. Mastodon was only hired to provide you with extra protection. But now Alana’s pissed, and she’s calling in resources the Four Families don’t have.”
“Between all Four Families, we have connections in every industry, dirty and clean. Who could be more connected than us? Oh wait, she’s got the Olympians in her back pocket.” I laugh.
But Lance doesn’t. Instead, he watches a bird outside the window.
HOLY SHIT.
“She used to work for them, on some level. I think she still does.” He rolls his shoulders back, looking taller. “I care about you. Alana cares about me. Favors were called in.” His face sours. “I’m probably going to have to detail her car and clean Midge’s litter box for a year.” He shudders and smirks. “Good thing you’re worth it.”
The color drains from his face as he shakes his head and sends a text message. The phone buzzes, and the tension in his face softens but doesn’t relax. “The gift your ex left wasn’t just for you. I think it was for Alana, too.”
Oh. I pull the blankets closer to my body. This wasn’t some domestic abuse crime. Everything about this situation feels bigger.
“Alana’s wrath is swift and thorough. There’s no getting away from it.” Lance huffs a little. “If I didn’t hate him so much for being a damn abusive twat, I’d almost feel bad for him.” He leans over one more time and kisses my forehead. “Alana doesn’t skimp on security either. You’re safe here. And I won’t let anything happen to you or Drew. So, snuggle up and relax.”
Closing my eyes, I enter that hazy zone where my thoughts mix with dreams, and I can’t tell if I’m awake or asleep. I’m not sure how long I stay like that before mom guilt takes over. Time to check on my son.
I get dressed in the one outfit I have in my go bag—a pair of jeans and a faded gray T-shirt. My hair is going to be a frizzy mess no matter what I do at this point, so I pull the still-damp strands into a ponytail.
Lance is in the kitchen, bouncing between his laptop and the stove where he’s making a grilled cheese sandwich. Downstairs, crowds of people cheer. Drew’s got to be playing a video game.
Lance flips the buttered bread and gives me a once over. His greedy grin appears as he wraps his arm around my waist and kisses me. My insides are jelly. “God, you look good.” He steps to the side and calls down, “Drew, lunch!”
Is it lunchtime already?
How long was I out?
Drew stomps up the stairs and beams up at Lance. “Did you show her?”
Lance flips the sandwich onto a plate. “Nope, I thought you would want to.”
Drew grabs the plate with one hand and pushes me in the back toward the laptop. “Mom, look!”
The screen is a black and gray blob of circles. “What am I seeing?”
“It’s a family of raccoons. Lance has a video of them walking around the yard. They sleep in the trash bins outside.”
Oh.
Lance grabs two more slices of bread. “Yeah, use caution when throwing anything out.” He’s trying to keep us safe, distracted from whatever danger came for us at our apartment. And at the same time, he’s trying to make this our home, if only temporarily. Complete with adorable woodland animals.
My heart is warm in a thousand places, seeping into crevices I didn’t even know I had.
Hours later, I’m on my feet, pointing at both of them. “Suck it, bitches.” I dominated their asses at Settlers of Catan.
Lance leans back in his chair, creating as much space as he possibly can between himself and the table without cowering.
My son frowns at me, scoots closer to Lance, and in a loud fake whisper, he says, “Now do you see why we don’t play board games anymore?”
Lance fake-whispers back, “Candyland must have been hardcore at your house.”
“I’ve never won a single game.” Drew’s eyes narrow. “She always got the double squares.”
Lance puts his hand to his mouth. “Did you cheat at Candyland?”
I mean, I was the one who shuffled because he couldn’t. And I have serious doubts Drew even remembers playing. I wave my finger around like a weapon and point to my eyebrow to demonstrate. “Uncle Joey has a scar on his eyebrow.”
“Yeah, so. He says he got it in a fight.”
“Yeah, when I punched him for calling me a cheater during Monopoly” That game has torn more families apart than most wars and divorces combined. My stats might be a little inflated, but still.
Lance tilts his head to the side. “But did you cheat?”
I wave him away and start cleaning up the game. “That’s irrelevant.”
He snorts a little and points to a box on the shelf. “We could try doing a puzzle.”
My Judas of a son says, “We can, but she always hides the last piece.”
“What kind of childhood did you have?” Lance laughs.
Drew shakes his head and peers out the window. “Traumatic.” A tad melodramatic.
The oven timer beeps, and Lance gets up from the table. He pats Drew’s shoulder as he walks by. “That ends now, Champ. I’ve got your back.”
Lance doesn’t see it—he’s already made his way into the kitchen—but Drew smiles as his eyes get all glassy. He gets the same way whenever he’s trying not to cry during a movie. He pulls his shirt collar to his eyes.
I didn’t know how much Drew needed someone like Lance. A male figure who cares about him for being him, not because of his last name or family ties.
There’s banging in the kitchen as Lance searches through the drawer for a pizza slicer. It’s the little things Lance does without being asked. Things I’d spent so much time doing myself—making dinner, finding ways to distract us, keeping peace in our house.
Until I met him, I didn’t think this was something I wanted. Or needed.
But Lance is completely unaware of his impact. And how much I want it. Need it.
He calls from the kitchen, “Hey, bet you could kick your mom’s ass at Minecraft.”
Drew sniffs and wipes his face. His eyes dance with an evil gleam. Oh yeah, he’s my son, alright.
The rest of the night, we eat pizza, and I’m chased around a world made of squares by a green penis-looking thing.
I thought the night couldn’t get better. But, after Drew is safely in bed, Lance and I fuck like bunnies.