“I made Dad mad, and he hurt Mom because of it.”Shit.That’s too much for the boy to carry by himself.“She’s dead because of me.”
Rounding the counter, I sit next to him and turn his chair to face me, so he sees how serious I am.“Men are supposed to protect the women and children they love.At all costs.Weak men attack those who are smaller, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it.That’s how I know that whatever you did, his attacking your mom was not your fault.”
“You don’t know what I did, though.”
“Doesn’t matter.You are not responsible for the actions of grown adults.”I can see my words start to sink in, but he’s not entirely convinced.“One day you’ll understand better, but right now it’s difficult because you only see the wrongs happening around you, and the one person who’s trying to help keeps getting knocked down too.”
“How do I fix it?”Joey’s light eyes meet mine for the first time.
“You trust someone who wants the same things as you—to protect your mom and sisters.”Spotting Noa in the kitchen entrance, I stay silent to see if he understands what I’m saying.
“Like you?”He doesn’t sound nearly as skeptical as I’d anticipated.
“Yes, like me.”
“She loves you, you know,” he says.
My brow rises at Noa, and she covers her face.
“That’s what I want.”
“Do you love her?”His tone hardens, sounding like the protective brother.
Meeting Noa’s eyes, I answer him honestly.“I do.More than I ever thought I could possibly love another after my wife died.”
Joey sits up straighter.“Your wife died?”
“She did.When my daughters, CJ, Odette, and Aura, were young girls.I thought she was the love of my life, and in the time I had her with me, she was.But your sister…mom…” I correct and notice Noa’s face has gone slightly pale.“She’s made me think about love again, and when I first met her, I knew she could be my second great love.”
“And us?”
Brushing my hand across the top of his head, I cup his nape and ensure he’s got his eyes on me.“Whether she’s your mom or your sister, it doesn’t matter.She sees you as hers, and I see you as mine, if you’ll let me.”
“I don’t know.”
“You’ve got loads of time for me to show you I’m worthy of your trust.We’ll take it one day at a time.”He nods, and I pull back, gesturing towards Noa so he sees her.
“Mom.”He’s startled and worried about what he told me.
“It’s time for bed.Did you finish your homework?”Watching as she holds out an arm for the boy, he doesn’t hesitate to hug her, and they share a few hushed words before he says goodnight to me and rushes upstairs.
“Mama, what are you doing out of bed?”I thought for sure I would have to collect her from the girls’ room.
Ignoring me, she instead asks, “Are you mad?”
“Why would I be mad?”I counter, so I can get a better sense of what’s going through her mind.
“I lied to you.Said they were mine.Didn’t correct you, them, or myself about being their big sister, and they only call me Mom because Emma does.I’ve been the only mom that sweet angel has ever had.”A sob resonates from her chest.
Pulling Noa into my arms, I wrap her up in me so she can have the freedom to cry if she needs to.“I’m not mad, mama.I won’t lie, though.Iwasa little homicidal at the thought of another man fathering your children before me.”Tilting her chin, a lone tear slowly glides down her cheek.“I admire you.You’re so incredibly brave to take on the care of those kids at a time when I bet you were trying to grieve your own loss.”
“They needed me.”Her eyes close as I brush my lips across hers, loving how soft she is.How easily she submits for me.This woman is everything I’d never known I was looking for in life.“Someone had to take care of them.”
“But who took care of you?”Her lids pop open to stare at me in shock.As if it were never even a thought.“From now on, that’s me.I’ll take care of all five of you.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking, I’m telling you that’s how it’s going to be.”Licking at the seam of her lips, she opens for me, and I don’t hesitate to sweep my tongue into her mouth while scooping her body up into my arms.“Tonight, I’m going to start with you.”I’ve been dying to get my mouth and hands on her body since that night we had together.I didn’t have her nearly long enough, and I’ve spent every night since then regretting it.
