“And you won’t disappear again?” he asks with a tilt of his head, his eyes narrowing.
“Not if I can help it. I told you once I don’t plan on leaving again, and I meant it. You’re stuck with me forever,” I tease, smiling.
He shrugs. “I can live with that.”
I chuckle before putting an arm around his shoulders and squeezing him.
“I’m really glad you’re my dad,” he whispers into my chest, hugging me back.
My eyes well up as I kiss the top of his head, replying, “I love you, son.”
Blake’s been weird throughout dinner. She looks lost in thought, twirling her fork around her plate but not actually eating anything. I’m trying hard to keep it together, but I’m failing.
What the fuck is going on? Is she going to leave me again? Did I overstep by asking them to move in? No, that can’t be it, she agreed.
The lights go out, plunging the room into darkness, and I let out a scream. We all know I’m a big baby, so there’s no surprise it happened.
“I’m just going to check the lights,” I tell Blake, standing up and sliding my phone out of my pocket for a little visibility. “Everyone okay?”
“All good” and “Yup” echo around me as I find out what’s going on.
A weird feeling hits me, and I get a chill down my spine, especially when the elevator dings and the doors open.
How the fuck did they get in here?
I lift my phone to see three figures running toward me, their bodies casting shadows all around.
With seconds to spare, I throw my phone on the sofa and brace myself for impact as two assholes jump me. It takes both of them to bring me down, but I don’t wait to see what the fuck they plan on doing, especially with my kid and woman in the apartment. I push the fuckers off and jump to my feet as they rush me again. I faintly hear a noise in the background, but I don’t think of anything other than the need to protect what’s mine.
“The fuck are you doing?” I yell at the intruders, knocking one of their legs out from under them. Their body hits the ground with a thud.
My mind quietens and settles as I take a deep breath in and exhale it slowly. There was a reason I trained as hard as I did, and these cunts, whoever the fuck they think they are, can kiss my ass.
I hear the thump of boots as another one comes at me, the light from my phone only giving me just enough time to react to their advances.
Where’s the other one… there were three of them.
All I can think of is Blake and Oscar. If the other fucker even so much as touches a hair on their heads, I’ll remove every single part of his body with a rusty fucking spoon.
“Blake?” I shout, just as one of the guys tries to take me down again. I sidestep him, turning around so I’m facing his back, then kick him in the ass. He crashes face-first into the wall, hitting his shoulder.
“Blake?” I’m starting to get frantic now. The blood in my veins boils and freezes all at once, terrified for them. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but they aren’t, even if Oscar has been to classes with me for the last few weeks.
Someone grabs me from behind, wrapping their arms around me. I sweep my arms in an arc, escaping their hold easily, then whip around to punch them. They reel back, clutching their face even though my strike wasn’t hard enough to break a bone—unfortunately.
“What the hell are you doing in my house? Do you not value your life?” The audacity of these pricks. I’m half tempted to ask if they know who I am, but that sounds a bit cheesy.
“Where’s the girl?” one of them shouts, his voice deep. He’s trying to sound threatening, but he just sounds pathetic.
Oh, so that’s what this is all about.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply as another one comes at me.
I swing my elbow, hitting his nose. Blood spurts, and I jump back, disgusted. “Ew. That better not stain my carpet,” I growl, pissed that I’m even having this conversation.
“Tell us where she is.”
I sidestep attacks that barely raise my heartbeat as they keep coming, until one of them jumps onto my back. He smashes a vase over my head, dazing me momentarily. I shake my head, clearing my vision before running backward to shove him into the wall. He lets go, dropping to the floor while I rub the back of my head. I inspect my hand and luckily find no blood.
