“Yeah, alright.”
And it was that easy.Ten minutes later he was on a bench in the little park where he and Declan had bonded, watching the ducks and replying to way too many texts.Christ, he’d tried not to think about everything hewasn’tdoing.But here it was, his whole life, going to shit.
He called his parole officer, just to check in like a good little ex-con.Left her a message that he hoped sounded sane and not like his fae boyfriend had nearly bled out in his arms.Reece next, exactly the person Clara’d tell him not to dial.But the guy had sent him a half dozen texts, mostly bland comments about nothing.And that was…
Well, it was fucking weird.
No answer again, so Antonio just apologized.Traveling for work, and he’d get back to him soon.
Finally, Elaine, who hadn’t been shy about making it clear how thrilled she was about Antonio’s phone going to voicemail.The girls missed him and where the fuck was he.
Of course, she was the one who picked up.
“‘Tonio?”Her voice came down the line, sharp with worry.
“Hey, Lainey.”Keep it cheerful.No one’d almost died.He hadn’t been living in a nightmare.
“What the hell?You don’t answer texts anymore?You’re lucky Angie doesn’t know how to use a damned phone.”
A duck waddled closer as Elaine scolded, pecking around Antonio’s feet for bread he didn’t have.That felt about right.
“How are the girls?”
“Missing you, you prick.Is this about what Michael said to that guy you brought?He didn’t mean it.Alright, he meant it.But you can’t just disappear on us for someguy.”
When Antonio closed his eyes, he could see Declan crumpling to the ground again, his bone wings spread beneath him.Elaine could scold all she liked.
“He’s in the hospital.”Antonio dropped the cheerful act, letting some of the fear and stress leak into his voice.
“I don’t care if– Wait.What?”Elaine’s voice dropped to a near whisper.“Drugs?Is he an … addict?”
Antonio was going to drown himself in the fucking duck pond.
“Declan isn’t on drugs, Lainey,” he growled.“He … got the shit kicked out of him.Alright?And no, not because he’s in agang.Just some assholes who didn’t like the way he looked.”
“Don’t get mad at me for worrying.If Clara hears about you hanging with the wrong people–”
“Lainey.My boyfriend isin the hospital.Don’t talk to me about what my fucking parole officer might think.Christ.”
Silence, down the line.Then a shaky sigh.
“Sorry.I shouldn’t have– You’re right.Is he okay?”
“It’s pretty bad.He’s probably going to need a few days before they let him go.”
“Oh.Shit.Do you want me to meet you?I know how you feel about hospitals.”
Antonio wished he could say yes.That she could come and be there for him to lean on while he waited for Declan to be alright.
But he couldn’t.He never could.
“Nah, it’s alright.It’s good for me.Exposure therapy or whatever.Just … this weekend…”
“I’ll talk to Angie for you.Do I tell her you’re with yourboyfriend?”
Antonio hesitated.He’dneverbrought a boyfriend home.Not that he’d had many.But he couldn’t bring himself to deny Declan, even secondhand.
“Tell her in person.I want you to take a picture of Michael’s face.”
