Sabastian
I needed a drink. A strong one.
Nathan stared me down, as if he could see into my soul. Could he see how much I was falling for a sweet boy I never meant to fall for? Could he see that I had no options but to keep Oakley, despite knowing that I should let him go?
The answers to those were undoubtedly yes.
“Here I thought I was the only idiot in the family.”
Apparently not anymore.
I told him everything that he hadn’t known yet. Nathan knew how I came across Oakley, since he was the one person I told about the boy. I had plans to just get him out of that house and away from Donny. But things had changed way too quickly.
It wasn’t my fault the boy was nothing like the pictures. It wasn’t my fault that I was falling the way I was. And it fucking wasn’t my fault that Oakley was sweet and adorable, and spoke to a part of me that I had only let out at certain times.
“You’ve got it bad, Bash.” He shook his head, leaning back in his seat. “What are you going to tell the parents?”
“Not a clue. Oakley’s different. I don’t know how he will take it, let alone Dad. You know he doesn’t exactly approve of myafter hourslifestyle.”
Us men were meant to lookmanlyin all ways. Strong, smart, fast thinkers, and then have pretty littlewives to carry our babies. At least with Nathan, he had a wife, who wasn’t ready to settle down with a baby and family. But she would be eventually. Maybe.
Mom always pressed on us three boys to find a wife, one who would love us, while we protected them from the world. At least she didn’t care if we got said wives from unethical means, since she was one herself once upon a time.
She’d at least be on my side of things. But Oakleywasdifferent. He didn’t speak his mind. He didn’t go out of his way try to prove his self-worth. And he didn’t do much of anything unless he had permission, which even then wasn’t much.
Not to mention, still underage.
“He’s not even eighteen yet.” I rubbed a hand down my face.
“So? He will be some day.”
Like in four days, but that was beside the point.
“What’s making you doubt, Bash? From what I can tell, that girl…uh boy is everything you want in a partner. Maybe he’s a bit quieter than what you’d go for, but I bet with time, he’ll open up. He’s been through hell and back, probably more than once. Just go for it. Be the Daddy you’ve always wanted to be. Care for him, show him how much you can, and will, love him. He deserves it. You do, too.”
“I think I said something like that to you when you were falling for your own girl.”
“Yeah, well. I took your advice. I wasn’t stupid.”
No, well he was in that department. Molly was happy to leave so many hints that it took me pointing them out for him to get his brain on the right track. Now, the two were more than happy, having a relationshipthat they both wanted with tons of communication and each need met.
“Just,” he went on, eyes drawn to were Oakley and Molly were sitting out on the porch. We had moved to the kitchen to keep a closer eye on them. Well, mostly to keep a close eye on Oakley. I wasn’t sure how’d he do on his own without me. But so far, he seemed to being fine. “Don’t keep him away from the family for too long, alright. He’ll have to learn to deal with all of us at some point. Prolonging it isn’t going to help him, or you.”
“I’m not bringing him this week.” That was for damn sure. The day before his birthday wasn’t the plan, at all. I didn’t need to explain how old he was, and why he was still a minor, while being my boy at that.
“You’re lucky they don’t come here, then.”
I raised a brow. That was part of the reason I moved so far away. Sure, thirty minutes was nothing, but it kept some people from venturing to the county, as they liked to call it.
I liked it way out here. No traffic. No nosey neighbors. It was perfect, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
“Have you had sex yet?”
What the hell?
“No.” I growled out the answer. “Absolutely not.” Nor would I be anytime soon.
I could assume the boy wasn’t a virgin, just from how the bruising had been that first night. And themonstershe talked about were definitely the cause of a lot of the pain and suffering. And who knows what else Donny did to the boy when he was drugged and unconscious.
