Chapter 46
Chapter Forty-Six
THEO
Oscar and Blake will be at my place any minute. I gave Blake a key so she can come and go as she likes. It’s been a chaotic few weeks, but I did manage to pull together one surprise for them, something I’m nervous yet excited to reveal.
The elevator chimes, and I move from the kitchen to the living room to greet them.
Oscar flies out first, running over to give me a quick hug before dashing off to his collection of figurines.
I couldn’t help it. He now has a matching case next to mine, and he also has a box full of them he can play with.
Blake walks in, and I grin. Her hair’s in a ponytail, her face is fresh with a slight hint of mascara and lip gloss, and she’s wearing black jeans, a cream jumper, and a leather jacket.
I pull her in for a kiss, loving the feel of her curves against me.
She draws back, and I place a kiss on the top of her head.
“Hi, gorgeous,” I breathe, wondering if I’ll ever get used to feeling like this—as if my heart’s about to burst from my chest with the amount of love I have for her.
“Hey, honey,” she whispers.
“I want to show you something,” I reply, grabbing her hand and heading for the bedrooms. “Oscar,” I call out, “come with me.”
He jumps up from his seated position on the floor, a curious look on his face.
I lead them both down the corridor and stop outside one of the spare bedrooms. Blowing out a breath, I squeeze Blake’s hand before opening the door.
Oscar gasps as he runs in. Usually, this would be the part where my brain goes into overdrive, wondering if he likes it or if he hates it, but those voices are quiet as I watch his face alight with glee while he glances around his room in awe.
“So… I redecorated,” I say, hoping he likes it.
“It’s amazing,” he gushes before running and jumping on his new bed.
I had it painted yellow with black Bumblebee ‘go faster’ stripes throughout.
His double bed is covered with a Transformers duvet, a matching blanket, and a pillow.
There’s shelves dotted around with more figurines, and a box at the end of his bed is filled with…
yup, more toys. I may have gone a bit overboard, but I don’t care. Not when he’s so happy.
I finally look over at Blake, who has tears in her eyes. “Is this okay? I wanted him to have his own space when he’s here.”
“Of course it’s okay. It looks great,” she replies, a small but sad smile on her face.
Cupping her face in my hands, I tilt her head to look at me. “What’s wrong?”
She brushes me off with a wave of her hand. “I’m good.”
I don’t believe her for a second, but I don’t want to push her either. I’m learning to curb my desires to know every tiny thing that’s going on in her mind just to ease my own thoughts. It’s hard, but I have faith she’ll talk to me when she’s ready.
“I have another surprise. One for you this time,” I tell her sheepishly, my cheeks burning red.
“Theo, you didn’t have to do anything for me,” she admonishes gently. “I have everything I need.”
“Well, no, I didn’t, but I wanted to,” I reply, retaking her hand and leading her to my bedroom. I shove the door open to reveal what I’ve done.
“This isn’t how your room looked before,” she murmurs, glancing around.
I rub the back of my neck. “Nope. I had new additions made… for you.”
Blake moves around the room, and I have no idea what the fuck to think. I changed the furniture from a masculine vibe to a more feminine one, added another wardrobe and a chest of drawers, and set up a vanity in the corner by the window.
Walking up behind her, I wrap my arms around her waist. “This is for you. So you can stay here too.”
“Are you asking us to move in with you?” she asks, but I can hear the smile in her tone.
“Yeah, I am. I don’t want you guys away from me anymore. We can figure out everything as we go along.”
She sighs, and the panic sets in. “My job, Theo. We won’t be able to hide it from them if we’re living with you. Please don’t make me choose.”
“I’m never going to ask you to choose, firefly. Just trust me that it’s all coming together, and you won’t have to worry about it anymore,” I reply, pleading with her.
I really need to get that other surprise sorted sooner rather than later.
Blake turns in my arms, looking at me with hesitation. “I’ll tell you what, when whatever it is that’s come together has come together, we’ll move in with you. I care about you, Theo, but I will not risk my career.”
It hurts to hear her say it but knowing her past leaves no doubt in my mind that she deserves the absolute best, and I’m going to make sure she gets it.
“Deal,” I say before lowering my head and kissing her softly.
“Erm, Dad? Why are you hugging Mom like that?”
Oh, shit.
