* * *
Roman had soberedup significantly by the time he returned home. Jay was standing in Ezra’s doorway and Roman made a beeline for him, then hesitated, wondering if he’d be welcome.
“Go easy, my man,” Jay said and clapped his back. “I’ll take care of the stragglers.”
It was late enough that Roman felt no qualms about kicking everyone the hell out. He wanted his house back to himself, with only he and Ezra in it. Ezra was sitting in a ball on his rug, not a good sign as he recalled the state he’d been in when Preston Robertson had cheated in Risk.
“Hey, Ezra.” Roman sat across from him with his back against the leg of the desk. Ezra’s chin was tucked into his knees, his gaze focused on the patterned rug between them, probably counting.
“Hey.”
“You mad at me?” Roman asked.
“A little bit.”
“Because I stepped in?”
“Yes.”
“I was really angry. I don’t like it when people are mean to you. Makes me want to rip their heads off.” Roman hadn’t experienced a surge of adrenaline like that in quite a while, the effects of which he was still feeling in his racing heart and tingling extremities. That piece of shit had gotten off easy as far as Roman was concerned.
“I get called a lot of names, Roman.”
“Doesn’t make it okay.”
“Do you think I’m retarded?” Ezra peered up at him as if searching for the truth.
“No, I think you’re brilliant.”
“Have you ever called someone that?”
Roman ducked his head, not wanting to admit it. “Maybe once or twice in the nineties.”
“But now you know better?”
“Yes, I’d hope so.”
“Well, I might have been able to educate that man before you started yelling at him.”
“I don’t know, babe. I think that guy was just an asshole.” And Roman had enough experience with the type to not trifle with them.
“Even assholes are capable of change.”
Roman smiled. Ezra had some real grit to him and an even bigger heart. He didn’t want Ezra to waste his good nature on people who didn’t deserve it, but he also didn’t want to strip him of his agency. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. I should have given you the opportunity to set that man straight. I’m sorry I lost my temper.” Plus, there were probably more mature ways Roman could have handled the situation, like forcefully escorting that asshole out the door. Ezra nodded in acknowledgement but seemed to be puzzling over something else. “What is it, babe?”
“Do you think of me as a little kid?”
“No, not at all. I mean, you do cute things sometimes, kind of like a kid, and I like to make you character breakfasts because it’s fun, but I know you’re an adult. The things we do are pretty adult, don’t you think?”
“Good. Because Iaman adult. And I know how to live on my own and get around the city and deal with strangersandassholes.”
“I know you do. But I still like to take care of you. And protect you from at least some of the assholes.” Ezra was no longer frowning and Roman thought he might be close to being forgiven.
“I’ve never heard you use that voice before,” Ezra confessed softly. Roman felt bad that he’d lost his cool, though he’d do it again in a heartbeat if he thought someone was endangering Ezra’s safety.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you. I don’t bring it out very often. Only when I’m feeling scared or threatened.”
“You were scared?” Ezra asked.
