“You’re not keeping my son, Icer. And I’m not that old, fucker. I’m only three months older than you,” he says matter of factly.
“I was just offering,” I mutter.
“Well, don’t. You spend a lot of time with the kids so I don’t understand your fascination with wanting more. What’s that about, Icer?”
“You know what it’s about,” I comment. “Out of everyone who knows me, you do the best. Think about it before wanting explanations or passing judgment,” I scold as I pluck little G out of his arms, grab the diaper bag from beside his feet, and haul ass.
“I wasn’t judging and you didn’t let me kiss my boy goodbye, asshole,” he calls out toward my retreating back.
“You snooze, you lose,” I snidely say, tossing it over my shoulder because I refuse to turn around, feeling salty toward one of my oldest friends. “You’ve had plenty of time with him today. It’s my turn now.” I yank the driver’s side door open, lower the seat and slide it forward before strapping G into his car seat. Once the harness is in place, I recheck it twice to make sure he is trulysecure and lighten my voice. “There you go, buddy. NASCAR tight, you’re not going to be able to wiggle yourself free.”
He babbles as his fists pump through the air. I imagine he’s dressing me down, but he’s a cute little shit while doing it so I’ll give him a hall pass for his sassiness.
After stealing little man from Riptide, I track Letti and Elodie down and we head to her place together. We did some exploring and split up once we hit the compound, she helped Rip with his surprise for Van while I met with Shade to finish up our conversation that’d started before the alarms blared on our phones letting us know Letti was in trouble. I’m still salty about the fact that my woman kept the apartment. To me, it feels like she’s keeping it as a backup plan in case things don’t work out between us.
I have news for her, it’ll be a cold day in Hell before I let her get away from me.
In a haze, I hit the drive thru, order enough hamburgers and fries to feed an army, and am still not settled down by the time we make it to our final destination. I snort when I see the teenagers hanging out in the parking lot before scanning them from head to toe to make sure they aren’t flying the colors of the Onyx asswipes.
Letti, noticing what I’m doing, sighs. “They’re just tailgating, Viking. They’re teenagers, it’s what they do… hang out with their friends. It’s innocent, don’t let it get to you. Please.”
“They need something better to do than this,” I bemoan, waving my hand haphazardly around in the general area of where they’ve congregated.
“You’re awfully grouchy, Viking. What’s up with that?” she asks, unlatching her seatbelt and turning to face me. “Something’s been eating at you all day and you’ve been sore with me. I want to know why.”
“We’ll talk about it later. I don’t want the kids to hear what the matter is,” I tell her as I shut down the engine and hop out.
I hear her groan before she follows my lead and grabs Elodie from the back seat while I juggle little man, the food, and his bag. I scan the parking lot again to make sure there’s no danger lurking and when I’m satisfied there’s not, I pick up the pace and catch up to my woman who’s already climbing the stairs.
She’s muttering a mix of English and Spanish underneath her breath, something she leans toward doing when she’s pissy. I know her new attitude is my fault, but I can’t help the way I feel. I’ve finally found someone I want to stick around, forever if I have my way, and she’s kept a place that lets her leave me. I know my mind is in a constant state of turmoil over this, and those thoughts are playing out like a broken record on repeat in my head, and no matter how much I try to get rid of those thoughts, they’re not dissipating.
They’re affixed behind my eyes like a bright, flashing neon sign.
“Wait a second, Letti,” I state as she pushes the key into the lock. “Let me check the cameras before you go rushing inside.”
She rolls her eyes at me but steps back, tapping her foot as she narrows her eyes at me. I dismiss her irritation, set the bags down, and grab my phone. I open up the app that letsme see every angle of the shoe box size apartment and make sure I keenly look at all the places someone could hide. I scan over every nook, cranny, and corner. Any place there’s a shadow someone could try to blend in with, I spend extra time examining.
The good thing about Booker is that he’s compulsive, obsessively so when it comes to security. Since he’s OCD about it, I know he’s hit every dark spot, there’ll be no surprises waiting for us inside. His cameras cover every angle, there’s no place left unexposed so I know the house hasn’t been tampered with and there’s nobody inside hiding, waiting to ambush us.
“Are we good?” my goddess asks, her voice surly.
“Yeah, we’re good. No signs of any trespassers and from what I saw, nobody has stepped foot inside since the last time we were here. I do want to go in first to check the closets though,” I tell her, passing little G over to her, keeping the bags on the ground as I pull my trusty revolver out of the waistband of my jeans and open the door, shutting it behind me.
When I fling open the first door where she stores her vacuum, broom, and other cleaning equipment, and notice that’s all that’s stored there, I shut it and head to the only other one there is in this place, her bedroom.
When I fling those doors open, the air rushes out of my lungs. Not because there’s a threat hiding inside, but because it’s packed down with boxes, tape, and other moving supplies.
“Surprise,” she whispers behind me. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
I twirl around to face her, letting her see the clouded emotions that’ve been plaguing me all damn day. “Letti,” I whisper, my throat froggy with unshed tears. “We’re packing?”
“It’s a family packing party,” she validifies. “I don’t have much money left in my savings account so I couldn’t buy you anything. So I asked myself what I could give you that’d be meaningful and thought this would be the perfect gift for you. Do you like it?”
“Surprise, Uncle Icer!” Elodie squeals as she comes in and stands behind Letti with little G in tow. “I kept it a secret.”
“You sure did,” I say, praising her, “good job, princess.”
“It wassooohard,” she dramatically says, tossing her head back while drawing out the word ‘so’ in the way only a child can.