“I-I—” Blake begins, but I interrupt.
“May I?”
“Sure,” she says, but I can see the panic in her eyes. I know we were meant to do this together, but I’d like to talk to my son, man to man.
I pull away from her and squeeze her hand before slinging an arm around Oscar's shoulders. “Come on, little dude. Let’s go have a chat.”
I lead us out of my—our room and head for his, wanting to give him a safe place to talk. He sits down on his bed, looking at me expectantly.
I begin pacing, a hand in my hair as I try to think of what the fuck to say.
“Are you and Mom together?” he asks quietly.
I turn around, my face softening. “Would that be okay?”
Oscar ponders my question for a moment, and I breathe through it, trying to calm the anxious thoughts because I’m not sure what I’ll do if he says no.
“So we’d live together? Here?”
“That’s the plan, little dude,” I reply, walking toward him and sitting down on the bed next to him. “I love you, and I love your mom. I want us to be a proper family.”
“And you won’t disappear again?” he asks with a tilt of his head, his eyes narrowing.
“Not if I can help it. I told you once I don’t plan on leaving again, and I meant it. You’re stuck with me forever,” I tease, smiling.
He shrugs. “I can live with that.”
I chuckle before putting an arm around his shoulders and squeezing him.
“I’m really glad you’re my dad,” he whispers into my chest, hugging me back.
My eyes well up as I kiss the top of his head, replying, “I love you, son.”
Blake’s been weird throughout dinner. She looks lost in thought, twirling her fork around her plate but not actually eating anything. I’m trying hard to keep it together, but I’m failing.
What the fuck is going on? Is she going to leave me again? Did I overstep by asking them to move in? No, that can’t be it, she agreed.
The lights go out, plunging the room into darkness, and I let out a scream. We all know I’m a big baby, so there’s no surprise it happened.
“I’m just going to check the lights,” I tell Blake, standing up and sliding my phone out of my pocket for a little visibility. “Everyone okay?”
“All good” and “Yup” echo around me as I find out what’s going on.
A weird feeling hits me, and I get a chill down my spine, especially when the elevator dings and the doors open.
How the fuck did they get in here?
I lift my phone to see three figures running toward me, their bodies casting shadows all around.
With seconds to spare, I throw my phone on the sofa and brace myself for impact as two assholes jump me.
It takes both of them to bring me down, but I don’t wait to see what the fuck they plan on doing, especially with my kid and woman in the apartment.
I push the fuckers off and jump to my feet as they rush me again.
I faintly hear a noise in the background, but I don’t think of anything other than the need to protect what’s mine.
“The fuck are you doing?” I yell at the intruders, knocking one of their legs out from under them. Their body hits the ground with a thud.
My mind quietens and settles as I take a deep breath in and exhale it slowly. There was a reason I trained as hard as I did, and these cunts, whoever the fuck they think they are, can kiss my ass.
I hear the thump of boots as another one comes at me, the light from my phone only giving me just enough time to react to their advances.
Where’s the other one… there were three of them.
All I can think of is Blake and Oscar. If the other fucker even so much as touches a hair on their heads, I’ll remove every single part of his body with a rusty fucking spoon.
“Blake?” I shout, just as one of the guys tries to take me down again. I sidestep him, turning around so I’m facing his back, then kick him in the ass. He crashes face-first into the wall, hitting his shoulder.
“Blake?” I’m starting to get frantic now. The blood in my veins boils and freezes all at once, terrified for them. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but they aren’t, even if Oscar has been to classes with me for the last few weeks.
Someone grabs me from behind, wrapping their arms around me. I sweep my arms in an arc, escaping their hold easily, then whip around to punch them. They reel back, clutching their face even though my strike wasn’t hard enough to break a bone—unfortunately.
“What the hell are you doing in my house? Do you not value your life?” The audacity of these pricks. I’m half tempted to ask if they know who I am, but that sounds a bit cheesy.
“Where’s the girl?” one of them shouts, his voice deep. He’s trying to sound threatening, but he just sounds pathetic.
Oh, so that’s what this is all about.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply as another one comes at me.
I swing my elbow, hitting his nose. Blood spurts, and I jump back, disgusted. “Ew. That better not stain my carpet,” I growl, pissed that I’m even having this conversation.
“Tell us where she is.”