Shoving his hands into the pocket of his loose jeans, Jacob nodded. “Yes, it was very good. Thank you for that.”
“You helped make it,” James responded with a shrug.
Jacob stepped to the side so he wasn’t blocking James’s way to the stairs. “I just wanted to thank you. Also…” He cleared his throat. “I won’t bother you again. I’ve overstepped my place as just renting you an apartment. I apologize for that.”
“Overstepped?” James shook his head. “You mean all the times that you ratted me out to my brother?”
He was a dick. Jacob’s night of reflection had been eye-opening. No wonder why James hated him. Or at least avoided him. Jacob didn’t blame the boy. “Yes. I…I’m not making excuses for myself.” He was though. “I just wanted to make sure that you both remained safe. I knew it was your first time away from home and after Byron asked me to keep an eye on you both, I went overboard.”
“I knew Byron had a hand in this!” James said with a grin. “I’m so getting him back for that.”
Jacob nodded as he took several more steps toward his own house. “I just wanted to say that I was sorry. You’ve more than proven how capable you are. You won’t have any more trouble from me.”
“Uh, great. Okay. Thanks,” James replied.
“Great,” Jacob repeated. “Have a good night.” He turned away.
“Wait!” James’s voice rose.
Slowly Jacob turned back. Was his apology not good enough? Did the boy want him to grovel?
James set his helmet and backpack down on the step that Jacob had been waiting on earlier. He rolled his shoulders before facing him. “Are you scared of me?”
“No.” Jacob frowned. Did James want him to be?
“I’m very sorry that I raised my voice to you. It was rude and that is not how I want to handle things in my life.”
“I overstepped once again.” Jacob excused James’s reaction. “I hadn’t been thinking straight when I’d bought that toy.” He’d been consumed by the need to claim the boy. It was obvious that the boy didn’t want to be claimed by anyone. That he was not a little.
“You didn’t though,” James told him. His cheeks turned red. “And that was the problem.”
“I don’t understand,” Jacob admitted.
Leaning down, James opened the main part of the backpack and pulled out the action figure, now out of the package, before also removing a red cloth. He held them tight in his hands.“Do you know the type of relationship Michael is in?” James questioned.
“I do. I knew as soon as Byron reached out to me.”
James sat on the bottom step, placing the cape and action figure in his lap. “Because Byron is a Daddy?”
“We met at a club a few hours from here,” Jacob shared. He moved a little closer, curious about what James was thinking. “He’s a silent partner in the club and I was a member.”
“Which means”—James ducked his chin—“that you’re a Daddy too.”
Damn! Jacob rubbed the back of his head. This wasn’t the conversation that he’d planned on having. A quick apology. A promise to stay away. Jacob hated being out of his element.
“Sorry.” James started to rise. “I shouldn’t have asked that. It’s none of my business.”
“I am,” Jacob said quickly. He didn’t want James to go inside. To ruin this moment between the two of them.
James settled back down on the step. “It seems like I’m surrounded by Daddies and…littles.” He didn’t sound happy about that.
“If someone is pressuring you—”
James shook his head sharply. “No, it’s nothing like that.” He sighed.
Jacob shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. He wanted to offer his advice. He’d just vowed to keep his nose out of James’s business.
“If you’re a Daddy, then it must be hard to rein that in,” James said quietly.
